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“It’s both beautiful and frustrating,” says Luis Enrique. The French club's coach has a tricky relationship with how his squad's league matches develop. When PSG are involved, one team attacks and the other protects. “Breaking down deep defenses appeals to me,” he insists. “It is the phase of play that I am most familiar with. I am very respectful of how other teams play. While it differs from our philosophy, I comprehend and embrace it.”

Accepting low blocks is unavoidable for PSG; it is simply their reality, a result of the skill gap created by financial imbalance. Their talent usually tells and the low-block is unlocked with different levels of challenge. However, this campaign has been more challenging.

Control of the Ball However Poor Results

The French champions have recorded 72.5% possession in France's top flight so far this season. Versus Nice last weekend, they had over 76% possession and made numerous passes, compared to just 182 for Nice. Before the break, Vitinha had numerous ball contacts – just six fewer than the whole Nice squad – but PSG couldn't translate superiority into goals. When the first period ended, Nice defender Juma Bah, whose close-range effort was saved by his teammate, had come closest to scoring.

And this game isn’t an outlier. The Parisians had tied three out of four Ligue 1 games. They had 71% possession against their opponents, but were needing a last-minute Senny Mayulu equaliser to earn a draw. And, despite having dominant control against another French side in midweek, they only scored once and were unable to win. Approximately 33% of the way into the season, PSG are only the fifth top scorers in Ligue 1 – behind Marseille, Lille, Monaco and Strasbourg.

Strike Force Issues

This stems from the unique approach that PSG garner, but also shows a real issue. Their forwards are not scoring. Ousmane Dembélé’s 29 strikes last season aided in securing Ligue 1 and the Champions League; Another attacker scored 14 times in the league; The talented youngster hit 16 total goals; and The Georgian international scored several times after his January move.

The forward claimed the golden ball and, while it is debatable that the national team player is indeed the best player in the world, it is difficult to argue that he was not the best player of the previous term. He's managed only five scores in 12 matches this season. He encountered a muscle problem while on country representation in September, which gave rise to a blame game between PSG and the France team that has seen the connection between club and country worsen. He was unavailable for around six weeks of action as a result, but he appears below his best. Following the victory against Nice, he was seen touching his muscle. “It's very painful,” he told teammate Achraf Hakimi.

Injury Concerns

The PSG coach says their star can play to face their European opponents this week in the continental tournament but, while he gets back up to speed, squad members need to perform. Unfortunately, Doué cannot help. The former Rennes forward was also hurt in September. He was recovering to his best when he was suffered another thigh injury, which is projected to sideline him until January. Their winger is a valuable player to his team but he often saves his best performances for the big occasions in the European stage; he is yet to score in Ligue 1 this season. Another forward, PSG’s leading marksman in all competitions this season, has just one goal in his last eight games and is in a goal drought. An attacker with hot streaks, the goals will undoubtedly return, but he shouldn't be relied upon to be the goalscorer in this high-priced PSG attack.

Gonçalo Ramos scored the winner against Nice but will he keep his place in the team?

This was the role handed to their striker when he joined in recently. The international forward achieved the landmark of 100 appearances for PSG against Nice, but he has come off the bench in over 50% of those appearances. Recording 18 of his 38 goals after being introduced from the bench, he has very much assumed the role of the “super-sub”, partly because of his limited contribution when selected, but mostly due to his boss's unwillingness to begin with a out-and-out forward. “How come I score frequently as a substitute? The simple reason is I'm substituted in more often than I begin games,” joked Ramos after the match.

Turning Point

With their attack struggling across the forward line, his late decisive goal has given his manager food for thought. Their number nine was unsuccessful with earlier attempts before converting his next and securing the victory, but the fact that their prime opportunities were created for him is significant. His finishing is instinctive and that is what PSG were investing in when they made a significant investment. “He is a very important player for us because he is continuously available for every match, regardless of his starting status,” said their coach. “Even brief appearances from Gonçalo are quality minutes.” It may be time for the super-sub to play a starring role.

French League Results

• 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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