Amorphous blues, pathetic level of play, sad atmosphere… Favorites and scratches

FAVORITE

The qualification… and that’s it

No one doubted it for a single moment as Israel is a weak team at international level (81st in the Fifa rankings), but if we have to remember just one positive thing for the Blues on Thursday evening, after this 0-0 draw, it is only the qualification. Nothing else, as it was so weak at all levels. With this draw, the fourth 0-0 in 2024, the French team validates the essential, namely its presence in the quarter-final of the League of Nations next March. “We don’t lose, we are qualified but we can’t be proud», summarizes Ibrahima Konaté. Sunday against Italy, in Milan, we will have to win with a three-goal margin to grab first place in the group (ranking here). Vast construction site.

Also read
The notes of the Blues against Israel: Barcola and Olise ghostly, Zaire-Emery “sacrificed”

Peretz in full light

Man of the match? Daniel Peretz. Eight saves and two crosses captured for Bayern Munich’s third goalkeeper. Transferred from Maccabi Tel Aviv for €5 million in 2023 and known as much for his eccentricity as his reflexes, Peretz disgusted the French attackers on Thursday evening. Which attackers were, it is true, not inspired… Faced with Warren Zaire-Emery (76th) or Christopher Nkunku (90+6) at the end of the match, the person concerned nevertheless produced some classy displays. “You have to focus on the last gesture, but the goalkeeper did the job too,” agreed Randal Cole Muani.

CLAW STRIKES

Amorphous and catastrophic Blues

After the meeting, among followers of the France team, the question was whether this disastrous draw against Israel was worse than the 0-0 against Luxembourg in 2017 in Toulouse… This shows the copy made by the Blues in a gloomy Stade de France. No rhythm, no ideas, no creativity and no revolt accompanied the match between N’Golo Kanté’s partners. It was weak in all areas of the game. As if the French did not want to hurt themselves in a tough schedule. The first act was unspeakably atrocious, before a semblance of reaction after the break. Still happy. “We piss each other off, we piss each other off», sang the French supporters… A good summary. Pathetic.

Everything except a context conducive to football

For more than a week, everything has been said about this match and when we arrived at the Stade de France at the end of the afternoon, it was difficult not to notice the unique atmosphere. Police forces on every street corner, an almost empty square, sparse stands and a deadly atmosphere. A scuffle broke out during the first act. An isolated case. The atmosphere was like the level of play: catastrophic. An evening to forget. At all levels.

Also read
“We don’t want to stop living”: France-Israel, when the football festival takes a back seat

Even the after-sales service was not up to par.

PSG followers are used to waiting for ages to finally see a player arrive in the mixed zone. And again, things have been better lately at the capital club. In the French team, this is less the case. Except Thursday. With the match ending around 10:50 p.m., the journalists did not think they would have to wait until 12:02 a.m. to see Randal Kolo Muani appear in front of the microphones. And yet… The press manager left the suspense surrounding the arrival of other players in front of the press. 12:21 a.m., a colleague told us that he had perhaps seen the French team bus pass, without certainty. 12:22 a.m., end of the suspense: the message from the FFF press service came, finished. We imagine that the players did not rush to come to the mixed zone after such a match and in such a special context, but still…