Paris Saint-Germain might have won Ligue 1, accruing an impressive 91 points in the process, but the season is not one that will be reflected upon particularly positively in the French capital.
While they started the campaign well, after Christmas they went downhill significantly, notably after another embarrassing Champions League exit, this time at the hands of a poor Manchester United side.
Thomas Tuchel had not been happy with the work done by the club in the transfer window last summer, yet, before injuries and suspensions struck, PSG looked as strong as ever. Once depleted, though, the patchwork nature of their squad became evident, with gaping holes in several areas of their side.
Centre forward was the area where this was most starkly evident, with Eric Choupo-Moting, a player who would not habitually be a starter at perhaps half Ligue 1 clubs, the backup to Edinson Cavani. At a team with the ambitions of PSG, far more is needed.
Kylian Mbappe was outstanding throughout the campaign, netting 32 Ligue 1 goals, while Neymar was again impressive, though again struck by a significant injury at an inopportune moment. Backup options here, though, were strong, with Angel Di Maria an underrated performer.
The heart of the midfield was a problem area, with a fall out with Adrien Rabiot, which saw him frozen out for the final half of the season, another major point of contention. Leandro Paredes, who was signed to replace him, was a poor addition and it is tough to see how he might improve in the months ahead.
So significant were PSG’s midfield problems, Dani Alves and Juan Bernat, natural full-backs, both featured not irregularly in that sector of the park. One area that PSG were well stocked was in these wide defensive sectors, while in the heart of the defence they were also formidable.
Goalkeeper proved to be a headache for an entirely different reason as Alphonse Areola vied for No.1 spot with Gianluigi Buffon, a player whose addition probably did more harm than good, with the Italian legend well beyond his best for the duration of the campaign.
Although PSG finished the season as Ligue 1 champions, they have significant rebuilding work to be done over the summer, particularly as there is no certainty that star men Neymar and Kylian Mbappe will both be at the club come August. More than anything, they need a smarter transfer policy.
