France - Euro 2021 Discussion

BusbyMalone

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France (Group F)

  • France vs Germany - Tuesday June 14, 8pm (Munich)
  • Hungary vs France - Saturday June 19, 2pm (Budapest)
  • Portugal vs France - Wednesday June 23, 8pm (Budapest)

France Euro 2021 squad
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Mike Maignan (Losc), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders: Lucas Digne (Everton), Leo Dubois (Lyon), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Jules Kounde (Sevilla), Clement Lenglet (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea)

Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Monchengladbach)
 

Jacob

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Their midfield isn't the best. Depends on how Pogba is deployed.
 

slored1

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If they will not win or at least reach the final, I would be shocked. Comfortably the best team, just look at that attack: Mbappe-Griezmann-Benzema and Pogba supplying them from behind is the stuff of dreams.
 

Zhagzi

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Of course its not their's to lose. Time and time again, big names on the sheet have disappointed. National tournaments are so unpredictable. Also, Griezmann is a shadow of his Atletico version.
 

JPRouve

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I don't like it when France are seen as the overwhelming favorites, Hungary is going to senegal us.
 

AgentSmith

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Their midfield isn't the best. Depends on how Pogba is deployed.
What is their likely starting XI?

I was looking at their squad and came up with this but I’ve no idea how realistic it is. Seems like a strong midfield though.

Lloris
Pavard - Varane - Kimpembe - Hernandez
Kante - Rabiot
Mbappe - Griezmann - Pogba
Benzema​

I think they’re comfortably the favourites. No one comes close to as balanced and experienced a team as them coupled with a proven manager at the helm.
 

TrustInJanuzaj

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What is their likely starting XI?

I was looking at their squad and came up with this but I’ve no idea how realistic it is. Seems like a strong midfield though.

Lloris
Pavard - Varane - Kimpembe - Hernandez
Kante - Rabiot
Mbappe - Griezmann - Pogba
Benzema​

I think they’re comfortably the favourites. No one comes close to as balanced and experienced a team as them coupled with a proven manager at the helm.
Yeh that team is a massive favourite for the tournament. Anything less then a semi would be a monumental failure.
 

JPRouve

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What is their likely starting XI?

I was looking at their squad and came up with this but I’ve no idea how realistic it is. Seems like a strong midfield though.

Lloris
Pavard - Varane - Kimpembe - Hernandez
Kante - Rabiot
Mbappe - Griezmann - Pogba
Benzema​

I think they’re comfortably the favourites. No one comes close to as balanced and experienced a team as them coupled with a proven manager at the helm.
Rabiot and Pogba would be swapped if it was the setup. The other option is Coman on the right and Mbappé on the left, if it's a 4231.
 

FootballHQ

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Their midfield isn't the best. Depends on how Pogba is deployed.
Dosen't matter if Kante plays like he did the other night as it's practically two players in there but you could be right as the one real weakness in the 11.

At World cup I'm pretty sure they started the Australia game with four attackers and just Kante-Pogba as the pivot and it was very unconvincing so Deschamps then switched to 4-3-3 bringing in Matuidi and balance was so much better.

Guess that would mean Tolisso playing as assumed Lemar was more of a wide attacker rather than CM. Rabiot is just backup for Pogba and Sissoko did a decent job in euro 2016 but very technically limited and hasn't played much for Spurs either.
 

The Corinthian

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Lloris and the other GKs aside, their squad is ridiculously good.
 

Ish

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Now make a France XI consisting of players who didn’t make the euro squad! Would probably still be a very decent side!

France & Portugal favorites IMO. Spain will be thereabouts. England has a good enough squad to upset anyone as well. Italy has performed consistently well, haven’t they? Kind of flown under the radar a bit.
 

JPRouve

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Dosen't matter if Kante plays like he did the other night as it's practically two players in there but you could be right as the one real weakness in the 11.

At World cup I'm pretty sure they started the Australia game with four attackers and just Kante-Pogba as the pivot and it was very unconvincing so Deschamps then switched to 4-3-3 bringing in Matuidi and balance was so much better.

