NANTES - PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (L1, 6TH DAY): A THREE-WAY MIDDLE, DILEMMA AND TEMPTATION FOR GALTIER (PSG)
LIGUE 1 – The end of the match against Toulouse confirmed Christophe Galtier's interest in a new tactical option: strengthening his midfield by adding a third element. A possibility that makes sense for the PSG coach, both in the quest for a collective balance and in relation to the structure of his workforce. But it also has a major constraint.
What is the PSG transfer window worth? "The best recruit is Galtier"
He eventually matched the action to the word. In recent weeks, Christophe Galtier had regularly put forward the hypothesis of changing this system to 3-4-1-2 put in place since his arrival at PSG. The Parisian coach has never hidden that he was considering adding a third man in the midfield, initially formed by a duo of central midfielders. He did it on Wednesday, at the end of the match against Toulouse (0-3): Danilo Pereira, defending starter, went up a notch to compose a trio with Vitinha and Renato Sanches in the last ten minutes of the game.
It was Galtier's will. And the context lent itself to it, since Paris still had only a two-goal lead at the time of this tactical change. "We have very few sessions to work on it but I wanted to do it, he admitted to the press after the match. We have a squad for, over certain periods of the match. At 2-0, the match seems played for many people, but the third goal is always important in these moments. From there to start a game like that...". The option of aligning this midfielder with three at the start of the match is not without constraint. But it also has its virtues
WHY THE MIDDLE OF THREE TENTS GALTIER
* Collective balance and major deadlines
Paris has performed better in attack than in defense since the start of the season. For contextual reasons, with a new central three scheme for the players to assimilate, but also structural. Galtier's 3-4-1-2 is particularly demanding with very attacking full-backs and the slightest error exposes the rear base. Adding a third midfielder can solve this problem. With Danilo positioned as a sentry at the end of the match against Toulouse, supported by two relay runners, Paris had a greater density of players to protect its defense.
"It's to hold the ball a little better, to avoid suffering while keeping a big base," explained Galtier. Virtues which can prove to be particularly crucial when Paris will face more serious opposition. The difficulties encountered against Monaco to control the debates in midfield gave a first indication in this perspective, even if Paris had regained the upper hand in the second half. For major Champions League meetings, facing teams of a superior technical and athletic dimension,
switching to a midfielder can be lifesaving for Paris.
* Workforce management and talent exploitation
With the transition from Mauricio Pochettino's 4-3-3 to Galtier's 3-4-1-2, there is one less place to fill in the midfield. The workforce of PSG thus found itself overcrowded in the middle. Paris has slimmed down in this sector with the departures of Ander Herrera, Georginio Wijnaldum and Idrissa Gueye, but they have been replaced numerically by Vitinha, Renato Sanches and Fabian Ruiz. With Marco Verratti and the versatile Danilo Pereira, as well as the young Warren Zaire-Emery, PSG thus finds itself with six players for two positions in a configuration with a duo of recoverers.
Going to three midfielders would make it easier to balance everyone's playing time. If this involves removing an attacker, Paris would however keep arguments to score with better covered midfielders who could more easily project themselves into the area. Renato Sanches, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha would notably benefit from greater freedom to showcase their attacking talent. "We have to try to have variety in what we offer with different organizations and activities," said Galtier after the victory in Toulouse.
THE MNM DILEMMA
* MNM is sacred…
Having a three-man midfield can simplify squad management in the middle, but it would complicate it in attack. Because that would mean doing without one of the three Parisian attacking stars, to choose between Kylian Mbappé, Leo Messi and Neymar. Galtier systematically started these three players when they were available. The Parisian coach did not hesitate to replace them during the match and sees it as "an obligation" given the sequence of matches that awaits the capital club this season.
But the closed face of Neymar on his exit against Toulouse says a lot about the difficulty of sparing susceptibilities. For Galtier, it will always be more comfortable to line up the three at the start of the match as long as they are operational. There will be the vagaries of the season, between the need to manage fatigue, injuries and suspensions, which can cause absences from the French, the Argentinian or the Brazilian. The Parisian coach could occasionally consider a midfielder when this is the case. But not over time.
* … and this is the strength of PSG
Paris has arguments in all areas of the game. But its great strength is to be able to have three attacking talents among the best in the world with Mbappé, Neymar and Messi. It was not very clear last season, during which the Frenchman was the only one to offer his best performance. But it's been screaming since the start of the season. The statistics suffice to sum up their impact. In Ligue 1, Neymar is already at 5 goals and 6 assists in 6 matches, Mbappé at 5 goals in 4 matches and Messi at 3 goals and 4 assists in 4 matches. They literally drive the counters crazy.
But it's not just the numbers. The system put in place by Galtier, beyond the regained physical form of Messi and Neymar, puts this trio particularly in value. They perform well in combining in tight spaces against low blocks, and their ability to exploit depth is well established. PSG is never more dangerous than when these three men are on the pitch together. They are also making the necessary defensive efforts to maintain a consistent block since the start of the season. Even if a three-man midfield has its virtues, Paris has no real interest in limiting its incredible attacking potential by reducing its attack to two elements.
