Sylvain Marveaux

[RSM]

It seems increasingly likely that Liverpool will go ahead and secure the services of Rennes’ enigmatic midfielder Sylvain Marveaux on a free this summer. Some even claim that he’s signed for the club already, having spotted the French youngster at Anfield with Damien Comolli earlier in the season. I’ve never seen Marveaux play in Ligue 1, so I don’t have anything sensible to say about him, but I did ask my dear Twitter-comrade Bastien Leclair (@puchkin_b) to write up a scouting report on this injury-plagued attacking midfielder. Thankfully, he duly delivered, and now we can all have the pleasure of getting to know Liverpool’s new signing a little better from footballing perspective. Enjoy!

 

Words by Bastien Leclair

 

I was asked to put together a blog regarding Rennes’ Sylvain Marveaux, the Reds’ long awaited Bosman signing in view of next season. While some uncertainty remains regarding his arrival at Anfield , it seems fair to say that a move to anywhere else than Merseyside would be a surprise, if not a relative upset from the part of the attacking midfielder.

 

So I’ve first thought of writing a portrait of the player, but this has already been done and you could find much information on his career, his goals, his stats or his recent difficulties in Rennes across the web. Instead, I preferred to try and put together a report on the player, providing you with the sort of information I think Liverpool fans would like to know regarding his skills, his attitude on and off the pitch, his strengths and weaknesses, and his particularities.

 

PHYSICAL ABILITY

 

He has pace, deadly pace, he is very capable of eliminating a defence on a single acceleration. He will take the ball and go through knocks and shocks to reach his target, a goal or a good pass. He can stay on his legs, no doubt about it, and although he isn’t of the strongest build he shouldn’t be worried with the strength of English defenders. His game made of acceleration can lead him to natural fatigue in the closing stages, but when in good shape he is perfectly able to contribute 90 minutes week-in week-out and bring his fair share of goals and assists.

 

In fact, his weakness lies inside. While he rarely gives up on the pitch himself, his body has been regulating things for him. He is an athlete, a powerfully legged sprinter, and his thighs have often been a strain to his progression. In summer 2008, after a good first season and a disappointing second term, he picked up a benign thigh injury during a France U21 game. Recovery should have been straightforward, but instead he met calcification issues and was forced to undergo surgery… he would miss the following 8 months. Tough luck can strike anyone, true, but the same thing happened to him once again this season, and a minor thigh muscle strain against Brest in November was enough to rule him out for the rest of the current campaign.

 

TECHNICAL ABILITY

 

Are you looking for a left foot? His can do everything you could dream of. He can pass, control, dribble, deliver or shoot with surgical precision. Sylvain Marveaux has taken Ligue 1 by surprise in 2009-2010 with his ability to regulate Rennes’ game, and despite his positioning on the left, he certainly was Rennes’ real playmaker throughout the season. He can take free-kicks like this one, deliver assists or make the difference by himself relying on a fantastic left-foot (Video). And his ability and elegance when dribbling through an adverse defence is something one rarely sees and thoroughly enjoys…

 

He relies nearly exclusively on his left foot however, and his right foot and head are of no use in his game. In fact, Marveaux will always look at placing the ball back on his left foot even for a simple pass, and will often lose the opportunity to deliver or build on the momentum he could have gained on his opponent. Also, Marveaux will invariably lose a challenge in the air. He hasn’t got the jumping ability, the timing or the stature for those aerial contests, and he isn’t usually that bothered.

 

INTELLIGENCE

 

Marveaux was trained as a central midfielder, and this is something one can very easily realise when watching him twirl across a square expanding from the left touch-line to the centre of the field. He mainly plays in a left winger position, but he isn’t anything like a left winger. And although it could not quite be branded a lack of intelligence, he lacks many of the qualities required of a true winger and especially the tactical finesse required to exploit the flank with full efficiency.

 

While he could make the best out of his pace and skills alternating runs down the wing and cuts through to centre as a Nani or a Valencia, Marveaux is compulsively attracted to the centre, no matter what. Cutting out is certainly all right, but cutting out from the left when you only have a left foot can sometimes be a handicap. On top of this, his crossing ability is nearly inexistent, and he will always favour a central or individual solution to a transmission to his left back running up the field. The decision is sometimes justified by a scoring action (10 goals and 5 assists last season) but an ability to open eyes to options other than the obvious would be a definite added value to his game.

