Appearances can be deceiving. In spite of the criticisms which it undergoes, the (not very) small company directed by Thomas Tuchel does not know the crisis. In any case, not from an accounting point of view. Stigmatized for too often mixed performances, or rather below what a vice-champion of Europe is supposed to produce, PSG has nevertheless made an ally of the figures since its two inaugural setbacks against Lens and OM (1-0).
Best attack in Ligue 1 with 23 goals scored (against 17 last year at the same time), the most airtight defense in France with only three goals conceded, Paris certainly waited for the 8th day of the championship before taking control of the competition. No breakdown, of course, can be ruled out. But like his seventh success in a row gleaned in L1 and the three goals passed in Nantes this weekend, the reigning champion clearly took the left lane on the coronation highway. And this, despite a cascade of absentees and obvious fatigue.
“For me, these are tough victories that Paris is going on at the moment,” says Jérôme Alonzo, the former club porter. Sometimes having such weak halves and being able to win anyway is the prerogative of great teams. “
On Saturday at La Beaujoire, PSG nevertheless disappointed, again, in the first period, as its lack of rhythm and creativity could have given pride of place to the Canaries. But he recalled the masterstroke that is the recruitment of Keylor Navas, “a pearl”, according to Alonzo, able to deflect a penalty, to maintain his clean sheet on the move for the fifth consecutive time in all competitions and to allow his club to display unparalleled solidity at this stage in Ligue 1 since 1996-97.
“Since the arrival of QSI, PSG has seen stars like Zlatan, Cavani, Neymar or Mbappé, but a legendary goalkeeper was missing,” continues the columnist of the channel L’Equipe. It’s been twenty years since Bernard ( Editor’s note: Lama ) that there hadn’t been a guy to take the helm at the most important post! “
A great range of scorers
Tuchel’s training also demonstrated that his “Neypendance” in terms of animation did not necessarily affect his efficiency. Not only Paris is still fueled by the average of 3.2 goals per game for seven days. But it involves almost everyone. Mbappé, of course, who scored his 97th goal in the Paris jersey. Moise Kean, who with four goals has already scored as many times in five games with Paris as in one season with Everton. But also Ander Herrera who has increased to 11 (against 13 all last season) the number of different scorers this season.
Statistics which certainly do not lift the veil on the Manchester mystery (1-2 defeat). Nor on the difficulties, a little too chronic, to shine. “But which team can claim to be good every weekend, especially in this context? asks Alonzo. It also happened to me to bother (sic) in front of the matches of Liverpool and Bayern, of which one however praises the merits. Do I still enjoy watching Paris? No! But for me, this Paris is a machine, even with its talents at a standstill, pride is sometimes enough for it to make the difference. The question is to know until when and which opponent, it can hold! “
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
