after Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s injury, Corinne Deacon forced to innovate against Iceland

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In the English heat wave – we expect 37 degrees in Rotherham on Monday July 18 –, the cold shower on Friday did more damage in the blue clan. The announcement of Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s package for the rest of Euro 2022 has changed everything. Already qualified for the quarter-finals, the France team finds itself in the unknown. The last game of group D against Iceland on Monday was to be that of the substitutes. It turned into an important meeting, where the Habs must reinvent themselves without their star scorer.

Flamboyant against Italy, already frankly less attractive against Belgium, France must now be innovative. Without Katoto, released after a quarter of an hour of play due to a sprained knee with ligament damage, Corinne Deacon’s players had a hard time moving the Red Flames, yet presented as the most affordable opponent of the group. The quantified objective is achieved: two matches, two victories, and the first place already assured. The question now arises as to how to approach this last outing of the first phase.

The PSG striker was perhaps not the alpha and omega of the tricolor game. But without his talisman, author of 26 goals in 32 selections, the French attack necessarily loses weight and deterrence in the opposing heads. In those of the French, we are already trying to hunt memories, and to project ourselves. “It’s an extra motivation, whatever happens, we had a common goalassures Ouleymata Sarr to Radio France. Now it’s even stronger.“

Sarr knows something about it. It was she who had replaced Katoto against the Belgians, without being impactful. But his good season with Paris FC, after a big injury, and his good preparation, seemed to have made it the main rotation in point in the mind of Deacon. “When we had chosen the 23 players, we had doubled the positions, so it is logical that the player who was the second attacker starts“, she mentioned, Sunday, facing the media. Problem, Sarr also sees her body tormenting her, since she could not take part in training on Saturday, because of muscle discomfort in her stomach. thigh, before being present on Sunday.The puzzle can start again.

What solution should be adopted then? “This is also what makes us strong: we are a nation that is lucky to have a lot of talentwelcomes Sakina Karchaoui at the microphone of Radio France. So we’re going to know how to deal with it, to find other automatisms. There are players who know how to play in this position, we are also lucky to have very versatile players.“Because the solutions are plural.

The option of a tenure of the young Melvine Malard against Iceland, in order to take advantage of her Lyon connection with Selma Bacha or Delphine Cascarino exists. The idea is tempting in a register of space devourer, even if the 22-year-old player only evolves intermittently at OL, where she occupied the left flank this season. An observation which also applies to Kadidiatou Diani, so precious on the right side, as Corinne Deacon recalled on Sunday. Unless the French coach chooses… not to choose.

With the aim of going as far as possible in the competition, this third match, without any sporting stakes, could also be the opportunity to run without real pressure. What free the players and blow the executives, especially in attack. This alternative would be one more way to keep her whole group involved, she who has already played 19 of the 23 players on board in England. It would also have the merit of blurring the tracks for the competition for the quarter-finals against the Netherlands, defending champions. “I’m going to put Wendie Renard in front, but she doesn’t know it yethad fun Deacon at a press conference. There are plenty of options, but you know me, I still don’t tell you.”

Possible reverse of this competition, an unsuccessful performance could also be seen as the risk of arriving in the knockout phase on a worrying dynamic. Deacon readily admitted this on Thursday, after the narrow success against Belgium (2-1): the Bleues did not “used to being bullied“.”Even if the match tomorrow (Monday) does not count for qualification, nor for first place, we want to stay on a dynamic of victories, we want to continue to keep the confidence that we have“, insisted the boss of the Blue. “We’re going to ramp up, I’m really not worried“, estimated for his part Ouleymata Sarr, Friday. First demonstration Monday, against Iceland?


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