PSG - Serial Underachievers in Europe?

PSG had the Ligue 1 title all sewn up before they even took on Manchester City in the Champions League Quarter Final with a record margin. Currently sitting 30 points clear of Olympique Lyon in 2nd place, the side from the province of Rhone-Alpes are closer to the relegation zone than they are to the league leaders, a testament to the monopoly the Parisians have over the league. Despite all this domestic success, they are still perennial underachievers on the European stage.

Since their domestic success started in 2012-2013 with their first league title in 19 years, it is safe to say that PSG have been labelled as the 'nearly-men.' They have all the right tools, but just can't utilise them on the big stage. For the fourth time in a row, they have failed to progress pass the Quarter Final stage. How can side with world-class players such as Angel di Maria, Edinson Cavani, Thiago Silva, Marco Verratti and the notorious Zlatan Ibrahimovic constantly fail?

Admittedly last year, they faced Barcelona in the quarter final stage, a team that were right on the top of their game and eventual treble winners. They were beaten by a much more cohesive and well drilled side 5-1 on aggregate with the damage being done with a 3-1 loss in the first leg at the Parc des Princes. 

Yet just this year, they had a great chance of defeating Manchester City and progressing to their first semi final in this short spell. Despite the deciding goal from Kevin de Bruyne being a cracker, PSG coughed up too many chances in the away leg including an unconverted penalty opportunity caused by a stray pass from Serge Aurier. Equally, an error was capitalised on by Fernandinho in the opening leg, who threaded a ball through to de Bruyne and the Belgian opened the scoring in the tie. The second goal could also have been prevented but it levelled up the first leg and gave Manchester City two away goals.

In Marco Verratti they possess one of the world's brightest midfield prospect. Only aged 23, he has already made 105 league appearances as well as a further 29 in Europe. Even as one of the younger players in the French champion's side, so much of the play goes through him. Not only is he a quality passer of the ball that has been compared to the great Andrea Pirlo, but he also as a decent defensive side to his game, averaging 2 defensive actions per game this season. It will be interesting to see in the near future if more failings in the Champions League whether Verratti will jump ship to Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

Player performance wise, Angel di Maria has recaptured the form he displayed while at Real Madrid, while Ibrahimovic, at the tender age of 34 is still banging in goals for fun, 34 in the league this season. Edinson Cavani is an able strike partner for the Swede contributing 28 goals and 4 assists to the cause. It has however been rumoured in the past that the pair do not get on. Just last season, both were pictured becoming increasingly frustrated with each other, reaching the point where Ibrahimovic refused to pass the Uruguayan the ball on a simple two-on-one with the keeper and instead squandered the chance. It has been argued that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is holding the side back and this reasoning sounds very plausible

Too little domestic competition?
Everyone quickly jump to suggest that the lack of competition in the league will play a factor with the performances in Europe and I totally agree. It is human nature for players to ease of the gas when they are 3 or 4 goals up. In four of the last six league games this season, PSG have scored four goals. Against the bottom side, Troyes, they netted 9 times. scoring three goals in the opening 20 minutes. It's not surprising that if a side continually relaxes after 60-70 minutes, then it will become a vicious circle where they will struggle to concentrate mentally for the full match.

Poor manager?
There has been speculation of a change at the helm with the recent Champions League exit. Laurent Blanc has not had the toughest of jobs with PSG, particularly with having a budget bigger than any of the Ligue 1 competition. However, dealing with the amount of egos that he has to, he has to be credited. Blanc has been rumoured with the Manchester United job, however Jose Mourinho appears to be the most likely recipient if Louis Van Gaal does decide to retire. He has played the same tactic in Europe where they have been less effective. The 4-3-3 with either Ibrahimovic or Cavani up top and Angel di Maria on the flank, has been useful in the group stages, but they need to play a bit more conservative against the sides with more quality. It is likely that they wouldn't have the most possession so it would be more sensible to sacrifice an attacker to put another in midfield.

