EURO 2016 France - Group A

France scrapped past Romania with last minute goal and all of a sudden they are resting players in second match?

Only two non performing players in the first match 'rested'? Give me a break. Pogba and griezman got benched for playing poorly, nothing more.

Man, I thought Romania would win this match. Oh well there's still a good chance for them to get through.

Nah Romania have a good defence but thats it. Switzerland were comfortably the better team and should have won

Embolo needs to start

It's not a question of style...  it's the result.  Albania are the worse team in the group.  Both Griezmann and Pogba are managing minor knocks.   Deschamps has Martial and Coman who are fit.  It's a very good risk to rest the two guys and have them ready for the group final against Switzerland.

Romania are much better than you think.  They just drew Switzerland and the game was very even imo. Number of shots and chances were quasi-equal. Romania played better until the 65th min and then they ran out of steam leading to the Swiss finishing well.

This isn't club football.  You don't have super teams that are going to walk over the non-elite.  Every game is going to be hard fought as long as the opposition is competitive.  Only the really really crap teams will get beaten hard and there aren't many of those in Europe who qualify for the Euro.  In fact, i don't expect a huge score against Albania either, who defend hard...  but i do expect a win without conceding many opportunities against the Albanians.

I sometimes feel that this recent super team club era has led many to forget what football really is.

Hope Fraudba is benched for the rest of the tournament

Send him home if possible

sportsczy wrote:How do you explain dropping Griezmann too...  i don't think that's it farfan.  You make the system fit the best starting 11 if you're a good manager.

Deschamps is just managing his squad.  I actually feel that Payet will get rested in the next game along with Matuidi or Kante.

Matuidi and Kante can't hold the entire midfield against the better sides.  Too thin.  Coman/Martial are too young to be counted on tactically to compensate from the wings.

I actually get the argument of fatigue for Griezmann . But who knows , maybe DD wants a proper winger who stretches the play and doesn't constantly  cut inside ? against Romania  He and Payet were frequently running into each other at times and at a certain point having both of them  seemed redundant, and the team lacked width because of that .
In pogba's case , he's yet to show anything that warrants playing Payet out of position just to keep him in the starting 11 .
DD did the same with him in 2014 too .

Matuidi-Kante could work if the former could stick to his defensive duties and stop pretending he's a left winger .  

Pogba does not have a minor knock, Griezmann? yes

Pogba has been benched, all the french press have been talking about it for the past week. he has been benched, pure and simple

Nah Romania have a good defence but thats it. Switzerland were comfortably the better team and should have won

Embolo needs to start

Should've won? They were terrible.Lacking end product and wasting the few good chances they got.

A good team will rekt them

If he rest those guys for the last match your right.

If not, then it's because he was trying to let those 2 know who's boss.

But I agree with you, he's likely resting players and trying to keep guys fresh

It's a combination of both : Albania is the weakiest side of the group so a little turnover against them is ok considering coman , Martial .. are good enough to beat them. If they had to play albania at last we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Pogba and Griez are very likely start against Swiz but it's also a warning to them that nobody's place is granted. Griezmann just came off a difficult CL final so he has an excuse whereas Pogba is a little bit more critized for his display.

Griezmann was a non-factor against Romania. Has never done anything meaningful for France anyways. Give Martial a go and see how he does.

Lucifer wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Who rates them lol?

Noone. Just some random female Mod

Pfft. The match today was far more entertaining than the majority of the others so far. To waste chances you have to create them first after all

Pogba and Griezmann deservedly dropped. Was hoping Deschamps would keep them for Albania's sake.

RealGunner wrote:Griezmann was a non-factor against Romania. Has never done anything meaningful for France anyways. Give Martial a go and see how he does.

You're joking.  The last 4 NT games prior to this last get together (he was playing CL Final)...  Griezmann was the best player on the pitch clearly.  And i mean by a country mile.

The other thing is that Deschamps wants the ability to shift between the 433 and 4231 as needed against certain opposition.  For example, I think the 4231 is a better system to play against Germany.  However, the 433 is a must against Spain and Italy.  

