Gameiro admits to 'average' performances

08 February 2012 16:16

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kevin Gameiro admitted on Wednesday that his performances during the first half of the season were 'average' and that he was still adapting to life at the French league leaders.

"I'd say my record has been average," he told a press conference.

"I've not really been tip-top. There are matches where I could have scored more. I've only just arrived and at Paris, it's not always straightforward.

"I'm learning -- that's how you move forward. It's my first season at PSG. I'm getting to know the club, the team and the journalists too.

"I also know that at Lorient, if I scored a goal and I had a bad match, I still got a good rating and I was the best in the world.

"Here, it's more severe. But I don't regret my choice. I'm very happy in Paris. And I've scored 10 goals, which isn't nothing."

PSG made failed bids for Milan forward Alexandre Pato and Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez during the January transfer window but Gameiro said he would not be perturbed by the arrival of a rival goalscorer at Parc des Princes.

"The directors were clear," he said. "They told me that they were looking for a striker, but not necessarily to replace me. In the end, no-one arrived and there are two of us (Gameiro and Guillaume Hoarau).

"I don't want to say that I'm the number one striker regarding Guillaume. I'd say that we are two very good strikers. You earn your place in training.

"It could also be Nene or (Jeremy) Menez, which worked well (in the 3-1 win) against Toulouse. It's up to the coach to decide. If I have to be a substitute, it wouldn't be the end of the world."

Gameiro has been deployed as a lone striker for PSG -- both in Antoine Kombouare's 4-2-3-1 formation and the 4-3-2-1 of his successor, Carlo Ancelotti -- but he admitted that he preferred playing alongside a strike partner.

"For me, the best (system) is with two strikers," he said.

"I've always been used to that. There's no focus on me and it frees up space. Now, the defenders pay more attention to me.

"I can still improve in front of goal, as well as with my back to goal, which is not one of my strengths."

Gameiro, 24, joined PSG from Lorient last summer and is hoping to claim a place in Laurent Blanc's France squad for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Source: AFP