Are they likely to win the competition in the next 3 seasons?
I think they will eventually break their duck of not being able to qualify for the semi finals of the Champions League in the near future. Generally over the last years they have been unlucky with the groups that they have been placed in - Real Madrid in this year's group and Barcelona last year. As well as this they generally have been unlucky in the knock out rounds, receiving Manchester City in the quarter finals this season when they could have got Benfica or Wolfsburg. If PSG build up some momentum with good results in the group stage, coupled with fortunate draws in the next two rounds, it is very possible that they would have the confidence to defeat the big sides when the competition gets serious. I do believe with the quality of the players in the side, PSG will be crowned European Champions in the not too distant future.

Having been given the vote of confidence by the board this season, Laurent Blanc will remain in charge of PSG for the summer at the bare minimum. However the pressure must be building as they look to break their streak of bad fortune and enter into Europe's elite. 

PSG Remain Unbeaten in the League

Goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Layvin Kurzawa, Edinson Cavani and Lucas Moura gave PSG a comfortable victory over Saint Etienne and ensure the Ligue 1 holders remain unbeaten in the league.

Having returned from a Europa League tie against Dnipro in Ukraine, it was no surprise that St Etienne surrendered most of the possession to their hosts and tiredness was evident as the match progressed.

The first chance did fall to PSG, as Angel Di Maria a terrific out-swinging corner found the head of Thiago Motta but he could not direct the header on target. Two chances followed for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but he failed to control the first and fired the second straight at the keeper.

Saint Etienne had the first attack on the 15 minute mark, when Valentin Eysseric's shot grazed the post. PSG took the lead 7 minutes later through Layvin Kurzawa. With Saint Etienne playing a high line, Kurzawa found himself in space on the left. He beat the defender before firing the shot into the back of the net via the hand of Stephane Ruffier for his first goal since joining the club from AS Monaco in the summer. With PSG completely dominant in the first half hour, it was only a matter of time before the second goal came.

After a terrific interception from Thiago Silva launched a counter attack, Angel Di Maria picked up the ball and struck a shot from outside the box that Ruffier had to parry to safety. Despite this, the visitors had grown into the game and were beginning to get foothold, but similarly, PSG look like they can add to their goal if and when they want.

Ruffier saved Saint Etienne's blushes with another terrific save in the second quarter of the game. After a loose pass was picked up by Cavani, Ibrahimovic was played through and he very unselfishly squared the ball to partner Cavani but his attempted shot was blocked by the goal keeper. A super save that kept the deficit at just one goal. Shortly before the interval the big Swede had another chance to double his side's lead, but his header looped over the bar off a Di Maria cross.

Straight from the kick off in the second period, PSG showed their attacking strength. Di Maria's shot trickled just wide and shortly after, Ibrahimovic squared a ball across the box for Cavani to tap in. The same pair linked up minutes later but Cavani scuffed his shot wide. He really should have done better. Saint Etienne were getting punished for their high defensive line and open play and with the continental hangover looming, a humbling was on the cards if they don't tighten up.

The third goal was scored through Saint Etienne's worst nightmare, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. A sharp turn from Di Maria allowed the Argentine space and his pass found Edinson Cavani. With Ibra in the box, he repaid the pass earlier in the second half offered by the Swede and squared it to give the the 34 year old his 9th goal in his last five games against away side. Not known for their passing relationship, Cavani and Ibrahimovic surprised many tonight.

Saint Etienne managed to get a goal back in comical fashion. Kevin Monnet-Paquet's cross was poorly hacked away by Marquinhos and in an attempt to either control or clear the ball, Marco Verratti deflected it into the back of his own net. Even though it proved nothing more than a consolation, PSG will be annoyed to have conceded their clean sheet.

That goal for Saint Etienne seemed to give the side a bit of a lift, as several chances fell to the away side with Robert Beric having the pick of them. However a fourth PSG goal was scored as full time approached. Verratti dinked the ball into the box and Lucas Moura's header was clumsily dealt with by Ruffier and the ball managed to cross the line. The veteran Saint Etienne keeper had a good night, with this being the only blemish on his performance.

The PSG midfield won the game tonight. They retained possession expertly while fighting for the ball when they lost it. The Saint Etienne midfield was often outnumbered when Ibrahimovic dropped back or when Di Maria cut inside. A victory was nothing short of what Laurent Blanc expected of his side and as they look almost invincible in the league, much will be expected of them in Europe. 

