ANALYZE – Luis Enrique will “rotate” this Saturday (21st), in Angers, during the eleventh day of Ligue 1. The opportunity for some to take some time to play… and score points?
For once Luis Enrique does not hide his plan. The Spanish coach “tour» in Angers this Saturday (21st). And this is because of “little rest time” between this match on the eleventh day of Ligue 1 and the defeat against Atlético Madrid (1-2), on Wednesday, on the fourth day of the Champions League. “We want to show the same image as always in the championship. It can help us for what comes next. There will be changes (in the 11th). It won’t be an easy match. I need all the players ready”assures the 54-year-old Spanish coach, underlining that it exists “a block” within it in terms of efficiency in C1. Also in the league, but it is less visible… Watch out for the trap match for the Parisian leaders, who face an Angevin team who confirm their success in Monaco and are in 15th place in the Ligue 1 table.
This match should still allow a certain number of hairdressers to stretch their legs and, perhaps, score points. Hairdresser, notion related to Paris, Luis Enrique has a regular job, at least in L1. One thing is certain: this qualification does not apply to Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho (withdrew from Angers), Nuno Mendes (overtaken against the Colchoneros), Vitinha, Warren Zaire-Emery, Joao Neves, Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola and without doubt Marco Asensio, regularly aligned in the false 9. Gigio Donnarumma should be back on the list… if Luis Enrique doesn’t do it he hadn’t downgraded him against Lens (1-0). The fact remains that for others Angers represents an opportunity to shine. Overview.
Ruiz and Lee at the gates of 11, what about Safonov?
Fabian Ruiz and Kang-in Lee are not hairdressers in the strict sense. However, they are not even potential starters, but are closest to the starting 11. In the middle, on the right or in a false 9, the South Korean has played all the games this season (14), four goals and 770 minutes. Beyond his impact in terms of… jersey sales, Lee fits perfectly into Luis Enrique’s idea of the game. However, there are better ones in all the roles he can play. As for Ruiz, he’s one of the “Five midfielders of the highest level” available to the Spanish coach, namely Vitinha, Joao Neves, Warren Zaire-Emery, Senny Mayulu (see elsewhere) and therefore Ruiz, “A recognized player, Spanish national team, European champion. He has the ability to do things that fans and journalists don’t see.underlines Luis Enrique. Except that the person concerned cannot express himself in Paris at the level he deserves. Big gap. Fabian Ruiz de la Roja would have his place in the 11 Parisians. Meanwhile the trio Viti/Neves/«WZE» seems to be ahead.
As for Matfey Safonov, signed for 20 million euros last summer, the situation is more confusing. Understudy since the beginning of the season, the Russian national team goalkeeper started against Lens (1-0). A tactical choice, as Luis Enrique explained. Enough to imagine a real competition with Gigio Donnarumma? In any case, it was the Italian who kept the Parisian cages against Atlético (1-2). He too was not reassuring, especially on Real’s second goal… If Safonov played against Sang et Or, in his fourth game, it was above all for his ability to play with his feet and to offer an extra solution to deal with opposing pressure. One-time choice, trend start?
Growing pains and gifted
50 million euros, plus 10 million bonuses. PSG did not skimp on the means to snatch Désiré Doué from Rennes and steal him from Bayern. He chose Paris rather than Munich. But Luis Enrique rarely chooses it. 11 games but only 378 minutes. A decisive step. Shy in his entrances, often to the left, Doué is unable (yet?) to express himself in his new colours. “I feel good, the coach has faith in me, the team too, they have integrated me very well and I am sure that I will have more and more time to play”the interested party recently assured. < rn“Good. In football there are no mathematical rules. For some players it is easier, for others less so, perhaps a French player adapts more easily but this is not always the case, each case is different. Most players adapt easily, others more slowly. Désiré Doué is a top player of the future and of today. He must have the right mentality to help the team today.”“Lucho” slides. Message received?
