A match that nobody wanted to lose ... and it showed
Poster of this group between the world and European champions, with a plethora of stars on the pitch at kick-off, the meager audience of the Stade de France was entitled to expect much better.
The viewers too.
Missed.
The “remake” of the Euro 2016 final never took off.
Blame it on two solid defensive blocks, a selection game animation still so difficult to find in such a short time between the championship and the Champions League and a little too timid coaching.
Faced with the general reluctance, Didier Deschamps could have made changes a little faster (Giroud replaced by Martial in the 74th minute) and attempt a blow to destabilize the Portuguese wall, more friable in the second half.
In vain.
This 0-0 tasteless is only the result of a scenario seen and reviewed between two great nations eager to reassure themselves before thinking about taking risks.
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Animation, the biggest work of the Blues
The coach does not hide it, he takes advantage of international sequences since the start of the school year to carry out tests.
Like a real laboratory technician.
The transition to 4-4-2 diamond, used against Ukraine on Wednesday (7-1) and Portugal on Sunday is one.
As the 3-4-1-2 was also in September.
The France team is a laboratory and Deschamps is counting on these short periods to get its players out of their comfort zone and set up real competition for certain positions.
There remains a major project, the animation of the game. More perfect than ever.
Facing the 5th UEFA nation, the Blues have had little control over the debates, contenting themselves after the break to play in rapid transition, well not that fast.
The turnover, the disparate states of form and the will not to take a goal are all reasons put forward to analyze the uncertain quality of the game of the world champions.
A shadow job that could nevertheless pay off at Euro 2021 next summer (June 11-July 11) with an enriched palette compared to the World Cup in Russia.
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Defensively, the block of the World Cup has not aged a bit
Presnel KimpembePanoramic
It is one of the great satisfaction of the evening.
Faced with sacred clients like Ronaldo, Felix or Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, the defensive block of the world champions held up the shock.
Even better than that.
Apart from a stop with authority from Hugo Lloris, now the third most capped player in the history of the Blues (117 selections), in front of the five-time Ballon d'Or at the end of the game, the danger weighed little on the goal of the thirty years old.
Thanks to a well-established defense and in particular a very solid performance from Presnel Kimpembe and Lucas Hernandez.
The first city, preferred to Clément Lenglet, settles little by little in the left axis and confirms its rise in power seen with the PSG.
On the left, the Munich player set the tone with sharp interventions.
Two years after the World Cup, what made the strength of the France team has not aged a bit with almost the same personalities (Kimpembe replaced Umtiti).
A real plus for Didier Deschamps.
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The offensive trio in search of automatisms
Asked about the subject Sunday evening before leaving the Stade de France, Didier Deschamps recognized it without publicly overwhelming anyone.
His attacking trio, put in the best position with this system of play, did not meet expectations.
The fault of the Portuguese, but not only.
In his position of number 10, Antoine Griezmann, lacking juice and inspiration, never had the expected radiance.
Too slow in his transmissions, not sharp enough in his decision-making, he was not the expected playmaker.
His situation in Barcelona is heavy, and it can also be seen in the selection.
If Olivier Giroud existed in the fight, he can only shine with the work and the inspirations of his partners.
What was also lacking in Kylian Mbappé, placed in the axis and perfectly muzzled by the European champions.
The Parisian, in this trio, should have brought depth, which the Blues sorely lacked.
Sunday night, he returned too often to the Griezmann area, claiming the ball in his feet.
An easily readable game for the opponent.
"The animation is always perfectible, it requires repetition, attests" DD ".
But perfection, we will never achieve it. ”
To see if the trio will have, from Wednesday against Croatia, the opportunity to perfect an understanding still in an embryonic state in this game system.
Without playing Camavinga scored points
Eduardo CamavingaPanoramic
It is easy to redo the match once the score is over, but one thing is clear.
Eduardo Camavinga's freshness and nerve failed the world champions on Sunday night.
In a closed double-round match and with elements far from their best level, the innocence of the young 17-year-old Rennais would have been interesting to observe in a context light years away from that seen on Wednesday against the C team. from Ukraine.
Didier Deschamps preferred Adrien Rabiot and Paul Pogba in the midfield.
If the place of the Mancunien is not debatable, another remains vacant with regard to the unfinished service delivered by the Turinese.
“We played with the brake at the offensive level,” admitted Adrien Rabiot.
His elegance, his ability to carry the ball and create the shifts were not seen enough for him to score points against the competition.
Suddenly, the Camavinga option arises insistently against the Croats on Wednesday.
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