The Transformation of PSG

A stunning, disciplined performance from 10 man PSG ensured a confident victory over Chelsea in the Champions League last 16. The game was not without its controversial moments, including the red card to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a penalty shout for Diego Costa in the first half. However, the thing I found most commendable was the transformation that has taken place since the New Year.

Before Christmas, rumours of a fractured dressing room in the French capital appeared, with strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani in the thick of it. A disagreement between the pair saw, queries over the future of Cavani at the club and the future of Laurent Blanc as manager. I remember seeing one clip in particular where Ibra was in a 2 on 1 with Cavani against a defender with a simple pass to the side would have allowed Cavani to have an unchallenged shot at goal, instead, he didn't pass and the move broke down. The look of disgust on the Uruguayan's face was unforgettable.

It is worth noting that the Parisians did not lose a game until the Champions League away match against Barcelona in December and the next loss followed suit against Guingamp 4 days later. However numerous draws halted their climb up the Ligue 1 table. During the month of September they recorded just 2 wins and 4 draws, not good by the high standards set at the club. December was another bad month, as they only picked up 8 points out of a possible 18 in all competitions. Worse was yet to come.

The January game against Bastia is probably the lowest point of the season to date. PSG raced into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes through goals from Lucas Moura and Adrien Rabiot and were entirely commanding in the opening exchanges. There is only one explanation as to why they conceded 4 unanswered goals. Complacency. PSG had by far the superior starting 11 on paper, but gifting them 2 goals gave them the momentum and then it was very hard for the Parisians to get back to the top. 

The Christmas period was particularly difficult as fresh rumours of discontent rumbled in the air. Again Cavani was in the middle of it. Both him and fellow countryman Ezequiel Lavezzi were suspended internally for 2 games after they failed to report back to the training camp in Morocco after a week off. The dressing room was divided with some players jealous at the privileges others got. Players that were out of form seemed undroppable leaving those on the bench irritated and confused. Laurent Blanc had his hands full of many problems in the French capital. 

What happened last night against Chelsea and can Blanc carry this on into the closing stages of the season?

To start with, no one can deny that Chelsea were diabolical, and this would have made it a whole lot easier for Blanc's men even if they were down to 10 men for 90 minutes of the match. Blanc hit the nail on the head with the tactics and was able to take advantage of PSG's unknown superiority at set pieces. It was nothing less than what they deserved.

Looking at the controversial incidents during the match, the challenge from Ibra looked like a leg breaker but it was a 50/50 challenge with both players having a keen intent on going for the ball. It's easy to criticise the referee, but it's occasions like this where they would benefit greatly from the introduction of a television match official or 'TMO'. It is also simple to condemn the despicable Chelsea players from surrounding the ref, but it's commonplace in today's game - not that it makes it acceptable.

Diego Costa was a constant liability during the game and it amazes me as to how he was never sent off, but he had a 'stonewall' penalty appeal refuted as some would say. It was terrific skill from the ex Brazilian but it was quite clear he never had any intention of getting a shot away. There was contact but it needs to be emphasised that not all contact is considered a foul. If it was, then I would go to write about chess or something daft like that. Costa has got a tremendous amount of ability, but his temperament can cost his team.

Looking at PSG themselves, they knew all their roles. Marco Verratti was at his niggly best, Javier Pastore ran himself into the ground and Sirigu produced several fine saves to keep the Parisians in the tie. It was written in the script for David Luiz to score against his former club last night, following suit with Klass-Jan Huntelaar the night before and Danny Welbeck on Monday. As much as we all like to abuse him for his distinct lack of defensive qualities and just being an all round shambolic defender, Luiz does try his best. That statement may seem like a bit of a cop-out, but he showed a tremendous amount of passion, unlike a few others on the pitch and looking back on it, did so through out the World Cup.

PSG put in a professional performance last night, similar to Chelsea's against Barcelona in 2012. The task for Laurent Blanc will be to keep his players singing from the same hymn book and they definitely topple Lyon at the top of Ligue 1. As for the Champions League, it is probably a bit further in the distance yet. Managing a dressing room packed with egos is difficult, but I take confidence from the victory of Stamford Bridge that Blanc is the right man to lead them to glory.

