“I am delighted. ” Since the start of the rally, these kinds of words have rarely been spoken by the coach. In his latest media outing to date, he announced the more than likely withdrawal of Thomas Meunier. On the eve of his entry into the tournament, he welcomed the return of the full-back in 10 days. He will be ready for the round of 16.
“It is for this reason that I have not decided to recall another player in his place, said Tedesco. Thomas (Miller) deserves to be here for what he has shown, for the sacrifices he has made and because he is important to the group. By making this decision, I confirm that I believe in my group. ”
gullMeunier returns in ten days, Theate and Vertonghen are ready, Witsel could also be.
A group which will include two to three additional members on Monday at 5 p.m. when the match sheet will be published. “Jan Vertonghen and Arthur Theate are ready. We will see if they are on the field or on the bench. For Axel Witsel, the possibility exists that he will be present against Slovakia but he has not yet trained with the group. If not, it will be for Romania. ”
The Red Devils are almost complete. Good news coupled with a new headache for Tedesco. He has several options before him. Each carries real risks against a Slovakia “who knows how to squeeze 90 minutes”says the coach.
Euro 2024: “Theate and Vertonghen are ready”, Domenico Tedesco takes stock of the injured Red Devils before Slovakia
Align Theate on the left even if he could relapse
The closest player to the base 11 appears to be Arthur Theate. He has been training normally for three days and has been injured for a shorter time than Vertonghen, whose age no longer allows for madness at the opening of a tournament.
The poster on the left solves all the balance problems and allows you to play like against Luxembourg with Timothy Castagne as a winger. But will he dare to take the slightest risk with his starting full-back who serves as a perfect complement to Doku on the flank? If the slightest possibility of relapse exists, Tedesco will leave him to rest.
Play the De Cuyper card to the fullest even if it means impacting Doku
“I trust everyone. Maxim (De Cuyper) was very good in preparation even if it was not planned against Luxembourg. He’s not afraid of anything and I’m not afraid to play with him. I believe in my players.”
Logic would dictate that Tedesco plays to the strengths of his players. If he lines up his four fittest defenders, De Cuyper will play on the left. The coach could give him the most offensive role in defense to create excess numbers on the left wing when he loses the ball.
This choice would then imply a switch between Leandro Trossard and Jeremy Doku. The Arsenal player has no problem starting his actions from the left before moving inside, he knows this role by heart. Does putting Doku on the right mean a reduction in its impact? Guardiola has fielded him eight (parts of) matches in this position this season. The Spanish coach does not make any choice by chance.
Kevin De Bruyne can’t wait to start the Euro with the Red Devils: “Tedesco and I are on the same wavelength”
Asking De Cuyper to play against his instincts
In the second part of the match against Luxembourg, De Cuyper closed the left lane and Castagne could go up. A default animation, because Tedesco had to make this change in a hurry and taking into account everyone’s playing time.
Asking the Bruges player to play only in a defensive role would make him evolve against his offensive instinct and against his physical qualities. He has neither the build nor the reflexes of a central defender. For him to carry out his task successfully, he will need the support of other players, such as the two defensive midfielders.
And Domenico Tedesco concludes: “I haven’t made a final choice yet. We’ll see how I sleep tonight (Sunday) and how I wake up. ”
