OM Women: Nicolas Chabot’s Tactical Balance of Possession and Defensive Discipline

Since taking charge at OM, Nicolas Chabot has maintained an offensive identity that regularly yields over 60 percent possession per match in Division 1. Yet that attacking focus has not compromised safety at the back. After slightly more than a month of competitive fixtures, Marseille’s backline and goalkeeping unit have conceded only a single goal. Chabot credits this defensive resistance to collective responsibility rather than isolated heroics from defenders.

“What I like is that in the offensive aspect, we see the defenders really getting involved. And in the defensive aspect, we see the attackers really getting involved,” Chabot said. “That is where I find we have a true collective, because we have a team that defends and runs together, that is disciplined and capable of mastering the different heights of a block. Then we have a backline, plus our goalkeepers, who do a really big job too.”

The Forward Press and Front-Line Pressure

Although attackers Mathilde Bourdieu and Claire Lavogez have experienced limited success in front of goal during the early weeks of the campaign, their work rate without the ball remains essential. Both forwards lead the initial pressing phase immediately upon losing possession, setting a defensive standard that the rest of the squad follows systematically across the pitch.

Squad Discipline and Collective Shape

Maintaining compactness between the defensive lines requires strict tactical discipline. Chabot’s system demands that players adjust their positioning fluidly depending on the phase of play, whether pressing high up the pitch or dropping into a lower block to protect a lead.