2023-08-19 01:11:28
DECRYPTION – Risky bet for some or good deal for others, “Dembouz” begins its Parisian adventure this Saturday (9 p.m.), in Toulouse.
Ousmane Dembélé, first! Seven years after leaving it, the 26-year-old tricolor international (37 caps, 4 goals) returns to Ligue 1 in Toulouse this Saturday (9 p.m.), on behalf of the second day. A signature that is not to displease a certain Kylian Mbappé. “Welcome home my brother. So happy to see you here. The adventure begin“, had indicated the crack of Bondy, a few minutes only after the formalization of his signature of his compatriot. At just €50m, PSG can’t be wrong. Five-year contract for the ex-Rennes and Dortmund player, who had this ridiculously high clause included in his contract last summer, when extending to Barça. A boon for the capital club, engaged in a total overhaul of its attacking sector after the departures of Leo Messi and Neymar. Attractive recruit on paper but not without asking questions.
Will Dembele make Neymar forget?
After Safet Susic, Rai and other Ronaldinho, it is Ousmane Dembélé’s turn to inherit number 10 left vacant by Neymar Jr, after his departure for Saudi Arabia. The latter may not have entered hearts in Paris, but no one can deny his qualities as a “showman”, his ability to invent gestures, to eliminate by passing or dribbling. Obviously, “Ney” and “Dembouz” are not the same players, not the same profile, but the Frenchman shares this taste for the show. “I like to please the supporters who come to the stadium, to give joy, to dribble, to get the crowds going“Launched the interested party on the club media, shortly after signing. A whole program… Dembélé is all about speed, ardor with the ball, this unique ability to make a difference. Speciality ? The hook. In terms of spectacle and flashes, the Norman should quickly put the Parc des Princes in his pocket. However, he has room before being as decisive as his predecessor, author of 118 goals and 70 assists and finalist of the C1 in 2020.
Read alsoInjuries, C1, controversies… Neymar’s (true) record at PSG
Is he a world class player?
«I’m happy they’re in the squad, they’re world class playersSaid Luis Enrique on Friday, referring to the return of Mbappé and the premiere of Dembélé. Which Dembele is moreover “ready to play from the first minute“, as indicated by the Spanish coach. For Mbappé, the question does not arise. For Dembélé, it is not yet decided. Admittedly, the Norman has lightning in his legs, he has this unique ability to eliminate. However, it is not decisive enough to claim this status of “world class player“. Not yet ? It is not forbidden to think so. Good news: in Paris, there is Mbappé to finalize the actions.
After having “planted” 12 goals in Rennes during the 2015-16 season and had a crazy year with 10 goals and 22 assists with Dortmund, Dembélé only scored 40 goals for 43 assists in 185 matches with FC Barcelona . He still struggles to make the right decision in the last or penultimate gesture. “He still has this ability to create enormous problems for the opponent with his speed and his percussion by making sure to reduce the waste as much as possible. But we have to leave it to this type of player“, indicated Didier Deschamps last November, during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. And the coach to add:He’s a more built, more mature player, even if he’s still a very happy person. Because of the daily demands with his club, he is better“. Everything happens.
With Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, PSG will not lack depth… Matthieu Mirville / PANORAMIC
What about the collective balance?
The question inevitably arises after seeing Luis Enrique’s PSG defend at 11 last Saturday, against Lorient (0-0). We had lost the habit with the “MNM”… “They deprived us of oxygen“, summed up the coach of Les Merlus, Régis Le Bris, acknowledging the enormous work of the Parisians in the counter-pressing. Except that Mbappé and Dembélé are not known for their appetite for withdrawals. Although, the second named was indeed obliged to get started during the Qatari World Cup, and he did it (very) well. “We’re all part of a team herehammer «Lucho». We worked hard. In our four training sessions this week, we had two on attack, two on defence. The players are very smart and they know that for us to have a chance of achieving our goals, they have to defend well. We worked hard on what we think is important this week. Obviously, we need to keep the balance: we have to attack well, but also defend well.“It is at this price that the new Parisian attack will be an asset and not a hindrance.
Read alsoPSG: with Kylian Mbappé, the quest for balance
Wounds, ancient history?
Like Neymar in Paris, Ousmane Dembélé saw the first years of his time at Barça rotten by injuries. Many muscle glitches. And it wasn’t just bad luck’s fault… If he denies it, the former Rennais has not always been exemplary off the field. Deschamps has often pinned him down. “I don’t think he is fully aware of the high level requirements“, said for example the coach of the Blues in 2018, cursing against his differences in terms of “behavior” and his “lack of regularity». «When you’ve had a serious operation, your body needs to be taken care of“, he added a year later. Cow love. Or simply a certain sense of reality. Moreover, his successive coaches at Barça have said nothing else.
A priori, Dembélé has changed gear in terms of invisible work and attitude. “I got a little older, I have more maturity in my game and off the field“, he confirmed in Qatar. And to add:Between 19, 20, 21 and 25, a lot of things change, you gain in maturity. The question of lifestyle comes up a lot but now we have to erase it, because a lot of things have changed. Afterwards, I didn’t have the lifestyle you imagine either, it wasn’t a party, but more mature, taller, more responsible. It changes.“In the end, Dembélé is, it is true, less injured than a few years ago. He still missed 19 games at the start of the year with a hamstring glitch. Clearly, the building remains fragile but (much) less worrying than it was.
Read alsoHead to head, project, investors… Between PSG and Kylian Mbappé, behind the scenes of a spectacular turnaround
Can his presence help prolong Mbappé?
Either way, it can’t hurt. A priori, “KM” wants above all to win, “write the story“, with or without his friend Dembélé by his side. But the presence of his comrade is perhaps not insignificant. It is certainly one of the elements which pushed Bondy’s star to take “new commitmentstowards the club, enough to invite Nasser Al-Khelaïfi to reinstate him in Luis Enrique’s squad last Sunday. The outline of its commitments is still vague, except that we know that the club now feels “protégé“in case Mbappé wants to leave the ship next year, with the hypothesis of an extension which is not excluded by anyone at the Factory.
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