So you're still testing out options.  France didn't have all its players in the friendlies during the build up.  Griezmann was missing due to the CL final and both Matuidi and Martial missed time due to knocks.  

In a sense, he's forced to try some things now because it's the first time he has his entire squad.

Lass getting hurt impacted a lot of things too btw. Kante doesn't control the ball or pace like Lass does so that's a consideration. Kante, Matuidi and Pogba are all very direct players.

both pogba and griezmann have done nothing for france at NT level, everyone can attest to that. It's both the fact that they sucked in official tourney and the fact that Deschamps is some idiot that does not know how to get the best out of them. Both playing out of position is not acceptable imo. they have been bad regardless tho

But Pogba dropped in the second game of the euros when france won the first one and albania is a pretty easy team?

Who is this "everyone". Go watch the France games against the Netherlands and Russia in March and tell me who the best player for France was: Griezmann BY FAR. Come on ffs

Nobody is getting benched. Players that played the most this season are getting some rest and Coman/Martial are getting experience in a tournament because they will be needed later.

The issue tactically is that Matuidi, Kante and Pogba are all B2B players... so a 433 doesn't really suit that trio. You don't have a player like Lass to settle the pace. They just want to get the ball and go. So maybe the 442 and 4231 are systems that better fit the squad.

sportsczy wrote:Who is this "everyone". Go watch the France games against the Netherlands and Russia in March and tell me who the best player for France was: Griezmann BY FAR. Come on ffs

Nobody is getting benched. Players that played the most this season are getting some rest and Coman/Martial are getting experience in a tournament because they will be needed later.

The issue tactically is that Matuidi, Kante and Pogba are all B2B players... so a 433 doesn't really suit that trio. You don't have a player like Lass to settle the pace. They just want to get the ball and go. So maybe the 442 and 4231 are systems that better fit the squad.

That trio would be good against teams like Germany or Spain, teams that are more on the offensive but when you have to break down these more stubborn teams, you're right

Still very surprising Pogba is dropped, Griezmann too. I think you at least give them the start and then if you have to sub them in the second half, then you do

I dont give a shit about some useless pre tournament game lol. All that matter is competition, and both were useless in the world cup, useless in the first game this tourney.

Pogba has been benched, i read and listen to french media everyday and there is no mistaking it, he isnt being rested, more like punished.

Lass wouldnt have saved France, he is not exactly Xabi Alonso in command or inteligence. They would have struggled less to find space in the midfield, but i have seen enough of Lass to know it wasnt a sure thing. Pogba playing right side of the midfield to me isnt comfortable. He does alright, but he should be played in the same zone he plays with Juve.

Griezmann is a second striker who excels at making runs and finishing, but cant dribble to save a puppy's life, very poor in 1v1 for someone of his level. Him outwide is one terrible idea, he will never succeed in that role. He can have magi moment, but i guess that;s enough nowadays.

Surprised how Matuidi has escaped criticism, thought both him and Fraudba were poor.

Should play Cabaye in that anchor role.

Drop Matuidi and play Pogba in his position with Kante on the right.

Matuidi playing on that left hand side is what is causing this tactical dilemma and has eventually resulted in Pogba being dropped,.

Pogba played a good game against Romania.Not out of this world but a really a good game.All this hype around him has led to extremely high demands from fans.He's not the messiah yet that France expect him to be.

France needs a playmaker and their best play maker is yohan cabaye, that is the biggest tactical dilemma they are facing. It has been the biggest problem since Zidane retired. They have no playmakers to control the game. Fraudgba is a instinctive player, him trying to play make looks lol worthy.

Albania's anthem is cute.

I don't see the big deal here.

It's Albania for god's sake, lets reward Payet by allowing him to play in his favourite role which is CAM. You take out Pogba but therefore get the chance to use both young wingers to test them a bit.

Payet needs to drop deeper. There's space between Albania's initial press and their back four but no one is dropping into it to receive the ball.

ALbania finding it easy to counter

The lawn is a disaster, the groundsman failed hard today