PSG - Manchester City on the Seine

I will say that the Gooner called PSG, MCFC south, but I prefer calling PSG - Manchester City on the Seine! Why this new name? With the cash infusion from new Middle Eastern backers, PSG has started to spend like the Citizens did when they also received a cash infusion from wealthy middle eastern backers. Yet, I would say the parallels stop there. Why?

Let us look at the recent purchases by PSG.

• Gameiro - leading scorer in Ligue 1 for the past few seasons. He was playing for small side Lorient but always one of Ligue 1's most sought after transfers. In the past, players such as Gameiro would either go to Lyon or head to another league. PSG finally did what a club of their stature should do - secure the best players from within your league. Gameiro will add another element to the PSG side, with Hourau struggling to regain his consistent scoring touch and recent misses at the striker level - Erding and Kezman. I would not be surprised if Gameiro became PSG's #1 striker from day 1. Solid signing.
• Menez and Matuidi - I lump these two players together because they signed close to one another but they also slot in nicely to fill in for Giuly and Makelele. Menez will slot in on the right channel while Matuidi will become the anchor at the holding midfield role. Matuidi is like Gameiro - one of Ligue 1's best players being acquired by one of France's largest clubs. Menez was a minor coup, getting a player in his prime to leave one of the bigger leagues and clubs: AS Roma to come back to Ligue 1. 
• Sissoko and Sirigu - As two players from Serie A I will also lump them together. I am luke warm on both signing, warmer on Sirigu, always need quality keepers and last season proved that you will most likely need to use both of your keepers. The Sissoko signing I understand for depth, but not sure I would have gone over this Sissoko, I would have preferred the one from TFC. Regardless I think he will be in the defensive midfield rotation with Bodmer and Chantome, so in the end it could prove a good move for depth.
• Douchez - This was a free as the former Rennes keeper was at the end of a contract. The fringe national team keeper was an easy choice for PSG as Coupet was retiring and let's face it, Edel was not going to be the answer long term. Coupled this move with the recent signing of Italian #3 keeper Sirigu and you have the makings of a good tandem of keepers for PSG. The question becomes does the #2 keeper become disgruntled, but if so, you can always sell him and make back some of your money. 
• Bisevac - The Serbian international was brought in to add depth and talent at central defense, and some insurance as the rumors of Sakho being lured to a larger European club will not go away. Again, another player from within Ligue 1, who was reasonably priced and a know entity.

All these signings are what PSG should have been doing for the past few seasons. As one of France's largest and richest clubs (even before the new investments) they should have always been more aggressive with the talent within Ligue 1. What makes them creep into Manchester City territory is the bid for Pastore. The Argentine is also a target of Chelsea. The latest is that he has signed of PSG for a whopping 38m pounds. This is the one signing that I feel is a "Manchester City" type signing. Get a new cash infusion and spend it like a Russian Oligarch. But unlike some of these other spenders, this move makes sense for PSG. They need a playmaking midfielder, I realize the have also purchased Menez but he is creates from the right flank. Ever since PSG sold Sessegnon to Sunderland they have not had a true attacking midfielder, now they do.

All in all very good signings for PSG. Unlike Chelsea or Manchester City, they have not gone out and signed players just for their names and then wondered where they fit in the system. PSG have acquired pieces that were desperately needed to either replace players leaving or bolster areas that needed addressing.

Call them what you want, I, for one look forward to seeing them on the pitch with all these new assets!

PSG quietly making some strong moves

The transfer season barely opened and PSG already, for once, was aggressive and in the right direction. First they went out and took care of their goalkeeping issue but signing Nicolas Douchez, should finally resolve PSG's long term goalkeeping issues. With Edel being let walk and Coupet retiring, Douchez slots in immediately as the #1...granted had Edel stayed, Douchez would still be the undisputed #1! Maybe Wenger can learn from this move and get himself a true #1 keeper...one that could be lining up for your club for the next decade.

Good long term option for PSG's GK situation

Not stopping there, PSG made a surprise move and acquired Gameiro from Lorient. Why a surprise? Gameiro was heavily linked with La Liga for 2 seasons and more recently some EPL clubs. The fact PSG was able to swoop in and grab the French striker bodes well for the Parisian club. According to reports, PSG is not done. They have targeted Matuidi from St Etteinne to be their holding midfielder to replace the retiring Makelele. It appears that PSG will get Matuidi as long as they can agree on the price. If PSG stops there, I would say that is already a good transfer season (assuming as well that they hold on to the likes of Sakho). Douchez solves their keeper issues, Gameiro will be an upgrade for the PSG strike force. I do not see Erding sticking around and with Hourau struggling a bit, adding the Ligue 1 scoring leader will be an upgrade.

PSG have also inquired about Gervinho from Lille, but LOSC has stated they will not sell him within Ligue 1. It is not coincidence that this new aggressive tact from PSG coincides with investment from Qatar. With a new infusion of capital, PSG can be more aggressive in the market. However this is not any different from other eras in the PSG history, the difference is this time it feels as if they are making smart investments.

