Ousmane Dembélé has registered zero goals and two assists in 10 matches in all competitions. There’s been some criticism over the 26-year-old’s production this 2023-24 season. However, one expert is defending the Frenchman.
While the numbers aren’t there to reflect the product, RMC Sport pundit Rolland Courbis praised the form that the former FC Barcelona star finds himself in. Nonetheless, the ex-coach states that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner’s influence on the game goes beyond the stat sheet.
“He has this ability to provoke his opponent, to trigger fouls in his defender, who can quickly be warned and no longer play as freely as he would like,” Courbis said (h/t Paris Fans). “He will also get dangerous set pieces.”
Still, Courbis notes that there are still aspects that the winger can improve to have a more significant impact on the game. The pundit says that he would like to see Dembélé be more decisive.
“He also needs to be decisive occasionally,” Courbis added. “I’m not sure he had such a significant drought regarding statistics. He’s an endearing boy. For a coach, it’s hard not to love him. He is someone easy to manage.”
Diario AS recently revealed that Kylian Mbappé was behind Paris Saint-Germain’s pursuit of Dembélé. The Ligue 1 giants hope that both players find chemistry and connect in the back-to-back contests against AC Milan, as favorable results will put PSG on the right path to the knockout stages.