Kolo Muani and Skriniar, dead end
Selection of starters, replacements at the end of the club’s bench? This is the life of Randal Kolo Muani and Milan Skriniar, who with Luis Enrique have few prospects. Their profile doesn’t fit. To imagine better days and regularly rediscover the taste of the field, the French and Slovaks are waiting for the international windows… and the transfer. After all, the former Inter defender has already been sent off this summer, without success. There is no doubt that Paris will try to exfiltrate it again this winter. “Kolo” seems to have a similar future according to the latest reports. You still have to find a base that works for you. A priori, Paris-SG would expect between 40 and 50 million euros to open the door to the former Nantes player, signed… for 95 million euros. Note that “Lucho” recently reminded us that he too is attentive to what he sees “in matches and training”with a question about Kolo Muani. One way to say that the international tricolor is not fully in Poissy?
Skriniar has had slightly more playing time than Titis since the start of the season, which is 201 minutes in three games. 392 minutes, 11 games and two goals for Randal Kolo Muani, recently replaced at half-time in Nice (1-1). The Bondy native could have been the Parisian hero against Atlético Madrid… if Achraf Hakimi had seen him, alone, six yards away, at the end of the match. In any case, “Kolo” is neither a 9 nor a false 9. And therefore it does not fit into the schemes that “Lucho” has in mind. And on the right, where we saw the person glowing blue? Ousmane Dembélé, Lee or Doué are the favorite Spanish coaches…
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Beraldo, hope disappointed?
Author of several great performances last winter, in his first weeks in Paris, Lucas Beraldo has more difficulty confirming himself. The quality of recovery is there. The rest is harder… The young (20 year old) Brazilian international still has his whole future ahead of him. In the meantime he is in trouble. Luis Enrique doesn’t help him by often playing on the left. Eight games and 574 minutes. However, the Spanish coach doesn’t ask himself too many questions to compose his central cornerstone. Beraldo is not invited.
Mayulu, Zague, Mbaye, the guys in the waiting room
Team Yoram Zague and striker Ibrahim Mbaye are only entitled to crumbs. 71 minutes in one match for the former, 83 minutes in five appearances for the latter. They have time at 6pm and 4pm respectively. But for now Luis Enrique has only limited faith in them. For Senny Mayulu it is different. At 18, like Zague, the Blanc-Mesnil native played 131 minutes in seven games. Above all, Luis Enrique includes it in his list of “Five midfielders of the highest level” with Vitinha, Neves, Zaire-Emery and Ruiz. Already a goal on the clock for the Under 20s, against Strasbourg (4-2), who had already found the net last season in the Coupe de France. Cheerfulness, versatility, technical qualities… In short, everything that his Spanish coach likes.
- Coach’s Confidence: Luis Enrique, the 54-year-old Spanish coach, expresses confidence in his players’ readiness for upcoming matches, despite the challenges that lie ahead. He emphasizes the effectiveness of the team in European competitions, although their league performance is less consistent.
- Match Preview: The upcoming match against Angers is highlighted as a potential “trap” for Paris Saint-Germain, especially after Angers’ recent victory against Monaco, putting them in 15th place in Ligue 1.
- Player Rotation: Enrique is expected to rotate squad members, giving opportunities for players to prove themselves, particularly those who have not consistently started matches. Key players like Achraf Hakimi and Marquinhos, however, will be absent.
- Key Players and Performances: Fabian Ruiz and Kang-in Lee are mentioned as potential candidates for the starting 11, even though they’ve not been regulars. Ruiz is considered a top midfielder but hasn’t been able to showcase his full abilities at PSG. Lee, despite making a significant impact statistically, faces competition for starting roles.
- Goalkeeper Situation: Matfey Safonov’s role as a backup goalkeeper raises questions about competition for the starting position with Gigio Donnarumma, who has had inconsistent performances lately.
- Player Adaptation: Désiré Doué, signed from Rennes, has experienced difficulty adapting to his new club and is yet to make a significant impact in terms of playing time, although he remains positive about his integration into the team.
- Uncertain Futures: Randal Kolo Muani and Milan Skriniar find themselves out of favor under Enrique’s tactics, leading to speculation about their futures at the club. Both players are reportedly facing potential transfers come winter due to limited opportunities.
- Overall Team Dynamics: The article depicts a team balancing the need for effective rotation with the challenge of integrating new players while managing the expectations of key signings and established stars.