The disastrous performance delivered by Malo Gusto on Thursday evening during the defeat of the French team against Italy (3-1) in the Nations League is causing a lot of talk. Aligned on the right flank of the defense in the absence of the usual starters Jules Koundé and Pierre Kalulu, the Chelsea player completely went through on the San Siro pitch, displaying a worrying feverishness throughout the match.
Overtaken in the 26th minute by Nicolo Cambiaghi’s acceleration on the Italian equalizer, the 23-year-old full-back then multiplied his placement errors, conceding an avoidable penalty on the hour mark before being outpaced again on the second transalpine goal scored by Davide Frattesi (73rd). A real individual shipwreck which ended with his premature exit in favor of SaĂ«l Kumbedi a quarter of an hour before the end, and which relaunches more than ever the debate around the right-back position among the Blues.
If Zinedine Zidane tried to protect his player in the post-match press conference by refusing to point out individualities, many criticisms were heard. Starting with his former teammate and friend Christophe Dugarry, who did not hesitate to let go of the national coach on this issue on Thursday evening, at the microphone of After Foot on RMC.
An incomprehensible choice
For the consultant, ZinĂ©dine Zidane’s stubbornness in refusing to align Warren Zaire-Emery in the right lane is simply incomprehensible, while the young Parisian, certainly a midfielder by training, has gotten into the habit of helping out brilliantly in this position at Paris Saint-Germain. “It’s his choice but for the moment he hasn’t given him reason”first noted “Duga”, before directly targeting the management of the PSG player: “It’s weird that he doesn’t even try Zaire-Emery. He said at a press conference that he saw him in midfield but…”
Convinced that the boss of the Blues now finds his back against the wall before facing Turkey on Sunday in Bordeaux, Christophe Dugarry did not mince his words to demand an immediate change, even going so far as to place the Parisian in front of the usual holder of the position. “I prefer Zaire-Emery to Koundé”he said, believing that the coach has no other option than to urgently review his plans: “There, you will first have to change. And if you don’t change, you’ll have to explain it. When it hits you in such a way, you have to. »
For the former 1998 world champion, the observation is clear and the immediate future of Malo Gusto in the starting lineup already seems sealed. “How are you going to confirm that Gusto, are you going to leave him there in the next match? In my opinion it will be complicated for him. He’s not going to play the next match.”concluded Dugarry firmly, thus putting additional pressure on the shoulders of ZinĂ©dine Zidane.