Guess that would mean Tolisso playing as assumed Lemar was more of a wide attacker rather than CM. Rabiot is just backup for Pogba and Sissoko did a decent job in euro 2016 but very technically limited and hasn't played much for Spurs either.
No the first game at the World cup was a 433, with Kanté, Pogba and Tolisso. The change was to play Pogba and Kanté in a double pivot with Matuidi on the left which turned the midfield into a midfield 3 in defense but a 4231 in attack.
 

awop

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In that eleven only Kante, Mbappe and Benzema had very good seasons. Hernandez maybe ?
Lloris, Varane, Kimpembe, Rabiot, Griezmann had average to bad seasons. Pogba is different, even when he has the worst United games, he becomes someone else with France so not too worried about him.
Everyone is way too optimistic about Benzema's return. I would not be shocked at all if it just didnt work like all those years ago and after playing with Giroud for so long.
Germany even in their slump are no joke and Portugal are always hard to play + the revenge factor.
Baring any injuries we should get at least to the semis and then you need a bit of luck.
 

Nani Nana

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Any team with Mbappé in it is favourite of any competition it enters
 
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Including UCL for sure. Had he not been injured against City, all would have been different...
but they weren’t favourites. That’s my point.

france have a great side, Mbappe is a fantastic player, but he’s just a part of the team - not the definitive piece.
 

JPRouve

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So apparently it's going to be a 442 diamond.
 

Luke1995

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IMO they should play Ousmane Dembele from the start. That kid is a fantastic talent. The fact that he's probably going to be on the bench shows just how good their squad is...
 

Sayros

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IMO they should play Ousmane Dembele from the start. That kid is a fantastic talent. The fact that he's probably going to be on the bench shows just how good their squad is...
Had a really solid cameo, and I think that's how it should be at the moment. He's devastating regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench, but it's only compounded against a tired defense (nevermind a tired one playing with 10 men for most of the game). But I can't put Dembele ahead of either Griezmann, Mbappe, or Benzema because he still makes a lot of boneheaded mistakes compared to those other three.

Surprised Camavinga hasnt made the squad in that midfield
Didn't even make it on the field in the -21 elimination game against Netherlands. He's fallen off.
 

ti vu

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Favorite to win. However Kante well being through out the tournament is vital. Unlike the World Cup and 5 years ago, the defensive midfielder department depth is thin. Without Kante, it would require a change in the system, not just a tweak. It's extreme difficult to change during the tournament, and still perform to certain standard.
 

jesperjaap

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Was only on the bench for their under 21s the other night.
Shows how strong they are when you see this squad and there U21 when players like him and Fofana are on the bench for them. I think Englad has a good side at th emoment though we are weak in certain areas so not overall quite as good as we hope. France and Germany I would fear us playing this summer for sure
 

Luke1995

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Had a really solid cameo, and I think that's how it should be at the moment. He's devastating regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench, but it's only compounded against a tired defense (nevermind a tired one playing with 10 men for most of the game). But I can't put Dembele ahead of either Griezmann, Mbappe, or Benzema because he still makes a lot of boneheaded mistakes compared to those other three.


Didn't even make it on the field in the -21 elimination game against Netherlands. He's fallen off.
I feel like this Griezmann isn't the same Griezmann of Atletico Madrid. Technically, he's gotten worse. But yeah, he has way more experience than Dembele.
 

Sayros

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I feel like this Griezmann isn't the same Griezmann of Atletico Madrid. Technically, he's gotten worse. But yeah, he has way more experience than Dembele.
That may be, but he's not going to make as many mistakes. If Dembele cut out 50% of his unnecessary mistakes, he'd be outstanding when fit, but right now I think he's best as an off-the-bench option whether it's a tight game or one with a lot of open space, he can create magic out of nothing but it comes with negatives that I feel are more costly than with Griezmann who can turn it up for France.
 

telstar96

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Deschamps has had a tendency of giving into public pressure to play an attacking lineup, only to revert back to a very pragmatic style that he prefers.

