Timothy Weah can be long-term replacement for Real Madrid target Edinson Cavani at PSG

Chris Bailey 18:09 28/07/2018
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  • Timothy Weah carries the burden of a famous old name but Paris Saint-Germain’s rising star is showing the promise that could see him live up to his father George’s Ballon d’Or-winning legacy.

    The 18-year-old striker, alongside Borussia Dortmund attacker Christian Pulisic, is also aiming to lead the USA – the country of his birth – into a bold new era.

    He got off the mark as a senior PSG player in the friendly defeat to Bayern Munich and, with the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe still on vacation while Edinson Cavani is the subject of intense interest from Real Madrid, he received another chance in Singapore against Arsenal.

    Here’s how he got on …

    30-SECOND REPORT

    Weah was part of a starting line-up that, aside from the vastly experienced Lassana Diarra and Gianluigi Buffon, hardly had a senior appearance between them.

    In contrast Arsenal featured the likes of Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil from the start, but PSG more than held their own in the first half.

    Weah showed signs of a promising partnership with 20-year-old Christopher Nkunku, though the Gunners went in 1-0 ahead thanks to Ozil’s tap-in.

    The pace of Weah eventually told after Sead Kolasinac brought him down for a penalty that Nkunku converted, only for PSG’s youngsters to tire as an Alexandre Lacazette double, Rob Holding and Eddie Nketiah killed the game off 5-1.

    GOT RIGHT

    MENACE – Right up until the 79th minute when he was subbed off, Weah had jitters running through the Arsenal defence. Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Hector Bellerin and particularly Kolasinac for the penalty looked perturbed by Weah’s pace and movement at various points.

    It’d be wrong to call him a constant menace, though much of that was to do with the young team he was a part of – but given the chances he’ll surely tuck them away for PSG next season in a fairly weak Ligue 1.

    ADJUSTING – Weah made some canny runs in behind the defence in the first half but rarely pulled out wide to threaten Arsenal’s full-backs. That all changed after the break, as he went on to line a sluggish Kolasinac up – who brought  Weah down when he ghosted past him.

    GOT WRONG

    HOW TO USE PACE – Weah was the spearhead of a callow PSG attack and as such had few touches of the ball. Given his speed and technique, though, there was an opportunity to be had to run at the defence more, whether that be from out wide or deeper positions.

    Nkunku – a relative veteran at the age of 20 – showed a little more savvy in this area from a wide left position.

    KEY MOMENTS

    5th minute CHANCE – good run but poor touch, and falls into hands of Leno

    39th minute SHOT  – Clever flick deflects of Sokratis and diverts away from danger

    54th minute SHOT – in behind Sokratis, wins a corner off Leno

    59th minute PENALTY  – Kolasinac can’t cope with pace and brings him down

    78th minute CHANCE – Bellerin misjudges header but gets back to block Weah shot

    VERDICT – 7/10

    The dice were loaded against Weah in a sense as Thomas Tuchel fielded such a young team. But the new PSG boss is a clear admirer of the teenager and admitted he had ‘taken his chance’ in the previous friendly against Bayern.

    There are some rough edges to smooth, but given rumours continue to swirl regarding a potential Cavani move to Real, Tuchel may well have a long-term replacement right at his fingertips.

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