Another game without for the France team. The Blues ended their season with a mine defeat, beaten by Croatia, Monday June 13, in front of the spectators of the Stade de France (0-1). Ten days after the setback against Denmark (1-2), the Habs lost again at home. Worse, last in their group, they see their hopes of retaining their title in the League of Nations fly away. Given the performance of his men, Didier Deschamps has serious questions to ask between now and the World Cup in five months.
Against Denmark ten days ago, disillusionment came at the very end of the match. Against Croatia, the meeting turned against the Blues from the first moments. The 77,410 spectators present at the Stade de France barely had time to warm their voices when Luka Modric converted a penalty for the only goal of the match, after a foul by Ibrahima Konaté in the area (5th).
It was not the evening of the Blues and these same spectators made it clear to them at the final whistle with a bronca, despite two last hot shots which crossed the Croatian defense on an error by Josip Sutalo (90 + 4th ) and a header from Konaté (90+5th). Two more chances for the French, who never knew how to find the opening on Monday.
As in their last three games, the Blues certainly started their second period well but achieved another tasteless first half, without a clear chance. They even produced certainly the worst first 45 minutes of this rally.
During these too soft 45 minutes, the French passed the ball to each other without finding any discrepancies, not knowing what to do with a possession approaching 60% at times. Worse, they chained technical inaccuracies, while the Croats showed accuracy at all times, with this ability to slow down the pace when necessary, from start to finish.
19 – France during their first periods in this edition of the League of Nations:
19 shots
8 shots on target
⚽️0 goalWeak. #FRACRO pic.twitter.com/SXIMwORUNP
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 13, 2022
Kylian Mbappé, on the heels of his thunderous entry into play in Austria on Friday, was one of the few to attempt some dazzling accelerations. His strike was too axial (7th) and the public at the Stade de France did not have much more to eat while Karim Benzema, with only 12 balls touched in the first period, seemed absent. Only the end of the first period, with slight situations for Lucas Digne (45 + 1st) and Christopher Nkunku (45 + 2nd), made it possible to wake up the Saint-Denis plain.
In the 4-3-3 installed by Didier Deschamps, a third system during this gathering, Nkunku, Mbappé and Benzema seemed far from each other. Too far. The obvious complicity between Mbappé and Benzema has therefore disappeared from the radar, and that emerging between Nkunku and his two teammates has been reduced to nothing.
The change to 4-4-2 at the start of the second period made it possible to correct the situation and the three attackers found each other more easily, as in this high-class action between Mbappé and Benzema, the latter finally forgetting to shoot (54th ). Then Nkunku served Mbappé in depth, but the Parisian’s strike was well repelled by Ivica Ivusic (58th).
23 – France ended a streak of 23 matches by scoring at least one goal (51 in total), the longest in their history. She had not failed to find the net since November 11, 2020 against Finland in a friendly (0-2). Worrying. #FRACRO pic.twitter.com/BqpNVowvAV
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 13, 2022
In the end, the France team lost despite a clear statistical advantage (17 shots to 4). The Blues had already lost twice in a row at the Stade de France against Brazil then Belgium in 2015 in a friendly, but this is a first in official competition. The defeat could even have been heavier without the huge comeback of Aurélien Tchouaméni after an error by Benjamin Pavard (58th) and the stoppage of Mike Maignan in front of Lovro Majer (72nd).
With this defeat, the French team therefore has a fourth match without a win, which had only happened twice to Didier Deschamps in ten years at the head of the Blues. Beyond these poor performances, what emerges from the gathering worries: little insurance at the tactical level, a confidence at half mast and the impression that this team of France has the greatest difficulty in being creative without Paul Pogba.
The two matches scheduled for September, against Austria and Denmark, will aim to avoid relegation to the League of Nations. By then, the Habs will be able to refresh their ideas. They really need it.