European Round-Up

We're well over the half way point in all of the top European Leagues, so let's take a look at where everyone stands in their respective leagues:

Starting close to home, Chelsea are the dominant force in the Barclays Premier League having survived a minor blip around the New Year. The Blues hold a 5 point lead over holders, Manchester City to have suffered due to injuries in attack. They are very much on the tale of the London club, but I don't expect them to beat Mourinho's Chelsea to the title. Not many people would expect Southampton to be mentioned in the top 3, but Koeman has got a side who were tipped for a low finish at the start of the season due to the departure of many of their players.

At the foot of the table, it is hard to predict who will make the drop, with Hull, QPR and Leicester occupying the spots as it stands. 4 points seperates Everton in 12th which proves how tight it really is. At the start of the season, I predicted Palace, Villa and Sunderland to get relegated and it seems likely that at least one of these teams won't survive.

In Germany's Bundesliga, there isn't much competition for Bayern Munich who sit unbeaten and 11 points ahead of Wolfsburg in second. Bayern's domestic dominance seems likely to continue for a number of years, particularly as main rivals, Borussia Dortmund lie in the relegation zone level on points with 18th placed Freiburg. I hope Klopp is able to resurrect Dortmund While the competition is minimum at the top of the table, there is plenty of it at the bottom. Only 12 points seperates 18 and 4th position. There is plenty of time for Jurgen Klopp's men to hit a purple patch and finish in a respectable position. Similarly, sides to seem out of the danger zone could slip down the table, if the next couple of matches don't go to plan.

We through Austria/Switzerland to Italy. As predicted, Juventus and Roma are leading the pack with third place Napoli 6 points behind. It is certainly a gap that Napoli can catch, but they will need to begin their charge pretty soon, especially as Juventus and Roma don't look like slipping up anytime soon. Both Milan and Internazionale trundle through their stage of 'transition' and sit in 11th and 10th respectively. With Inter capturing the signature of Xherdan Shaqiri, Mancini aims to stamp his mark on a side that could be doing with an ounce of quality. More signings to this calibre and we could be seeing the Nerazurri return to the heights of the Champions League.

Let's turn our attention to Spain. Real Madrid lead the pack by a point with Barcelona and Atletico chasing behind. Real triumphed in the solitary Clasico so far with an excellent display of counter attacking football and with the current situation at the Nou Camp in dispute, it doesn't look like they will be able to topple Real Madrid. Despite losing their goalkeeper, left back and striker in the summer transfer window, Atletico are up there albeit 4 points behind the leaders and having played a game more. I still think Real Madrid will have enough strength to fend off the challenge of their competitors, but being able to compete for the Champions League as well, is a completely different scenario.

In France, PSG have been faltering and this can be put down to problems in a fractured dressing room. Marcelo Bielsa's Marseille came firing out of the blocks at the start of the season and Gignac was scoring for fun. However the form has declined and some may say it is down to Bielsa's rigorous training methods. Olympique Lyon now lead the charge and Alexandre Lacazette has made his price tag more expensive to possible suitors this month. After a slow start from Monaco, Leonardo Jardim has tidied up and now they are sitting in a respectable 5th. The loss of Falcao has clearly affected them, and a 5th place finish come May might not be enough for Jardim to keep his job.

The Best League in the World?

The question of 'Which is the Best League in the World?' is often asked and even more frequently answered with the Barclays Premier League as it is the most competitive. In the light of Roy Keane's recent comments, I thought it would be beneficial to share my opinions.

La Liga

While the La Liga contains arguably 2 of the biggest teams in the world, I don't see this as the best league in the world. The league is constantly a 2 horse race as either Barcelona or Real Madrid have won it since the 2003-2004 season. The vast majority of the Spanish national side play their football in Spain for either Barcelona or Real Madrid. This has proved both teams, especially Barca to be a force in Europe in the past seasons, having won the Champions League 3 times since 2005. However, a new force in the shape of Atletico Madrid are going from strength to strength and will test rivals Madrid and Barca in the coming seasons.

Unfortunately for Madrid, they have been living in the Blaugrana's shadow for the last few years. Barca's European dominance has also helped the national side. Spain have dominated International football by winning 2 European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. For what the league lacks in competitive nature, it makes up for in sheer brilliance and skill from Barca and Real and is a must watch to see the best players in the world in action.

