2023-10-12 22:21:36
In the wake of Aurélien Tchouaméni, invited to open the ball at a press conference, Didier Deschamps came to take stock of the state of his troops on the eve of the meeting against the Netherlands which could validate qualification
The Netherlands will have a lot of absentees. Does this make things easier for tomorrow?
DIDIER DESCHAMPS. This question is kind (laughs). There are people missing from them, but from us too. Us in the defensive sector, them more in the middle and in attack. But who doesn’t have any absentees? We are not going to repeat the discourse around the calendar. We have to adapt, like Koeman. We have the objective of qualifying, the Netherlands are in the race to qualify too. And it’s not the last match we played here that will make me say that it will be easy (editor’s note: 2-0 defeat on November 16, 2018 in the Nations League in Rotterdam). The Dutch play in the best European clubs, it didn’t take much for us to find them on our way to the World Cup. We already have 15 points on the clock, but that’s not why we’re going to change our objective.
What will determine your choice between Kingsley Coman and Ousmane Dembélé?
A bit of everything. They can play together. Ousmane plays regularly on the right, Kingsley can play on both sides. If one of the two starts, for the opponent it is problems to fear. Afterwards, in terms of choice criteria, everything counts, but that does not establish a hierarchy.
Is having a flawless qualifying run important to succeed in the final phase?
I remember that a long time ago we had an ideal run in qualifying and the competition did not go well (editor’s note: undefeated, the Blues were eliminated in the groups at Euro 92). Through results and performance, we are in constant search of improvement. Football is about being effective offensively and defensively. I’m not making this up, when you don’t concede a goal, you only need to score one to win. These are the two areas where you have to be efficient without differentiating them. It’s a balance of power compared to the opponent and it changes with each match.
Would you welcome players banging their fists on the table to make themselves heard in relation to overloaded schedules?
The players are the actors. Calendars are overloaded with high intensity, increasingly short recovery times. Will they be able to calm this down? This is what I wish for them because the injuries are not going to decrease. If they manage to have weight to ensure that they preserve their physical integrity, so much the better. I’m ready to press, of course, but on what? You know very well who decides the new competitions. I’m faced with calendars, but it’s not easy to please everyone. This is not new, it was already like that ten years ago.
Kylian Mbappé had a complicated last week at PSG. Yesterday, he was touched by a bereavement. Are you going to speak with him?
I speak with him regularly. There are elements that you cite that happened. Kylian needs peace of mind, it is also for the good of the Blues. It is there and will be there tomorrow for a very specific objective. You talk about him a lot. He is big and mature enough to protect himself. He is part of a collective, he is not there to take everything. I hope you appreciated Aurélien’s presence (at the press conference). Even if there will be grumpy people who will say that before it was only the captain who came… That is the interest of the selection above all.
Mbappé had a truncated preparation with PSG this summer. Does this explain his current bad period?
Obviously this could have led to the fact that his physical potential was not expressed to 100%. But it also depends on the matches. Against Rennes for example, his second period was more complete in terms of effort and repetition of races. But, he too, all Kylian that he is… It (editor’s note: this period of less good) happened to Antoine (Griezmann), to Aurélien (Tchouaméni), and Olivier (Giroud), I even talk about it not since he didn’t play… He’s not a magician. He will give his best.
At only 23 years old, Aurélien Tchouaméni is already impressive in his ease on the pitch and in his communication. What are still its areas of progress?
Considering his age, being here today is a lot. I remember that there was some concern among you (editor’s note: the press) at the time of the World Cup about the fact that he was going to have to succeed monsters like Pogba and Kanté. It responded favorably to expectations. Afterwards it got a little complicated at Real. There, things are going well for him. Potentially he has everything even if he still has areas for improvement. (he smiles) Now he can even play central defender. Last year at Real he was more in a protective role. He is someone who has a lot of confidence in himself. He knows what I expect of him in terms of the balance of the team and he makes sure to respond favorably to my expectations.
#tranquility #Didier #Deschamps #discusses #Kylian #Mbappés #form #Netherlands