Kiev (AFP)

After five matches without a win, the French world champions no longer scare many people, if not themselves.

Their defense pitched, their attack slipped and the maneuvers of Didier Deschamps did not allow to straighten the bar.

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Solidity gone

The collective strength of the Blues has crumbled since this summer, to such an extent that they have not won a match since the duel against Germany (1-0) at the opening of the Euro.

Then, three draws followed in the tournament, including elimination in the round of 16 against Switzerland (3-3, 5-4 tab), then two more when qualifying for the 2022 World Cup resumed.

The time when Didier Deschamps' men acted as an insatiable ogre, feared by both large and small opponents, seems to be over. "It's over the euphoria of the 2018 World Cup, where we felt that at any time we could tip the result in our favor. We were on a wave of success and it broke a bit. "admitted goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, captain abandoned by a once famous defense.

After five matches without conceding a goal, the France team conceded the opener in the following five meetings, including the last Saturday in Ukraine (1-1).

Mitigating circumstance, the defense set up in Kiev (Dubois, Zouma, Kimpembe, Digne) did not include any holder of the last World Cup.

The only one to have lived the Russian adventure, Presnel Kimpembe, appears feverish in September.

The Ukrainian goal came from an overflow that he failed to control.

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Soul supplement at half mast

Saturday, despite the urgency of victory, the Blues seemed numb by the cold of Kiev, contenting themselves before the break with a sterile possession of the ball, without idea or scoring opportunity. The only real opportunity came from Anthony Martial but the Manchester United striker missed a golden head-to-head with the Ukrainian goalkeeper. On the counter, Ukraine panicked the French defense and scored.

"It's better to have the ball but that's not all," control is not much use "offensive and defensive aggressiveness," admitted Deschamps after the game.

Same observation for Lloris: "in the first period, we lacked commitment, aggressiveness against a solid Ukrainian bloc. (...) There are the requirements of the very high level and we must meet them" , continued the Tottenham goalkeeper.

The disappointment of Antoine Griezmann (N.7) against Ukraine in the 1-1 draw in Kiev, September 4, 2021 FRANCK FIFE AFP

Faced with grouped defenses, the world champions fail or little to force the lock.

Their game purrs, the opponents claw and the Blues are content to react, too often.

Optimists will see a reason for hope: of course, the France team is chasing the score, but it always manages to equalize.

Not losing has become the goal of the Blues, which says a lot about their weakening.

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Deschamps, missed turns

The World-2018 had drawn an indestructible team-type, with a precise game plan and well assimilated by the group.

Since then, Deschamps has multiplied the tactical variants with the assumed objective of placing each player "in the best possible position".

But it is clear that there have been few paying decisions for several months.

The system with three central defenders, against Switzerland at the Euro, will remain one of the most resounding tactical failures of his mandate.

The stubbornness to start the central defender Jules Koundé on the right, Wednesday against Bosnia (1-1), even though the Sevillian had just experienced an aborted transfer to Chelsea and lacked benchmarks in this position, did not work no more with the exclusion of the former Bordeaux.

On Saturday, in the absence of Kylian Mbappé, the opportunity to perfect the understanding between Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann was not seized, with the rest of the first in favor of Martial, admittedly a scorer but not very convincing in the Game.

The coach Didier Deschamps not reassured by the performance of the Blues against Ukraine at the Olympic stadium in Kiev, September 4, 2021 FRANCK FIFE AFP

And the bet to tighten the list from 26 to 23 players after the Euro was also missed: "I have never called so many players in a single stage", noted "DD".

Rare clearing in the gray, the first selections of Aurélien Tchouameni (21 years) and Moussa Diaby (22 years), precious for their first internship in the France team.

© 2021 AFP