CLike the Unknowns in the sketch about the hunter, is there a good and a bad problem with the French team? Only one goal scored in 180 minutes of play since the start of the Euro against Austria and the Netherlands, and this achievement is not even the work of a French player. If the Blues are formidable in defense with few chances conceded and the nets always preserved by Mike Maignan, in the other area, it is much more difficult.
“It’s crap football”
However, the situations are there, like Kylian Mbappé’s face-to-face against Austria or Antoine Griezmann’s unmissable encounters against the Netherlands. Should we be worried about this single problem of effectiveness of the Blues or look further with the Blues not being spectacular enough and a coach being singled out for his lack of initiative?
Some observers are not kind to the game proposed by the France team, like Pierre van Hooijdonk, former Dutch international: “When we see this selection. Of course, Mbappé had to give up, but he started Rabiot (on the left, Editor’s note), while he can also count on Kolo Muani, Barcola and Coman. It’s crap football with such equipment available. »
However, we are not going to reinvent Didier Deschamps. Since taking over in 2012, group matches at major tournaments have rarely been tributes to the attack. Honduras 2014, Switzerland 2014, Australia 2022, examples are not legion when it comes to spectacular encounters at the start of a tournament. Didier Deschamps’ teams are used to gaining momentum, and this start of the Euro is no exception to the rule.
The playing time of the substitutes in question, Barcola in the lead
The most frustrating thing, beyond the glaring lack of efficiency in the truth zone, is the use of substitutes. Didier Deschamps is the coach who made the fewest changes over the first two days of the Euro (six out of ten possible). And as a result, the Blues substitutes had the least playing time with 70 minutes shared for Camavinga, Giroud, Coman, Fofana and Kolo Muani.
The management of the bench raises questions with the more than delicate performances of Ousmane Dembélé and Marcus Thuram, who do not weigh on the attacking front. Bradley Barcola, on the rise with Paris Saint-Germain, has still not had his chance since the start of the competition.
READ ALSO Why Kylian Mbappé is demanding 100 million euros from PSGIt is often said that a good defensive base is crucial to advancing in a tournament, and the Blues have proven this on several occasions with three finals in the last four major competitions. But after twelve years at the head of the France team, we would still like to have more certainties in the game and a steamroller worthy of his recently acquired status. Poland, already eliminated on Tuesday, represents the ideal opportunity to finally move up a gear. And the announced return of Kylian Mbappé, even if it will still be the tree that hides the forest, will do the greatest good for the Blues and especially for Didier Deschamps.
