PSG's 12 Days of Christmas
It has been a year of two halves for Paris Saint-Germain in 2014.
The French champions won a second consecutive Ligue 1 title in 2013-14, while also adding a Coupe de la Ligue title to that haul and making themselves the most decorated club in the league cup’s history.
PSG have not made as strong a start to the 2014-15 campaign, though, and find themselves third in Le Championnat as we enter the winter break. A daunting UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Chelsea also awaits, with Les Parisiens facing a tough second half of the season.
Getting into the Christmas spirit, here are 12 things that PSG will want in 2015. We take a novel approach, using "The 12 Days of Christmas" carol to look at those wishes for the New Year.
Day 1: Defensive Solidity
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This season has been problematic for PSG so far, with no position better exemplifying the struggles of Laurent Blanc’s men than defence. Thiago Silva and David Luiz have struggled to impress in recent weeks after a good initial start, so need to regain their sense of authority when playing together.
If that cannot be achieved, then perhaps Blanc should consider bringing the impressive Marquinhos into the side. Thiago Motta has struggled in his deep-lying defensive-midfield role this season, so perhaps pushing Luiz forward into the space would help tighten things up at the back.
Day 2: Rediscover Clinical Edge
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Just looking at Ligue 1 form alone this season, it is clear that PSG are not as efficient in front of goal.
This time last season, Les Parisiens had six more points and had scored a massive 12 goals more than their current total of 32. They had also won three more games and sat atop Le Championnat, so PSG have been punished for their lack of a clinical edge this time around.
Blanc’s men need to rediscover this if they are to assert themselves over a tough field of opposition over the second half of the season.
Day 3: A Fully Healed Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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One of the main reasons for PSG’s struggles this season has been the heel injury picked up by star man Zlatan Ibrahimovic early in the campaign. The Swede has since returned to action, but he is far from full fitness and has only managed eight Ligue 1 goals in 11 appearances.
It is unlikely that Ibrahimovic will be in optimum condition at any point again this season, so a return to top condition for the PSG talisman would likely be one of Blanc’s Christmas wishes.
Day 4: Sell Yohan Cabaye
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PSG’s Yohan Cabaye has been one of the team’s most disappointing performers so far this season.
The France international has failed to recapture the same form he showed with Newcastle United and has dropped out of contention for a place in Blanc’s starting XI.
Based on his form this season, Cabaye is unlikely to recover his form anytime soon. PSG might be better off considering offers from clubs willing to give him a return to the English Premier League in January.
Day 5: Financial Fair Play Rules to Be Eased
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This summer’s failure to lure Angel Di Maria to Parc des Princes from Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu illustrated the severity of the financial constraints within which PSG were working under UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
After learning the value of selling players to buy other ones, the French champions could now do with having their FFP sanctions eased so that they can continue to construct their ambitious project from next summer onwards.
Day 6: PSG Players to Take Ligue 1 More Seriously
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One of the fundamental problems from the first half of this season has been PSG not taking their domestic duty seriously enough.
Not attaching enough importance to games against some of the smaller sides in Le Championnat and a failure to give Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais the credit and respect they both deserve has contributed towards the pair being ahead of Les Parisiens in the Ligue 1 table at present.
Day 7: Javier Pastore to Continue Recent Good Form
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Javier Pastore has been one of PSG’s outstanding performers so far this season.
The gifted Argentinian playmaker’s performances have arguably been the biggest positive, as it is genuinely like signing a new player, but now the battle to stay in such good shape begins.
Blanc and his team need El Flaco to remain in his current form and start adding more goals and assists to his game over the second half of the season.
Day 8: Marseille and Lyon to Slip Up Early in 2015
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At the start of 2015, PSG will be three points behind Marseille at the top of Ligue 1 and one single point behind second-placed Lyon.
While a more challenging title race than usual will do the capital club good, Blanc and his players will be hoping for slip-ups from their rivals that will bring the team closer to OM and OL at the summit.
PSG and Marseille have made a habit of failing to capitalise on each other’s mistakes for the majority of the campaign so far, so Les Parisiens need to make sure they are not as forgiving in the second half of the season.
Day 9: Cup Progress and Bastia Win to Start New Year
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The first two matches of 2015 hand PSG the chance to immediately consign the first half of this season to history and make progress in the Coupe de France.
A trip to face Montpellier HSC is first up for Blanc and his men, before another away game in Corsica against SC Bastia.
If the French champions can win both of those, then they will feel that they are on the road to recovery.
Day 10: Ibrahimovic and Cavani to Set Differences Aside for Good of Team
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Ibrahimovic and strike partner Edinson Cavani must learn how to play together more effectively if PSG are to really make progress in the second half of the season.
Both players have been able to find the net regularly this season, but it has not been frequently enough for two players of their calibre.
Ibrahimovic has the excuse of his injury lay-off for his numbers being roughly half of what they were last campaign, but Cavani has only scored two of his seven goals so far with Zlatan on the pitch.
The Swede has managed all eight of his with the Uruguayan on the field, demonstrating that there is an imbalance between the pair.
Both must learn how to work together efficiently and find a way to score prolific amounts of goals with greater regularity.
Day 11: Marquinhos to Be Given More Chances
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Based on current form, Thiago Motta’s time in the PSG starting XI is coming to an end and Blanc will need to find a suitable replacement sooner rather than later.
Instead of going out and buying a new midfielder or making significant changes to the team, though, there are players in Les Parisiens’ squad who deserve to start regularly but don’t.
Central defender Marquinhos has been in superb form this season, but he finds his way blocked by a leaky Thiago Silva and David Luiz partnership. A simple solution for Blanc could be to take Motta out of the team, move Luiz up into his deep-lying midfield position and play Marquinhos alongside Silva.
That way, Blanc could strengthen the back line, add some dynamism to the midfield and give Marquinhos a well-deserved starting role.
Day 12: Ibrahimovic to Rediscover Best Form
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Another major boost for PSG would be the return of Ibrahimovic to his best and most consistent form.
Injuries have disrupted the Swede’s season so far, but even now that he is back to fitness, he is still short of the same form that made him and his team-mates so formidable over the past two seasons.
Despite his increasing age and fitness issues, the PSG talisman remains a key player for Blanc’s side, and it is imperative that he gets back to similar form to last season if Les Parisiens are to progress over the second half of the campaign.
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