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France patchy rather than clinical
PARIS: Fathoming the true ability of tournament host France at the European Championship is difficult because the team is something of a paradox.
PARIS: Fathoming the true ability of tournament host France at the European Championship is difficult because the team is something of a paradox.
The defence has been heavily criticised yet it has conceded only two goals and none from open play. Germany, with four clean sheets, is the only other side yet to concede from open play. While France never score in the first half, they always step up after the break and have a winning team’s aura with their knack for late goals.
“We do have a team capable of winning the tournament, but it’s not going to come just like that by clicking our fingers,” said forward Antoine Griezmann, highlighting the danger of complacency. “The way we start games is bad, even very bad.”
An 89th- minute winner from Dimitri Payet secured a 2-1 win against Romania and Griezmann’s 90th-minute goal helped seal a scrappy 2-0 win against Albania, with Payet adding the second in injury time.
Last weekend, Griezmann’s two second-half goals rescued France as it rallied to beat Ireland 2-1, avoiding embarrassing early elimination in the last 16.
STRONGER START
“None of our first half (performances) have been good,” Griezmann said. “But with regards to (the Ireland game) it’s not possible to do worse.”
France coach Didier Des champs will demand a stronger start against Iceland in the quarterfinal on Sunday, but home fans may take comfort in the fact that successful France teams did it the hard way. When France won the Euro in 1984, Michel Platini’s winner at the end of extra time helped beat Portugal 3-2 in the semifinal. Although France crushed Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 World Cup final, the route to it was laborious.
At this tournament, Des champs has appeared unsure, experimenting with players and oscillating between a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1 formation.
He has two enforced changes to make against Iceland, with center half Adil Rami and midfielder N’Golo Kante suspended.
Kante’s energy will be missed against an extremely hard-working, well-drilled Iceland side, but Deschamps can count on Yohan Cabaye. Playing in his third major tournament, Cabaye was one of France’s best players in the 0-0 draw against Switzerland — with Deschamps resting Kante.
