PSG: Luis Enrique has found the magic formula

“We exert pressure, we recover the ball in the opposing camp. The public likes that, the efforts, seeing eleven players fighting, in a competitive team. Here, in Paris, the supporters know about football, and that’s very important to me.”. This is what Luis Enrique said on Friday evening, after a convincing victory (3-0) against Montpellier HSC. Led by Kang-In Lee, scorer and true . Well beyond the praiseworthy individualities, the capital club has above all demonstrated collective strength at all times. To the delight of the Spanish technician, architect of this machine which now seems unstoppable.

A united collective, individuals above the rest!

At the time of writing these lines, it is not a question of falling into passion. Worse, in an inflamed analysis which would fail to recall that PSG also faltered against OGC Nice but also Newcastle on the European scene. However, before a very important trip to Giuseppe Meazza’s pitch to face AC Milan on Tuesday evening, the Rouge et Bleu have a rather disconcerting strike force. Solid defensively, like the last very successful performances of Marquinhos and Milan Skriniar, PSG also stands out for its great mastery in the midfield. From Manuel Ugarte, great revelation at the start of the season, to Warren Zaire-Emery, on cloud nine, the Parisian midfielder has never seemed as interesting as at the time of the trio formed by Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi.

Up front, the rotations are more regular. If Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé are, today, indisputable holders, Randal Kolo Muani and Gonçalo Ramos share the number 9 position. Here is, perhaps, the only downside with two scorers still quite far from the expectations placed on them. No matter, despite two fireworks players generally in difficulty, PSG relies on an efficient collective and a few individuals who stand out from the crowd. In this 4-2-4 so desired by Luis Enrique, despite the harsh criticism of certain observers, Kang-In Lee and Vitinha, eccentric on the left side, thus find their place. While the first was once again brilliant against the Héraultais, the second, author of the third goal on Friday evening, confirmed his excellent start to the season.

Time takes its toll…

Master of events, driven by an impeccable mentality and a sense of sacrifice rarely seen in the City of Lights, PSG now seems definitively launched. Symbol of this rise in power, the capital club has benefited, in recent weeks, from increasingly glaring automatisms. Like the complementarity – notorious and notable – between Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembélé or the emerging complicity between Kylian Mbappé and Kang-In Lee, PSG is reaping, today, the fruits of several weeks of work and is gradually taking his distance from impatience. At the head of this promising trajectory? Luis Enrique. Arriving on the Parisian bench last summer to replace Christophe Galtier, now in Qatar, the former coach of La Roja was able to impose his ideas within a largely renewed group.

Unifying, demanding, sometimes heckled – particularly in his relationship with the press – the new strong man of PSG never seemed destabilized by criticism. Based in Poissy and guided by the sole ambition of improving his team, the ex-Barça coach has thus retained, at all costs, his hybrid 4-2-4. Convinced by the effectiveness of this tactical system, the 53-year-old Spaniard continues to adjust, having always proclaimed his desire to rely on a group of 23 players, and not 11 starters. However, the native of Gijón can, today, count on an efficient structure. Ingenious in assigning a new role to Achraf Hakimi, positioned in the midfield in the offensive phase, Luis Enrique nevertheless has no intention of stopping there. Recently relaunched on the evolution of his project at the head of PSG, Luis Enrique spoke, in this regard, of the initial phase…

“The team is doing things very well, but we are still in an initial phase. We are still in a process of synergy to see which players get along best. I think I have an incredible squad with quality players in every position. I am satisfied with my team as I said at the end of the transfer window, but there is always room to improve. It’s a constant evolution. I try to make PSG unpredictable for the opponent, but predictable for us. It is a complex process that takes time to set up. It’s different from what I did in the selection and in this scheme there can be four offensive players. This can be difficult to understand from the outside. My idea, I repeat, is to have infinite formations in attack with the same players. In order to become unpredictable for the opponent and therefore difficult to counter. I’m happy with the way the players are assimilating this process.”.

Impressive momentum before Milan!

A legitimate satisfaction given the state of mind of this group. Far from the escapades of Neymar and the moods of Mbappé – even if the latter resurface intermittently – PSG also shines with a positive mentality, like its rediscovered relationship with the public at the Parc des Princes. Against the MHSC, there were many scenes where the players of the capital club encouraged each other, congratulated each other and sacrificed themselves for each other. On the second Parisian goal, Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi exulted by hugging each other for long seconds. On several occasions in this meeting, Milan Skriniar applauded his partners’ effective ball releases. A noticed and remarkable body language, also symbolizing the new dynamic instilled by Luis Enrique. And the figures don’t lie either… Second in Ligue 1, a small point behind OGC Nice, the Parisian club has activated steamroller mode in recent weeks.

Undefeated since the slap received at St’ James Park, PSG remains in fact on 5 victories in a row. More than a perfect balance sheet, the capital club stands out for its efficient attack (15 goals scored, or 3 goals per match) and rigorous defense (three goals conceded). Also leader of group F in the Champions League with 6 units before moving onto the AC Milan pitch on Tuesday evening, PSG therefore crushes everything in its path. So yes, adjustments are still regularly pointed out by observers of the Parisian team – aerial play, depth management, efficiency on free kicks – but the Luis Enrique method seems to be gradually proving its worth in the City of Lights . A good omen for the rest of the season, especially at a time when the Spanish technician assures that these are only the beginnings of the desired appearance for his collective. AC Milan can tremble.