PSG conceded the draw yesterday at the Parc des Princes against Napoli thanks to a saving goal of Di Maria in additional time. If the whole team seemed to be struggling tactically, physically and in the engagement, a player particularly draws attention to this match as he seemed alone in the field. Edinson Cavani has indeed had a very difficult night in the Neapolitan defense, a scenario that is starting to become redundant ...
Since arriving at Paris Saint Germain in the summer of 2013, Edinson Cavani has always been the target of interrogations and criticism, sometimes exaggerated, without anyone being able at the same time to question its efficiency and dedication. This is the paradox that surrounds this great striker since he left Napoli.
The Napoli, who last night in the third match of the Champions League pool phase, completely extinguished his former player in a match that looked like a long cross for the Matador.
The PSG / Naples match, the culmination of the difficulties encountered by Cavani
The top meeting of Group C saw Napoli achieve a very successful performance at the Parc des Princes with a win that stretched out their arms. Yes but, Angel Di Maria has emerged and saved the honor of the Parisians by wrapping a marvel of striking from the left in stoppage time. A draw with a snatch, a team that plays intermittently, a striker found on the field and lacking alarming efficiency.
The finding is hard for Edinson Cavani even if it is imputable to the entire team but if we look at the individual performance we can only note that the Matador is going through a very delicate period and his exit from Last night on the lawn of the Park only crystallized its current difficulties.
In the continuity of his last matches in Ligue 1, especially against Amiens and Lyon where he did not participate in the festival of goals, the Uruguayan seemed somewhat lost on the meadow. His numbers are alarming (21 balls hit, 3 shots, 0 duel won) especially in a team cut for the offensive game and where the balloon lives a lot. We could have overridden his poor statistics if the Matador had converted this little ball into goal or decisive pass but it was not.
Two strikes not framed and a strike pushed back by Ospina, the PSG striker is no longer decisive in recent times and the Parisians are skating on this kind of big date. The last goal of the Matador goes back to October 3 and the 6-1 win against Etoile Rouge in a match without real opposition.
A MCN with a taste of duo
On paper, the CMN is a machine to martyrize the opponents' defenses with players with different styles and complementary assets. On the ground, the efficiency and complementarity of this trio tramples and struggles to realize the expectations placed around it.
All that is needed is an element on the sidelines of the others so that the machinery does not jam. Edinson Cavani is the ideal culprit in this trio because he does not have the technical qualities of his two attacking colleagues Mbappe and Neymar. The complementarity between his last two eyes blazes and dazzles the moment football world of high class gestures. Last night, they kept searching and combining with less success nonetheless.
But the observation is there, Cavani has trouble combining in the axial game phases. Neymar sent him only 4 passes when Mbappe only found him 3 times. The offensive animation of the Paris Saint Germain is made of fast game where the phases of high possession are current and in this register the Matador is not at ease and often seeks his place. Until now, he could fill with a formidable efficiency in front of the goal but when it is not the case, what remains?