Can Paris Saint-Germain Buy European Success?
After the signings of Ezequiel Lavezzi from Napoli, Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from AC Milan, and starlet Marco Verratti from Pescara, in addition to a multitude of other high profile signings over the last two years, France's Paris Saint-Germain has gone from struggling in Ligue 1 to potentially a world superpower essentially overnight. Due to new Qatari ownership and the billions of dollars at the clubs disposal, the Parisian club has set out do do quickly what clubs such as Manchester City and Malaga have set as long-term goals: turn a club from a competitor to a perenial champion by buying success. While this approach attracts the best talent in the world, there are also issues, as in the past selection issues and player morale has stood in the way of club success (see pre-2011/12 Manchester City), and with 'financial fair-play' ruling lurking in the shadows, the financial viability of this plan is also in question. However, when looking at PSG, the question which will determine their success is simple: will they compete both domestically and in the Champions League in 2012/13?
In terms of talent, the answer is a resounding 'yes.' Not only has the huge amount of funds been used to acquire top notch players, but PSG, in my opinion, is different from all previous 'cash-to-win' experiments in the way in which they have pursued victory. This team has bought at the core first, then expanded to glamor areas such as attacking midfield and striker. While the additions of Javier Pastore, Thiago Motta, and this years signings of Ibrahimovic and Lavezzi have snatched headlines, PSG has been reinvigorated by key cut rate snatch-ups such as that of Alex from Chelsea and Maxwell from Barcelona which have fortified a defense led by the youngest captain in PSG history, Mamadou Sakho. With the addition the best defender in the world in Thiago Silva, this team now has one of the most fomidible and inpregnable defenses in football. Add to that the likes of goalscorers and creators such as Lavezzi, Ibra, Nene, Jeremy Menez, Pastore, Kevin Gamiero, and more, and PSG have the make of a team which is world class up and down the pitch.
However, show frequenters will understand that both my co-host Matt and I are both unconvinced by big spenders chances, despite the fact that they rarely misstep in the transfer market, and that we prefer set ups such as Manchester United over those of Manchester City. This is mainly due to our own feelings that free spending damages and deconstructs the fabric of team chemistry, player morale, and coaching stability. Even though PSG higher ups have tried to correct these issues by making the team essentially all French and Italian, this does not negate the fact that at every position on the field there will be players with huge egos and contracts sitting the bench at any given point during a match. This creates issues in the locker room, in player performance, and for coaches, who now have the task of pleasing all these players as well. While Carlo Ancelotti may have great experience with handling big names, I guarantee he's never faced a situation quite like this.
So, will PSG contend? In France, I can't see them not being in the top two. There's just too much talent on the field. As for Europe, I have my reservations. This team has great talent, but are still not better than the best in England and Spain, in my opinion, and cohesion issues will come out during big Champions League matches. I don't see this team getting past the Knockout Round, but that's just me. One thing is for certain, the PSG experiment is different and more exciting than any other 'pay to win' cause we've ever seen, and that makes it worth monitoring for the remainder of the year.
In terms of talent, the answer is a resounding 'yes.' Not only has the huge amount of funds been used to acquire top notch players, but PSG, in my opinion, is different from all previous 'cash-to-win' experiments in the way in which they have pursued victory. This team has bought at the core first, then expanded to glamor areas such as attacking midfield and striker. While the additions of Javier Pastore, Thiago Motta, and this years signings of Ibrahimovic and Lavezzi have snatched headlines, PSG has been reinvigorated by key cut rate snatch-ups such as that of Alex from Chelsea and Maxwell from Barcelona which have fortified a defense led by the youngest captain in PSG history, Mamadou Sakho. With the addition the best defender in the world in Thiago Silva, this team now has one of the most fomidible and inpregnable defenses in football. Add to that the likes of goalscorers and creators such as Lavezzi, Ibra, Nene, Jeremy Menez, Pastore, Kevin Gamiero, and more, and PSG have the make of a team which is world class up and down the pitch.
However, show frequenters will understand that both my co-host Matt and I are both unconvinced by big spenders chances, despite the fact that they rarely misstep in the transfer market, and that we prefer set ups such as Manchester United over those of Manchester City. This is mainly due to our own feelings that free spending damages and deconstructs the fabric of team chemistry, player morale, and coaching stability. Even though PSG higher ups have tried to correct these issues by making the team essentially all French and Italian, this does not negate the fact that at every position on the field there will be players with huge egos and contracts sitting the bench at any given point during a match. This creates issues in the locker room, in player performance, and for coaches, who now have the task of pleasing all these players as well. While Carlo Ancelotti may have great experience with handling big names, I guarantee he's never faced a situation quite like this.
So, will PSG contend? In France, I can't see them not being in the top two. There's just too much talent on the field. As for Europe, I have my reservations. This team has great talent, but are still not better than the best in England and Spain, in my opinion, and cohesion issues will come out during big Champions League matches. I don't see this team getting past the Knockout Round, but that's just me. One thing is for certain, the PSG experiment is different and more exciting than any other 'pay to win' cause we've ever seen, and that makes it worth monitoring for the remainder of the year.
No comments:
Post a Comment