Euro 2016, France started the opening games playing a 4-3-3 with Greizmann on the right, Payet on the left and Giroud through the middle. Let's just say the team looked unconvincing. In the R16, they persisted with the 4-3-3 and found themselves 1-0 down at HT. This prompted Deschamps to replace Kante with Coman to form a 4-2-3-1 with Griezmann in behind Giroud which worked a treat. They persisted with this for the rest of the tournament, usually playing a lopsided midfield with Sissoko on the right who would track back and Payet on the left who would stay forward. Kante didn't feature again for the rest of the tournament. They eventually lost in the final to a well organised Portuguese side, whose manager shared a very pragmatic style similar to Deschamps.

World Cup 2018, France started the opening game against Australia with a 4-3-3 with Greizmann on the Right, Dembele on the left and Mbappe as a ST. Again they looked unconvincing and Deschamps reverted to type. The following games and pretty much for the rest of the tournament Deschamps favoured a lopsided 4-2-3-1, with Matuidi tracking back on the left and Mbappe staying further forward on the right (a very similar system they deployed in 2016). Obviously France went on to win the tournament, with many of their opponents being a lot more expansive which played into Deschamps strategy.

My expectations for France will be that Deschamps will tinker at the beginning of the tournament, only to settle on a very pragmatic system again. The difference this time is that given the strength of Group F, he has a lot less margin for error. France do not want to be going into the final game needing a result against Portugal who stifled them in the 2016 final.
 

Luke1995

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That may be, but he's not going to make as many mistakes. If Dembele cut out 50% of his unnecessary mistakes, he'd be outstanding when fit, but right now I think he's best as an off-the-bench option whether it's a tight game or one with a lot of open space, he can create magic out of nothing but it comes with negatives that I feel are more costly than with Griezmann who can turn it up for France.
Shouldn't these very creative players be allowed the right to make these mistakes though ?

Well, I suppose the Messi's Neymar's and C.Ronaldo's of the world can be more trusted to score goals than Ousmane.

But when you has a player like that, he will always make more mistakes than others, because he will try more different things

France is still in a strong position anyways. If I had to guess, i say that the safe pick is on them and Germany to go through.
 

FootballHQ

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Shows how strong they are when you see this squad and there U21 when players like him and Fofana are on the bench for them. I think Englad has a good side at th emoment though we are weak in certain areas so not overall quite as good as we hope. France and Germany I would fear us playing this summer for sure
I think England match up pretty well v Germany this tournament...bar all the past mental trauma of course.

Italy would give England major trouble from back to front so they're the dangerous floater of the established sides and should have no issue winning their group.
 

FootballHQ

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Would Coman not be above Dembele in the pecking order given he's actually stayed fit for most of the last two years and is a pretty key player for Bayern? Unless he can only play where Mbappe plays.

Feels like this is the tournament that Mbappe will own. He had some excellent periods during world cup 2018 like those runs and finishes v Argentina but think he can step it up a bit more given he's been at top level for 5 years.
 

ti vu

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Deschamps has had a tendency of giving into public pressure to play an attacking lineup, only to revert back to a very pragmatic style that he prefers.

Euro 2016, France started the opening games playing a 4-3-3 with Greizmann on the right, Payet on the left and Giroud through the middle. Let's just say the team looked unconvincing. In the R16, they persisted with the 4-3-3 and found themselves 1-0 down at HT. This prompted Deschamps to replace Kante with Coman to form a 4-2-3-1 with Griezmann in behind Giroud which worked a treat. They persisted with this for the rest of the tournament, usually playing a lopsided midfield with Sissoko on the right who would track back and Payet on the left who would stay forward. Kante didn't feature again for the rest of the tournament. They eventually lost in the final to a well organised Portuguese side, whose manager shared a very pragmatic style similar to Deschamps.

World Cup 2018, France started the opening game against Australia with a 4-3-3 with Greizmann on the Right, Dembele on the left and Mbappe as a ST. Again they looked unconvincing and Deschamps reverted to type. The following games and pretty much for the rest of the tournament Deschamps favoured a lopsided 4-2-3-1, with Matuidi tracking back on the left and Mbappe staying further forward on the right (a very similar system they deployed in 2016). Obviously France went on to win the tournament, with many of their opponents being a lot more expansive which played into Deschamps strategy.

