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“It’s both beautiful and frustrating,” states the PSG manager. The PSG boss has a complicated relationship with how his squad's league matches develop. When PSG are involved, one team attacks and the other protects. “I like attacking a low block,” he maintains. “This is the game situation I know best. I respect opponents' playing styles. While it differs from our philosophy, I comprehend and embrace it.”

Dealing with deep defenses isn’t really a choice for PSG; it is simply their reality, due to the skill gap created by budget inequality. Their quality typically shines through and the low-block is unlocked with different levels of challenge. Yet this term has proven more difficult.

Game Dominance But Limited Output

The Parisians have maintained nearly three-quarters of possession in Ligue 1 so far this term. Against Nice on Saturday, they had over 76% possession and made numerous passes, against just 182 for Nice. At the interval, their playmaker had numerous ball contacts – merely six short than the whole Nice squad – but PSG struggled to make their domination tell. When the first period ended, the visiting team's defender, whose close-range effort was saved by a PSG player, had come closest to scoring.

And this game isn’t an outlier. PSG had drawn three of their previous four Ligue 1 games. Dominating possession with 71% against Strasbourg, but were needing a dying moments tying goal from Mayulu to earn a draw. And, despite having dominant control against Lorient in midweek, they found the net only once and were unable to win. Approximately 33% of the way into the season, PSG are only the fifth top scorers in Ligue 1 – trailing multiple domestic rivals.

Strike Force Issues

This stems from the unique approach that PSG garner, but also reflects a serious concern. Their attackers are struggling. The French international's 29 scores last season helped PSG win Ligue 1 and the Champions League; Another attacker scored 14 occasions in the league; The talented youngster hit 16 across all tournaments; and Kvaratskhelia scored eight goals after his winter transfer.

He received the prestigious award and, while it is contestable that the French star is indeed the world's top footballer, it is challenging to deny that he was not the top performer of the last season. He's recorded merely five scores in 12 matches this season. He experienced a hamstring injury while on national team service in last month, which led to a dispute between PSG and the French federation that has seen the relationship between the two institutions deteriorate. Dembélé missed around several weeks of action as a result, but he appears below his best. Post-match against their rivals, he was seen holding his thigh. “The pain is intense,” he told teammate Achraf Hakimi.

Player Availability

Their manager says the forward should be available to face Bayern Munich this week in the European competition but, while he regains his form, other players have to step up. Sadly, Doué is unavailable. The former Rennes forward was also injured in the same month. He was returning to his best when he was affected by another leg problem, which is projected to sideline him until the new year. Their winger is a valuable player to his team but he often saves his best performances for the big occasions in the Champions League; he is still without a goal in Ligue 1 this season. Their current top scorer, PSG’s highest goal-getter in all competitions this season, has just one goal in his last eight matches and is in a fallow period. Something of a purple-patch forward, the scoring will surely resume, but he shouldn't be relied upon to be the goalscorer in this expensively assembled PSG attack.

Gonçalo Ramos got the decisive goal against Nice but will he keep his place in the team?

These were the expectations handed to the Portuguese when he arrived in last year. The Portugal striker reached the milestone of 100 appearances for PSG against Nice, but he has been a substitute in the majority of those appearances. Having scored 18 of his 38 goals after entering as a replacement, he has very much assumed the role of the “finisher”, partially due to his limited contribution when selected, but primarily because of his boss's unwillingness to field a traditional striker. “How come I score frequently as a substitute? Basically because I'm substituted in more often than I begin games,” joked Ramos after the match.

Critical Moment

With their attack struggling across the attacking unit, his late decisive goal has given his coach something to consider. Their number nine missed three chances before taking his fourth and securing the victory, but the fact that the team's clearest openings fell to him is telling. He's a natural goal scorer and that is what PSG were buying when they invested €65m. “His role is vital for us because he is continuously available for every match, whether he starts or not,” said their coach. “Short cameos from the striker are quality minutes.” Perhaps now is the opportunity for the impact substitute to play a starring role.

French League Outcomes

• Rennes 4-1 Strasbourg
• Lens 3-0 Lorient
• Lille 1-0 Angers
• Nantes 0-2 Metz
• Toulouse 0-0 Le Havre
• Brest 0-0 Lyon
• PSG 1-0 Nice
• Monaco 0-1 Paris FC
• Auxerre 0-1 Marseille

League Standings

Position	Team	Played	Goal Difference	Points
1	PSG	11	12	24
2	Marseille	11	14	22
3	Lens	11	7	22
4	Lille	11	10	20
5	Monaco	11	6	20
6	Lyon	11	4	20
7	Strasbourg	11	6	19
8	Nice	11	0	17
9	Toulouse	11	2	15
10	Rennes	11	1	15
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