France NT News, Formations & Results

sportsczy wrote:DD also likes big guys as a CF because of set piece defense.  Other than CBs...  now you have Pogba and Giroud to defend in the air.  Evra and Sagna are not terrible air defenders either.  

A lot of teams think that they can play a bunch of AMs/shorter strikers and dominate the ball like Barca/prime Spain.  Well that's fine if you do it.  But if you don't...  you get killed on defense.  It cost Spain in the last WC and it's been the downfall of a lot of these pseudo Barca-like clubs.

This NT will never dominate the ball like that.  The players are too direct.  So you need to balance out talent with the proper physical profiles....  it's something that completely escapes Flo at Madrid

Eh. You got a point there I did not consider~

Top kek @ the flo jib, Many things escape him though.

Dunno about you but in spite of not having Benz, France is a safe bet for triumph. High quality in just about everything bar playmaking and the Arsenal duo. Griezmann cant do it alone and he is gonna be the main goalscoring threat so his creative play will be rather diminished. Martial is the next best thing. Would rather see him play cf and have a real winger do that role. but w/e man, you say this but the problem with Giroud is that he is too limited. if opposing teams manage to quiet Griezmann and you already have martial out of place in the flanks, all you're left with is...Giroud.

If it were me. I would be panicking like crazy. I'm surprised you're very calm and confident about this. Because if I were an opposing coach, just canceling out Griezmann and Martial would be more than enough to at least secure a draw. Giroud is not a big name nor is he one to be feared. being 6'4 means nothing if you don't how to utilize such well. Would rather roll with Gignac who is 6'2. tall enough to be a good aerial threat and he is in confident form.

Giroud may start but he can be subbed at anytime. Imo he will have the first 3 games to prove his worth ( tbh he already did ) . You have to start someone Like him . France is not spain . On paper Martial - Griez- Payet/Coman might look better but they need physicality in there.

Notjing to worry about in attack even if Ben arfa would have been useful. Griezmann is one the vert players un thé world , it won't be easy to shut him down.

Their defense is a concern imo. Good enough to reach 1/2 finals but against top noch opponents every little mistake can be costly.

All the defenses are questionable...  Spain, Germany, Belgium, etc.  There isn't a standout defense out there.  Midfield and goalkeeping will be key for defensive performance.

DD has already made clear that Giroud is first choice. But if he underperforms in the first match then Gignac is more than ready to take over.

Striker isn't even an issue. Both wide men are goal threats along with Pogba.

Issue is who partners Pogba and Matuidi. Kante/Lass will both make the midfield more solid but won't be able to do much if France need a goal or have to break down a stubborn defence. Cabaye is quite average. Sissoko is just a runner.

You haven't watched Lass RG...  he's been absolutely astounding at OM.  He's like Motta except better this season.  Too bad the rest of the team is pathetic so you don't really see him enough.

Only issue with Lass is whether he can play so many games in a short timeframe.  He's struggled with that a bit this season.  Granted, the opposition brutalize him because they know he's the only decent midfielder so he should have more space on NT. In fact, he has looked even better with NT in the last 4 games because he has players around him that are at his level there.

Have avoided Marseille tbh

But that's good to hear if he has been playing as a CM rather than DM.

sportsczy wrote:It's a sad situation at RB when Jallet makes the team and Sagna starts.

Sagna is a fantastic RB what are you talking about? He's had a superb season.

Raphaël Varane has suffered a left thigh strain. Out for the Champions League, a doubt for the EURO 2016. (@fredhermel)

Varane, Sakho & Zouma all out of Euro 2016. France now left with Koscielny, Mangala, Mathieu & Rami


fml

Koscielny the only good CB left. Rest are a mistake waiting to happen.

Defense is very very shaky now. Midfield is going to have to be dominant.

Mathieu is pretty good tbh. But he's also a LCB. I think that, unfortunately, you are going to see Rami-Kos because they both will play on their preferred side. The only saving grace is that Matuidi does a great job helping his side and Pogba is not terrible either. Lass is also a good DM.

I expect France to play it far more conservatively due to these injuries. Basically going to cover our defense first and count on the brilliance of the strikers and midfielders to make something happen. You won't see the fullbacks bombing forward unless it's needed.

Don't really like Mathieu tbh. He is solid but he is unspectacular, aging, slow and never seems to have a dominant match. I hope he does well when he has to play but I suppose DD will give Mangala the nod ahead.

Also bit of a douche move to have Umtiti on the reserve list but calling Rami instead. DD loves his experience.

Lass-Matuidi should be the pivot now for sure with Pogba ahead.

Hop on the Belgium bandwagon before it's too late. France look more ordinary as the days pass.

Rami

The reserves are used by DD to give kids a chance to experience the training for a NT. He had no intention of calling up some of those guys. I bet you if a striker goes down, Gameiro gets called in over Lacazette (which he should).

Barca play a high line and that's always been tough for Mathieu. When he was most effective before Barca... they set up normally so he had the play in front of him as opposed to behind him. When Barca went down 10 and sat back for once, you saw him look comfortable and that's not a coincidence.

Belgium is crap Gil. Get off it. Not only are half the players overrated and proven overrated... the coach is absolute garbage. They'd have a chance if the coach wasn't so average.

RealGunner wrote:Varane, Sakho & Zouma all out of Euro 2016. France now left with Koscielny, Mangala, Mathieu & Rami


fml

Koscielny the only good CB left. Rest are a mistake waiting to happen.

WHY THE HELL NOT LAPORTE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Laporte is rated on the basis that nobody watches Bilbao

isn't Laporte injured as well? broken fibula and dislocated ankle back in March

True. Forgot

What about that Atletico kid Hernandez ?

Isn't he....spanish?

Now that Varane and Benzema are out I can say with confidence that France are going to go out before the semi.

No they wont.

They have by far the easiest road to semi compared to any team

They'll get dumped out in the semi tho

I have full faith in Pogbito

RealGunner wrote:Isn't he....spanish?

No. He plays for France U23 and is playing their games this coming week too. He's French and wants to play with France NT. Too young still though. Only 20.

First ever Hernandez to ever play for France ffs

As far as Rami... he looked darn good against Liverpool and Barca in the Europa and CDR finals. Kept Coutinho and then Neymar in check. For him, he needs the pressure of big games. He struggles during league seasons due to lapses in concentration.

Looks like he's in form. Rami-Kos isn't that bad especially since Sagna/Evra know what they're doing. It's experienced. You don't have the talent level of a Varane in there... but Varane hasn't been all that great this year as he keeps getting injured and isn't a regular as a result.

Just can't afford any more injuries there.