Champions League
Henry: Pochettino seems to be second in command at PSG
Thierry Henry didn’t spare the club from his homeland. PSG, according to him, is letting the coaches down because the team is ruled by star players.
Thierry Henry did not spare the club from his homeland. PSG, according to him, leaves the coaches in the lurch because the team is dominated by star players.
The legendary Monaco and Arsenal striker spoke about his feelings about the Parisian giant after Manchester City’s win over PSG on Wednesday.
In the CBS Sports Golazo TV studio, Henry sat down with Jamie Carragher and pretty much agreed that PSG have no chance of success in the Champions League. At least, that is, until the star players’ approach to defending changes. Specifically, he was referring to Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar.
“If you want to win the Champions League, in modern football you cannot defend with seven men. Because of the strikers, PSG’s back line is repeatedly outnumbered,” Thierry Henry analysed the approach of the star offensive trio.
“Even if they are not actively involved in chasing the opponents, they must at least be behind the ball and fill the space. That is the absolute minimum!” added the former French international.
“Maybe that’s enough for Ligue 1, where they are not exposed to such tough opponents. In the Champions League, they have no chance.”
Henry also mentioned how difficult the engagement is for PSG coaches. He pointed to the fact that Tuchel couldn’t get the star players at PSG to defend, whereas at Chelsea they all pull together. That’s also why he is successful in London and is having a great year so far.
So is the problem that coaches don’t have the ability to force all their players into the system they want to play?
“It seems that Pochettino is not allowed by circumstances to be the right Pochettino. In the same way Emery couldn’t be Emery and Tuchel couldn’t be Tuchel. But both are successful after leaving PSG,” thinks Henry.
His opinion was echoed by Jamie Carragher, another guest in the studio. He was clear about Pochettino.
“Pochettino must leave PSG. If he has the chance to go to Manchester United, he should definitely take it! I’d be gone by the next day, even for those three stars,” referring to Messi, Neymar and Mbappé.
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