Playing on home ground and darlings of many football hipsters due to a wealth of uber-talented young attackers, can they actually meld into a tough and cohesive side?
My guess at a starting 11:
Martial---Giroud---Griezmann
--- ---Pogba---Matuidi----------
--------------Kante----------------
Evra--Koscielny-Rami---Sagna
--------------Loris------------------
-We could just as easily see Coman or Payet on one of the wings. One of the issues here is that its tough to leave out Griezmann given how great he has been the last few years, but he is most effective playing as a second striker, not a winger. He played on the wing at Real Sociedad a fair amount but he has been excellent through the middle at Atletico, yet there is no position like that in France's 4-3-3.
-That midfield is beastly in terms of work rate and physicality but low on passers. If they concede first against a weaker team, do they have the players to really unlock defenses massed behind the ball (bringing on Payet, who has been mainly played as a winger by France, as an attacking midfielder might be one option there)? What will happen if they face a team like Spain or Germany with a midfield that is much more technical? A player like Cabaye might be a better option as the holding DM in certain situations.
-Their defense was their weakest unit and has been further hurt by injuries to players like Varane and Zouma. I don't mind the Rami-Koscielny partnership but those fullbacks are ancient and the defensive depth is pretty thin if anybody gets hurt or has a card suspension. As noted above, France is unlikely to dominate possession against the better, more technical teams so the defense will have to hold up for extended periods while the team looks for opportunities to counter. I'm somewhat skeptical of their ability to do so.
-All in all, France deserve to be considered one of the favorites but a lot of that has to do with playing at home, a favorable draw (its quite likely they won't have to play anybody very good until the semis), and the fact that no other team looks particularly imposing.
My guess at a starting 11:
Martial---Giroud---Griezmann
--- ---Pogba---Matuidi----------
--------------Kante----------------
Evra--Koscielny-Rami---Sagna
--------------Loris------------------
-We could just as easily see Coman or Payet on one of the wings. One of the issues here is that its tough to leave out Griezmann given how great he has been the last few years, but he is most effective playing as a second striker, not a winger. He played on the wing at Real Sociedad a fair amount but he has been excellent through the middle at Atletico, yet there is no position like that in France's 4-3-3.
-That midfield is beastly in terms of work rate and physicality but low on passers. If they concede first against a weaker team, do they have the players to really unlock defenses massed behind the ball (bringing on Payet, who has been mainly played as a winger by France, as an attacking midfielder might be one option there)? What will happen if they face a team like Spain or Germany with a midfield that is much more technical? A player like Cabaye might be a better option as the holding DM in certain situations.
-Their defense was their weakest unit and has been further hurt by injuries to players like Varane and Zouma. I don't mind the Rami-Koscielny partnership but those fullbacks are ancient and the defensive depth is pretty thin if anybody gets hurt or has a card suspension. As noted above, France is unlikely to dominate possession against the better, more technical teams so the defense will have to hold up for extended periods while the team looks for opportunities to counter. I'm somewhat skeptical of their ability to do so.
-All in all, France deserve to be considered one of the favorites but a lot of that has to do with playing at home, a favorable draw (its quite likely they won't have to play anybody very good until the semis), and the fact that no other team looks particularly imposing.
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