PSG – PSV Eindhoven: Ousmane Dembélé is starting to pose a big problem

A few days after brilliantly dominating RC Strasbourg at home, Paris Saint-Germain opened the doors of the Parc des Princes to PSV Eindhoven who arrived in France with the hope of picking up points after a defeat against Juventus and a match draw against Sporting. But the capital club, which did well against Girona before being completely manhandled by Arsenal, had no other choice but to win this third day of the Champions League at home. For this duel, Luis Enrique lined up a fairly classic team in 4-3-3, notably with the return of Ousmane Dembélé in attack. Left to rest last weekend, the former FC Barcelona player was expected around the corner for his first appearance since the end of the international break. Back in C1 against PSV this Tuesday, the native of Vernon had to send a message to everyone to bury the hatchet and thus prove his fervent defenders right. This was not the case with this bitter draw (1-1).

Expected at the turning point, it goes without saying. During the rout suffered by PSG in London against Arsenal, the Spanish coach decided to remove Ousmane Dembélé from the group due to disciplinary problems: “If someone doesn’t meet their obligations to the team or isn’t ready in such an important week… I want my players to be in the best possible condition. Therefore I put it aside», explained Luis Enrique in particular at a press conference. Authors of a laborious collective performance, the Parisian players had difficulty being realistic, effective, even dangerous against the Gunners. This is how all observers and supporters agreed to say that Dembélé was crucial in the Parisian game, if not essential. Unfortunately, against the Dutch club, Ousmane Dembélé failed to be decisive. Worse still, he was the symbol of a PSG failing in attack.

A disastrous copy!

Holder, Ousmane Dembélé wasted no time in getting noticed, but not necessarily in the best way. Indeed, after only 20 minutes of play, the French international had already lost 13 balls. He also finished the match with a total of 26 turnovers. The former FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund player also committed three fouls. With too much waste and errors in his game, Dembélé did not weigh at all on his team’s game. Even if he hit the crossbar (19th), most of his attempts are, as too often, either completely off target (30th, 63rd) or easily blocked (3rd, 59th). Only one shot managed to really worry Walter Benítez but the Argentine goalkeeper deployed well to repel the shot rolled in by Dembélé (50th). But Luis Enrique does not want to overwhelm him: “I’m not used to talking about players individually when there is no victory. I bear responsibility for this draw and no one else“, explained the Spaniard. However, the lack of offensive efficiency of the 27-year-old player and more generally of PSG remains a reality. Credited with a rating of 3.5 by the editorial staff of French Football WeeklyOusmane Dembélé must do much better but in the passing game he finished with a low rate of 68% or around ten missed passes.

Without targeting anyone, Captain Marquinhos is aware of this problem: “I think realism is the one most important thing that was missing tonight. We didn’t have the chances against Arsenal, but tonight, it was the finishing that was lacking. We had chances at the start and end of the match, but we didn’t score», Specified the Brazilian defender. Thanks to Hakimi’s goal, Paris Saint-Germain ended a series of 94 shots without scoring a single goal in the Champions League. Luis Enrique then pointed out this problem at a press conference: “Difficult to accept the result, we played, it seems to me, a better match than PSV, that’s football. We had many more chances, but we couldn’t get the decisive shot on target. Football is capricious, we should have won“. If he is not the only one at fault, given the average performances of Bradley Barcola and Kang-in Lee, Ousmane Dembélé is the perfect symbol of a failing attack in the last gesture. Paris dominates, Paris is superior, but Paris does not materialize and it is clearly a collective problem which is illustrated in certain individuals.