Ligue 1 18/19

Tuchel is trying all sorts of things.

1st half last week...  classic 433
2nd half....  4231 with Neymar as the 10 and Mbappe as the CF.  Wide players were Nkunku and Di Maria

1st half this week...  352 with the new German kid, Silva and Kimpembe.  Marquinhos as the DM.  Di Maria playing the left wingback.
2nd half... back to 4231 with Neymar as the 10, Cavani CF, Mbappe right and Di Maria left

Rabiot has been the best player on the pitch for PSG.  Just immense.  Mbappe would get the nod over him; but he's only played a game and a half.  Rabiot has killed it for 3 games now.

Neymar is up and down.  Brilliance and disappearing acts. Stats are better than he's played.

Rabiot has definitely improved a lot, think there were rumours of him unahppy wanting to leave but never ever came through? A lot of ppl still dont rate him it seems, wouldnt mind him joining Barca

Di Maria looking this season much better and fresh compared with the last couple of years it seems? He is great to watch him he is on form.... the WC he was so terrible, so the contrast is strange...

Doc's World Champions Ligue 1 Watch: MD3
Three matches were attempted but only one 1 was really watched in it's entirety. Due to Sports' ridiculous insistence on labeling anything French World Champions, this is now the world champion watch. You have been warned.

World Champions PSG vs World Champions Angers: Angers actually surprised me how organised they were throughout the match. Obviously can't tell you names because this is the first time in my life watching them but they handled themselves quite well despite losing. Had some nice counters too but PSG being the way more talented side was obviously gonna find goals.
Speaking of which, whatever hype Mbappe has, Neymar is still the fulcrum of that side. He makes that entire attacking third gel nicely because Cavani and Mbappe may as well be playing for different teams because (from that match) they didn't see eye to eye. Individually, all 3 did well but without Neymar, I don't think they'll be so smooth in attacking transition. Good victory for the world champs against a surprisingly tough opponent.

Universe Champs Marseille vs World Champs Rennes: I left the home side down 2-0 due to having an outing to go to where rum and vice where involved. Read Marseille came back from 2-0 down to which was shocking since they played oodles amount of shit during the time I watched. Pele with the butterfingers was lovely and Rami is still a terrible defender. I think he got worse since last week. Anyway, good on them for finding their way back, would be a long season for any Universe Champ Marseille fans.

World Champs Lyon vs World Champs Strasbourg: Took it off at HT, this match was fking boring.

Mbappe does better with Cavani out because he likes to play CF.  He doesnt do well with Giroud either. But at least Giroud stays out of the way.

Neymar has been moved to the 10 role so he is the general by definition.  His effort is inconsistent.  But I guess he feels he can turn it on whenever he wants in Ligue 1.  Probably right too.

Against Angers, whenever Neymar felt like actually being a bit serious, they couldn't touch him at all. So yeah, you maybe on to something.

great goal

هدف دي ماريا الخيالللللييييي pic.twitter.com/TfwzPgEnqC

— باريسي | PSG ¹⁹⁷⁰ (@Sbyq2001) September 1, 2018

holy *bleep*

Basler-esque

Neymar's celebration

Mbappe is fantastic

and that german CB PSG signed, looking like a proper scrub so far.

And Tuchel just joined but PSG already have a spotty defensive record in ligue 1

The foolishness of youth. The guy acknowledged the foul, hands out, understood and would have taken his yellow nice. Even offered apologies. Mbappe, after rolling a good bit of times clutching his knee, got up and pushed the Nimes player to the ground. Deserved red card. Sigh.

Had a decent match though but that was really ridiculous.

Edit: Player in question is Savanier. He too had a really nice match.

Incredible goals from Di Maria and Mbappe.... so they continuing their attacking vs the weaker teams Still need to wait to see in the CL when they come up vs proper opponents.

Mbappe red.... it seems like all of these best players do have their temper, something thats needed in order for them to be at that level competitively I guess... hope he improves in that aspect soon though...

Doc's Ligue 1 watch: My match winners are better than yours edition

Just two matches because wasn't feeling to watch Lyon bore me again. Saw they lost, it good. That's for boring me last week.

Nimes v PSG: Another case of superior attacking talent trumps hard work and Nimes did work hard to get a foot hold in the match. To which, to their credit, they did for some stretches of the match but Neymar-Cavani-Mbappe > whatever they had going for them.

