How Laurent Blanc became one of Europe's best managers this season
Paris Saint Germain’s win in Ligue 1, months before the league will be completed, raised all sorts of wrong questions. How is it that the French giants faced absolutely no competition in their run to the title just one year after they were involved in a three-horse race for it? Is their monetary advantage hurting the league? Have they monopolised the league for the foreseeable future? While these questions are more complex than they might seem on paper, it is difficult to deny Laurent Blanc the credit he deserves with his side doing one over every club in France. Money or no money, it takes a good manager to get the kind of results Blanc has this season. For some reason, despite three straight league wins, Blanc has received less credit than he arguably deserves.
In his first campaign, the 50-year-old won the double, and then last season claimed a domestic treble. Having won the league already this season, the focus is now on getting the prized Champions League trophy in Paris. There remains a chance that the manager could win a quadruple with the side this season, and yet, Blanc’s name doesn’t get counted in the same category as the top or elite managers in world football right now.
The argument that PSG’s wealth has given them a huge advantage could be aimed at a number of clubs across Europe; however, PSG have consistently managed to win. While some might cite the lack of competition in Ligue 1 in favour of City or Manchester United — who have spent as much and received little in recent seasons — PSG did have competition from Lyon and Marseille last season and still managed to show their class by not being deterred in the first half of the season and getting that league win by the end. Money helps, but doesn’t guarantee success or stability, both of which Blanc has built in his tenure as PSG boss.
It mustn’t be forgotten that a crucial job of a manager is to keep the players in check and when the players are huge superstars, things become tougher, undoubtedly. At PSG, Blanc has huge egos to deal with in the form of superstars Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Angel di Maria, David Luiz and Thiago Silva among others. He has managed to keep a good managerial relationship with everyone at the club and there have never been any voices of discontent in the media from any of these veterans. The only episode which might hurt Blanc in this department is what recently transpired with Serge Aurier, but Aurier’s naiveté is clearly to be blamed there. Besides, if Blanc does give special treatment to Zlatan, it isn’t a huge surprise as sometimes big names need to be dealt with for the benefit of the team. Sir Alex Ferguson did the same with Eric Cantona, and when Luis Enrique appeared to have a fall-out with Lionel Messi last season, the stability around Barcelona clearly quivered, and the results took a hit because of that.
It mustn’t be ignored that Blanc hasn’t ignored the academy players just because the club’s owners have the ability to buy most superstars in the market. He has promoted the likes of Adrien Rabiot, Kingsley Coman, Hervin Ongenda, Presnel Kimpembe and Jean-Kevin Augustin to the first team. Youth has otherwise got a lot of importance as well with starlets like Marquinhos, Layvin Kurzawa, Lucas Digne and controversial defender Serge Aurier added to the ranks.
Tactically, Blanc likes to focus on possession, and has ensured that his team is very efficient in regaining possession which is primarily to the brilliant midfield and the effectiveness of Verratti, Matuidi, Motta as well as Rabiot. The manager’s preferred formation has been the 4-3-3, and it is the one that suits his style of play the most. The French manager evidently loves to see his team keeping the ball in the heart of the pitch and dictating play from the centre. The value of having effective midfielders who are good on the ball, do not get bullied easily and can find their way out of a tough situation is clearly a lot for the coach. The front trident has varied between Ibrahimovic, di Maria, Cavani and Lucas Moura. Sometimes di Maria has played slightly deeper on the flanks in the midfield to accommodate another attacker. In such a situation, having solid full-backs who don’t just love going forward but remain responsible at the back is imperative.
Not to mention, the importance of having an effective midfield to shield the back four is also highlighted. Blanc appears, and perhaps, has been reluctant and stubborn with his tactics, but his tactics get results. Last season, PSG ousted Chelsea from the Champions League after being a man down simply because of the manager’s impressive tactical masterclass over Jose Mourinho, whose side didn’t make most of the one-man advantage.
In three seasons, Blanc has slowly built a formidable unit which can now compete at the highest level. A mix of big stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani and Angel di Maria combined with talented youngsters that have been mentioned before, without ignoring key first players like Javier Pastore, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta, who have been at the club for a number of years now, has made up this squad which has proven itself to be so efficacious this season.
Domestic success could mean little this season, and it’s all about the Champions League. Fans take league success almost as a given, and many showed their annoyance at the new contract being awarded to him before PSG defeated Chelsea in the Champions League. Considering the form Manchester City find themselves in, PSG’s time might be made easy in the upcoming semi-final. The Frenchman has a very realistic chance of guiding the Parisians to the final of the tournament and could perhaps even get the coveted trophy back home. However, irrespective of that, Blanc’s season will count as an extremely successful one with the former Barcelona player doing terrifically overall. He had made PSG a force to be reckoned with in all of Europe during his tenure but really solidified that status this season.
Although Blanc has extended his contract at the club, there are muffled links connecting his name to Manchester United as well as Arsenal. The Frenchman certainly possesses the attributes to succeed at any of these two clubs. His time at PSG has shown that he can handle the pressure of money (yes it exists), not be wasteful with it and bring the right personnel to the club, while not ignoring the talent in the squad he inherits along with promoting youth, which should make him the strongest candidate to replace Louis van Gaal this summer or compatriot Arsene Wenger whenever the Frenchman decides to leave Arsenal.