Team Focus: Can Zlatan Ibrahimovic And

Edinson Cavani Play Together For PSG?

by Ben McAleer at Wednesday, Jul 17 2013 15:00
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Last year, as Paris Saint-Germain secured their first French title since 1994, Zlatan
Ibrahimovic became the first player to score 30 goals in a single Ligue 1 season since JeanPierre Papin reached the landmark with Olympique Marseille over the 1989/90 campaign.
Naturally, the aim of the club is to build on the success of the season and they have started
doing just that with the multi-million pound acquisition of Edinson Cavani.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid had all been credited with an interest with El
Matador, but as the striker leaves Napoli in exchange for 55m, its fair to say the best team
across the English Channel have strengthened significantly. Ibrahimovic and Cavani scored
59 goals between them last season in Ligue 1 and Serie A, respectively, and many are of the
opinion that the French capital outfit now boasts the strongest strikeforce in Europe, a notion
reinforced in that only Lionel Messi (46) and Cristiano Ronaldo (34) netted more domestic
goals than either of the two in Europe's top five leagues last season.
There are some that believe the Sweden international will look to secure a move away from
the Parc des Princes this summer, especially following Carlo Ancelottis appointment with
Real - the La Liga side rumoured to be a possible destination for Ibrahimovic - but then its
expected that club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi do his utmost to hang on to the 31-year-old.
If he does so, the real question remains as to whether or not the pairing can play together in a
system that Laurent Blanc will look to integrate with the club next season. Under Ancelotti,
PSG started 18 of their 38 Ligue 1 encounters with a 4-2-2-2, yet that is likely to change
under the former France head coach. While Blanc may have been out of the game for a year
following Euro 2012, the tournament saw the 47-year-old use a 4-2-3-1 and hes expected to
do similar with Les Rouge-et-Bleu in the upcoming campaign. However, with only one

centre-forward spot available and neither likely to be dropped to the bench, something will
have to give.
It would be somewhat misleading to label Ibrahimovic an out-and-out striker given his
tendencies to drop deeper and link up play with the midfield. He has proven time and time
again in the past that he is comfortable dropping deeper to assist in the build-up play and
allowing his teammates to attack the opposition, so moving to a number 10 role wouldn't
necessarily be an alien experience for the Swede. In creating 19 clear-cut chances for his PSG
teammates last season, it can be argued that a player to finish off such opportunities alongside
Ibra would allow them to build on the 69 Ligue 1 goals they netted over the 2012/13
campaign.

Cavani, meanwhile netted 21 clear-cut chances - the most in Serie A last season - while only
three players - Lionel Messi (27), Radamel Falcao (25) and lvaro Negredo (22) - netted
more than the Uruguayan across Europes top five leagues. With a 44.7% conversion from
big chances, its highly likely that the striker would benefit tremendously from the creative
capabilities of his new teammate.
Should Blanc indeed bring in the 4-2-3-1, the sole frontman would likely be Cavani for his
goalgetting ability alone. This would see Ibrahimovic start in a deeper position, although he
regularly drifted between the opposition midfield and defence in order to retain possession
and bring his teammates into play last season, so it may not be a problem for him.

Now, provided he and Cavani can co-exist on the pitch, the Swede will benefit from a natural
goalscorer positioned ahead of him. The major concern would likely be how Cavani performs
without a strike partner. For Uruguay, head coach scar Tbarez has often fielded the 26year-old as the spearhead of a three-man attack, or shifted him out wide to accomodate Luis
Surez and Diego Forln, and he has thus netted just 17 goals in 54 international appearances.
Yet, as the focal point of the attack, supported by the likes of Ibrahimovic, Ezequiel Lavezzi with whom he played at Napoli for two years - and Lucas Moura, Cavani should prosper.
In executing 10 accurate through balls and 61 key passes, its evident that while boasting the
necessary goalscoring touch necessary of any top striker, Ibrahimovics creative exploits from
the past season are unmistakable, with his 8 assists a further testament to this. Yet, with a
player of Cavanis ilk in front of him - the striker boasting a conversion rate of 18.6% - the
potential of a blossoming striking partnership is there for all to see.
Of course, this all depends on how quickly the pairing will become accustomed to one
another on the pitch. Should Cavani adjust to his surroundings with minimal ease, it would
allow PSG to grow into a more cohesive, dangerous, attacking unit, while bolstering their
chances of landing Champions League glory, a long term goal of club supremo Al-Khelaifi.