Serie A

The Italian League on the other hand, is an underrated league, in my opinion. Since the turn of the century, 5 different teams have won it while it is a constant scramble for 2nd and 3rd place. On the downside, the League has seen its rainy days. The 2006 match fixing scandal saw Juventus stripped of their title and booted out of Serie A to Serie C1 while Fiorentina and Lazio were demoted to Serie B. Other sanctions were also given to Milan and Reggina. A bad light portrayed of our Beautiful Game. 

The next season will prove profitable for rising stars Napoli as they invested their €60m wisely that they got from the sale of Edinson Cavani. AC Milan look strong as do Juventus but AC rivals Inter, is a different story. A disappointing 9th place finsh last season saw them finish behind arch rivals AC. A league which has been plagued with controversy in the past is competitive and will be sure to stay that way with the rise of new teams. Juventus appear to be in pole position to be crowned champions, while AS Roma surprised everyone with their explosive start to the season. On the other hand, Milan have had a disastrous season, which further emphasises the unpredictable nature of the Italian League.

Bundesliga

The Bundesliga now holds the European Champions in the shape of Bayern Munich for the 1st time in 12 years. The final was an all German affair between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern, but more interestingly, it was a final no one expected. Bayern ran 7 goals past Barcelona on aggregate in a vintage German performance while Dortmund's home leg against Madrid saw Robert Lewandowski net 4 goals. After these results, many said that this was the end of Spain's dominance in continental football and that 'Ze Germans' were heading for world domination... Where have we heard that before... 

The previous season witnessed records broken as Bayern walked away with the title after reclaiming it from rivals Dortmund. Bayern became the first team to do the 'treble' in Germany and this season will answer questions in terms of their seize of power over football. With exception to Bayern last season, teams were regularly beating each other such as relegation battlers Hoffenheim defeating Dortmund 4-1 away from home. The same trend has carried on into this season. 

Bayern have effectively won the league with 2 months to spare, and are favourites to win the Champions League again. Similar to La Liga, for what it lacks in competition, it makes up for in quality, particularly from Bayern and Dortmund. The best league in the world? Tough to say whether it beats the English league but its certainly up there with the quality and quantity of goals scored up to this date.

Is the Premier League all that it's hyped up to be?

Touted as the most competitive and exciting league in the world, this tag certainly lived up to expectations at the end of the 2011/2012 season, with City taking the title in the dying embers of the campaign. A magical moment whether a City fan, United fan or the neutral. We can never definitively say who will be relegated or clinch the title due to the unpredictability of the league. Although it was a two horse race for the majority of the previous season, this season, any team from Manchester to London can do it. 

I believe Chelsea will be win the league, now that their guardian angel, Jose Mourinho is at the helm. Mourinho has the know-how and experience to guide his team to an English title. However, what I find disappointing about the Premier League, is the failings in Europe over the past seasons. Although Chelsea won the Europa League, no British team got passed the last 16 stage of the Champions League and also that 3/4 English teams appear to be going out at the first hurdle. With the money involved in Chelsea and Manchester City, mixed with the superb form of Arsenal and Liverpool it will only be a matter of time until the British teams are back at the the top.

As for the comments made by Roy Keane, I agree with him that the Premier League is the best 'brand' however I disagree with his opinion that it's not the best league. If you are looking for quality football and a competitive season, then look no further than the Barclays Premier League.

In a close second, I think it's Serie A. I feel the 14 point gap at the top is down to the sheer quality of Juve, rather than the inability of the rest. However, it just lacks the quality in Europe - with the exception of stragglers, Milan. I can easily see the Serie A becoming more competitive if a club is bought over and money is pumped in like what has happened at City and PSG.

Winter Round-Up 2013

Winter Round-Up

Here is a round-up of the Italian, German and Spanish Leagues to date.

La Liga

It is probably not too surprising that Barcelona are leading the way in Spain with 46 points, but I don't think too many people predicted Atletico to be in second place. Although having not found first gear this season, Barca have picked up on where they left off last season, albeit only ahead on goal difference. As for the Madrid sides, the tide could be turning. Real find themselves 5 points adrift of the top 2 and are positioned in 3rd place while Atleti are level on points with Barca. 

