Qualified for the quarter-finals of the Euro, the France Espoirs team alternates the good and the less good. Blueberries have qualities and defects similar to those of their elders.
The great success against Switzerland (4-1) on Wednesday symbolizes the profile of the Blueberries. After a timid start in this Euro, the France Espoirs team showed all its attacking potential, in particular thanks to the creativity brought by the Lyonnais Rayan Cherki. But all was not perfect in this meeting. The playmaker is one of the players caught in the act of being passive on the conceded goal.
🏆 #EuroHopes : THE #Blueberries favourites?
🗣️ @PatrickJuillard : “They are like the A team, with less rigour. The qualities and the faults are the same. If the individuals play together, few people resist. And there are air pockets, absences.” pic.twitter.com/rqPhv7BYXB
– Europe 1 Sport (@Europe1Sport1) June 29, 2023
Talent sometimes wasted by deconcentration, this is the description of journalist Patrick Juillard who sees common points with the selection of Didier Deschamps. ” They obviously have less rigor defensively than team A, but there are the same qualities and the same faultscompared the columnist of Europe 1. That is to say that if the attacking individualities decide to play together at the same time, not many people resist, we saw it in the second period against Switzerland with this Lyon trident which was exceptional, a real fireworks. »
” And on the other hand, there are air pockets, absences, total disappearances from the team, especially defensively, with non-compensations, players who are not going to take small defensive steps to avoid that a counter becomes dangerousnoted the observer. It’s a bit of self-management, which is to say that when they decide to play together, they can be irresistible and it can be very beautiful to watch. But when they’re a little less focused on their subject, it’s drafty house. »
A side issue
Finally, Patrick Juillard noted another common weakness between the two tricolor selections. ” There is also a fairly frequent defect, these are the sides. People will tell me that Guardiola plays without full-backs and that he is an endangered species, but I find that there is a small lack at this level. It is representative of the qualities and faults of the French teams “Commented the journalist, not thrilled by the performances of Niels Nkounkou on the left and Pierre Kalulu on the right.
