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PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain eventually edged out FC Metz 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Wednesday to close 2023 with a win but the game played out in all too familiar fashion at Parc des Princes. Luis Enrique's men were rarely troubled by the visiting Grenats yet were nowhere near clinical enough in an encounter which saw them create fewer openings than usual before going ahead after 49 minutes.

PSG have regularly merited more than they have ended games with this term and Newcastle United at home as well as Borussia Dortmund away in the UEFA Champions League were obvious examples of that. However, Les Parisiens absolutely must improve in front of goal given the sheer number of occasions that they create over 90 minutes against pretty much all opponents French or European.

Metz was a great example of the final pass being missing from an otherwise encouraging showing from Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani and Bradley Barcola in attack. PSG felt that they should have had a penalty or two in the first half but otherwise created enough to have buried Metz before they eventually led in the capital through Vitinha's goal 49 minutes in.

Mbappe's stunning first of two goals for the hosts gave Alexandre Oukdija in the Metz net no chance as it crashed in off the woodwork but those are not the sorts of opportunities that the team has been wasting almost at will each game. Instead, it is the chances which arrive at the end of the intricate passing moves which Luis Enrique's possession-based style of play which need working on.

Ahead of 2024, things are looking up for the French giants with a UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie against Real Sociedad arguably more favorable than most of the alternatives. It is also another opportunity to challenge for Coupe de France glory after a few barren years in domestic French soccer's cup competition while a healthy five-point lead is already built up in Le Championnat.

It has by no means been a perfect start to this season for Luis Enrique and his men with extended absences to players such as Presnel Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes as well as the usual teething issues with chemistry that you would expect from an overhauled squad. UCL progress and a Ligue 1 lead is what was arguably expected of the PSG players, though, and that has been delivered so far.

Nothing should be taken for granted ahead of the business end of the season and Sociedad will absolutely not be a walk in the park for Les Parisiens, but things look good as we take stock ahead of 2024. A more clinical Mbappe and his attacking teammates like Dembele, Kolo Muani, Barcola but also Goncalo Ramos and Marco Asensio and they might have topped Champions League Group F.

It feels like the secret could lie in Luis Enrique tweaking the attacking setup to get the best out of Mbappe without marginalizing Dembele, Kolo Muani or Ramos which is a familiar issue in French soccer given that three of the four are regulars for Les Bleus heading towards the Euros. Midfield balance has sometimes been lacking too with much asked of teenage sensation Warren Zaire-Emery.

There is also an argument that a tighter defense could be key to PSG's overall chances of serious success this season considering that scoring goals has generally not been an issue in the games which have been drawn or lost. In fact, the Ligue 1 leaders have only been scoreless twice all term – both domestically against struggling FC Lorient and Clermont Foot respectively.

Perhaps that is where the main room for improvement lies which would explain why Luis Campos is looking at Sao Paulo's Lucas Beraldo as a winter addition on top of the investment for the future which midfielder Gabriel Moscardo of Corinthians will be. Left back depth would not go amiss either given the increasing dependency upon summer signing Lucas Hernandez without hurt Nuno Mendes.

Adding even greater firepower to the mix in Paris is not the answer given Lee Kang In's ability to step forward and Achraf Hakimi's regular contributions from the right side. Do not be surprised if PSG go up against the likes of a Dortmund if a good quality left back is made available this winter as it would potentially free up Hernandez to tuck inside and balance out the frequently wobbly back line.

Much of that is finetuning, though, as opposed to wholesale changes and with Beraldo and Moscardo looking likely to pitch up at Parc des Princes any day now, it gives Campos a month to tweak the squad ahead of the Champions League return. Silverware could even kick-off 2024 with the Trophee des Champions taking place at PSG's home in early January after a timely winter pause.