In El Clasico this year, Barcelona took the spoils with a 2-1 victory over Madrid at the Nou Camp. Neymar offered a scintillating performance in the first battle between him and the other debutant, Gareth Bale by scoring the opening goal. Alexis Sanchez doubled their lead after a deft chip over Lopez before Jese grabbed a late consolation goal to half the deficit.

In terms of my prediction, Real Madrid have the talent to win the title this year, but in order to it, they will need to gel together. Barcelona have defensive worries, after conceding 2 against Getafe at the weekend, but as always, their attacking threat bailed them out. They will look to improve in that department over January. As for the other side of Madrid, they possess a lethal striker in Diego Costa. Already with 23 goals this season, Costa will be hoping to bag a few more in order to challenge the big guns in the Champions League and try to pip Barcelona and Real to the title.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Barcelona	17	15	1	1	49	12	37	46
2	Atlético Madrid	17	15	1	1	46	11	35	46
3	Real Madrid	17	13	2	2	49	21	28	41
4	Athletic	17	10	3	4	26	21	5	33
5	Real Sociedad	17	8	5	4	33	23	10	29

Serie A

Last year's champions Juventus head into the Winter Break in pole position with leading the undefeated Roma by 5 points. Roma began the campaign in terrific fashion by winning their first 10 games and only conceding 1 goal in the process, but drawing too many games has cost them their top spot. 3rd place and lying a further 5 points behind is Napoli. Unlike Tottenham, Benitez and Napoli have spent wisely and are ready to pounce on any rare occasions when the top 2 drop points. As for the Milan teams, Inter find themselves poised in 5th position while the return of Kaka has done nothing to aid AC Milan's title prospects as they have had a torrid time and find themselves languishing in 13th - only 5 points of the relegation zone.

On Sunday, Inter beat AC in the Milan derby at a somewhat flat atmosphere in Northern Italy. Rodrigo Palacio neatly flicked the ball past Abbiati late on in order to send the Rossoneri home empty handed. The first week back treats us to a top of the table clash between Juventus and Roma, and a victory for Juve would give the an 8 point buffer zone. Juventus are the favourites to complete the job that they have started, but Roma could give them a bit of bother and make it tougher than they expected, however I do expect them to prevail.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Juventus	17	15	1	1	39	11	28	46
2	Roma	17	12	5	0	35	7	28	41
3	Napoli	17	11	3	3	36	20	16	36
4	Fiorentina	17	10	3	4	33	20	13	33
5	Inter Milan	17	8	7	2	37	21	16	31

Bundesliga

As expected, Bayern top the Bundesliga table by a mile, with Leverkusen in 2nd and Monchengladbach in 3rd. Bayern Munich and AS Roma are the only sides out of Europe's top leagues to be unbeaten up until now. Having only dropped 4 points from 16 games, and with a game in hand, Bayern are expected to dominate the league with having it wrapped up long before the conclusion of the season. Last year's Champions League and Bundesliga runner-up Borussia Dortmund, find themselves in 4 position, 12 points off the leader. 

Dortmund versus Bayern was played on 23 November with Munich running out 3-0 winners. The West German side held the Bavarians out until the 66th minute when Mario Gotze scored against his old team. Arjen Robben executed a majestic lob over Weidenfeller in the 85th minute before Thomas Muller completed the rout. In a league that appears to be wrapped up already, Dortmund, Leverkusen and Monchengladbach will be hoping to hold off the victory for Bayern as long as possible.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bayern Munich	16	14	2	0	42	8	34	44
2	Bayer	17	12	1	4	32	16	16	37
3	Mönchengladbach	17	10	3	4	35	19	16	33
4	Dortmund	17	10	2	5	38	20	18	32
5	Wolfsburg	17	9	3	5	28	19	9	30

My prediction:

La Liga 

1. Real Madrid

2. Barcelona

3. Atletico Madrid

Serie A

1. Juventus

2. Roma

3. Napoli

Bundesliga

1. Bayern Munich

2. Borussia Monchengladbach

3. Borussia Dortmund