“A very lazy 4-2-4 approach” — Rio Ferdinand blasts PSG

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand didn’t hold back in his criticism of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) following their disappointing 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

Rio Ferdinand expressed his belief that PSG’s players displayed laziness and a lack of concentration during the match at St. James’ Park.

Newcastle secured their first Champions League victory in two decades with a commanding performance against the French Ligue 1 champions.

Goals from Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff, and Fabian Schar sealed the Premier League side’s impressive win, while PSG’s star player, Kylian Mbappe, had a subdued outing, struggling to make an impact.

Ferdinand, who was commentating on the match for TNT Sports, pointed out that Newcastle’s strong start set the tone for their performance.

He said,

“It started from the first whistle. Anthony Gordon setting the tone, the whole team making sure they press. That set the tone for the whole game.”

The former footballer went on to criticize PSG’s approach to the game, highlighting instances where they made critical errors.

He noted,

“What are they [PSG] doing? In the first minute, they were in a good position, but they went back to the goalkeeper.

“They gave Newcastle a chance to get the crowd up. At one point, they gave the ball away three times in 20 seconds. Really bad starts to each half, and they ended up getting punished.”

Ferdinand attributed PSG’s struggles to their lack of focus and concentration, contrasting it with Newcastle’s dynamic and aggressive approach.

He emphasized the importance of getting tactics right on the big stage, stating;

“Tactically you have to get it right on the big stage. If you don’t, you get punished, especially in an atmosphere, a cauldron like this.

“The way PSG approached this game, 4-2-4, light in midfield, lightweight, a 17-year-old [Warren Zaire-Emery] playing there. They got punished at all points.”