My expectations for France will be that Deschamps will tinker at the beginning of the tournament, only to settle on a very pragmatic system again. The difference this time is that given the strength of Group F, he has a lot less margin for error. France do not want to be going into the final game needing a result against Portugal who stifled them in the 2016 final.
Deschamps is not the type to make the popular decision. For example leaving Benzema, Ribery, Rabiot ...in previous tournaments. He has been leaving out the like of Laporte whom now chooses to play for Spain. Who wanted Gignac to be included in EURO 2016? Also who wanted Sissoko then and now? The press pre World Cup 2018 targeted Pogba at the peak his struggle with Mourinho, but Deschamps pretty much covered him well from public pressure.

Deschamps wants to start on form players (who wouldn't?). However, during the tournament, if it's proven not working, he would adapt, and there is a group players that he trust to fall back on. It's not attacking or defending. It's getting the balance right. Take World Cup for example. First game same amount of attackers, midfielders and defenders as the changed team. It's personnel change, and tactic change. Not approach change. Deschamps is pragmatic. That doesn't change.

Nobody wants to have a tough final group game to decide your fate in tournament, less so Deschamps. He wouldn't tinker for the sake of it, nor making popular decision. The only question is whether he gets it right the first time this time. Also this France is different than the France that lost to Portugal in 2016. If Portugal played the same game this time, they would be unlocked. Benzema and Mbappe added different dimension to that France attack of EURO 2016. It's up to personal opinion whether Portugal is better or worse than the 2016 version. IMO they're worse.
 

ti vu

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Would Coman not be above Dembele in the pecking order given he's actually stayed fit for most of the last two years and is a pretty key player for Bayern? Unless he can only play where Mbappe plays.

Feels like this is the tournament that Mbappe will own. He had some excellent periods during world cup 2018 like those runs and finishes v Argentina but think he can step it up a bit more given he's been at top level for 5 years.
Since Dembele is more unpredictable for opponent on the right wing, he has more chances to play. All 3 of Coman, Dembele, Mbappe can play both wing, however Coman is the most predictable playing the right wing. He would prefer crossing than cutting in with his weaker foot. Mbappe being Mbappe. He's likely shifted to the left or central. That leaves Dembele who can cut inside, or go outside when playing on the right wing.

However if thing goes as plan with the XI. I don't see Coman and Dembele getting that much game.
 

tjb

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Deschamps is not the type to make the popular decision. For example leaving Benzema, Ribery, Rabiot ...in previous tournaments. He has been leaving out the like of Laporte whom now chooses to play for Spain. Who wanted Gignac to be included in EURO 2016? Also who wanted Sissoko then and now? The press pre World Cup 2018 targeted Pogba at the peak his struggle with Mourinho, but Deschamps pretty much covered him well from public pressure.

Deschamps wants to start on form players (who wouldn't?). However, during the tournament, if it's proven not working, he would adapt, and there is a group players that he trust to fall back on. It's not attacking or defending. It's getting the balance right. Take World Cup for example. First game same amount of attackers, midfielders and defenders as the changed team. It's personnel change, and tactic change. Not approach change. Deschamps is pragmatic. That doesn't change.

Nobody wants to have a tough final group game to decide your fate in tournament, less so Deschamps. He wouldn't tinker for the sake of it, nor making popular decision. The only question is whether he gets it right the first time this time. Also this France is different than the France that lost to Portugal in 2016. If Portugal played the same game this time, they would be unlocked. Benzema and Mbappe added different dimension to that France attack of EURO 2016. It's up to personal opinion whether Portugal is better or worse than the 2016 version. IMO they're worse.
Portugal are far better, Bernardo Silva, Felix and Bruno weren't there.Their full backs are significantly better now too.

Now to Deschamps, I agree with you. I think he's actually been fantastic for France and fans simply don't appreciate his ability to analyze and produce the best outcome possible. France don't have midfielders who are best when dominating possession. By nature, France's players are suited to a counter attacking style. They have a strong steady defence ( with more defensive fullbacks), the best ballwinner in the world, Pogba isn't the best for a possesion based team, and in attack, both Griezmann and Mbappe are best with space ahead of them. He played to France's strengths.