 

On the other hand, he sometimes showed an ability to pick up the perfect pass in sometimes spectacular style, and his runs without the ball are often well-inspired and making the assist an easy exercise for his team-mates. With the good guidance and advice, he could certainly correct some of the defaults above and show more of these flashes of superb vision.

 

ATTITUDE

 

Again, despite his talent and ability, Marveaux could improve loads on this field. In a 4-3-3 system such as Rennes’ and in most modern tactical set-ups (In which full backs are called to play a major attacking role) defensive work is a necessity for the attacking flankers. Not only failing to notice the wing-rushes of his left-back counterpart, Marveaux has often been blamed for failing to accomplish his defensive work, whether it is an initial pressing or returns to cover the flank. As a result, great moments of solitude for the men standing behind him, such a Carlos Bocanegra, often let alone to deal with two or three opponents last season, without a hope to see his team-mate rush to his rescue.

 

Rennes Manager Frederic Antonetti himself admitted that Marveaux’ lack of work was acceptable as long as his attacking input remained as impressive as it was last season. Many coaches could rightfully consider some of Marveaux’ attitudes on the pitch as disrespectful to the team effort.

 

As a graduate of Rennes Academy having gone through the youth teams at the club, Marveaux may well be receiving too much indulgence for his ineffective defensive work. His self-confidence is high, maybe a bit too high, and the wise words of a manager able to make him question himself and his work for the team could be a massive boost to his career. He is able to do the work however, and even started his Ligue 1 career covering for injuries at left back. Little doubt he will give more in that field if a starting eleven position was to be at stake.

 

OFF THE PITCH

 

As far as I know, the latest former Rennes player ever to have played for Liverpool was El Hadji Diouf. No worries there. Few players bear a natural talent comparable to the Senegalese’s, and I wouldn’t think Marveaux’ raw talent really is up to that standard, but even less players have an attitude and temper as negative as Diouf’s. Sylvain Marveaux is certainly a modern football player, liking his nights out, his cars, his caps (he loves caps) and all the good things life has to offer to a wealthy young man. He has never made any headlines for wrong reasons however, nor did his brother Joris (who plays in Ligue 1 for Montpellier), and his off the pitch attitude should certainly not be any worry towards his recruitment by the Reds…

[18-5]

L'Equipe reported yesterday that Lyon were planning to sell Bastos and replace him with Marveaux.

[RedKnight]

French, injured, free. What could possibly go wrong?

[Bogman]

French, injured, free. What could possibly go wrong?

 

 

He could get fit?

[Guest PurpleNose]

So he isn't really a winger?

[esoteric]

Very informative but, I'm still not sure what to make of this lad.

[Elite]

No ta.

[Adebisi]

Get him in and a more proven, PL quality left-winger and have them fight for a starting place.

 

 

Oh wait, he's French.

[Pidge]

Repeat calsification issues is a no for me.

[camdenred]

So he's not as good as Diouf......

[Megadrive Man]

So he will be this summers, Jovanovic,Degan, Vorronin signing. good to see that we're keeping the tradition going.

[Monster Masch]

Sky Sports understand we have agreed a pre-contract with him.

[TalkSilly]

He's missed most of this season and 5 months of the one before last with injury. He's 25 next week. If his body can't cope with the rigours of professional football in the first half of his 20s how likely is it that the second half is going to be better, especially in a more physically demanding league?

 

Ferri, Traore, Camara, Diomede, Arphexad, Vignal, Pongolle, Le Tallec, Diarra, Cheyrou, Diouf, Diao, Luzi, Medjani, Cisse, El Zhar, Itanje, Plessis, Ngog. We might as well have signed the cast of ‘Allo ‘Allo. I don’t care how good Comolli’s knowledge is, nobody knew french football better than Houllier and his signings from Ligue Un were still woeful. Other clubs will have similar long, failure ridden, catalogues of gallic imports. Why? I remember Tony Cascarino mentioning in his book how his french team mates dreamed of getting a contract in England where the wages are much higher. Maybe this is why so few of them seem to give a toss once they’ve signed on the dotted line for a PL club. They’ve made it, they’re rich, why bother.

