WINNING MACHINE DESCHAMPS PROVES FRANCE’S BEST WEAPON
FRANCE’S ultimate weapon at Euro 2016 is probably not the scoring instinct of Antoine Griezmann nor the set-piece artistry of Dimitri Payet but rather the obsession with winning of a short greyhaired man with a twangy voice.
Les Bleus have yet to deliver an entirely convincing performance in the tournament, but coach Didier Deschamps has done everything right so far, making shrewd tactical changes and raising that famous voice with perfect timing.
“I had to shake the trees,” Deschamps said when asked what he had done at half-time to wake up his sluggish team for a 2-1 win over Ireland in the round of 16.
His masterstroke was to bring on speedy winger Kingsley Coman for holding midfielder N’Golo Kante at the start of the second half, pushing Payet further wide and Griezmann closer to Olivier Giroud up front. The result was a Griezmann double for a place in the quarter-finals.
It was not the astute coach’s first telling move in the competition. When France laboured in a 4-2-3-1 formation in the first half of their group game against Albania, he was quick to react, sending on Paul Pogba and reverting to a 4-3-3 formation which eventually wore down Albania’s defence for a 2-0 last-gasp win.
Deschamps, whose pragmatic approach is not unlike that of 1998 World Cup-winning coach Aime Jacquet, was decisive even before the tournament, carefully handling a tricky situation.
The coach left out Karim Benzema after the Real Madrid striker was embroiled in an alleged blackmail scandal and did not consider Franck Ribery after the Bayern Munich forward hinted he could be willing to come back.
“My aim was not to pick the best 23 players but to go for a group capable of going very far in the tournament together,” Deschamps said after naming his squad.
Deschamps’s influence on the team has a lot do with the resumé of his playing career. Neither exceptionally talented nor particularly glamorous, the tireless midfielder with leadership qualities captained France to their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 triumphs.
“My game was never spectacular so I had to compensate with other things,” said Deschamps, who also wore the armband when Olympique Marseilles won the Champions League in 1993, not to mention a lot of other silverware.
As a coach, Deschamps has some way to go before collecting as many trophies but he has already demonstrated he could be successful in that role as well, guiding Monaco to a Champions League final, bringing Juventus back to Serie A and winning a Ligue 1 title with Marseilles.
“The fact he has won everything going is the advantage that he brings us,” said Payet. “He knows exactly what it takes to win as he has been there before. We know how precious his advice is and how much more so that will be as the tournament goes on.”
Deschamps, who has kept tinkering with his squad since the finals started, faces another headache before tomorrow’s quarter-final against Iceland with defender Adil Rami and holding midfielder Kante both serving suspensions.
Tomorrow’s game will determine whether the tournament is a success or a failure for France, French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet having set a place in the last four as the minimum goal for the host nation.
“I’m not worried,” said Le Graet. “I know Didier will do everything to win because that’s who he is.”
Many people’s pre-tournament favourites, France’s progress to the knockout stage was serene as they finished top of Group A.
But Deschamps’s team had a little difficulty in overcoming the Republic of Ireland last Sunday and there are a number of issues facing the French ahead of tomorrow’s quarter-final tie in Paris. WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION France are expected by their public to win this tournament. It’s as simple as that. The support they receive inside the stadiums on match days is terrific and helped by a ticketing policy that seems to exist purely to assist them.
However, there have been signs that the burden of responsibility is beginning to weigh heavy. France were awful after falling behind against Ireland and were actually booed off at half-time.
Similarly, Arsenal centre forward Olivier Giroud was jeered when he was substituted during the game with Albania in Marseilles. France went on to win both games but there have been times when they have looked nervous and unsure. BRAVE COACH Deschamps is all smiles and exaggerated gestures but has a steely core and won’t hesitate to make changes when things are not going well. It was his substitutions that turned games against Albania and Ireland his way.
Against the Republic, he hauled off Kante at half-time and sent 20-year-old winger Coman on. Not a like-for-like swop, this switch saw Pogba drop deeper and allowed Payet to roam.
Within 20 minutes, France had effectively turned the game around. Coman is a bit of a fans’ favourite and does not look cowed by this tournament. We can expect him to play a part at Stade de France tomorrow. TWO MEN DOWN Leicester City’s holding midfielder Kante was emerging as one of France’s players of the tournament, having carried his Barclays Premier League form seamlessly into Euro 2016.
But the 25-year-old had a poor first half against Ireland and picked up a booking that rules him out of the quarter-final.
This is significant news for France as in the early games it was Kante who was providing the hosts with the security in front of a shaky back four. Kante’s place could go to Morgan Schneiderlin, who has just finished an unproductive first season with Manchester United.
Meanwhile, France will also be without first-choice centre back Adil Rami after he picked up a booking. Manchester City’s inconsistent Eliaquim Mangala is expected to fill in. Full backs Patrice Evra and Bacary Sagna, meanwhile, are full of endeavour but vulnerable against a player flying at them. GENIUS OR MISFIT? Just what to make of Pogba? The former United player came into the tournament as one of France’s great hopes but was dropped after an unconvincing opening game and although he has since returned he still looks short of his best form.
Deschamps is constantly asked about the Juventus player and admits he is tired of it. But he picked Pogba against Ireland and saw him grow into the game during the second period after struggling in the first.
France’s coach believes Pogba’s problem to be immaturity and he suggested this week that the 23-year-old needs to be calmer during matches.
He was trying to win the game on his own in the early stages after conceding the penalty and this only worked against him. Certainly, there is a vulnerability about a player of whom so much is expected. THE ONE THEY LOOK TO These tournaments usually throw up one goalscoring hero and currently this year’s name looks like being Griezmann. The Atletico Madrid centre forward is known throughout Europe for his exploits in La Liga and the Champions League but was still in single figures for his country before Euro 2016 began.
That has all changed now after an important header broke the deadlock against Albania in the group stages and two wonderfully taken goals against Ireland took his tally to three.
While Payet’s brilliance enabled France to hit the ground running, Griezmann has now emerged to ensure that his country does not lose momentum.
While target man Giroud seems plagued by familiar uncertainty, Griezmann – who will come in off the left or right side – is running hot and will be counting down the minutes until he can next pull his boots on. – Reuters & Daily Mail