Marcus Thuram's terrible performance on Saturday against Germany seems to put an end to the debate around the identity of the holder of the center forward position in the France team.
The Blues had a very complicated evening on Saturday on the pitch at Parc OL. Surprised by a goal from Florian Wirtz after only a few seconds of play, Didier Deschamps' men delivered one of their worst matches in the last ten years against Germany, ultimately losing 2-0. There are many players who have fallen through the cracks, but the best illustration of this failure was undoubtedly Marcus Thuram.
Established at the forefront of the attack, the Inter Milan player, for his 17th selection, experienced a real ordeal and inevitably lost big in view of the Euro. Unable to make the slightest difference, the Guadeloupean only had one chance, a shot curling over the frame in the 20th minute. For the rest, the former Sochalien certainly touched very few balls (21) but he appeared very messy and uninspired, multiplying bad choices. Above all, his relationship with his two other friends in the attack, Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé, was non-existent.
“No number 9 has come to pose problems for Giroud’s profile”
Replaced at the hour mark by Olivier Giroud, Marcus Thuram found his best advocate in the former Gunner. “It’s difficult to showcase yourself in this kind of match. We also saw that Marcus was not served much before me. So it was a bit collectively that things were less good this evening (yesterday). It wasn't easy for the forwards.”confided the top scorer of the France team, who seemed much more weighed on the German defense than his partner.
And for Rolland Courbis, Olivier Giroud, despite his 37 years, is still essential to the Blues. “I stand by what I said before the match. No number 9 has come to pose problems for Giroud's profile. In terms of benchmarks and as a fixation point, it is more logical to start the match with Giroud, even if he is 37 years old and we do not make him play 95 minutes. He brings a certain presence, with a head game that’s not bad at all”he said at the microphone of RMC.
Olivier Giroud should have the opportunity, on Tuesday, against Chile, to close the debate a little more, the Savoyard being expected to start the match.
