What is PSG worth without Kylian Mbappé, suspended?

No better than relegates who had not won any of their last thirteen meetings.

The Parisians were led for the 8th time in 19 days, after the goal of Thomas Monconduit (40th), Lionel Messi was too lonely in attack, Ramos received two yellow cards in five minutes (80th and 85th) ...

The observation is cold in the back of the coach Mauricio Pochettino, whose broken promises on the improvement of the game of his team form as many stones in his garden.

Fortunately for him, his players are consistent in their disappointing performances, as much as in their ability to save themselves in extremis through mouse holes.

At Moustoir, the head of Icardi (90th + 2) allowed him to heal his balance sheet - PSG is 13 points ahead of his new runner-up Nice - that "Pocket" opposes to criticism of his men.

Without Mbappé, or Neymar (injured), or Verratti (suspended), or three of his most creative players, the technician wanted his team to build the game "in a different way", by proceeding "step by step".

But his men read the instructions backwards: sterile possession, static block, technical waste ... In the first period, only the inspirations of Messi brought danger.

three-way defense

The Argentinian found the post on a lightning strike from the left (26th), an action that sums up his first months in France, between brilliant gestures and ineffectiveness (only 1 goal in L1).

Lorient players celebrate the opening goal against Paris-SG on December 22, 2021 at the Moustoir stadium in Lorient JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER AFP

Lorient was more successful: on Monconduit's goal, the ball hit the crossbar before entering Keylor Navas' cage.

But the Bretons went to seek their lucky star, combining enthusiasm and effective use of depth, with forwards Terem Moffi and Dango Ouattara.

For the eighth time this season in the Championship, the Parisians conceded the opening goal, a habit out of step with its enormous ambitions of domination.

When it comes to playing eleven against eleven, PSG are not the favorite team to win the Champions League that they aspire to become in the coming weeks.

In search of solutions to improve the game of his team, Pochettino, active in his technical zone, tried a tactical blow at half-time by bringing in Sergio Ramos.

Icardi in unexpected flavor

The presence of the former captain of Real allowed the passage to a system with three central defenders, an assumption often mentioned in press conference, but rarely adopted.

Lionel Messi in the colors of PSG with the ball in his foot during the match against FC Lorient at the Moustoir stadium in Lorient on December 22, 2021 JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER AFP

With the Spaniard, Paris pitched behind less.

But that strategy had no effect on his other big deal, offensive animation.

Without Mbappé, the club's top scorer and decisive passer, Mauro Icardi and Angel di Maria were called upon to take on more responsibility.

But the two Argentines had a difficult evening, until the 92nd.

The "Goleador" Icardi had an opening ball in the second minute, but his shot missed the target.

This was the only highlight of his match ... until his equalizer on a cross from Ashraf Hakimi.

The "Fideo" Di Maria was also clumsy (32nd, 56th, 65th).

He also missed the match point (90th + 3).

He tried to combine with Messi, sometimes in too predictable ways, just like his unimaginative team.

On his bench, Pochettino tried to fill this gap in ideas, in particular by taking the original decision to bring in the young Sekou Yansané (75th) for the first time this season.

But in the end, it's the individual achievements that make and break PSG's dreams.

Messi again provoked at the end of the match (74th, 80th), without success, against the Bretons grouped together in their area.

Until Icardi.

© 2021 AFP