the times | Thursday November 25 2021 2GM 81
Sport
Pochettino was frustrated
in a United dress rehearsalshow why Pochettino fancies United
The mission statement for
Pochettino was on the team sheet in
the names of the golden trio that his
bosses have gathered for him. Lionel
Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé
are the ticket, a preposterous
assembly of talent, the three most
expensive players on the field. If they
can be allowed to play, then PSG have
the Champions League potential that
is apparently so highly prized in
Qatar. Which does make you ask:
why, Poch? Why would you go?
According to Pochettino, at least,
that glittering strike force is not such
an easy management job. His point is
that his three stars are accustomed to
a formula that allows them each to
shine; they all like the ball played to
them at a different “tempo” — at least
that is how Pochettino has explained
it. This, above all, appears to be the
conundrum that he has been
employed to solve.
Messi was often so deep here that
he was feeding the breaks more than
he was part of them. The only thing
not to like about Paris, Messi says, is
the city traffic. What a number of
PSG critics do not like is the way that
their star man is pinned too far
right and is thus too distanced.
Manchester United can
therefore watch this with interest.
It is not as if they do not have a
heavyweight galactico of
their own to be assimilated
into the side.
How did Pochettino’s
triumvirate unite last
night? They looked better
on the break in the second
half. Completely against
the run of play, they
contrived to open the
scoring, though even then
there was an element of
fortune when Messi’s ball
across the box was deflected
off Oleksandr Zinchenko,
allowing Mbappé the
opportunity to shoot
beneath Ederson.
This, though, was the
threat. They can move fast,
deliver lightning, intricate,
tight passes and then thriveon each other’s genius. Allow
them to play and they can rip
through.
If you are Pochettino, though,
you want them ripping
through again and
again. This is your
show to stage.
However, if they are
cut off from the
game and starved
of the ability to
play, as they were
particularly
in the first
half last
night, then
PSG look
denuded. That is what
Pep Guardiola did to
them.
With the hype
growing for Pochettino
to stay here in
Manchester, you could
understand, then, why
there is actually so
little protestation from
the French side of this
argument. Thesetussles over highly praised football
intellectuals are sometimes described
as a tug of war. You do not get the
impression that Paris and Qatar are
doing much more than holding the
rope. And if they are applying a bit of
counterforce, is that because they want
to keep him, or because they do not
like the way it looks when his head is
apparently so easily turned?
Here in the Etihad, City appeared
to take that PSG goal in their stride. If
anything, it spurred them on. So
dominant were they in the first half
and so numerous the half-chances
that they did not seem rattled. They
just brought Gabriel Jesus on for
Zinchenko and redoubled their
efforts.
They soon got their reward and a
one-goal deficit rapidly became a 2-1
lead. And, if we are looking for
tactical victories, it was Jesus who
poked in the winner.
Pochettino, hands deep in coat
pockets, looked frustrated. “We need
to improve in all aspects,” he said
afterwards, “in all areas.” And, no, in
your job interview, that does not
sound quite the killer line.PGabriel Jesus hailed Bernardo Silva as
one of the best players in the world after
he continued his rejuvenation with a
man-of-the-match display in Man-
chester City’s Champions League win
over Paris Saint-Germain.
Many fans had flocked to the Etihad
Stadium to catch a glimpse of the PSG
stars Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and
Neymar, but Silva outshone them with
an all-action display that helped to take
City into the last 16 of the competition
with one match to spare.
Silva, who wanted to leave City in the
summer, has been playing some of the
best football of his career and last night
the 27-year-old worked tirelessly off the
ball and set up Jesus’s winner with a
cushioned touch.
“Bernardo is one of the best players in
the world right now,” Jesus, the Brazil
forward, said. “His quality as a football
player is incredible but he has another
thing — that he always works so hard.
“No matter if he is playing well or not,
he is a player I love because he has that
quality in transition, and he works and
likes to have the ball.
“He is a player who, if you like to
watch football, you will enjoy, one of the
best in the world.”
Jesus’s second-half strike ensured
that City finished top of their group,
which means they will be seeded when
the draw for the round of 16 is made
next month. They will therefore not be
drawn against other group winners,
such as Bayern Munich, who have won
all their games in the competition.
“We are so happy because when you
finish first in the group stage it’s always
good,” Jesus, 24, said. “PSG are an
amazing team with amazing players but
we played so good tonight.”
City came agonisingly close to claim-
ing their maiden Champions League
title last season when they reached the
final, but they suffered a disappointing
loss to Chelsea in Porto.
Having cruised through their group
this year, Jesus hopes the team can go
one better.
“We will try to win it,” he said. “This
competition is so difficult. Last year
we did so well to get to the final but
we lost — that is football. This is a
new challenge and we want to win
every game.”Sterling among the guest
editors of BBC’s Today
Raheem Sterling will explore
improving social mobility for young
people when he guest-edits the
flagship BBC Toda y programme
during the Christmas and new year
period (Gary Jacob writes).
Each year the programme hands
the editorial reins to six public figures.
The Manchester City and England
forward, 26, the first active footballer
to take on the role, will next month
work with producers to plan about
half of the programme.
The former Arsenal captain Tony
Adams, the boxer Nicola Adams, Sir
Bradley Wiggins and Lewis Hamilton
are among the sportspeople to have
previously been involved.bold statement of intent
DAVE HOWARTH/CAMERASPORT/GETTY IMAGESBernardo is
one of the
world’s best,
says Jesus
Paul HirstJob done for English sides
Eleven sides — including all four
English clubs — have qualified with
a game to spare for the last 16: Ajax,
Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Inter Milan,
Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester
City, Manchester United, Paris
Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and
Sporting Lisbon