“If you don’t have a number 9, you play without a number 9. That’s a ridiculous question. Check and see who is available. The words of Thomas Tuchel, spoken Friday at a press conference, seemed harsh towards his group.
Of course, Mauro Icardi is absent. Admittedly, Edinson Cavani now plays for Manchester United. And, of course, the German can always retort that Moise Kean is not a real “number 9”. But the Italian striker, recruited this summer as Icardi’s lining, has evolved well this Saturday against Dijon. And he’s been pretty damn effective.
” My job? It’s scoring goals, Kean laughed at the microphone of Canal + after the Parisian success (4-0). I am ready to play everywhere! The coach can put me on the left, on the right, in the middle, I give my best for the team ”. He didn’t have to touch 200 balls before scoring. Nor even to control the yellow ball of Ligue 1 before piercing the Dijon nets. A week after his first mixed in Nîmes (0-4), the player trained at Juventus Turin did not wait long before launching his season, which takes place in the form of a loan from Everton to PSG.
9 balls touched, 2 goals in the first period
From the 3rd minute, Marquinhos, midfielder for the occasion, found Mitchel Bakker on the left side. The 20-year-old Dutchman centers on the Italian of the same age. A volley with the right foot to the near post and, boom, 1-0 (3rd).
The protege of super-agent Mino Raiola (like Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Mario Balotelli) benefited from a great job from Neymar for his second goal. Thrown in depth by Julian Draxler, the Brazilian playmaker ran, delayed, dribbled and played the role of altruist by finding Kean alone at the far post. Faced with the empty goal, the striker born in Piedmont to Ivorian parents applied to score.
“Neymar gave me a superb pass when he could shoot and I thank him”, slips Kean, still on Canal +. The results of his first period are clear: 9 balls touched, 2 goals. We could not be more efficient. With the number 18 on the back, that of Icardi last season, Kean could have afforded a hat-trick. But either he does not feel the blow well on a new pass from Neymar (40th), or he pulls aside (50th). Let’s remember the main thing: with two goals on the clock, Kean has already scored as much as he has over the whole of last season with Everton.
A fear in the knee without consequence
A full match in Nîmes, half time against Manchester United and a full exit against the Burgundians. Kean is currently fulfilling his role as deputy to the best of his ability. All after just nine days of common experience in the PSG group. The first player born in the 2000s to make an appearance in the major European Championships and in the Champions League (it was in November 2016), the 20-year-old right-hander retains this status of great European hope.
After an inconsequential knee fright, Kean ended up leaving his place to Kylian Mbappé (73rd), another striker whose real position created heated debates but, too, author of a double (82nd, 88th). With or without “9”, Paris is nevertheless well at the head of Ligue 1, pending the meeting of Lille.
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
