PSG’s unconvincing start to Ligue 1: How much to read into their early struggles?

PSG’s struggles in domestic competition continued last night, as they scraped to a 2-1 win over an extremely poor Marseille side who are languishing close to the foot of the Ligue 1 table. It meant that PSG entered the season’s first international break in sixth place, five points behind Monaco (now managed by former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea full-back Filipe Luis), who have won every game bar one so far this season.

While PSG have picked up two vital wins to get back on track in their last two games, having failed to win any of their opening three, it must be said that none of their performances so far have been particularly convincing so far this season, with probably their two best games in any competition both coming in Europe: their Super Cup win over Aston Villa and their demolition of Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League.

PSG will have to improve their Ligue 1 performances if they are to retain the French Ligue title for the sixth consecutive time, and perhaps more pertinently for PSG fans, they urgently will need to improve overall if they want to compete in what are tough Champions League fixtures coming up, including games vs European giants like Barcelona and Manchester City.

So what hasn’t quite been working for PSG so far this season? Firstly it’s clear that their attack has yet to quite click into gear. Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia have all been subpar so far, despite glimpses of brilliance from each of them, they overall have been way off the level expected of them.

Ferran Torres, newly signed from Barcelona, has been PSG’s standout forward so far, scoring seven goals, including the opener at the Velodrome last night. It’s good that Torres has been in such fine form because PSG have also been desperately missing their winger Bradley Barcola, sold to Liverpool, who was often a viable option to bring off the bench in case one of the usual front line wasn’t quite firing (something which has often been the case so far in this campaign).

As for the rest of PSG’s team, they look a little less well-oiled than usual, although fans of the club will hope the lengthy upcoming international break will reenergise the team and allow them to return with real vigour into their October fixtures.

After the break, PSG kick things off with a home game against Le Mans, before then immediately having to travel to Manchester for the aforementioned European fixture. Up next after that is a trip to Strasbourg before then hosting Barcelona at the Parc des Princes: a run of games for which PSG will have to be at their very best.

More significantly still, PSG will have to dedicate far more attention to the Ligue Un games sandwiched between these important Champions League fixtures, given their precarious situation after what has been a slow start to the League Campaign. In any case, much for Luis Enrique and his squad to work on after the break.

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