The cheat sheet of PSG – Lille: Pochettino, 30 minutes that make you think

The game: two encounters in one

There were two matches. The first lasted about sixty minutes and saw Lille play a perfect score at the Parc de Princes. For long minutes, we even had the impression of having gone back a few months when LOSC dominated L1. Perfectly in place in its 4-4-2, Lille posed real concerns to this Parisian team still uncertain. From the first minutes and while PSG set foot on the ball without succeeding in packing the pace, the champions of France thus hurt the Parisian defense with rapid transitions. And even on attacks placed, they found loopholes.

But here is if the opening of the scoring was logical, there was thus a second match. From the 60th when the Parisian club went to three behind. Paris was then more dangerous. Without Lionel Messi out in the 45th, Mauricio Pochettino’s proteges have finally found how to destabilize a Lille formation, which has retreated too much over the minutes. In the last 30 minutes, Parisian domination was even total with a siege of the northern goal, which allowed PSG to offer themselves a stunning victory.

The players: Di Maria as boss, Neymar finds himself

It was necessary to wait. But we saw a hard-hitting Neymar. The Brazilian, under fire from critics in recent weeks, has finally shown his true face. Without Lionel Messi – released at the break – Ney freed himself in the second half. At the origin of the two goals – with in particular a caviar on the second -, he climbed over the minutes to sound the Parisian revolt with a determining Angel Di Maria. Because the Argentinian, already active in the first period, was the main Parisian danger this Friday evening. And ends with a goal and skips his recital.

Aligned in the forefront in the absence of Kylian Mbappé and while Gianluigi Donnarumma saved the furniture twice before the reaction of his team on the other side of the field, Lionel Messi did not mark the spirits. He tried to come down to the heart of the game to try to get PSG out of the doldrums. But he did it in vain and lacked realism (30th). Lille side where Renato Sanchez distinguished himself in the heart of the game, Burak Yilmaz did not score. But the Turk had made the difference by finding Jonathan David, who further confirmed his explosive form.

The state: 6

That says a lot about its effectiveness. And on certain lacks of Lille too. Jonathan David is THE solution right now for LOSC. But the efficiency of the Canadian, author of the last six northern goals in L1 also illustrates that he is sorely lacking in support to fuel the brand.

The tweet which recalls that Lionel Messi definitely does not succeed in L1

Factor X: Donnarumma’s arrest

Gianluigi Donnarumma was involved from the first minute, to deflect a dangerous shot from Burak Yilmaz. But it was his tap in the 56th on an attempt by the Turk that was crucial. The Italian European champion, already decisive a few minutes before to repel an attempt by Jonathan David, allowed his team to stay alive. And still believe in it …

The statement: Jocelyn Gourvennec (Lille coach)

“It’s a great frustration. We had an intense, high level game that you have to do when you come here. We were disciplined in defense as well as in attack. It has often paid off, but there is no only one goal. We had to lead 2 to 0. That’s what it was played out, because with PSG, it’s never over. We say to ourselves that it’s a shame to let these opportunities pass. at the start of the second half. It’s very difficult to say to yourself that we are starting again with zero points. We should have at least one. If that means a smile, with three. I feel like I have the same here speech that the coach of Leipzig, Lyon, Angers (defeated in Paris after leading, Editor’s note). Even without Kylian Mbappé and Marco Verratti, PSG has a lot of talent. Paris is never diminished, they have a such a compendium of talent. The key is to make them run in their own half, to have them defend. What we have done well. Offensive efficiency weighs down the results. , we expose ourselves to this kind of c hoses, all the more against Paris. We are making progress, but for the moment, it is not paying enough. “

The question: Could this match push Pochettino to make strong choices?

If Lille delivered a very good performance in the first period and can leave the Park with some hopes despite the regrets generated by his defeat, it is in Paris that this meeting brings some lines of thought. Always in search of consistency in terms of construction, PSG first delivered a worrying copy. The 4-3-3 set up by Mauricio Pochettino did not give anything good despite a full working week. And it was finally in the 60th when the Argentinian technician chose to move to three behind that the PSG got back in the right direction to deliver 30 stifling minutes.

As against Leipzig when he went 3-5-2 on the hour mark, Pochettino brought out his joker. And he turned out to be a winner. In this diagram, Paris then found width. Was more structured. And the ball finally circulated better, without forcing in the axis. Should we deduce from this that it would be good to choose this system more often with three defenders? If this pattern had not necessarily given more collective control against Leipzig but had been the X factor of this meeting, this time it is tempting to answer in the affirmative as the Parisian club has shown much more during the Last 30 minutes. But Pochettino will have to make strong choices to install him, as it seems difficult to get Angel Di Maria out of the eleven.

The other lesson from this match is that with a real nine, it’s not the same story. Substitute at the kickoff despite the absence of Kylian Mbappé and while Lionel Messi was chosen to occupy the forefront of the Parisian attack, Mauro Icardi certainly did not score. But his presence changed everything. On the first goal, the Argentine brings the defense to the near post. And on the second, he pushes back the central Lille. To the delight of Di Maria and Neymar. The kind of details that aren’t. And must bring some reflections there also for Pochettino, who found this Friday evening still some tracks to be digged while his PSG too often stammers his football.