Blunt bodies

The June rallies are never a cakewalk for the coaches, faced with players exhausted by their extended season.

That of June 2022 is all the more particular as it reserves four matches in 11 days, a consequence of the programming of the World Cup-2022 in winter which upsets the calendar.

And inevitably, the bodies squeak.

Monday in Split, the Monegasque Aurélien Tchouaméni and the Marseillais Mattéo Guendouzi played their 60th match of the season in all competitions … And many of them in the France group have more than 50 matches in the socks.

"These end-of-season situations are complicated for many players. There are a lot of injuries. These players necessarily have less freshness", noted Didier Deschamps, deprived of Paul Pogba and Raphaël Varane by injury (forfeits), and obliged to spare a few holders affected (Kylian Mbappé, N'Golo Kanté).

Adaptation and upheaval

This tunnel of matches and the precarious states of form led Deschamps to make "constrained and forced changes", according to his formula.

The coach of the Blues Didier Deschamps not reassured by the performance of his players against Croatia in Split, June 6, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP

Between Saint-Denis and Split, ten different players were lined up at kick-off (with Tchouaméni as the only survivor), a reshuffle of unprecedented proportions since the enthronement of the coach ten years ago, in 2012. 17 selections on average and had few benchmarks (in defense) or none (midfield and attack) together.

"It's not an excuse, but there are necessarily fewer automatisms", admitted "DD", insisting on the lack of "lived and experience" of the players of his plan B.

With these cards in hand, Deschamps returned to his old fetish system with four defenders (two axial, two side players), as if he doubted the one with three axial yet used all season.

Fragile endgame

The France team had two faces in Saint-Denis and Split but they were punished each time at the end of the game, moreover because of the same errors.

"We have to work on our endgames," noted midfielder Matéo Guendouzi.

The Blues did not "frame" the opposing ball carrier enough, letting the danger get closer to the surface, and sinned in the defensive alignment.

Asked about these placement errors, Deschamps mentioned points "that we can always improve, it is not specific to the number of defenders".

Benjamin Pavard and the defense of the Blues forced to a draw (1-1) by Croatia in Split, June 6, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP

The newcomers, such as Antoine Griezmann and Jonathan Clauss in Split, did not stabilize the team and it collapsed at the end of the game against Denmark (winning goal by Cornelius in the 88th) and Croatia (equalization at the 83rd).

The Blues are knocked down in June, after being stunning in the fall against Belgium and Spain in the "Final 4" of the League of Nations.

In Austria, there is no room for error

With one point in two games, "we are not placed in the best position", admitted Deschamps.

The defense of the title in the League of Nations is no longer even in the hands of the Habs, left behind by Denmark who have a five-point lead without having played a single home game.

Friday (8:45 p.m.) in Vienna against Austria, where the executives of the attack (Benzema, Mbappé, Griezmann) are hoped for at kick-off, a defeat would almost eliminate the Blues from the race for "Final 4", especially if Denmark has a third success in a row at the same time against the Croats.

France striker Antoine Griezmann unsuccessful in front of Croatia's goal in Split, June 6, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP

And it would then be necessary to fight to avoid the last place, synonymous with a relegation to the second division which would stain for the world champions as Qatar approaches.

© 2022 AFP