It must be said that the match started in the worst way for the Blues and their defense. When, after seven seconds on the clock, Florian Wirtz blasted the cage of a completely helpless Brice Samba after being left free by an amorphous French defense, he somehow highlighted with crazy speed what would be the French Achilles heel in this meeting.
On this lightning action barely the whistle given by Mr. Manzano, the attitude of the French defensive quartet, which resembles the one that could be preferred by Didier Deschamps in Germany this summer — Koundé-Pavard-Upamecano-L. Hernandez — is doubly guilty. Too quick to retreat in the face of the tricky sprint of the four German offensive players, leaving a gaping hole in front of them to accommodate Florian Wirtz, none then mounted the young virtuoso from Bayer Leverkusen to prevent him from arming his missile. Neither Koundé, who turned back to cover Havertz alone on the left, nor Pavard nor Upamecano, too timid.
A somewhat guilty lack of aggressiveness
Symptomatic of a France team with a somewhat uncertain defensive animation and obviously lacking automatisms. “To take this goal where we are rather at a standstill, obviously it is not ideal,” said Didier Deschamps at half-time, speaking to TF1. As soon as we put a lot more intensity and aggression… This very quick goal puts a little blow on the head. »
Unfortunately for the Blues coach, whose 150th on the bench was a little wasted, the French defensive disjointedness allowed the Germans to double the lead as soon as they returned from the locker room, Havertz and Musiala having fun against Samba, Hernandez, Pavard and Upamecano, liabilities.
Jules Koundé (80% successful passes, 2/2 aerial duels won, 10 balls lost), replaced at the hour mark, once again made a lukewarm copy on the right, manhandled in particular by Wirtz. At his side, if Lucas Hernandez (6/6 ground duels won, 88% of successful passes, 3 tackles) was not unworthy, the Pavard-Upamecano pair did not exude serenity. The Bayern defender, not necessarily at the club party this season, was undoubtedly a bit orphaned by Ibrahima Konaté, back from injury and preserved.
There were obviously a lack of people in this France team. Mike Maignan had to give up his place to Brice Samba, who missed his match until three important stops against Mittlestädt (79th), Müller and Undav (81st). But also, and undoubtedly above all, Antoine Griezmann, the Blues’ first recovery player and whose absence underlined the Blues’ glaring lack of aggressiveness and desire to go and scratch the slightest ball.
Decisive at the end of the match, Brice Samba avoided an even greater disaster for the French defense. DeFodi Images/Icon Sport
A small alarm bell for the Blues three months before the Euro: despite all its offensive genius, not really highlighted this evening, the French teams which went the furthest were always those which defended the best. This Saturday evening, we were far from it.
