PSG failed to beat a very defensive FC Nantes this Saturday evening at the Parc des Princes, wasting many opportunities as too often. A look back at the individual performances of the Parisians on a case-by-case basis.
Donnarumma: Back in the Parisian goal, the Italian goalkeeper was able to see that luck had not returned at the same time as him since he was beaten on the opponent’s first strike. It’s hard to estimate his responsibility for this goal but Abline has plenty of room to score, which perhaps questions Donnarumma’s positioning in the action. On the other hand, he was impeccable on his line on the other Nantes occasion from the same Abline.
Judge: Scorer from the start by being very present at the far post, the Moroccan continued his momentum with a very offensive and high-flying first half overall, with a lot of presence on his side and a great contribution to his team . But he completely sank in the second half, playing stopped and hardly causing the slightest difference. Its growing waste was particularly felt in the centers.
Marquinhos: The Parisian captain had to cover the permanent climbs of Hakimi and so he had a little work. Opposed to the lively Simon, it often took him a few moments to dominate the Nigerian but in the end the latter practically never passed him. With the ball, he was technically clean but struggled to contribute anything in the construction of the game, apart from a few rare crosses.
There : Faced with FC Nantes who were sending their attackers to the ground, the Ecuadorian seemed set for a game where he was going to feast on his direct opponent. But Abline shattered this truth from the start of the match and Pacho delivered what is probably his worst match of the season in L1. The twirling Nantes striker ridiculed him on the equalizing goal then tormented him again several times. With the ball, the Parisian left-hander was also too average, with real slowness in transmissions.
Nuno Mendes: As in Munich a few days earlier, he benefited from more offensive freedom and he was quick to take advantage of it since he constructed the first Parisian goal practically on his own. His punch on his side did a lot of harm to Nantes at the start of the game but the Portuguese gradually wore down and, despite a superb strike shortly before the break, it was felt quite clearly: crosses from less and less adjusted, climbs which become more rare and a second period ultimately totally neutral and harmless. For a rebound, it’s a failure, but the tactical evolution of his role is one to watch.
João Neves: Positioned in a rare position for him as a right relay player, the Portuguese had a good first half, with a big return on Simon on the counter or even a nice complementarity on the flank with Lee and Hakimi. His ability to ventilate the game was also good but everything went to hell quite quickly and his second half was a failure. But the biggest concern of his match was his total unreliability in front of goal with several good opportunities wasted by shots off target on second balls that were lying around.
Zaire-Emery replaced him post for post and he signed a very nasty entry. Technically not on its best day, it was unforgiving against a Nantes team which was then playing very low on the pitch and reducing spaces to a minimum.
Vitinha: Once again placed on sentry duty, the Portuguese midfielder also summed up the PSG match rather well. Inspiration and technical antics in the first half, some incredible actions and unbelievable missed opportunities in front of goal, sometimes through nonchalance. In the second half, we found him only as an organizer trying to find solutions and he turned the ball wide, without really finding the fault. His volume of balls touched was logically enormous but in the end it produced little difference, particularly after the break.
Fabian Ruiz : Luis Enrique had readjusted him tactically and the Spaniard served to compensate for Nuno Mendes’ surges at the start of the game, slotting in as left centre-back. He was gradually able to play a little higher, finding himself serving Lee on the action of the post, but his attempted passes were not always the simplest, which could have complicated the task of his partners. Like the other midfielders, he struggled to find any solution in the second half and was unable to turn the match around at the very end when he was found in the area.
Lee : Relaunched as a starter in the usual role of Dembélé, he of course did not have the same style and relied more on others than on his dribbling to exist. In the first half, he was interesting when he was able to combine with Hakimi or Neves or when he was able to infiltrate the area following a good call, finding the post in this way. His game became very stereotypical and even caricatured subsequently, which helped Nantes in the end.
Dembele’s replaced him for the end of the game and he was at least technically clean, he who sometimes makes catastrophic entries at this level. But the winger seemed to play with the handbrake and his crosses lacked too much precision to be dangerous.
Gonçalo Ramos: Back in the starting lineup, the Portuguese didn’t even take two minutes to be decisive with an inspired deflection. It is throughout the match his ability to play and deviate with a touch that will be his strong point, his partners regularly finding themselves thrown into excellent situations of this kind. Frankly inspired in the game, he did not, however, manage to make any impact in the area, except in his own to clear the corners at the near post. A very encouraging return to the game, but which does not resolve the realism concerns of his team given that he did not create any clear chances.
Barcola: The left winger started his game in a rather interesting way, less stuck to the line than usual, but the collaboration with Mendes who took up his lane and his space a little was not always positive. In this somewhat new role, Barcola had a hard time connecting with his partners around him and only Ramos knew how to use him towards goal. In the one-on-one, he did not exist either and his match was therefore very poor in the end, as has often been the case in recent weeks.
Gifted replaced him and he probably signed his best entry with PSG. While the game was leaning to the right, he was able to bring all his punch when he was hit on the left, but also when he spent a few moments on the opposite side. He knew how to shake Nantes and create danger, even if the last pass was not there. But here is finally the best for the former Rennais.
