Between the announcement of his very first list, Friday, and his first steps at Clairefontaine, Monday, Zinédine Zidane only needed four days to lay the foundations for a new era among the Blues. A flying start which marks a clear break with the Didier Deschamps years. This fundamental change of direction, both in form and substance, was also underlined by Jean-Louis Tourre, emblematic figure of After Foot.
For the journalist, the observation is clear: while some predicted cautious continuity, the new coach took the almost complete opposite approach to his predecessor. “What I have noticed since Friday is that Zidane – and I did not think he would do it to this extent – ​​is cultivating anti-Deschamps,” he summarizes. This transformation was achieved through a multitude of strong choices, starting with the renewal of the squad with the call-up of several novices, but also by a strict review of the living environment of the French team.
In terms of form, sobriety immediately became the watchword. Finished the ritual of “parade » fashion of the players on the steps of Clairefontaine, now replaced by much more discreet arrivals. The exercise of announcing the list has also been rethought, freed from the heaviness of a solemn enumeration.
Also a change in tactical scheme
At a press conference, the contrast in style is just as striking. Jean-Louis Tourre underlines the absence of barbs, jokes or little cryptic remarks: “He answered every question with a smile and, above all, he answered clearly. And I don’t think we’ve been used to that for 14 years. » Where Deschamps used sometimes closed communication which pushed for permanent interpretation, Zidane imposes himself with clear and assertive responses.
Whether it is evading a subject like Guillaume Restes or detailing his project for Andy Diouf – whom he wishes to test at left-back – Zidane displays legible convictions. “All of this illustrates the differences in personalities,” underlined Jean-Louis Tourre. Deschamps wants to please, to have this recognition where Zidane has this recognition and does not need to force to take people with him. »
On a tactical level, this desire for a break is also expressed by the move to a 4-3-3 pattern, abandoning the 4-2-3-1 put in place by Deschamps, but above all by the announced repositioning of Kylian Mbappé on the left wing. On this point, Jean-Louis Tourre, however, expresses a cautious reservation: “Be careful that the anti-Deschamps is not just commercial. » Placing Mbappé on the left seems attractive, but if his predecessor refused to do so for two years, it was to preserve the overall balance of the team. It is now on the pitch that Zidane will have to prove that his audacity is not just a mere announcement.
