PSG were surrounded by Kylian Mbappe’s transfer saga in the summer of 2023. The French club feared that their most prolific goal scorer would leave the club. They were busy throughout the transfer window, bringing in some big names, especially in the attack. PSG also decided to remove some of the players and head into the season with a young squad. There was also a managerial change as the experienced Luis Enrique came to Paris.
The season has started, and Ligue 1 teams have already played seven games in the league. To everyone’s surprise, PSG are not leading the league table. They are sitting fifth in the league table, despite having some big names in their team. Let’s take a look at how inconsistency in attack is a worrying sign for Luis Enrique.
PSG made a disappointing start to the Ligue 1 2023–24 campaign. A goalless draw at home against Lorient was followed by a 1-1 draw against Toulouse. Kylian Mbappe returned to the team in this match and scored a penalty kick.
These two draws were followed by two wins, and PSG went on to score seven goals. This match was followed by a loss at home against Nice. A five-goal thriller ended 2–3 in favour of Nice. PSG responded with a 4-0 win against Marseille in the next game. Another disappointing result followed as Clermont held PSG to a goalless draw at home.
Averaging 16.86 shots per match, the French club has an accuracy rate of 30.5%. They keep possession 70.8% of the time but have not been clinical with their finish.
Failures to score goals from open play
The French champions have played three draws in the current season. A total of two goalless draws and a 1-1 draw have led to early-season struggles. The only goal in these three matches was scored from the penalty spot.
In these three matches, 17.7 shots per match were attempted. The accuracy rate was 28.3%, which is a bit lower than the overall accuracy. One thing that can be observed is that PSG players failed to enter the six-yard box.
These are the shot-assist chances that were created in these three matches. The ball reached the penalty box multiple times, and there were PSG players on the end of it. Some of the shots were on target, while others were blocked, and some missed the target.
With the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Goncalo Ramos, and Randal Kolo Muani in the team, this is not what PSG fans are expecting from their team. These are three top-quality players and are supported by the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Marco Asensio. They will look to improve their performance and reach the top.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
