Marquinhos produced a resolute defensive display as Lyon held Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw on Sunday night.
Paris Saint-Germain’s poor form in the Ligue 1 continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Lyon on Sunday. The disappointing result should allow Marseille the opportunity to potentially bridge the gap at the top to eight points.
Heading into this game on the back of just one win in their last four league matches, PSG once again looked clueless in their offensive endeavours. Missing some key attacking players in the contest, including Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi, the visitors unsurprisingly lacked the creativity in the final third, often appearing overly reliant on Kylian Mbappe.
In contrast, their opponent Lyon controlled the game admirably, especially during the first half-hour of the proceedings. They terrorised the PSG defence on the counter, taking advantage of an early opener from Lucas Paqueta. Les Gones may have easily scored at least two more had it not been for some heroic defending from the PSG centre-backs.
In the second half, PSG had the lion’s share of possession as Mauricio Pochettino’s men began to push men forward in search of the equaliser. Their constant pressure paid off when Thilo Kehrer’s driving effort deceived Anthony Lopes in goal to level the scores. Les Parisiens may have even won the game late on, but Mbappe’s stunning effort from a free-kick hit the outside of the post.
Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over PSG players following their disappointing draw with Lyon this past weekend.
Keylor Navas: 6.5/10
Keylor Navas was called into action early on when he had to keep out Houssem Aouar’s effort. With Lyon thriving on the counter, the PSG goalkeeper had to remain alert throughout the ninety minutes. He should have done a better job in keeping out Paqueta’s early striker but made amends by making an excellent stop to deny Moussa Dembele in the second half.
Colin Dagba: 4/10
Colin Dagba was taken to the cleaners by Aouar during the first 45 minutes. The right-back simply could not keep up with the marauding central midfielder, who was terrorising Les Parisiens on the counter. Dagba’s performance improved after the interval as Lyon began to commit more men in defence. He even made a crucial block to deny a goalscoring opportunity for Les Gones in the second half.
Marquinhos: 7.5/10
Despite all of the pressure from Lyon on the counter, Marquinhos remained resolute at the heart of the PSG backline. He made a number of crucial tackles and blocks to prevent the opposition from extending their tally. His leadership, experience and ability to read the game proved to be an asset for the visiting team.
Kimpembe makes Marquinhos work so much harder. We are so lucky to have Marquinhos
— PSGINT (@PSGINT_) January 9, 2022
Presnel Kimpembe: 7/10
After a slow start to the proceedings, Presnel Kimpembe offered excellent defensive cover for Marquinhos. He remained rock solid when fending off the threat of Paqueta or other Lyon attackers, especially after the interval. The Frenchman was useful in the build-up as well, helping his team push up the field.
Nuno Mendes: 7/10
Nuno Mendes was a constant threat for the Lyon defence due to his work rate on the left flank. He moved up and down the pitch, offering attacking support to his teammates and driving in dangerous crosses into the box. The youngster might have been more effective if PSG had proactive attackers inside the penalty area.
Ander Herrera: 6/10
Ander Herrera showed immense commitment throughout the game, trying his best to make things happen in the final third. He looked frustrated, at times, due to Lyon’s rigid defence that made life difficult for the visiting team. The former Manchester United midfielder just needs a bit more creativity in his game.
Leandro Paredes: 4/10
Leandro Paredes had a poor game for PSG in the middle of the park. Initially starting out as a holding midfielder, the Argentine lacked creativity and desire to make an impact on the proceedings. He was also found wanting for pace, conceding multiple turnovers before being subbed off midway through the second half.
Marco Verratti: 6.5/10
Marco Verratti was the most proactive of the four PSG midfielders on the pitch. The Italian international exhibited his technical prowess to try and link up with attacking players in the final third while also showcasing an excellent mentality. Unfortunately, Verratti lacked the necessary support to truly make a difference.
Georginio Wijnaldum: 3/10
It was a game to forget for Georginio Wijnaldum. Initially starting as an out and out attacker, the Dutchman failed to offer any creativity going forward. He even looked slow on the turf, notably conceding a few turnovers. Wijnaldum later played the role of a central midfielder but was not able to make much of an impact either, which pretty much summed up his career so far at PSG.
Give me 1 good reason why Wijnaldum & Herrera are starting ahead of Michut & Simons.
We are 13 points Clear in the League.
— PSGINT (@PSGINT_) January 9, 2022
Mauro Icardi: 4/10
It was yet another disappointing outing for Mauro Icardi. Operating as the lone front-man, the former Inter Milan forward was largely anonymous, struggling to get himself into the game. He even failed to find himself on the end of most of the PSG crosses, and the one where he did was blocked off superbly by the Lyon defence. The striker has now scored only four league goals in 15 matches this season.
Kylian Mbappe: 7/10
Kylian Mbappe was the only real spark in the PSG attack. The attacker caused Lyon all sorts of problems with his pace, trickery and silky movements in and around the penalty area. He also got the better of the opposition defenders in various one on one situations while crafting a few goalscoring opportunities.
On the flip side, Mbappe once again lacked the precision in front of goal. While the Frenchman was unlucky to have hit the bar twice, he also missed a couple of good scoring opportunities.
Not very often Mbappe makes really bad decisions, but he just did there. Elects to shoot from an impossible angle with Icardi waiting in the middle.
Still 1-0 Lyon.#OLPSG
— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) January 9, 2022
SUBSTITUTES
Thilo Kehrer: 7/10
Thilo Kehrer added more solidity in the PSG setup after replacing Dagba in the 69th minute. But rather than his defensive display, it was his precise attempt on goal that caught the eye, with the German bagging the equaliser to save one point for his team.
Xavi Simons: 6/10
Xavi Simons had the opportunity to once again make an impression after coming on for Paredes. He offered an offensive mentality in the PSG midfield, which was useful in helping the club push for the equaliser.
Edouard Michut: 6.5/10
Edouard Michut was deeply involved in the attacking sense during the final phase of the game. It was a promising cameo from the youngster, who is becoming a constant feature on the PSG bench lately.
Dina Ebimbe: N/A
A late replacement for Wijnaldum. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
