PSG’s lack of forward thinking threatens to set their season adrift

Of the three times Paris Saint-Germain have failed to win the title in the QSI era, it has taken an incredible achievement by another side to pip them to top spot.

The first instance of this was in 2012 when Montpellier – inspired by Olivier Giroud – won Ligue 1 as the capital side’s new owners were still getting their feet under the table. Then, five years later, it was Leonardo Jardim’s dashing Monaco side who came to the fore with Kylian Mbappé, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho among those taking the plaudits. Finally, 2020-21 produced the tightest Ligue 1 title race in recent memory, Lille eventually prevailing thanks to a surprisingly strong campaign from Burak Yilmaz.

That, though, was the first Covid-19 season, meaning there were mitigating circumstances outside of the club’s control – but this term, are we seeing something different again? Have the club taken enough of a backward step to warrant some hand-wringing? On the evidence of their last five matches, perhaps.

Things started to slide with the win over Girona in the Champions League, Paris kept at bay by the Spanish debutants for almost the entire match, before securing victory thanks to a fortuitous stoppage-time own goal.

A draw against a Reims side – who have made an impressive to start the season under Luka Elsner – followed, after which came a comfortable win against a struggling Rennes team who are still getting to grips with a rejigged defence, then a midweek loss to Arsenal. Granted, there’s no shame in losing on the road to one of Europe’s best sides, but the manner of the defeat was worrying: PSG were never really in the contest, the victory as comfortable as Mikel Arteta’s side could have wished for against another purported contender for the trophy.

The chance for a reset came this weekend. Last season, Francesco Farioli’s Nice were famously resolute, but now led by Franck Haise – who previously helped Lens finish second with his swashbuckling 3-4-3 in 2022-23 – they are more open.

And it was a reset that seemed on the cards, the kerfuffle between Luis Enrique and Ousmane Dembélé apparently resolved – the Frenchman was back in the starting XI as was Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian having missed three matches prior to facing Arsenal. Moreover, they would face a Les Aiglons team without two of their most potent attackers, Terem Moffi and Gaëtan Laborde both absent with injury.

What unfurled on the pitch, however, was a different story. The hosts readily ceded possession (a near-given for PSG in Ligue 1), but had the better of the chances, with Mohamed-Ali Cho nearly scoring the opener with a fine header. PSG responded with Nuno Mendes forcing Marcin Bulka into a good save, but their lack of end-product was punished when they went a goal down to Ali Abdi’s deflected effort just before half-time.

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Mendes did then equalise early in the second period, PSG’s display generally improved. But what happened at the interval was perhaps more telling and more indicative of their plight, Luis Enrique removing Randal Kolo Muani – his only recognised striker – for Lee Kang-in, a player who, while talented, is really more of a creative midfielder, laying bare the shocking paucity of attacking options for a club of their resources.

The departure of Mbappé and the injury to Gonçalo Ramos means that the failure to bring in a recognised centre forward has been problematic. Strong starts to the season from Dembélé and Bradley Barcola, still the league’s top scorer with six goals, have foundered, the former’s inconsistent and the latter still young.

More to the point, both are wide players with a tendency towards creative play – Dembélé hasn’t hit double figures in a league campaign since he played for Rennes, and Barcola managed just five goals in 39 appearances last season. No one else in the team has much of an attacking record to speak of, save Kolo Muani, a player for whom Luis Enrique seems to have little time – though he attempted to downplay that situation, saying: “I could have changed five players without any problems. He was the one I chose to take off.”

Kolo Muani was making just second start in the league, but he is not the only player largely ignored by the manager. Surprisingly, Désiré Doué, signed for €50m, has only made one start and, though Luis Enrique may be limited in terms of his options, he is doing himself no favours by refusing to experiment with his selections.

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But though holding Luis Enrique – a manager who is nothing if not principled in his approach to the game – solely responsible continues to be sport for armchair pundits in France, does a bigger share of the blame lie with the club’s hierarchy? Seeing how the Victor Osimhen situation resolved itself, or how Moise Kean – a productive player for the club in 2020-21 – moved to Fiorentina for €12m, it’s difficult to accept that another orthodox centre forward, one trusted by the manager, couldn’t have been brought in for a relative pittance.

With Manchester City and Bayern Munich still to come in the Champions League, as well as a testing-looking domestic run that includes the energetic pair of Strasbourg and Lens as well as Marseille, that decision could set PSG’s season badly adrift.

Talking points

Another week, another breathless encounter for Strasbourg. Having already been involved in a 3-3 draw and 4-3 loss this season, Liam Rosenior’s young side were at it again on Sunday, drawing 2-2 with Lens – who boasted the division’s best defence prior to the weekend. Lively and dynamic throughout, Strasbourg are a force with which to be reckoned, playmaker Sebastian Nanasi again making his mark and fellow summer signing Diego Moreira impressing in an unlikely conversion to left-back. Les Alsaciens remain seventh, just a point off the European places, but PSG, who welcome them after the break, may have their hands full against this exciting young side.

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We flagged Marseille as potential title contenders and, while the European exertions of Monaco and PSG may yet tell, Roberto De Zerbi’s team again dropped points against an unfancied opponent. Home to winless Angers, they could only draw 1-1 and had a man sent off for the third time in four matches. The attacking verve De Zerbi has instilled in this side is impressive, but until their discipline improves, a tilt at the top spot looks unlikely.

Finally, a word for Zuriko “Zuka” Davitashvili. The Georgian attacker joined promoted Saint-Étienne in the summer after the financial relegation suffered by Bordeaux, and has sparkled ever since. A dynamic presence capable of playing on either wing, his hat-trick helped his team beat Auxerre 3-1. Chances are it will still be a long season for Sainté, but as Zuka’s compatriot Georges Mikautadze showed for Metz last summer in keeping Les Grenats’ heads above water, a talented individual can be a boon for a side battling relegation.