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“It’s a mix of beauty and frustration,” states the team's head coach. The Paris Saint-Germain manager has a complex relationship with how his club's league matches develop. Whenever the Parisians play, one team attacks and the other protects. “Breaking down deep defenses appeals to me,” he maintains. “It is the phase of play that I am most familiar with. I am very respectful of how other teams play. Though unconventional compared to our style, I acknowledge and welcome it.”

Dealing with deep defenses is unavoidable for PSG; this is their regular experience, a result of the talent imbalance created by economic disparity. Their talent usually tells and the resistance is overcome with mixed ease. Yet this term has proven more difficult.

Control of the Ball Yet Poor Returns

The French champions have recorded 72.5% possession in Ligue 1 so far this campaign. Against Nice on Saturday, they had over 76% possession and made 760 passes, compared to just 182 for Nice. By half-time, their playmaker had numerous ball contacts – only six less than the whole Nice squad – but PSG failed to convert their control. When the first period ended, the visiting team's defender, whose goal-bound attempt was blocked by his teammate, had come closest to scoring.

This performance wasn't isolated. PSG had drawn three out of four Ligue 1 games. They had 71% possession against Strasbourg, but were reliant on a dying moments Senny Mayulu equaliser to earn a draw. Even with 77% possession against their midweek opponents in midweek, they only scored once and were finally tied. Nearly a third of the way into the season, PSG are just fifth in scoring in Ligue 1 – after several other French clubs.

Attacking Unit Struggles

This stems from the unique approach that PSG garner, but also indicates a real issue. Their goal scorers are underperforming. The French international's 29 strikes last season helped PSG win Ligue 1 and the continental trophy; Bradley Barcola scored 14 occasions in the league; The talented youngster hit 16 in all competitions; and The Georgian international scored several times after his January move.

Dembélé won the prestigious award and, while it is debatable that the France international 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 scores in 12 games this season. He experienced a hamstring injury while on international duty in last month, which led to a blame game between PSG and the France team that has seen the ties between both parties worsen. The player was absent for around six weeks 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 teammate Achraf Hakimi.

Player Availability

Their manager says the forward should be available to face Bayern Munich this week in the continental tournament but, while he regains his form, squad members need to perform. It won’t be Doué. The young attacker was also sidelined in the same month. He was just getting back to his best when he was suffered another muscle issue, which is expected to rule him out until the new year. Their winger is a valuable player to his team but he often excels mainly for the crucial games in the Champions League; he is still without a goal in Ligue 1 this season. Barcola, PSG’s highest goal-getter in all competitions this season, has just a single strike in his last eight games and is in a fallow period. An attacker with hot streaks, the scoring will surely resume, but he isn't the solution to be the goalscorer in this expensively assembled PSG attack.

Gonçalo Ramos scored the winner against Nice but will he maintain his position in the team?

These were the expectations given to Gonçalo Ramos when he signed in 2023. The international forward achieved the landmark of 100 games for PSG against Nice, but he has started on the sidelines in over 50% of those appearances. Having scored nearly half his total after entering as a replacement, he has effectively embraced the role of the “finisher”, somewhat owing to his lack of impact when selected, but primarily because of his coach's hesitation to start with a traditional striker. “How come I score frequently as a substitute? Basically because my appearances are mainly from the bench,” remarked Ramos after the match.

Critical Moment

With the goals drying up across the frontline, Ramos’ last-gasp winner has given his coach something to consider. The centre-forward missed three chances before converting his next and deciding the game, but the fact that the team's clearest openings came to him is significant. His finishing is instinctive and that is what PSG were acquiring when they invested €65m. “He is a very important player for us because he is constantly prepared for every match, even if he begins on the bench,” said the manager. “Five minutes of Gonçalo on the pitch are quality minutes.” The moment might have come for the super-sub to play a leading part.

Domestic Competition Matches

• 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

League Standings

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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