Diamond, return of Rabiot, long game of Pogba, what have we learned from the Blues?

The France team ended this international mini-truce with a last-minute victory in Zagreb (1-2)Pogba's entry made the difference against Croatia. - FRANCK FIFE / AFP Three games without defeat and the possibility of playing first place in the League of Nations group against Portugal in just one month. The Blues did the job without batting an eyelid during this international break, even if the draw against Portugal was one more suffering in a period that is already experiencing too much. 20

Pogba's entry made the difference against Croatia.

FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Three games without defeat and the possibility of playing first place in the League of Nations group against Portugal in just one month.

The Blues did the job without batting an eyelid during this international break, even if the draw against Portugal was one more suffering in a period that is already experiencing too much.

20 Minutes

takes stock of these ten days of immersion at Clairefontaine (for the players, it was only by Zoom).

The diamond did not work miracles

After the 3-5-2, DD once again innovated by taking out of his magic drawer a diamond very rarely used under his mandate just to have a new spare system in case.

This has not changed the deep nature of the France team, which does not know how to dominate or print highlights over time.

Defensively, it was even in difficulty as rarely in Zagreb, admitted Lloris.

In the second half, it was average.

We were suffocated by our opponent, they had nothing more to lose, they had to win this match.

They started the second half with a lot more aggressiveness and intensity.

We played a little too low and struggled to keep the ball.

They had mastery so we suffered ”.

Grizou is still sick, but we can cure him

"I put everything in and if it went to the stand, it was the same."

Antoine Griezmann did not pretend to make us believe that his goal was the result of a controlled strike from A to Z. But even a little lucky, this goal will do a lot of good in the head of the leader of the attack tricolor, who has been playing backwards since leaving Atletico for Barça.

This does not remove the reservations of observers, after another game on Wednesday, but let's say that Grizou has gained a few weeks of respite.

Antoine Griezmann's goal against Croatia

pic.twitter.com/52m8YxbxNp

- Barca - Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (@barca_ivoire) October 14, 2020

Rabiot is back in the game

We thought Rabiot lost for the international cause since his despicable return to Bulgaria, one evening in 2017 when the situation commanded character and commitment, all that had been lacking in the Parisian environment.

Three years later, in an equivalent setting, he achieved his best half with the blue jersey.

Significant recoveries, breakthroughs for a 400m runner, and a few well-felt raises, this was the version that has long been demanded in the inconstant midfield of Juve.

Deschamps, was not obliged to recall him in view of the immense reservoir in this position, but by establishing him in the two games he could play during this international break (he was forfeited against Ukraine), the coach has proved that he found a little something more in her.

“Adrien has confirmed everything he does right.

He has technical ease, the showdown, a very, very good level ”.

Can the former Parisian still ruin everything?

It would be tragic now that he has returned to the equation.

Pogba is indispensable to this team (and he has the best long game in the world)

He didn't have the legs to start two games in a row, but Pogba didn't need more than five minutes to remind everyone that the France team wasn't without him.

Its long playing is a delight that is not praised enough.

DD took care of that for us.

“The quality of the penultimate pass, this technical ability, that's what starts everything on Mbappé's goal.

He is one of the leaders, he has this ability to be able to be decisive and be a driving force ”.

There are good students and those who enhance their class.

Paulo is one of them.

Opening of Pogba 🎯

Center in one touch of Digne 👌

Finishing of Mbappé 🔥

💯🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/PcRZq5WUEL

- French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) October 14, 2020

Old grunts can see coming

Two DD reflexes that made us smile.

The first ?

When Croatia equalized and the Blues no longer put one foot in front of the other, he sent all the old guard to warm up.

Pogba, Hernandez and Giroud, while one would swear he had instead planned to launch a Ben Yedder or a Coman first.

When the going gets tough, the coach makes the difference between his safe soldiers and all the others.

The second ?

This little indirect on Grizou when commenting on his goal “The 33rd goal in case you haven't noticed”.

Put another way ?

"I'm not ready to let go."

Camavinga is not perfect (phew)

DD preferred to laugh about it by blaming it on the noise in the stands, but still.

Little Eduardo has flaws.

The Rennais, whose debut for the national team looked like a daydream, was a bit missed in Croatia.

He did not understand that he had to switch with Rabiot at the time of his entry, and this hesitation was not without consequence on the Croatian equalizer.

Deschamps: "We should have gone out on the hitter change or not change, but let's say it took a little time for them to position themselves as I wanted them to position themselves".

Understood Eduardo?

Digne has become a damn good player at Everton

Until now, Lucas Digne has been considered a bit like the fifth wheel of the coach.

The friend we call when the others have said no and with whom we don't have a bad evening, but not great either.

But the former Parisian has become a hell of a good player at Everton, which we had missed since life is not long enough to bump into Everton's matches.

His offensive contribution has been remarkable in Croatia and against Ukraine, when his once suspect love of the duel no longer merits criticism.

Respect, Monsieur Digne.

No one's talking about Digne's pass pic.twitter.com/tAigPEitQy

- Rohit #FreeMessi (@ MessiFC10i) October 14, 2020

Mendy will see the Euro pass under his nose

Consequence of what we just wrote earlier, it does not smell good for Ferland Mendy.

The former Lyonnais may well be the starting left side for the matches that matter to Real in Zizou's mind, he is still in place of the dead in the selection.

Behind Hernandez and Digne on the left, and behind the Pavard-Dubois duo on the right.

Yet The Boy does not demerit.

Involved in the goal of Griezmann, he fought without complaint by defending all evening on his poor support against Perisic and company.

Courage, Ferland.

The Blues are still competitive

The scheme changes, so do men, the content is worth what it is worth, but the result does not vary.

France have lost only twice in their last 33 games, which says it all about the extreme degree of competition of the world champions, or those who aspire to become it with them.

N'Zonzi is a man of few words, but he was able to sum it up quite simply at the microphone of the channel

L'Equipe.

The analysis of Didier Deschamps after the victory of the France team against Croatia (2-1) #CROFRA #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/vGVcn8fUTU

- French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) October 14, 2020

“It's about staying solid, it's about not giving up, to keep pushing, to stay in place defensively, then we manage to stay in the game even when we concede a goal.

It's not always easy.

And then we manage to continue to create a few opportunities and be effective ”.

No harder than that.

Leave the peace to Mbappé

Little music has been pursuing the Parisian prodigy for a few months.

Mbappé would not progress enough, prisoner of his profile as a deep player, unable to “reinvent himself” to exist in more padlocked matches, such as against Portugal.

Against Croatia, some have criticized him for claiming the ball in the feet permanently to try accelerations à la Neymar.

Mbappé, whose main quality is to make the difference in depth, literally asks 90% of his balls in the feet to make the difference after in 1v1 in the race ... Always to win by being stopped instead of attacking the opposing goal .

- Matthias Ribeiro (@MatthiasR_) October 14, 2020

It was not always felt well, but we would have to know: should he get out of his comfort zone or not?

For us, it is yes, and his back-to-goal discounts were not to be thrown in Zagreb, for example.

And then shit.

Even when he is not having a big night, even when the ground is soft, even when he has to play again in two days, Bondy's crackito tears up to give the victory to the Blues.

We have the right to leave him alone, right?

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