PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain made it three wins from as many Ligue 1 matches with a 3-1 victory over Angers at Parc des Princes on Saturday.
The front three of Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani and Neymar were reunited for the first time this season and they each scored once for the French champions, while the visitors’ consolation effort was a first-half Thomas Mangani penalty.
Positives
First things first, nine points from a possible nine is as much as anybody could have asked Thomas Tuchel and his PSG players for after such a fragmented preseason. Les Parisiens are still paying the price for that as the differing levels of fitness showed once again, but the German tactician has already got his team winning.
Tuchel himself deserves credit for his role in PSG’s success against Angers — he realised that the three-man central defence that he regards as the way forward for this team was not working, so he made a change at half-time to ensure another three-point haul.
Part of the French capital outfit’s second-half improvement was down to Tuchel’s half-time tinkering but the star power of Mbappe and Neymar also deserves praise as they provided the goals to make sure of the triumph.
Negatives
Thilo Kehrer’s debut was not pretty but he was eager to make a good impression and deployed in a formation that was as unfamiliar to his teammates as it was to him. It was by no means encouraging but he German should not be definitively judged on such an awkward maiden outing.
Otherwise, Angers enjoyed a number of first-and second-half chances, which Tuchel will want to avoid against future opponents.
Manager rating out of 10
7 — Instead of persevering with his three-man central defence as predecessor Unai Emery might have, the former Borussia Dortmund and Mainz boss cut his losses at half-time and changed things up, which is refreshing for PSG supporters accustomed to the Spaniard’s delayed reactions.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Alphonse Areola, 6 — There was nothing he could have done about the penalty. Otherwise, he was solid when called upon as Tuchel gives him time to build up his match readiness.
DF Thilo Kehrer, 4 — Booked and guilty of conceding a penalty in a difficult 45-minute debut, the new signing struggled on the day but was not alone in finding Tuchel’s new formation hard to adapt to.
DF Thiago Silva (c), 7 — Flanked by Kehrer and Presnel Kimpembe in the first half and behind usual central defensive partner Marquinhos in the second, he was as consistent as could have been expected.
DF Presnel Kimpembe, 6 — Like Kehrer, Silva and Marquinhos, he took his time getting used to the three-man central defence that he was deployed in and looked more comfortable in the regular back four on show during the second half.
MF Thomas Meunier, 6 — More at ease than most of his teammates with a switch to a system featuring wing-backs, he is still working his way back to full fitness after no preseason.
MF Marquinhos, 6 — Not a natural defensive midfielder, Tuchel will have a better idea of what he can offer there but will surely fancy him more as a centre-back.
MF Adrien Rabiot, 8 — Another impressive performance and one that illustrated why he needs to embrace his defensive characteristics more than he currently does — if he does, he is a key figure in this team.
MF Angel Di Maria, 6 — Although he provided an assist for Mbappe’s goal, he did not work hard enough defensively and would arguably be better suited to a more central midfield berth.
FW Neymar, 7 — Although quiet at times by his usual high standards, he still linked up well with both Mbappe and Cavani — particularly the Frenchman — and got his goal after playing a key role in the Uruguayan’s opener.
FW Edinson Cavani, 6 — Considering that it was his first taste of football since he went off injured against Portugal in the last-16 of the World Cup in Russia this summer, a goal and a 72-minute outing was good going.
FW Kylian Mbappe, 8 — PSG’s star man on the day, he came into his own during the second half and finished with a lovely volleyed goal and an assist for Neymar.
Substitutes
DF Stanley N’Soki, 6 — Sent on for Kehrer at half-time and despite a booking, he added greater solidity at the back and enabled Tuchel to revert to a four-man rear unit.
FW Christopher Nkunku, N/R — Handed 17 minutes in Cavani’s place, he did his best to continue his good early season form but his teammates had already done the damage by the time he was introduced.
MF Julian Draxler, N/R — Allowed five minutes at the end, it already seems clear that he is looking at a reduced role under Tuchel with others ahead of him in both attack and midfield.