PSG should use Neymar’s latest injury as a chance to build without him | Eric Devin

By -

If Mauricio Pochettino wants to win the Champions League, he needs to find his best team quickly – with or without Neymar

By Eric Devin for Get French Football News

Despite a frustrating loss to Manchester City in the week, there was an air of celebration about PSG’s trip to Saint-Étienne on Sunday. The hosts, hamstrung by injuries and a lack of impactful signings this summer, had been largely uninspired under Claude Puel, even if they had experienced a slight upturn in form of late. Sergio Ramos made his long-awaited first start for the league leaders and it looked as if, even with Marco Verratti still absent, PSG could begin to have some sense of rhythm about their play.

Not topping their Champions League group is a disappointment, but the squad is now largely fit and starting to fire – as shown by Lionel Messi’s hat-trick of assists in the 3-1 win over Saint-Étienne, no mean feat even against 10 men. Perhaps progress could be made by using the league and cup matches between now and mid-March as a sort of tactical sandbox for Mauricio Pochettino. Indeed, there was already eager mention in L’Équipe of the potential to play with three at the back, with the more mobile Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe flanking Ramos.

Continue reading...

from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/29/psg-neymar-latest-injury-mauricio-pochettino-champions-league

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Newcastle’s transformation and reconnection testament to Howe’s coaching | Andy Brassell

By -
Club’s supporters’ minds will start to wander to potential trips next season after long-awaited return to Champions League The roar at kick-off, the roar that had been there in most of the previous 18 home games of this season, was maybe given a few extra decibels here. Added to renewed hope, present all season, was a touch of yes, this really is happening. Then came the moment, with fireworks being wedged into the tops of milk bottles, at the beginning of stoppage time, when Nick Pope was finally forced into some sort of movement to deny Timothy Castagne, to make sure it did happen. It came after one of the Newcastle keeper’s slowest days of the season, after what had often resembled a half-pitch, beat-the-packed-defence training exercise against a Leicester team largely too meek to threaten Geordie dreams. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/may/22/newcastle-champions-league-eddie-howe
Read more

Richarlison’s first Tottenham goals punish Marseille for Mbemba’s red card

By -
There was the obligatory pre-match footage of Lucas Moura’s winner at Ajax and then the declaration on the big screen at Tottenham’s magnificent stadium, one that is built to stage these kind of Champions League nights. “We’re back.” For so long, it appeared that the grand return after a two-season absence would fall flat, even when Marseille were reduced to ten men in the 47th minute following Chancel Mbemba’s last-man foul on Son Heung-min. It was a dreadful misjudgment by the former Newcastle centre-half. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/07/tottenham-marseille-champions-league-group-d-match-report
Read more

Super Eagles player, William Troost-Ekong shows off his girlfriend on IG as she turns a year older today

By -
Image
Super Eagles and FK Haugesund defender William Troost Ekong took to his Instagram account this morning to wish happy birthday to his beautiful girlfriend. " HBD to my girl. Wish I could be there".  The 22 year old half Dutch, half Nigerian is in Nigeria for the Super Eagles 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Tanzania holding in Akwa Ibom state on Saturday.
Read more