Looking at Luis Enrique’s attack arrangement, Paris Saint-Germain fans and the team’s leadership can feel satisfied. There, number 1 star Kylian Mbappe started on the left wing, while two rookies, Randal Kolo Muani, played center forward and Ousmane Dembele ran on the right wing. What all three have in common is that they all contributed to goals against AC Milan. Most notably, all of them have French nationality in Paris.
Mbappe still showed a familiar image of turning the ball around, cutting into the ball and firing a low shot into the near corner to beat compatriot Mike Maignan. In the second goal, it was Dembele’s technical way of handling the ball that opened the way for Muani to cushion the ball from close range.
Mbappe opened PSG’s victory.
If he was luckier, Dembele would have scored his own goal. Before the name Muani appeared on the electronic board, the former Barcelona player sent Maignan into the net to pick up the ball after running and handling the ball with his left foot. Unfortunately, VAR confirmed that a PSG player had committed a foul earlier, so the referee decided to intervene in the situation where number 10 was celebrating.
In any case, that still does not negate the good day of the three names on PSG’s attack. The trio in front of Milan had all the qualities to cause chaos in the opponent’s defense. The versatility in each individual’s playing style is a plus. Mbappe plays on the left wing, but he can also explode as a center forward or drift to the right.
Although Muani is famous as a striker, the former Frankfurt player possesses the quality to move to the sideline if necessary. Dembele with the ability to use two legs like one, he can stir up the away team’s full-back pair. PSG’s French trio are all quick and skilled, so it’s difficult for the Italian defense to find a way to counter them.
Muani scored after Dembele’s skillful handling.
The appearance of Muani and Dembele instead of other new contracts such as Goncalo Ramos and Marco Asensio therefore helps PSG become more unpredictable. If Ramos, a descendant of Cristiano Ronaldo and who perfectly replaced CR7’s role as striker at the 2022 World Cup, is a pure striker, then Asensio lacks the skill set to create breakthroughs of a winger. Ramos and Asensio have their own individual strengths, but in case Enrique expects a virtual attack that can rotate positions at any time, Muani and Dembele are the perfect partners next to Mbappe.
And in the context of PSG’s leadership focusing on building a squad with French players, placing Muani and Dembele to play alongside Mbappe will make Qatar’s owners even more satisfied. The win against Milan can help Enrique find the most suitable attack with three mutant-rich stars Mbappe – Muani – Dembele. This is no different than a sign that the starting frequency of Ramos or Ansesio will be affected in the coming matches.
Lu Phong | 10:29 October 26, 2023
