2023-07-21 22:29:42
For their very first outing, the players of PSG version Luis Enrique won without shaking too much (2-0) against the promoted from Le Havre in Ligue 1. A goal from Hugo Ekitike at the start of the second half and a second from Mbappé at the very end of the match sealed the match. But it is above all the first minutes of the recruits and the first tactical clues offered by the Spanish coach that were scrutinized.
The match: a very quiet victory
The Parisians did not really need to force their talent to win, despite all the seriousness that the HAC players displayed. Throughout the meeting, it was Luis Enrique’s men who dictated the tempo, sole anchored on the ball. However, not much to put in their mouths in terms of opportunities at the start of the match, except for two strikes from an Asensio who will not have had much opportunity to show himself.
The Parisian victory was built in the second half, with a starting lineup almost completely changed. Letellier, Hakimi, Danilo, Hernandez, Kurzawa, Ugarte, Ruiz, Zaire-Emery, Lee Kang-In (who came out touched at the end of the first period) and Asensio gave way to Navas, Renato Sanches, Marquinhos, Skriniar, Nhaga, Ndour, Vitinha, Ethan Mbappé, Lemina and Ekitike.
It was the latter who scored the first goal of the Parisian season, in two stages after an excellent deep serve from Italian rookie Ndour (1-0, 53rd). For the last 25 minutes, Kylian Mbappé replaced Ismaël Gharbi for his first steps of the season and a first match played with his younger brother. The number 7 of PSG, still in latent conflict with the management of the club concerning his future, added his name to the scoreboard in additional time with a shot at close range (2-0, 90th).
The tactic: a 4-3-3 not yet revolutionary
We will obviously be careful not to draw lessons from a first warm-up match played on a training ground. But Luis Enrique’s first outing from Paris confirmed that the Spanish coach was doing well with his system: 4-3-3, with a low point in the middle trident (Ugarte, then Ethan Mbappé). For the rest, the intentions, the show, we saw some snippets of intense pressing and a desire for rapid recovery on the part of the Parisians at times. Most of the time, we mainly found ingredients of the old PSG: a rather sterile possession, a ball which turns on both sides of the field while progressing only too rarely forward.
We can regret, in particular, an under-use of the wings despite this system, Paris concentrating its game in the axis. In the first half, before his exit, Lee Kang-In was by far the most interesting of the Parisians on the pitch, and it was when he or Hakimi triggered something on their side that the Parisians created their best chances (Asensio’s strike in particular, in the 31st). Ditto in the second half: we hardly saw the young Noha Lemina on the right side, and the young Serif Nhaga managed, by touches, to bring danger to the left before, of course, Mbappé came into play and did the same.
The players: rookies in good shape, playing time for (almost) everyone
Apart from Marco Verratti, Timothée Pembélé, Julian Draxler and Ilyès Housni, all the players called up were entitled to playing time. In particular, we were able to see a half-time from each of the six summer recruits. Among the good points, the big size Cher Ndour showed a real ease in the midfield in the second half, and he is at the origin of the two goals. Lee Kang-In, with his activity, his pressing and his speed on the right wing, was also a curiosity, and the rest will be interesting to follow. Due to the nature of the Parisian game, Skriniar, Hernandez and Ugarte were able to touch the ball a lot. Asensio, a little less.
We will also note the beautiful score of some young people. Warren Zaire-Emery is still impressive, physically and tactically. Gharbi was strong-willed, although clumsy. In the second half, Ethan Mbappé and Serif Nhaga also stood out. They will have to take advantage of this preseason to confirm this good first impression. Why not in Japan, this Saturday?
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