3 Biggest Worries for PSG's 2015/16 Season so Far
Going into Week 11 of the Ligue 1 season, Paris Saint-Germain have a five-point lead at the top of the table.
With Angers and Caen the unlikely duo at the head of the chasing pack, it’s expected that the gap is only going to grow. Laurent Blanc’s team haven’t even found their stride yet, which is a huge concern for those who yearn for a title challenge.
However, that doesn’t mean everything is smooth sailing over at the Parc des Princes. PSG still have issues, some that run deeper than just personnel problems. And while these shouldn’t stop them winning the league, true success will be measured by what they do in the Champions League.
Here are the three biggest worries for PSG’s 2015/16 season so far.
Does Ibrahimovic Still Have What It Takes?
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice against Bastia last weekend—without really having to break a sweat.
It’s another couple of notches on the 34-year-old's all-time scoring record, but as an overall performance, the giant Swede was poor.
"Zlatan Ibrahimovic's untouchable status at PSG, despite his poor form, is reportedly frustrating players & staff. https://t.co/y1B9J2dfQJ
— Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) October 23, 2015"
His contract is up in the summer, but he says, like a fine wine, he is getting better as he gets older. His efforts on the pitch seem to suggest otherwise.
PSG don’t need Ibrahimovic at his best to beat Bastia—but they need the 6'5" player of old to appear on the big Champions League nights, or they can kiss goodbye to European success.
His army of loyal fans will argue this until he finally retires, but the enigmatic talisman is nowhere near the player he once was. Sadly, it looks like he doesn’t have enough left in the tank to finally lift that one European trophy that alludes him.
Blanc’s problem is that there is no one in the squad that can adequately replace him, so when he is fit, Ibrahimovic will play, regardless of form.
That malaise, from a character of Ibrahimovic’s stature can be infectious.
The Lack of a Ligue 1 Challenge
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PSG face Saint-Etienne, who are fourth in the table behind Angers and Caen, on Sunday, and they could be the closest the French champions have to a title rival. Which says pretty much everything you need to know.
A typical Ligue 1 side. Great in defence, Loic Perrin pushing and pulling his side superbly, but Christophe Galtier’s team are still ineffective in attack.
Les Verts don’t seem to have found a 15-goal striker, perhaps even a 10-goal striker, and at this stage, the Europa League is looking more and more like a distraction.
The sad truth is, PSG could win Ligue 1 in second gear, and quite often that is how they play.
Without that constant push to better themselves, PSG get stuck in a rut, and that can be hard to break from when the Champions League fixtures roll around.
On Wednesday, they faced a less than 100 percent Real Madrid. Still, PSG couldn’t take advantage at home and get the win that would have boosted their standing in the world game.
"This was a game, and a perfect game for PSG to show that they have taken a step forward, did they show it? Hell no.
— Andreas Karlsson (@AndKarlsson) October 21, 2015"
Instead, they played out a dire 0-0 draw, and questions over PSG’s ability to actually win the trophy remain. Without a challenge, or a ruthless streak, you just can’t see them making that next step.
Is Cavani Good Enough to Carry PSG?
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With Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s time in the French capital coming to an end next summer, all eyes are on the Uruguayan striker this season—wondering if he actually has what it takes to realise PSG’s hopes and dreams.
Now in his third year, it’s easier to make an argument against, rather than for the former Napoli man. All too often when Ibrahimovic hasn’t been around, Cavani hasn’t stepped into his shoes sufficiently.
The 28-year-old will go on runs when he scores goals, his overall numbers look good, but again, it’s when you see his on-field contributions that the doubts creep in.
Cavani is a very dangerous player, but he needs regular sights of goal before he finds the net. In Ligue 1, that is no problem, but once again, in the Champions League, it’s a different story—one that might not have a happy ending.
PSG could look like a much different team if they look at replacing both Ibrahimovic and Cavani in the summer.
