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“The situation is both pleasing and irritating,” says the PSG manager. The French club's coach has a complex relationship with how his team’s league matches unfold. In PSG's matches, one team presses and the other defends. “I enjoy facing defensive setups,” he insists. “This is the game situation I know best. I am very respectful of how other teams play. It is a different kind of football from ours, it’s atypical, but I understand and accept it.”

Dealing with deep defenses is unavoidable for PSG; this is their regular experience, due to the quality difference created by financial imbalance. Their talent usually tells and the defensive wall is broken with varying degrees of difficulty. But it has been tougher this season.

Control of the Ball Yet Limited Results

The French champions have recorded over 72% ball control in France's top flight so far this campaign. Facing Nice in their recent match, they had dominant ball control and made over 750 passes, against just 182 for Nice. By half-time, their playmaker had numerous ball contacts – merely six short than the complete opposition side – but PSG couldn't translate superiority into goals. When the whistle blew for the interval, Nice defender Juma Bah, whose goal-bound attempt was blocked by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, had nearly scored.

And this game isn’t an outlier. The Parisians had tied three of their previous four Ligue 1 games. Dominating possession with 71% against their opponents, but were dependent on a dying moments tying goal from Mayulu to earn a draw. Although possessing 77% possession against their midweek opponents in midweek, they only scored once and were ultimately held to a draw. Almost one third of the way into the season, PSG are ranked fifth for goals in Ligue 1 – after several other French clubs.

Strike Force Issues

This reflects the particular attention that PSG attract, but also shows a serious concern. Their goal scorers are underperforming. Ousmane Dembélé’s 29 goals last season aided in securing Ligue 1 and the continental trophy; A young forward scored 14 occasions in the league; Another offensive player hit 16 total goals; and Their winter signing scored eight goals after his winter transfer.

Dembélé won the Ballon d’Or and, while it is debatable that the French star is indeed the world's top footballer, it is challenging to deny that he was not the best player of the last season. He's recorded merely five strikes in 12 matches this season. He experienced a muscle problem while on country representation in September, which caused a conflict between PSG and the French federation that has seen the relationship between the two institutions decline. He was unavailable for around a month and a half of action as a result, but he appears below his best. Post-match against their rivals, he was seen touching his muscle. “The pain is intense,” he told club colleague.

Injury Concerns

Luis Enrique says the forward should be available to face their European opponents this week in the European competition but, while he regains his form, other players have to step up. Unfortunately, Doué cannot help. The former Rennes forward was also sidelined in the same month. He was recovering to his best when he was suffered another muscle issue, which is expected to rule him out until next month. Kvaratskhelia is a valuable player to his team but he often reserves his top displays for the important matches in the continental competition; he is yet to score in Ligue 1 this season. Another forward, PSG’s leading marksman in all competitions this season, has just one score in his last eight matches and is in a dry spell. Something of a purple-patch forward, the goals will undoubtedly return, but he shouldn't be relied upon to be the goalscorer in this expensively assembled PSG attack.

Their center forward found the match-winner against Nice but will he maintain his position in the team?

These were the expectations handed to their striker when he joined in 2023. The Portugal striker achieved the landmark of 100 matches for PSG against Nice, but he has come off the bench in the majority of those appearances. With a significant portion after being introduced from the bench, he has effectively embraced the role of the “finisher”, partly because of his limited contribution when picked, but mostly due to his manager’s reluctance to start with a out-and-out forward. “What explains my bench scoring record? Basically because I come off the bench more than I start,” joked Ramos after the match.

Decisive Period

With the goals drying up across the forward line, the match-winning strike has given his coach something to consider. Their number nine missed three chances before converting his next and securing the victory, but the fact that PSG’s best chances fell to him is telling. He’s an instinctive poacher and that is what PSG were buying when they made a significant investment. “He's a crucial squad member for us because he is continuously available for every match, even if he begins on the bench,” said Luis Enrique. “Short cameos from the striker are productive periods.” Perhaps now is the opportunity for the impact substitute to play a starring role.

French League Results

• Rennes 4-1 Strasbourg
• Lens 3-0 Lorient
• Lille 1-0 Angers
• Nantes 0-2 Metz
• Toulouse 0-0 Le Havre
• Brest 0-0 Lyon
• PSG 1-0 Nice
• Monaco 0-1 Paris FC
• Auxerre 0-1 Marseille

Table Position

Position	Team	Played	Goal Difference	Points
1	PSG	11	12	24
2	Marseille	11	14	22
3	Lens	11	7	22
4	Lille	11	10	20
5	Monaco	11	6	20
6	Lyon	11	4	20
7	Strasbourg	11	6	19
8	Nice	11	0	17
9	Toulouse	11	2	15
10	Rennes	11	1	15
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