The cold shower. While she was based on a lot of hope with the return of the Mbappé-Dembélé association in particular, the French team was clearly beaten in Croatia in the quarter-final first leg of the 2-0 nations. The first period left a lot of bitterness, as the Blues were not there. The hinge has sunk between an imprecise and unarmed salal, and a konaté rarely seen as much in difficulty and guilty of having caused a penalty. Without a Mike Maignan always imperial in the exercise, the Habs could have set off again the heavier addict. The midfielder was also defective, unable to be the engine of a collective out of creativity.
It is probably in this area that Didier Deschamps and his technical staff will work mainly for the return Sunday at the Stade de France (8:45 p.m.). With two goals late, the French team is sentenced to a feat recalling the 2014 World Cup dam against Ukraine. After a 2-0 defeat on the outward journey, she had managed to reverse the situation (3-0) in a boiling Dionysian enclosure as rarely. This feat had marked the birth of a group, most of whose players were present in Brazil and then at Euro 2016, and even in the world victorious two years later in Russia. Deschamps had made 5 changes between these two meetings, including the hinge.
A blatant lack of creation in the middle
The trio of the midfield (Tchouameni, Guendouzi, Rabiot) failed yesterday and what attracts attention is the lack of creator. The Lazio player had occupied this role in the fall with some success, but this time he posted his limits. By his side, Tchouameni took too little risk, while Rabiot was content to take the axis in the offensive phase to leave the corridor to Digne. His lack of defensive involvement has also enabled Perisic to adjust his recovery on the second goal. The entrance to Camavanta in place of the Marseillais will have been particularly disappointing. Supposed to bring his technical background in the middle, the Madrid has displayed huge waste.
He did not score points, while Manu Koné had only 5 minutes to show himself. More offensive solutions exist as desired gifted, capable of evolving in the middle or higher in the field. His lack of international experience (no selection) could slow down the ardor of a Didier Deschamps, who will be forced to take risks in the return match. Zaïre-Emery has a more hard-working profile but he is able to be decisive in the last 20 meters. Problem this time, he is less pace since his ankle injury in February. The shadow of Antoine Griezmann is still felt on the game of the Blues. It remains to change animation and why not a system.
Who to accompany Mbappé and Dembélé?
Here too the coach has a tank. Barcola and olise left the bench last night and can claim a place of holder. If the Mbappé-Dembélé tandem disappointed, having regard to the shape of the two attackers, Randal Kolo Muani above all appeared a tone below his two teammates. Its place is clearly threatened for Sunday, but in the place of who? Michael Olise has these famous creator qualities who so lack of the Blues on Thursday evening, only the Munichois had timid beginnings in the national team, where Bradley Barcola's percussion qualities have already convinced. What about the positioning of Mbappé and Dembélé then?
“”Creativity, from the moment we make too many technical errors, not only in the middle, and that we also make mistakes behind bringing out the ball is difficult. We have the elements to have a balanced team, we saw it over the second period. We did better things with almost the same playersEnsured the coach at the end of the field in Split. Finally, the seat at 4 defenders should not move. Upamecano could still integrate the starting eleven, as well as a lesser degree Theo Hernandez, more offensive, in place of a worthy seriousness. And even if it has been a long time since it had been seen so much in difficulty in this position, it is hard to imagine Jules Koundé getting out of the team.