Let us see how much more PSG have to do when it comes to transfers. I would like to see Matuidi as well as another creative presence, maybe his St Ettienne teammate Payet?

Les Bleus and Blanc going witha 4-4-2

No surprise,  Blanc will align a 4-4-2, after announcing that Hourau would be a starter I could not really see him lining up as the lone striker. After his match against Ukraine, Gameiro was given another chance to start this time with a strike partner - Hourau.

The midfield is no surprise with Diarra (I am a bit surprised to see the Bordeaux man back in the starting XI but he did not play against Ukraine so makes sense), Martin, Valbuena and N'Zogbia. Look for N'Zogbia to hold the wide flank on the left with Valbuena doing the same on the right. Martin, after his 15 minutes of insanity, will be given an expected start and will be expected to pull the strings in the midfield. This will place some pressure on Diarra since he is the single "guard" in front of the back 4. Speaking of the back 4, no surprises, except for Sakho sitting and Abidal in central defense. How ironic when that is the exact role he did not want to play under Domenech. Granted Abidal has slotted there for Barcelona when Pujol was injured. With Rami suspended against Albania when the qualifiers start up again, and Mexes coming off injury, Blanc is clearly getting ready for having to leverage Abidal and his experience in central defense.
I see this game being another trial run for Blanc in preparation for the Albania match in September.

Prediction: France 3 – Poland 1, goals from Hourau, Valbuena and Gameiro

Allez les Bleus

After a lackluster 1st half...a 5 goal second. What a debut for Martin

With many of these friendlies, the game between France and Ukraine was an exercise in playing pass around and keep away rather than really trying to get a result...that is until the second half. End of the 90+ minutes and Les Bleus leave the Ukraine with a 4-1 victory, scoring 4 straight goals and might have had more.

The Good:

Could we see both these men in Blue on Thursday?

• Let us start with the debutant - Marvin Martin - what can you say from a player who entered the game at the 79th minute and had quite the last 10+ minutes of the game. The leading assist man from Ligue 1 showed that he has a good goal scoring touch as well. Hitting a sneaky shot for distance that found is way just inside the inner post and then patiently latched on to a simple square ball from Benzema, and cooly finishing with a strike into the Ukrainian upper 90. Martin also came close to springing Benzema on a wonderfully weighted pass. Before we get ahead of ourselves and start comparing him to Zidane - and the fact Zizou also scored a brace on his debut for France will draw comparisons - we only saw about 12 minutes of Martin. He was also playing against a tired Ukrainian side; however, it is something to build on and it is positive.



A true poacher

• A number of France's other new starters did some good things. Cabaye gave Newcastle fans something to look forward to, he had a high motor and made some strong passes. Matuidi demonstrated an ability to play the midfield "destroyer" role, however at times I felt he was pushing a bit. Kaboul had a quiet, yet solid
  game, his goal was a great show for the Tottenham man, always good when you can get your central defender to be a threat in the air on set pieces. Finally Gameiro showed me something, an ability to turn what appears to be a lost cause near the 18 yard box and turn it into a goal scoring threat. His goal was a great example of a goal poachers goal - he latched onto a loose ball and, without hesitation, struck a thunderbolt into the Ukrainian goal. He had done the same end of the first half, turning what appeared to be a lost ball and forced a strong save from the Ukrainian keeper.
• Ribery is starting to look like his old self. He was devastating on the left flank when he entered the game, every time the ball game to him he had the chance to spring the Ukraine defense. The last France goal was a direct result of Ribery's high pressure causing the Ukrainian turn over. Let us hope that Der Kaiser has been humbled after last year's world cup and plays the way he did rather than spend time his time being a pain in the team's collect side!
• 4 Goals...can never complain when you can post 4 goals in any game.

The Bad:

• The goal against Mandanda was not good....one would think the shot would have been deflected, but on replay it was a simple pile-driver shot that Mandanda misread. Granted the ball did have some nasty movement, but when you are an international keeper you must make that save. Seems like French keepers have problems playing away to the Ukraine...remember Frey's gaff a few years back?
• Too Bad Les Bleus did not play like this last Friday! It was bad that France found its scoring touch during a friendly and not when the games counted. 

The Ugly:

• By no means a perfect match, but cannot really identify any truly ugly showing. I might come up with something over the next few days.

After defeating any team 4-1 you cannot leave unhappy.  Blanc will look toward Thursday's game again Poland to close out the season on another upside. I would expect to see the remaining players who have not showcased during the past 2 games - N'Zogbia, Hourau, Valbuena and Carrasso. I have a feeling Blanc will leverage a similar line up as against Ukraine. I do think he will go back to a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-4-2, with Martin pulling the stings, N'Zogbia on the left and either two strikers - Gameiro and Hourau, or the PSG striker alone up front. Valbuena should see time on the right side in either formation.

Will be interesting to see, I hope for another four goal game!

Allez les Bleus.