In Lille, PSG conceded a draw at the very end of the match (1-1). Victory escaped him following a defensive error, but it was the attack that worried, with little certainty in the animation.
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Paris Saint-Germain are autumn champions, have a five-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 and will play in the round of 16 of the Champions League. But the frustration is great for the capital club, Sunday December 17, after letting the victory slip away against Losc in the last moments of the match (1-1). Following a restart error close to their area, the Parisians conceded a goal from Jonathan David in added time.
PSG would not have experienced this mishap if they had a score advantage of more than one goal at the end of the match. But at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, Paris was not dangerous, with only two shots on target. The first came from Vitinha and was repelled by Lucas Chevalier (36th). The second is that of the penalty converted by Kylian Mbappé (63rd), following which the Parisian striker did not celebrate his 16th goal of the season in Ligue 1.
As in Dortmund, where he did not appreciate his team’s management of the end of the match, the championship’s top scorer appeared frustrated on Sunday evening. We understand: he and his teammates were not brilliant. In the Champions League, as against Newcastle (1-1) and Borussia (1-1) in the last two matches of the group stage, PSG creates a lot of chances, but does not materialize. In Ligue 1, he sometimes plays small arm.
“Kylian plays wherever he wants”
This was already the case against Nantes (2-1), on December 9, and PSG escaped thanks to an exploit from Bradley Barcola and a fox goal from the surfaces from Randal Kolo Muani in a set phase. What stood out more in Lille on Sunday evening was that Paris once again demonstrated its lack of plan B. Ousmane Dembélé is the most dangerous offensive weapon on the Parisian side, but the winger did not had a great match against Losc.
The right winger was not able to count on his privileged technical relationship with Achraf Hakimi, left on the bench at kick-off, and did not weigh as much as usual. His only shot of the match finished next to the goals (21st). Dembélé out of the shot, Barcola failed to compensate and the former Lyonnais, who has just made three starts in a row, did not score any points this evening.
But he benefits during the last matches from the repositioning of Kylian Mbappé in the axis of attack. The influence of the Frenchman in this team continues to be questioned and what Luis Enrique expects from him is not obvious. “Kylian plays wherever he wants. He has complete freedom to play on the side, inside. We balancetried to explain the Parisian coach at the microphone of Prime Video after the meeting.
Kolo Muani relegated to substitute status
In Lille, Mbappé did score a new goal, but his contribution to the game in this leading attacking position is more than limited. Above all, Luis Enrique’s management of offensive solutions in this position raises questions. Gonçalo Ramos absent, it is Randal Kolo Muani who could have claimed a starting place. But the French international only came on in the second half and made no impact.
The ex-Nantes player, who started the match against Dortmund as a right winger this week, no longer appears as a preferred solution for the scorer position in the mind of Luis Enrique. Marco Asensio, another option, lost points by being guilty of the failed restart which led to the Lille goal at the end of the match. Paris is five points ahead at the top of Ligue 1 this Sunday, but its latest outings fuel doubt.
The capital club is always capable of putting on an offensive festival, like against AS Monaco on November 24 at the Parc des Princes (5-2). But it is the clarity of the Parisian offensive animation which is not obvious today, after five months of competition. PSG will have the opportunity on Wednesday against Metz at home, for their last match of 2023, to provide answers.