The coach of the France team delivered his analysis after the draw conceded in Croatia on Monday evening (1-1) during the 2e Nations League day.
Special Envoy to Split
His analysis of the match, what was missing to win?
“The result brings regrets even if our end of the game was less consistent than during the first 80 minutes. We had done good things taking into account the number of changes (10 compared to Friday and the match against Denmark). We had two 2-0 chances, that’s football… We could have lost it at the end too because we conceded other situations. There was the penalty, the public pushing, the lines stretching… Despite everything, we were consistent in creating chances. I can’t be completely satisfied, but I would have preferred there to be the result at the end. All in all, I retain a lot more positives.”
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Why be back to four behind and change the game system?
“Obviously there were a lot of changes, forced and forced, because of the concern of some players, others where we didn’t want to take any risks. Compared to the 11 players, I always have the same objective, to put them in the best positions. In this system (4-4-2), it is the animation that can always be improved. It’s not just a question of the system and with the repetition of matches, I will have to change in the next match (Austria on Friday). Why no system? I’m not frozen, it’s not giving up. Now is the time (to try out), even if we are in the competition, these are above all preparation matches.
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The flaws at the end of the meeting, how to explain it?
“It is also the merit of the opponent. We give them the opportunity to equalize, but trying to win, we have less balance. Change or not, a lot is done due to the time of the season. This is not the reason (for the Croatian equalizer). Obviously, there is a lived experience and an experience, with less than 200 selections on the starting lineup, while with Antoine and Hugo we are more. Not that this is an excuse, but inevitably there are fewer automatisms.
Qualification is moving away in the League of Nations, what about the goal of the Blues?
“I’ve already told you, we’re in the competition, but taking one point out of six doesn’t put us in the best position. We have this objective of winning but these are also preparation matches and it is in anticipation of what awaits us at the end of the year (the World Cup). We want to see different systems, different players, at this time of year it’s complicated for all teams with players who have been in high demand.
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His view of Tchouaméni’s performance
“If you ask this question it means that you found it good (smile) I found it better in March. He’s not a robot, he’s a young player who has an important choice to make (about his future). But Aurélien is solid, consistent, he lost his ball but he is there, the young people are pushing and that’s good.
His opinion on the attacking trio Ben Yedder-Diaby-Nkunku
“They are in different registers. There was consistency between them with different qualities. Diaby is more in percussion on his side, Christopher is able to play higher and keep. Wissam was more isolated on our offensive phases but that did not prevent him from making an assist. The three were in their register but with little experience together.
The performance of Kimpembe, captain for an evening
“He was in control and aggressive. It was also exposed with the presence of more attackers afterwards. At the end of the match, we conceded more but it is not only linked to him. There were more intervals in our defense. Presnel was very solid as usual and clean in the outings. He is an athletic and expressive leader, who is very important in the group. »
The difficult time he lives with the death of his father
“(Moved) Already it is someone (Zlatko Dalic) that I appreciate beyond his skill as a coach. We ended up in the World Cup final (in 2018), and every time I meet him again, it’s a pleasure. Life makes us have another common bridge (the death of their fathers), we would have preferred never to have it. I will not go into the details of our discussion. (If they raised the subject together) It is something that intervened in the exchange that we had.