From 2010 shame to a problem of plenty
BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL: France have come full circle from their debacle of four years ago to set up a World Cup quarterfinal against Germany but they must hone their attacking skills to threaten the three-time champions.
The French have fully restored their image after the players’ mutiny in South Africa that was accompanied by an embarrassing first-round exit but their laboured 2-0 win over Nigeria on Monday showed they still have work to do up front.
Les Bleus controlled the tempo but had to wait 79 minutes before finally cracking open a tight Nigeria defence.
“We played a good match but there is still room for improvement,” said winger Antoine Griezmann, whose introduction on the hour was credited with sparking the French revival.
No doubt, coach Didier Deschamps will be using the gifted 23-year-old winger soon
OLIVIER GIROUD, France striker is reluctant to give all credit to teammate Griezmann
again with the former World Cup winners back among the world’s elite.
If there was one game at this World Cup, however, where France really seemed to miss the injured Franck Ribery it was the game against the African champions.
Olivier Giroud was given lots of credit for doing the ugly work in the centre of attack, maintaining possession and winning the high balls against the Nigeria defenders.
But it was the absent Ribery’s darting runs, quick dribbling and superb cutbacks that they needed most and only the introduction of Griezmann turned the tide.
THE SUBSTITUTES COMING ON WAS BENEFICIAL. THEY CAPITALISED ON THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE FOR AN HOUR, AN HOUR AND A QUARTER.
His presence allowed Karim Benzema to move back into his favoured central role, leaving Griezmann to trouble the Nigerians down the wing.
“I could have gone with that option from the start and maybe it would have worked and maybe it wouldn’t,” said Deschamps.
“Instead, I decided to have a target man in the middle, with Olivier Giroud fighting for balls in the air against their defence.”