Clearly insufficient in Saint-Étienne (1-1), a little more orderly against Brest (3-0), the Parisian attacking game is largely perfectible. Small inventory before “Pocket” goes to conquer the very first trophy of his coaching career, against Marseille.
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The unknown Neymar
With or without the “Ney”, that changes a lot of things … The successor of Thomas Tuchel has not yet been able to align the Brazilian star of PSG, recovering after an ankle injury against Lyon (1-0 defeat) on December 13 . If the Parisian N.10 resumed collective training on Monday, “we do not yet know” if he will play against OM, “we will make a decision all together”, only released the Argentine technician after the victory against Brest . We may have to wait for the match in Angers on Saturday to see it again.
Neymar’s first steps under Pochettino will be scrutinized by the football world: how will he use it and in what position? The Brazilian should in any case benefit from a certain freedom of expression, which the coach generally leaves to his best players, like Harry Kane at Tottenham.
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Mbappé perfectible
Freedom, Kylian Mbappé, who has not yet scored in 2021, should also benefit. His performances for the new boss’s first two games have been criticized. “I found it hard,” said Saint-Étienne assistant coach Jacky Bonnevay. “It’s the lot of great players, but he can not always make crazy matches, especially when resuming, after three days with a new staff,” adds Claude Puel’s second.
“Just on the goal they scored us, he is at the start, with one of his mischievous gestures. He is still always decisive, even if he was not radiant. As soon as he touches the ball, we see that he is a thoroughbred, ”continues Bonnevay. Pochettino is “happy” with Mbappé and notes that he “shows himself open to discussion”. Either way, “great players like Kylian can play in many places on the field.”
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Efficient Kean, Competitive Icardi
The top scorer of the emerging era is Moise Kean, author of two goals in the role of a fox from the surfaces: at the conclusion of a Mbappé-Marco Verratti movement at Geoffroy-Guichard, then to recover a rejected shot at the Park. Aligned in tip, the Italian also missed opportunities for lack of precision in the two matches.
And Mauro Icardi returns to compete with Kean. Came into play, the Argentinian scored against Brest and offers another pure scorer solution to Pochettino. “Mauro is coming back from injury, he works very well and little by little he is reintegrating into the group”, notes “Poche”.
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Di Maria indented
For the rest of the offensive sector, Angel Di Maria, pillar of Tuchel, has been less visible for a few months. The magic did not return for the first two matches of Pochettino: he missed his usual boost a bit. But “Poche” counts on “El Fideo”, tenured twice.
Julian Draxler and Pablo Sarabia have so far played a complementary role, the Spaniard even scored against Brest. Pochettino’s PSG is “not oiled”, Bonnevay image. But a victory against OM would advance the site well.
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