So that the cologne does not turn sour, the Blues of basketball are already up against the wall.
Dominated, eaten up in skill, in the racket and in almost all aspects of the game by a very good German team at the opening of the Euro (76-63) on the banks of the Rhine, the French team already grilled a joker.
She will not be thirty-six during this tournament.
There is (yet) no serious concern for Vincent Collet's troupe with a view to qualifying for the round of 16.
Let's remember the formula: in a group of six (France, Germany, Lithuania, Slovenia, Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina), France must finish in the top four to continue their journey to Berlin.
Unless we drink the broth against the Hungarians and the Bosnians next week, it's still perfectly playable.
If they nevertheless want a route that is a priori less complicated in the final phase to avoid Serbia, Greece or Spain, they must finish among the first two.
That's a bad start, but so be it.
Optimists remember that in 2013, the France of Boris Diaw and Tony Parker had already lost in opening against Germany before being crowned European champion two weeks later.
The Blues lacked everything
What worries rather is the way used by the Blues this September 1st.
It was almost non-existent.
In front of the Germans carried by 19,000 fans in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, nothing worked out well.
The attacking game was very messy, the loss of too many balls, the defense showed unusual shortcomings and then as usual, the Blues missed their start to the match.
All that lacked lucidity, fluidity.
All of this lacked too much for a team that wants gold in two weeks: “I'm half surprised, I must say, admits coach Vincent Collet.
I thought we would do better but I knew we had things to work on.
We have to do it even faster.
It was the first match of the Euros, it immediately puts us in the hard and makes us realize that there are many things to improve.
“The Blues have indeed shown the same shortcomings as in preparation, where they had already been reassuring.
Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier must do much better
Are they able to correct them in a few hours when a second match is already looming on September 3 (5:45 p.m.) against formidable Lithuanians also defeated by Slovenia?
The answer is yes because the Blues have two major assets in their game: the owners Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert.
Like the others, the two NBA stars could not be worse than against Germany and that is rather encouraging: "These are things that happen but our two leaders were below what we expect from them.
It's a handicap but despite that, we were in the game until the 26th minute.
We hope that they will both increase in power.
And they will do it,” reassures Vincent Collet.
This rise in power is an obligation because without them, France cannot go far.
It's impossible: “Me, like everyone else, we have to manage to raise our level, to be able to move the ball, to install our game and to play simple, recognizes Rudy Gobert.
We need to connect and understand each other better.
I know that personally I have to be better.
An observation echoed by Evan Fournier.
The French captain, who in a few months has become one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, has lost his skill.
But he does not seem to panic: “We made a lot of mistakes, says the New York Knicks player.
We weren't disciplined enough and in attack, we were a bit rushed, we weren't patient enough.
We had stray bullets, shots that were a bit of a snack.
We lack rhythm in attack and we looked for ourselves a bit.
In defense, we made mistakes but overall, it holds up,” he also thinks to reassure himself.
Forget this evening and start again 👊
Tomorrow at 5:45 p.m. the Blues face Lithuania, an already crucial match 💪 #TeamFranceBasket |
#PassionatelyBlue |
#EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/aDAgmTGQql
– French Basketball Teams (@FRABasketball) September 2, 2022
The Blues will quickly find out if this Coué method is effective.
This Saturday (live on Canal + 360° and BeInsport), they must regain the qualities that were lacking against the Germans.
Lithuania announced among the favorites is a huge basketball nation.
But the Blues, who are never as strong as when they are up against the wall, already have no choice.
Starting the Euro with two defeats on the clock would be more than penalizing.
