Boring but businesslike? Uninventive but efficient?
Whatever your thoughts on the current France side, they are undoubtedly a side whose best habit is the thing that matters most: winning.
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“They just know how to get the result, and do what they need to get by”, SBS analyst David Zdrilic said after Didier Deschamps’s side defeated Uruguay 2-0 to set up a mouth-watering semi-final prospect against either Brazil or Belgium.
It’s a simplistic yet apt summation.
And while France’s Round of 16 seven-goal thriller against Argentina was a highlight in an already-brilliant World Cup, the quarter final victory won’t be bookmarked in the World Cup annals.
It was, however, a tactically sound performance by Deschamps who has weathered further criticism at home this week for his pragmatic style that has frustrated many countrymen and even former teammates.
Former defender Frank Leboeuf said the current side “have not understood what football represents in our country”, while Christophe Dugarry said: “I can’t stand watching this France team play any more”.
It’s just white noise for Deschamps, however, whose role is to win games for his nation and take them as deep into the World Cup as possible. Currently, it’s a role he’s carrying out with aplomb.
On paper, France possess levels of talent surpassed by few nations in Russia 2018. Some fans believe he has turned a squad of creative match-winners into risk-averse pragmatists concerned only with grinding out wins.
For some, winning is not enough. It will never be enough.
Deschamps’s pragmatic approach is in contrast to his predecessors, and critical French fans don’t need to look back far to know what’s possible when the discipline enforced by their current coach isn’t in place.
After all, it was only back in 2010 when the side completely lost the plot as player strikes, rows and and resignations made them the laughing-stock of world football.
(A brief trip down memory lane: Nicolas Anelka told then manager Raymond Domenech in no uncertain terms where he should go, refused to apologise, and had the squad refuse to train. Mutiny ensued. They would go on to lose to Mexico and host South Africa and were eliminated in the group stages with just one point).
Their reputation, be that fair or unjust, is of being emotionally-led with an equal ability for brilliance and pure madness.
Undoubtedly one of Deschamps’ best attributes is quelling any such behaviour. He wants dogged determination on the pitch, and fewer headlines off it. In a dressing room with players such as Paul Pogba and Olivier Giroud, diplomacy is key, and something he appears to have in spades.
The selection of Giroud typifies Deschamps’ pragmatism. With other more ‘exciting’ options on the bench (such as the world’s second-most expensive player in Ousmane Dembele), Deschamps has opted for Giroud for his presence in the air, and an ability to have teammates play off him.
It’s certainly not an overly inspiring move – Giroud hasn’t scored in his last seven games for the national side. But he fits into the system Deschamps want to play. Calls to drop the Premier League striker is just white noise for the 49-year-old: If we’re winning, why tinker with it?
France, aside from Kylian Mbappe’s dazzling performance against Argentina, are yet to light up the tournament. Wins against the Socceroos and Peru were ground out, and the 0-0 draw against Denmark is odds-on for the worst game of the otherwise brilliant spectacle in Russia.
But this is nothing new and entirely unsurprising under Deschamps.
In Euro 2016, a tournament they hosted, France made the final (which they arguably should have won, going down to Portugal in extra-time) through a series of grafted results. Despite being granted a fairly generous draw, the hosts scraped past Romania and Albania in the group stages and then Ireland in the Round of 16.
Yet they kept winning. Sound familiar?
They saved their best performance for the semi-final, knocking out favourites Germany through an Antoinne Griezmann brace. They peaked when it mattered and almost pulled off a famous victory. Could they do the same against either Brazil or Belgium on Wednesday morning?
That A-League Fan
Roar Guru
I watched the second half and Uruguay never looked like scoring, which was most unlike Uruguay. They put a lot of inaccurate crosses into the box which was easily defended by the French defense. Although the scoreboard didn't suggest this, France didn't really offer much in attack either and Uruguay's defense held up reasonably well. After the second goal was scored, a howler from Muslera, France started diving (Mbappe in particular) which frustrated the Uruguayans. France vs Belgium, probably the latter. Belgium has the firepower to cause headaches for any side, while France played a weakened Uruguay who at times, looked even worse than the Aussies.
13th Man
Guest
With Brazil going out, they are favorites. I really hope they meet England in the final. What a match that would be!
jameswm
Roar Guru
Allez Les Bleus!! They could easily win this. They have the solid defence and midfield and enough firepower up front.