Mevlut Erding (37), former Paris Saint-Germain striker, met Ousmane Dembélé (27-year-old Paris striker) at Stade Rennais (2013-2015). He was invited by L’Equipe to comment on his sparkling form and progress in finishing what he brought back after training.
Erding “he’s unpredictable”.
“I’ve always liked this kid: smiling, nice, humble. And now he’s actually replacing Mbappé, especially in terms of statistics. He’s understood that it’s statistics that count. Luis Enrique has instilled in him the determination of great players to always want to score more.
He’s understood, he’s more mature. He’s also become more patient as a number 9. Of course, he still has room for improvement. The calls, especially as he’s very quick. He’s very technical [with] both feet; he’s unpredictable, so for a defender, it’s hell. As for his ball-striking, I think he can still do better, even if I think he’s working on it, like his off-centre goal in Stuttgart.”
These words of praise should resonate with Dembélé, particularly in terms of his personality. But also for the player he is, with a new level of efficiency. As Erding points out, the French striker seems to be mentally stronger. He’s less quick to finish and often chooses gestures more suited to the situation.
This progression makes him a particularly formidable asset. Not least because he’s very comfortable with both feet, which makes him particularly unpredictable. As the former Rennes and Parisian underlines. Defending on Dembélé becomes a nightmare, especially as he now knows how to finish actions.
Of course, the French international still has room for improvement, and we mustn’t let up. There’s still a lot to do. But coach Luis Enrique seems to have taken his player to another level. With his speed and creativity, we can expect great things.
