Holder during the victorious Final Four in the League of Nations, Jules Koundé is gaining depth within the France team.
To the point of making him a potential holder for the next two blues matches, especially in the absence of several defender executives including Raphaël Varane and Presnel Kimpembé.
To discover
Qualifying rankings for the 2022 World Cup
The 2022 World Cup qualifying calendar
To read also France team: while waiting for his first cape, Guendouzi wants to "register in the long term" with the Blues
Saturday's game against Kazakhstan
“This game is very important.
We hope to be able to qualify for the World Cup on Saturday.
I think it will be a complicated game.
We had managed the confrontation well in the first leg in difficult conditions.
There we are talking about a low block but in Kazakhstan they had nevertheless, on some sequences, pressed high enough so we will have to see if we manage to put them in difficulty by pressing them high and recover balls close to the goal and be able to finish more easily.
But there, with the support of the public at the Park, we hope it will be a great celebration. ”
His role in the absence of Varane and Kimpembé.
“It doesn't change much for me, I always behave the same way.
After that, it is true that the fact of accumulating gatherings allows you to immerse yourself in the group.
Suddenly I'm more at ease than when I arrived because I know my partners better.
I hope to be there on Saturday.
It will depend on the choices of the coach but I am aware that I have a card to play and that there is a good chance that I will play. ”
It's true that I had a bit of a difficult start at the beginning, but it's also because I was playing right back.
It's a position I'm not used to working for and which is not natural for me
Jules Koundé
His difficult start in the French team
“It's true that I had a bit of a difficult start at the start, but it's also because I was playing right back.
It's a position I'm not used to working in and which is not natural for me.
So it was necessarily more difficult than when I was repositioned in a better position with a position where I am more used to playing (in central defense Editor's note).
After I respond to the coach's requests, if he decides to put me on the right, I will do so without problem. "
The new 3-5-2 system
“Personally, I used to play in this system very early in my career so I'm pretty well used to it.
For me it's a very offensive system with two pistons on the sides which can bring a lot to the front.
It also makes it possible to occupy the entire width of the field and it is a system made to press and prevent the opposing team from coming out. ”
On the state of mind of the Blues
“The state of mind remains the same, we approach the matches with the desire to win them.
We know that it is very important, that it will not be easy.
Even if we are announced as favorite, we see that if we do not include all the ingredients, we can be hooked by any selection, as we have seen in the past.
We are preparing slowly but with great determination to qualify on Saturday. ”