 

If I were Henry and Comolli is using a “moneyball” type mechanical technique to identify potential recruits I’d be asking him how heavily he is weighting his model to allow for the fact that most french players are an abject failure in England.

Edited April 6, 2011 by TalkSilly

[BurtReynolds]

what the hell are we doing shopping at this level again,buying an injury prone French nobody? Mind boggling. Have we not learned our lesson from the past decade

[WhiskeyJar]

Reading all that, I come to realise that he sounds a lot like a left sided Babel...

[Trucker Paddy]

He's missed most of this season and 5 months of the one before last with injury. He's 25 next week. If his body can't cope with the rigours of professional football in the first half of his 20s how likely is it that the second half is going to be better, especially in a more physically demanding league?

.

 

So basicly it's like Aqualani with less injuries and no transfer fee.

[Monster Masch]

what the hell are we doing shopping at this level again,buying an injury prone French nobody? Mind boggling. Have we not learned our lesson from the past decade

 

Maybe he will be good enough? I want us to get rid of Maxi, Jovanovic, Cole and promote Kuyt to 3rd/4th choice striker and sign 3 or 4 wingers. So if this guy is the first of Hazard, Young and Albrighton, I'll be fine.

[dirk grout]

He's missed most of this season and 5 months of the one before last with injury. He's 25 next week. If his body can't cope with the rigours of professional football in the first half of his 20s how likely is it that the second half is going to be better, especially in a more physically demanding league?

 

Ferri, Traore, Camara, Diomede, Arphexad, Vignal, Pongolle, Le Tallec, Diarra, Cheyrou, Diouf, Diao, Luzi, Medjani, Cisse, El Zhar, Itanje, Plessis, Ngog. We might as well have signed the cast of ‘Allo ‘Allo. I don’t care how good Comolli’s knowledge is, nobody knew french football better than Houllier and his signings from Ligue Un were still woeful. Other clubs will have similar long, failure ridden, catalogues of gallic imports. Why? I remember Tony Cascarino mentioning in his book how his french team mates dreamed of getting a contract in England where the wages are much higher. Maybe this is why so few of them seem to give a toss once they’ve signed on the dotted line for a PL club. They’ve made it, they’re rich, why bother.

 

If I were Henry and Comolli is using a “moneyball” type mechanical technique to identify potential recruits I’d be asking him how heavily he is weighting his model to allow for the fact that most french players are an abject failure in England.

 

So houlliers knowledge of the french market is second to none yet he signs the players you listed? What do you make of henry, anelka, pires, vieira and petit? Your post is utter nonsense from start to finish. The french players we signed were shit because they were shit players. The french players wenger signed were good because they were good players. Sorry to have a go mate but it pisses me off that people think that french players can't play in england just because houllier signed a load of shite.

Edited April 6, 2011 by dirk grout

[The Dude Abides]

So he will be this summers, Jovanovic,Degan, Vorronin signing. good to see that we're keeping the tradition going.

 

Or, he could be good and will add some much needed depth for the five games he's fit for next season. And you forgot the worst of the lot, Joey Coley.

 

He's young at least, and will be on nothing like the stupid wages Cole is on.

[Juan Galonso]

Us and Bosman ''frees'' just don't mix anymore sadly. Hope this signing bucks that trend again after years in the Bosman wilderness since Babbel and Gary Mc.

 

The last French winger we signed was a World Cup Winner. Good old Bernie. If only that overhead kick v Sunderland had been given back in 2000 eh.

[MLB]

Bit of a strange one this. Looks like we're not learning the lessons of the past. He could be a decent option as a back-up wide player (which we do need) but his injury record is definitely cause for concern.

[JohnnyH]

I think the Sports Science people need to have a test subject and given that Aurelio and Agger are sure to leave this summer, we need to get in a new guinea pig.

[Juan Galonso]

Does anybody have his career stats at all? Would be an interesting read. Thanks in advance.

[shaunstrudwick]

not convinced

 

also he needs to be put in context re: other summer targets

[RobbieOR]

I know people are moaning about us shopping at this level but not every player we sign is going to be a £20m wonderkid.