Legendary Marseille forward Jean-Pierre Papin scored 126 Ligue 1 goals and won a Ballon d’Or. Papin casts his expert eye over the division’s current strikers…
29 years on from picking up the prestigious award, Papin is mightily impressed by the current crop of goal scorers: “Many number nines have found a home here, and are delighted with life here, I think their clubs too are delighted with how things are going!”
One of those forwards is Wissam Ben Yedder, who with 14 goals after 20 rounds of play, leads the scoring charts in his first season with Monaco. And its not just his goal scoring ability that has caught Papin’s eye. Papin told The Ligue 1 Show on beIN SPORTS: “Technically he is just perfect! He’s got a futsal background, and when you can dribble in small spaces like you do in futsal and then play the same way on a bigger pitch, that gives everyone confidence in your ability. He’s a real finisher, a killer in the penalty box!”
A goal behind Ben Yedder in the scoring charts is the prodigious Kylian Mbappé. PSG’s number seven needs no introduction, yet Papin continues to be baffled by just how complete last season’s player of the year is:”He’s cold blooded in front of goal, his reactions are quick, he runs so fast, and he’s unselfish. Because not only does he score, but he creates a lot too! Of course he still has to prove he can do it every year, and he has placed the bar so high that that is going to be tough!”
Third in the scoring charts with 11 goals this term, Lyon frontman Moussa Dembélé’s ability in the final third has attracted the attentions of some of Europe’s very biggest clubs. According to Papin, OL have a rare talent on their books.
“I really like Dembélé”
Papin said “I really like Dembélé, I’m a big fan. He’s a team player, he’s good in the air, he runs in behind defences. He’s big and strong so can play with his back to goal! I don’t think Lyon use him as an out and out number nine enough! For decades, their football has been possession-based, using two wingers, but when you’ve got a number nine like Dembele, you want every attack to end at his feet! Sometimes it feels like he is having a hard time because he isn’t seeing much of the ball and it’s frustrating, well for me, as someone who knows the position it’s frustrating. It must be even worse for him!”
The man currently trying to emulate Papin at Marseille, Dario Benedetto, is a little further down the scoring charts, with seven goals to his name. The Velodrome has already fallen for the Argentine, and his predecessor too has been impressed by the former Boca Juniors’ striker’s first steps.
Benedetto “sniffs out chances”
“He sniffs out chances, his placement is quality, his movement in front of goal is brilliant, he’s not the tallest but he has very good timing! I like him! He’s a real number 9, unfortunately I don’t think his team plays to his qualities and that is a little bit of a shame. But this is only his first year, he needs a bit of time but he’s already marked his territory, scored plenty of goals. Marseille will be able to count on him to win important points come the end of the season though!”
Further along the south coast, Andy Delort is shining at Montpellier, having also found the net seven times this term. The Algerian international’s style of play has made Papin feel a little nostalgic.
“His way of playing is very similar to how I played, I see myself in the way he runs, his shots and his spontaneity! I would say his only weakness is his that he always looks to use his strength, his way of making the difference is by using his strength! The day Andy understands that there is more to the game, he’ll score more goals!”
Cavani preference
And Papin’s favourite forward in Ligue 1? Paris Saint-Germain’s all-time top scorer: “I really like Cavani, I think leaving him on the bench is a waste! For me the best out and out number nine… is Cavani!”