Once again, Mbappe and Cavani may as well be playing for different teams. Sports would say what he would say but I'm watching two forwards who really don't click much. However, Neymar and Mbappe looks like they know each other for years, liking the chemistry. Like the last time, whenever Neymar felt like playing, Nimes' boys couldn't do anything to stop him. Mbappe got the match winner, missed some nice chances and got himself sent off, a full match from him really.

Also, PSG's downfall in Europe is gonna be their midfield and defense. Pretty sure of it.

Monaco v Marseille: The first half was a legit chore to stay up to watch. Fortunately, had the Seville derby on so at least I was entertained there. Marseille should have been 2-0 easily at HT but cancer finishing was rampant. That 2nd half though, uff, can't complain at all, made up hugely for the 1st half. Love the introduction of Thauvin, did quite well, this watcher wonders why he didn't start. Anyway, great win by Marseille and as usual, Rami is still a dodo bird of a defender.

Oh and former Monaco player Germaine scored the match winner. Neat.

I feel like murdering Rami...  second year now.  And he gets called up for NT over players like Laporte and Lenglet.  Thankfully, he's fourth string on NT so his job is to be the team clown.

No idea why Thauvin didn't start in such a big match.

Strootman was very very good.

Great win.  Far far more difficult than it had to be due to Rami. Both goals for Monaco were just ridiculous.

Yeah, Strootman did really well. He looks slow, probably is slow but that didn't stop him from having a good match. Rami, what can I say, guys like him give me hope that my future son can have a career in football as long as I move to Europe.

Forgot to mention Di Maria, he played pretty good as well. Still not a central midfielder so he doesn't count in my "PSG midfield is whack" opinion.

Loving @Doc's Ligue 1 reports

Disastrous Mercato
2 losses already despite an easy calendar.
Our coach finally loses it and attacks a fan ( https://twitter.com/hexagoalmedia/status/1036382325674831872?s=19 )
Mbiwa refuses to go just to piss off the president
Govou attacks Houllier

What a season this is shaping up to be.  

Bordeaux President Martin admits that Croatian midfielder Toma Basic was accidentally left of their Europa League squad list because they forgot to add him. He will now not play in Europe till jan.

Bordeaux FC The way this club is run …

Sold a striker without telling the manager … who learned it on match day …
Dude basically resigned in press conference in an outburst ..
The club still claimed he knew the striker was sold .

Then they tried to hire Henry .. who said no and now this

No wonder Farfan is neutral, watching Lyon is more frustrating than watching Marseille.

Doc's Ligue 1 watch: The "I deserve the Balon D'or" edition

Only two matches because Madrid soured my football viewing but it doesn't matter as this is Ligue 1 and they are World Champions and deserve the Balon D'or.

PSG vs St. Etienne
So after the 1st 3 games, I naively thought that without Neymar and Mbappe, PSG would somehow struggle to be coherent in attack. Maybe in Europe but France, nah, it's ez pz stuff with anyone up front. Unlike their 1st 3 opponents though, St. Etienne didn't play particularly well and really never got going. Deserved loss, not deserving of Balon D'or imo

Lyon vs Caen
Man, this was stuff of annoyance. On paper, without that much knowledge on Ligue 1 players, Lyon should be winning their games by at least 1 goal margins. But no, the reality is they honestly suck. However, this didn't apply for this game, they didn't suck and actually played some nice ball. However, they found themselves losing to a 10 man (further reduced to 9 because men are stupid) and could only muster a draw. Should have found the winner too but the "Lyon sucks" kicked in nicely. All in all, non Balon D'or performance from them.

Didn't watch Marseille play and they won 4-0, sigh.

OM

Lyon have a bunch of prima dona players... who have no business being prima dona players.  Couldn't be happier for their demise.

Doc i know you are watching this lovely game between Mareille and OL.

FIY, it's been coined in France as "The Olympico"

Lyon winning 1-0 right now, superb Ndombele run to create the goal

Lyon have taken the lead in the Olympico derby - exceptional move & chemistry between Houssem Aouar & Tanguy N’Dombélé. pic.twitter.com/GAeyHdOW2W

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 23, 2018

Depay just missed an open goal

He also was at (kinda) fault for the equaliser too.

and now football justice strikes

1-1 Thauvin is a good player. Newcastle almost ruined him

ffs

I've got money on Lyon