Montpellier vs. PSG: Winners and Losers from Ligue 1 Game
Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 win away at Montpellier HSC on Friday night was their third victory in as many Ligue 1 matches this season. Thanks to Blaise Matuidi’s 61st-minute winner, the French champions have made their best start to a domestic campaign since 2005-06.
The France international scored for the second consecutive game to secure three points for Laurent Blanc’s men in what was otherwise a scrappy encounter. Kevin Trapp made a magnificent save to deny a Ramy Bensebaini header in the second half, but otherwise PSG were comfortable enough.
Les Parisiens' coach Blanc was pleased with the ultimate result, even if the performance was not entirely convincing, as he revealed to PSG.fr after the game had finished.
"We are happy because we won. Not everything was perfect, starting with our technical problems which were far more present than in the first two games. There are some explanations, like the start of the pitch and the high temperatures. We struggled, as did Montpellier. It was a very tough game, but the win is the main thing, we scored and we didn't concede. There are still things to work on... we know that. We need to improve.
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Javier Pastore’s precautionary exit after just eight minutes with a calf problem was an early blow for PSG, but the men from the capital ultimately coped without the Argentina international, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Angel Di Maria and Marco Verratti.
Former Montpellier man Benjamin Stambouli was even afforded a late cameo to the delight of the Stade de la Mosson crowd, but that was about all La Paillade’s fans had to cheer on the night.
Here are some winners and losers from PSG’s 1-0 win away at Montpellier.
Winner: Blaise Matuidi
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When PSG find themselves in a tight spot, it is the irrepressible Blaise Matuidi who invariably bails them out. Friday night in Montpellier was no exception, with the midfielder scoring the only goal of the game to secure the win for his team.
Despite numerous vital contributions like his winner at Stade de la Mosson, Matuidi—incredibly—is one of the first names on the Ligue 1 champions’ team sheet that gets questioned whenever there is a new arrival.
The signing of Angel Di Maria was another one of those situations, and many seemed to think that the Frenchman could ultimately make way when everyone is fully fit.
Think again. Matuidi is indispensable at PSG, and if Blanc was in any doubt as to whether the 28-year-old should keep his place in the team this term, the France international’s two goals and three impressive displays so far prove that the No. 14 cannot and must not be overlooked in favour of anyone.
Loser: Anthony Mounier
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On a night of very few positives for a Montpellier side who failed to find the net for a third match in a row, Anthony Mounier may well be coach Rolland Courbis’ greatest source of frustration.
There were a number of occasions, particularly in the first half, when La Paillade could have opened up PSG at the back and failed to do so. A large factor in that was Mounier’s selfishness and poor decision-making.
Had the 27-year-old been less individualistic and put himself at the disposal of his team on at least one occasion, then perhaps at the very least Montpellier would be off the mark for goals now. As it is, they miss the much-maligned Lucas Barrios from last season.
Winner: Kevin Trapp
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Still awaiting his first real test of the season coming into the Montpellier game, goalkeeper Kevin Trapp got it at Stade de la Mosson on Friday.
The German had kept clean sheets against both Lille OSC and Gazelec Ajaccio without really needing to do anything, but he earned his third consecutive shutout with a sensational save to deny Ramy Bensebaini’s second-half header.
PSG had not kept three clean sheets in their first three games of a campaign since 1996-97, when capital club legend Bernard Lama was between the sticks, but Trapp has a long way to go to equal the Frenchman’s impressive eight straight shutouts at the start of that term.
Loser: Edinson Cavani
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Three games into the new season and Edinson Cavani is yet to find the back of the net even once.
The Uruguayan was unlucky to see a second-half effort chalked off for offside, but that does not excuse another poor display overall.
El Matador was wasteful in front of goal in last week’s 2-0 win over Gazelec Ajaccio, and he was a spectral presence again at Stade de la Mosson on Friday.
Cavani has completely failed to put any sort of early-season pressure on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Swede is now set to return to action in the trip to face title rivals AS Monaco in the principality next week.
A skied effort in the first half against Montpellier summed up the 28-year-old’s wretched start to the new term. Cavani can and must do better, an international break without any action because of suspension should enable him to take stock of the situation and recharge his batteries.
Winner: Thiago Silva and David Luiz Partnership
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Also winners on the night were PSG defenders Thiago Silva and David Luiz.
Both Brazilians have had their critics in the past, and the French champions’ captain is currently enduring a loss of faith from Selecao coach Dunga.
However, Silva and Luiz have started the season extremely well, and they contributed significantly towards a third consecutive clean sheet in Montpellier.
The skipper make a vital block with his face from Djamel Bakar early in the game when La Paillade really should have opened Les Parisiens up, while Luiz did not put a foot wrong all night alongside his fellow Brazilian.
After such a solid and composed start to the campaign, Marquinhos may well be feeling the first twinges of frustration on the substitutes bench already.
Loser: Lucas Moura
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With Angel Di Maria now in full training with his new team-mates and only narrowly missing out on a place in the squad for the Montpellier match, Lucas Moura is one of the game’s big losers.
The Brazilian really needed to build on his goal in the 1-0 win away at Lille OSC on the opening day of the season while the Argentina international was absent.
Although he has earned a recall to the Selecao already this campaign, Lucas has failed to impress against both Gazelec Ajaccio and Montpellier, so he will likely be the player to make way for Di Maria shortly.
Javier Pastore’s injury picked up at Stade de la Mosson could hand Lucas an extra chance in the principality, but when everyone is fully fit, it will probably be the 23-year-old who makes way for the PSG new boy.
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