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France in last 16, but flaws exist up front
PARIS: France have looked silky at times during their two matches at the European Championship but their lack of cutting edge up front could become a serious source
PARIS: France have looked silky at times during their two matches at the European Championship but their lack of cutting edge up front could become a serious source of concern in the latter stages of the competition.
The team, which on Wednesday became the first team to make it into the knockout stages of Euro 2016 after two late goals saw them beat Albania 2-0, are struggling to convert the numerous chances created by likes of midfielder Dimitri Payet into goals.
“The Kings of Suspense” ran the front-page headline on sports daily L’Equipe’s front page on Thursday, referring to how France again left it late to beat Albania.
It was a similar story against Romania in the opening game, a last-gasp winner from Payet securing the 2-1 win. In both matches, France only really dictated the tempo in the last 30 minutes.
“I think I’ll have grey hair by the end of this tournament with all the stress,” France centre half Adil Rami said. “It’s going to become even more difficult the further we go in this competition. I don’t know how to explain the difference between how we play in each half, perhaps it’s a mental thing.”
It might be more of a mental block than a tactical issue, because France has struggled for consistency in both games.
Coach Didier Deschamps has rung the changes in his formation. He ditched his favoured 4-3-3 formation for the more direct 4-23-1 in the game against Albania, only to revert back to 4-3-3 after the break.
“We weren’t all working together. That’s why I changed things at half-time, so we could have more balance,” Deschamps said. “The players who came on made the difference. If I don’t like the way someone’s playing, I’ll change him.”
FAILING GIROUD
Olivier Giroud was one of those to come off on Wednesday night. Although he scored against Romania, he has missed five good chances in the two games.
Giroud wasn’t the only culprit — midfielder Paul Pogba and wingers Anthony Martial and Kingsley Coman all missed clear-cut chances.
Against the likes of Romania and Albania, that wastefulness may not cause too much damage. But, in the knockout stages, it could be a worry. Payet cannot be expected to get France out of trouble all the time.
Payet scored the winner against Romania in the 89th minute and struck in injury time against Albania with another impressive goal, after substitute Antoine Griezmann had headed home in the 90th minute.
Sharpening up their goal scoring will likely be key for France if they are going to go deep into the competition — because it’s hard to see France sitting back given the creaky state of their patched-up central defence, and the glaring gaps left whenever left back Patrice Evra charges forward.
NORTHERN IRELAND SINK UKRAINE
LYON: Northern Ireland scored two second-half goals to beat Ukraine 2-0 in a feisty Euro 2016 Group C match on Thursday that was briefly suspended due to a hailstorm. Defender Gareth McAuley powered home Oliver Norwood’s free kick after 49 minutes shortly before torrential rain forced the referee to take the players off the pitch.
