The substance and the form. After two draws to start the season (Lorient, Toulouse), PSG unblocked their counter in a very good way against Lens (3-1) before confirming in Lyon (4-1 victory) on Sunday, during the fourth day of Ligue 1, the last before the international break. The opportunity to make a first assessment. It is positive, of course. Because even against Les Merlus (0-0) and Toulouse (1-1), we had already seen encouraging signs, in the desire, the counter-pressing, the desire to play as a team.
The basics of football you say? Not false. But it was not the daily life of PSG under Mauricio Pochettino, and even less during the mandate of Christophe Galtier… The “MNM” and the status of the superstars who composed it (Messi, Neymar, Mbappé) had a harmful effect in terms of game ambition, collective, that’s clear. Hence the changes of the summer, with 11 recruits and many departures. Enough to change the face of the team and even of the club, with a strong and proactive speech from President Al-Khelaïfi, the inauguration of the new training center, investors approaching… On Sunday, the Lyonnais paid to see. “From the 3rd minute, it was a nightmare,” summarizes Laurent Blanc, more than ever in the hot seat after this debacle. “Unfortunately there was no period during which we were able to be satisfied with what Lyon was doing,” he admits.
We actually saw several classes of difference in this one-sided meeting. PSG were already leading 4-0 at halftime. Rider alone. “I am very satisfied. It was an excellent game. What especially pleased was the ambition of my team, from the first minute, ”underlines Luis Enrique, who can count on Kylian Mbappé since his surprise reinstatement, the day after PSG-Lorient. Ousmane Dembélé arrived, then Randal Kolo Muani – injured in the ankle and forfeited against OL – and Bradley Barcola at the very end of the transfer window. The latter was also greeted with whistles fed on Sunday, in his former garden in Lyon. “One of us,” said Mbappé on Instagram, as a protective big brother, about the 21-year-old international Espoirs.
“Bradley Barcola was one of our targets from the very start of the transfer window. He is a player of the future who has been very good since his entry. He showed a strong personality. We would have liked to avoid this type of reception but it is a kind of positive experience to have lived this”, notes “Lucho”, also “delighted to have all these players in attack”. To compose his attacking trio, the former Barça coach can also count on Marco Asensio, scorer against Lens and Lyon, without forgetting Gonçalo Ramos, who entered the game on Sunday. Kang-in Lee and Carlos Soler can help too. “They want to be important to the club and I have the difficult task of choosing between them, but it’s something that I manage with pleasure,” he continued, he who already says he wants to “stay for a long time. in this club. I have the feeling of being at the head of a rather unique team, with a club that trusts me 100%, and I hope to give it back.
So far, so good, although there is still work to be done. Moreover, Gigio Donnarumma was very busy on Sunday evening (7 saves), only losing on penalty against Corentin Tolisso. “It’s not yet the face the coach wants, but more and more. We are making good progress. He is very demanding, very hard on us. He says there is still room for improvement. We understand each other more and more, we are on the right track, ”analyzes Marquinhos. “It’s a different style of play, slips Fabian Ruiz. The coach asks us to have possession, to press high, to keep the ball for a long time to be able to attack. He expects a lot of intensity, and that is reflected in the game. From the first minute to the last, the team keeps the same game intention, presses and tries to get the ball constantly. Better than last season? I couldn’t tell. I will be able to answer you at the end of the season… We have only played four matches, but I think we are playing well. We have good feelings.”
With more grinta – like Manuel Ugarte and Lucas Hernandez – and fewer superstars, this PSG is off to a good start. All with a Mbappé more empowered than ever and already author of five goals in three matches. “There are more positives than negatives, but there are always things to improve. Lyon managed to get out of our pressure quite often at the start, there were adjustments to be made, but I’m happy, ”analyzes Luis Enrique. There is something.
There is obviously no question of popping the champagne right away in the ranks of the champion of France and believing that you have arrived. Moreover, the start of last season was also full of great promise. We know the rest… “Football goes very quickly, you have to keep your feet on the ground”, underlines Marquinhos, recently confirmed in his duties as captain by a vote of his teammates. The voice of wisdom. In addition, it should be noted that Lens and Lyon are not at their best at the start of the season. Putting it mildly: both teams occupy the bottom two places in the standings at the end of this fourth day. “We live very badly to be last, we had a catastrophic month of August, we are at our lowest”, confirms the world champion Tolisso. Lensois and Lyonnais also had to do without their starting center forward against PSG, Elye Wahi (substitute at kick-off) and Alexandre Lacazette (suspended). Top dogs? On paper, not on the field.
The program for the next few weeks will be much higher for the current second in the L1 standings, including the start of the Champions League, but not only. Paris Saint-Germain will indeed receive Nice, Dortmund and OM after the break, before trips to Clermont, Newcastle and Rennes. Until then, we will know more about the real potential of this new-look Parisian team. To see if Laurent Blanc will still be the coach of OL at that time… “Apart from the moment when a coach has no result, he is in danger”, admits the ex-coach of PSG ( 2013-16) and former teammate of Luis Enrique at FC Barcelona. Another story…
Which Luis Enrique already has his goals in mind for the next few weeks. Starting with learning the language of Molière. “It’s harder than I thought. I am quite slow but also quite stubborn and I hope to be able to speak French well soon,” he said, believing that it would be a mark of “respect for this country and this club” to achieve this. As for the pitch, it’s clear: “It’s still far from my personal requirements. I would like more possession and for us to be very aware of when it is necessary to attack in depth or not. They are different players and I discover a different championship. But when we have an attack like ours, we have immense potential in depth and I would like even more calm and control to be able to choose the right moment to go in depth. In short, there is work.
