GreenwoodS Defensive Lapses Acknowledged as Marseille Embrace Attacking Focus
MARSEILLE, FRANCE – November 3, 2025 – A candid assessment on live television has illuminated olympique de Marseille’s strategy regarding new signing Mason Greenwood, with former professional defender Souleymane Diawara openly stating the club was aware of Greenwood’s defensive shortcomings upon his recruitment.The revelation, aired on Ligue 1+ on November 2, 2025, underscores a clear prioritization of attacking output over defensive contributions from the forward.
The discussion arose following a recent match where Greenwood’s defensive efforts were notably absent. Diawara, a champion with Girondins de Bordeaux in 2009 and 2010, and previously associated with OM, argued that demanding defensive work from Greenwood would be counterproductive. This stance reflects a calculated risk by Marseille, willing to accept a lack of defensive cover in exchange for Greenwood’s goal-scoring and assist-making abilities.
“I’m a defender,I have a guy like Greenwood. I know, when they recruited him, they knew he couldn’t defend,” Diawara declared on the broadcast.He further emphasized, “Provided that he’s there, scoring goals and making assists, I don’t care if he defends. Stay there. Because you’re going to have to run 30 meters and you’re going to have to go 30 meters again, you’re going to have the ball, not be lucid and in the end we’re going to argue with you because you didn’t score the goal. don’t defend, let us defend and there are no problems. We know that he doesn’t defend, that’s not from today.”
greenwood’s transfer to Marseille has been closely watched,notably given past controversies. The club’s willingness to publicly acknowledge and seemingly embrace his limitations in other areas of the game signals a focused tactical approach centered on maximizing his offensive strengths. This strategy places increased duty on Marseille’s other players to compensate for Greenwood’s lack of defensive contribution, potentially shaping their overall team dynamic for the remainder of the 2025/2026 Ligue 1 season.
