Teething problems as PSG run aground in Corsica
After the opening two games of the season against beatable, Paris Saint-Germain currently sit 12th in Ligue 1 with two points from a possible six. Hardly the sort of start that many were predicting and expecting les Rouges-et-Bleu to have merely a fortnight ago and precious little to justify pre-season claims that the league would be a cakewalk for the side this season. An opening day 2-2 home draw to Lorient was acceptable by virtue of the side's performance in overturning a 0-2 half-time deficit to snatch a point and almost three, denied only by some questionable refereeing. However, Sunday's dour 0-0 draw in Corsica with perennial strugglers Ajaccio in which the hosts were unlucky to only claim a point, has raised some serious early question marks.
PSG ended the game with 10 men following Ezequiel Lavezzi's hasty two-footed challenge on Benjamin Andre for which he received a straight red card, and manager Carlo Ancelotti watching from the stands after being dismissed for kicking a water bottle. Are the cracks starting to appear because of the pressure already? Hardly, but the lacklustre performance on Sunday does suggest that the Italian has an immediate issue to remedy in the players' attitudes. The team arrived at the Stade François Coty already with half a mind on next week's enticing encounter with in-form Bordeaux at the Parc des Princes. If PSG are to harness the massive potential in the side, then Ancelotti will have to drum it into some of the big egos in the Parisien dressing room that they will have to start doing their talking on the pitch and not in the press.
Whilst starting without Thiago Silva was to be expected given his extended international service in recent weeks, the capital club were not banking on heading to 'the Island' without talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Already from this result and the way the team were playing in his absence, it is evident just how important the Swede is to the club's plans this season. When 'Ibra' is on the pitch, the side has a focal point. Long balls played high upfield or over the top of the opposing defence can stick when he is up there, when he is not, the play falls flat and previously influential figures such as Nene and Javier Pastore cut peripheral spectres as they struggle to adapt to their changed roles within the side. Ancelotti is going to have to implement a plan B and utilise the considerable pace he has at his disposal from the bench.
Speaking of the enigmatic Argentine, it was once again clear on Sunday that he still does not have a defined role to play on the pitch in this current PSG side. Whilst extremely talented and an important creative outlet for the side when involved, the former Palermo man spends too much time drifting out of games and competing with the other creative elements in the Parisien midfield to be truly effective. Pastore is gradually being pushed further back down the park towards a deep-lying playmaker role à la Andrea Pirlo and with the arrival of Lucas Moura in January; it is hard to see him maintaining a position in the final third of the pitch. With the pressure building on the side and Pastore's influence coming to the fore only sparingly, the Argentine's position could soon be compromised as the midfield functions better as a unit in his absence.
Not wishing to take anything away from Alex Dupont's men, they were fantastic for the full 90 minutes and produced a tight, disciplined defensive performance that sees them pick up a second clean sheet in as many games after keeping only six last season. For that feat they can thank Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa who produced a string of outstanding saves to justify his status as one of the league's most highly rated stoppers. However, the stats tell a different story and three shots out of eight on target whilst only controlling 38% of possession illustrate how wasteful the visitors were with the chances they did create. Jeremy Menez in particular wasted a golden chance to give PSG the lead and if the team doesn't learn to become more ruthless in front of goal, Ancelotti's hot seat will be on the verge of searing his derrière before the end of September.
Perhaps no need for panic just yet but Bordeaux next week will be no walk in the park and if the side fail to register a three-point haul for the fourth successive Ligue 1 encounter, then the current clouds dissatisfaction percolating the pink Parisian sky will become more than knee-jerk reactions. Les Girondins arrive on a run of eight wins on the bounce, a perfect place for PSG to correct their early season struggles and relaunch their campaign for domestic domination.


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