Jérôme Rothen, in his show on RMC, does not understand why Didier Deschamps no longer calls on Jonathan Clauss, a real right-back, while Jules Koundé and especially Benjamin Pavard have not convinced during the team’s last two matches of France.
Didier Deschamps is not giving up. For the French team’s 5th match in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Ireland (won 2-0, last Thursday) and a friendly against Germany (lost 2-1, Tuesday), the coach des Bleus summoned Jules Koundé and Benjamin Pavard to the right-back position. The two concerned are central defenders by training and, above all, the first plays in the center at the start of the season at Barça, while the second will play in the right center of a 3-man defense at Inter Milan…
Wednesday in his show on RMC, Jérôme Rothen wondered why “La Dèche”, his former coach at AS Monaco, did not trust Jonathan Clauss (6 selections in 2022). The OM full-back played on the right wing last season under Igor Tudor and even sometimes on the left wing. “ It made sense not to call him. But here he has been playing in his position since the start of the season and his start to the Clauss season is satisfactory! We saw the quality of Koundé and Pavard as centers, I don’t want to see that anymore. On that note, I think Clauss has both in his pocket », Launched the former attacking midfielder.
Pavard crumbly defensively?
Rothen quite simply believes that, against teams like Ireland, a “ good counter-attacker » as Clauss could be useful. Before targeting Pavard more specifically: “ And defensively? Did you find Pavard strong against Germany? I don’t understand… Clauss was no worse than Koundé or Pavard in the selection. I think Didier is saying to himself that we were world champions with Pavard and that we made a final with Koundé. But when you lose, you can no longer put the result forward “.
Benjamin Pavard, hero of France-Argentina in Russia (even though he suffered a lot against Angel Di Maria), was short of rhythm against the Germans, having not played for a month while waiting for his departure for Italy. Is it foolproof reliable? In Qatar, he had suddenly lost his place and Deschamps, who had done without the services of Clauss, had then used Koundé on the right of the defense and even Axel Disasi when he turned against Tunisia in the 3rd match of chickens.
