Complete Analysis of Edinson Cavani's PSG Role

Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani has been playing an important role since the start of the season.

The Uruguayan is one goal behind strike partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the team’s scoring charts at present, while he has netted the most for the French champions in the UEFA Champions League and has also notched one in the Coupe de la Ligue.

When the Swede is fit, Cavani is one of his supporting cast in the attacking unit. But when Zlatan is unavailable, El Matador becomes the main man.

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It has been a difficult season for Cavani so far, with Ibrahimovic in and out of the team the South American’s position has constantly fluctuated.

The 27-year-old has also not been in the most clinical of form and has struggled to take plenty of chances, most notably when played at the same time as the PSG talisman.

Playing in the same team as the PSG No. 10, the Uruguayan international is loosely deployed on the left side of a front three. However, in reality, the Parisien No. 9 moves more centrally and will theoretically finish off the chances created by Ibrahimovic and Lucas Moura.

PSG are not creating a plethora of chances at present, though, so Cavani is starving and needs better service. But when the chances have been coming of late, the Celeste star has not been displaying his trademark accuracy in front of goal.

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As part of that loose positioning on the left of the front three, Cavani’s immense work rate also comes to the fore. The former SSC Napoli and Palermo man runs himself into the ground each game, and that selfless attitude and willingness to muck in defensively has helped beat the likes of Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League this season.

When Zlatan is not available to PSG coach Laurent Blanc, this is when Cavani moves into the middle of the attack and starts to find the net with increased regularity. Playing either as the focal point of Les Parisiens’ front three, or playing as one of two strikers in front of an attacking midfielder, suits Cavani better.

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Prior to Ibrahimovic’s permanent return from injury, Cavani had scored seven goals in seven games across all competitions. Once Zlatan’s return to fitness was confirmed for the 1-0 win over OGC Nice at home, the South American has struggled and scored just two goals from six appearances.

It is clear that Cavani fares better when he is the main man up top with the team playing for him, as opposed to having to work for Ibrahimovic.

However, the pair have also proved they can play together in the past, with the first half of last season demonstrating that the former is capable of putting his ego to one side for the good of the team and the latter that he is prepared to sacrifice a degree of his personal glory by being more of a team player.

However, for a variety of reasons that do not necessarily all concern the two players in question, that sort of attitude and link-up play has not been possible, and PSG’s style of play has become more fragmented.

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Cavani and Ibrahimovic’s current games are more individual styles, with neither player really able to influence the games as much as they’d like.

The South American needs the Scandinavian; right now Zlatan does not appear to be fully fit and this makes Cavani’s life difficult as well as his own.

El Matador has come in for plenty of criticism recently for some wasteful displays, but it should also be remembered that he has contributed 13 goals in all competitions so far this season. Ibrahimovic has managed 10, but he has been a less reliable presence because of injuries.

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The Swede’s recent lay-off did the team some good because it enabled them to learn to play without him and essentially meant that they adapted to Cavani instead. Blanc’s men were not as prolific as a result, but the Uruguayan scored more regularly.

With Ibrahimovic’s powers seemingly on the wane because of his persistent heel pain, perhaps the time is approaching for PSG to make Cavani the main man and at least give him the chance to thrive there without feeling that he is only temporarily auditioning for Zlatan’s role.

The potential for Cavani to be prolific is still there for PSG, even if it does not seem that way right now, but the capital club first need to move away from the idea that Ibrahimovic will be around forever.

The South American is the future for the French capital outfit, but they are yet to really embrace that idea.