Mauricio Pochettino has made notable changes in his first games in charge of Paris Saint-Germain while the new coach saw close up the value of Neymar Jr. in Wednesday’s Trophée des Champions win over Olympique de Marseille.
After ten years in management in which he developed a reputation as one of the finest coaches in Europe but failed to win a single trophy, Pochettino has required just 11 days and three matches to get his hands on silverware with Paris. Timing is everything, they say, and the Argentine was lucky to have the Trophée des Champions so soon in his reign. He will hope that it is the first of many trophies for him at the Parc des Princes.
PSG were worthy winners against Marseille on Wednesday, despite a nervy finale after Dimitri Payet pulled a goal back to make it 2-1 in Lens. Pochettino said before the game at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis that winning the game itself would mean more to him than the trophy at the end of it, but he could not hide his pleasure afterwards.
“I hope to win more trophies, but the first one will always be special,” he said, adding: “My thoughts are also with Thomas Tuchel and his staff, who allowed us to play this match.”
So Pochettino has his first medal, but how else has he made his mark on PSG in the early days of his reign?
No more back three
The former Tottenham Hotspur coach only had three days to work on the training ground with his new players before his first game, last midweek’s 1-1 draw at AS Saint-Etienne. Nevertheless, he immediately dispensed with the three-man central defence that Tuchel had often used in the first half of the season, including in his final six matches in charge.
Tuchel was criticised for regularly deploying new loan signing Danilo Pereira - a midfielder - in central defence. The Portuguese international has hardly featured so far under Pochettino. Presnel Kimpembe has also not been able to feature in the starting line-up yet, with Thilo Kehrer and Abdou Diallo taking turns to partner captain Marquinhos. Kimpembe came on in the second half against Marseille and he will surely join the Brazilian at the heart of the back four in the big games to come.
A new role for Verratti
The most striking change has been the decision to play Marco Verratti in an advanced role as a traditional number 10 behind the central striker. Against Saint-Etienne and in last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat of Stade Brestois 29 Verratti had Ander Herrera and Idrissa Gana Gueye behind him. Against Marseille Herrera was partnered by Leandro Paredes deep in midfield.
Verratti, now 28, has developed a reputation in his years in Paris as one of the best deep-lying playmakers in the world, usually to the side of a holding midfielder in a three. He has often been seen wowing crowds with his daredevil dribbles out of his own penalty box, but has rarely popped up in the opposition area to provide goals or assists. This is an experiment for Pochettino but it remains to be seen if it will last.
“The coach knows how difficult it is to change everything or assimilate new things in just a week. He is passing new instructions on to us little by little, so we don’t have too much to take in at the same time, and so that we can be at our best on the field as quickly as possible,” Verratti told PSG’s official website earlier this week.
The Italian shone in Pochettino’s first two matches but found the going tougher in a more advanced position against Marseille. With Boubacar Kamara protecting the area in front of the OM defence, Verratti was forced to drop deeper to get on the ball and influence the game. It was not his best night.
Neymar’s back, and so is Icardi!
Pochettino will be delighted with the competition that is quickly intensifying for the one place through the middle of his attack. Moise Kean continued his excellent form since arriving on loan from Everton by scoring against Saint-Etienne and Brest, but Mauro Icardi came off the bench to score in the latter game and was rewarded with a start in the Trophée des Champions. Icardi - looking sharper and less sluggish than he has in some time - responded by scoring the opener and winning the decisive late penalty, scored by Neymar.
And there is the key. After a month on the sidelines with an ankle injury, Neymar is back. He came off the bench midway through the second half against Marseille, fired up after being sent off in a bad-tempered ending to the sides’ last meeting in September. He took great pleasure in converting the penalty and was always going to be the man who could make or break Pochettino’s time in Paris. As long as he stays fully fit, anything is possible, with that Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona looming on the horizon. And who will drop out to make way for the world's most expensive player? Will Verratti revert to his usual, deeper role, or will one of the current attack miss out? There is still much for the new coach to ponder.
