It has stormed around the French national team in the run-up to the match against Belgium. Disappointing results and increasing pressure on the national coach were not ideal preparations. The Nations League Final Four could make France dream again. Or be the start of a nightmare. Who’s up where tonight?
Waking up about the national coach and the players
Le jour de gloire est arrivé? The French public is eager for a good performance against a top country after a failed European Championship and two draws in the World Cup qualifiers against Bosnia and Ukraine in September.
Fans and journalists were awake by the question whether Didier Deschamps was still the cut national coach and why a talented generation performed so poorly? A convincing win against Finland took the pressure off for a while, but the match against Belgium will set the headlines on Friday.
“A lot will depend on the feeling after the match. Even if they lose,” says football commentator Sirik Geffray. “The biggest criticism after the matches against Bosnia and Ukraine was that France had no control.”
“The team seemed lost and found no solutions. If that feeling also lives after Belgium, the criticism and pressure will return.”
“The Nations League is looked at in France in the same way as in Belgium. Now that the Final Four with four top countries has arrived, there is more enthusiasm. It will not wash away the disappointment about the European Championship, but as Mbappe said in an interview, it is two prestige duels. You don’t want to lose them.”
If the feeling lives after Belgium that France had no control, then the criticism and the pressure returns.
Waking up to the defensive balance
In the studio of Extra Time, Franky Van der Elst said that in his opinion Belgium has not gotten better since the European Championship. “The same can be said about France,” said Sirik Geffray.
Didier Deschamps must have been awake for the last few weeks. “His biggest conclusion after the European Championship was that France had lost the defensive stability (which they had at the World Cup).”
“He wants to find Deschacht again and at the same time be able to bring the three big ones in front (Benzema-Mbappé-Griezmann) into position. In the attacking compartment Griezmann now plays more than ten instead of on the flank.”
Anyone looking for defensive stability is not happy that Ngolo Kanté is certainly not there due to a corona infection. But maybe we will get to know a new French top talent: Aurélien Tchouameni, midfielder of AS Monaco.
“If I were national coach, I would replace Kante with Tchouameni,” says Geffray. “He was the revelation of the games in September at France. He plays football as if he was always in the team, recovers a lot of balls, but also has a very good pass.”
“And just like Kante, he is complementary to Pogba. However, the French media speculate that Deschamps will choose Rabiot. In any case, the midfield rinse is thin with the French because Tolisso is also injured.”
“Deschamps will also have to choose between a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3. He may opt for 3-4-3 with flank players with a lot of running ability, who keep going continuously so that they can always go into the defensive block with 7 players. to stand.”
“That’s the reason he gave in to call up Theo Hernandez from Milan. He has a huge engine to do that.”
Waking up from the semi-final in Russia
In Belgium, on the eve of Thursday’s game, we may also be worrying about the previous confrontation. Everyone remembers the World Cup semi-final in Russia. France then won with a clever tactic – some sarcastic, some intelligent – tactics. Will we get another match like that on Thursday?
“Deschamps has said that he would already know how he wants to play on Thursday. He says he is mainly thinking about how he can make it difficult for Belgium while exploiting their weaknesses. The big question is who will adapt to whom?”
“But I don’t think it will be the same match as at the World Cup, simply because France can’t do that anymore,” says Geffray.
“On the one hand, they are again looking for more defensive stability (like at the World Cup), but if you bring Benzema back, you can’t play football like in Russia. Benzema has to play football in the combination and not fight like a Giroud then.”
“That’s why I expect a three-man defense and flanks like Théo Hernandez and Pavard, who are constantly going up and down in a 3-4-3 system.”
“Actually, Belgium and France are looking for the same thing. Belgium no longer wanted to show the complete urge to the front and be more efficient at the European Championship. They also both want to win back the hearts of the public, so it will be a very interesting match in many ways. .”
Don’t think it will be the same match as at the World Cup, simply because France can’t do that anymore.
