WORLD CUP 2010:If the Republic of Ireland are looking for a chink in the French set-up, they need look no further than their centre back pairing, writes MATT SPIRO
FOR FRANCE supporters, it felt like nothing had changed in two years. No lessons had been learned. Les Bleus travelled to Serbia on September 9th needing to win to keep their hopes of automatic World Cup qualification alive.
Raymond Domenech recalled Eric Abidal to partner William Gallas in central defence, the same pairing that featured against Italy at the Euro finals in June 2008.
On that occasion, Abidal’s early lapse in concentration allowed Luca Toni through, the Barcelona defender pulled him down, conceded a penalty and was sent off. Italy won 2-0, eliminating Domenech’s side. The horror show was repeated in Belgrade. This time, a misunderstanding between Abidal and Gallas led to a 13th-minute penalty and the dismissal of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The 10 men salvaged a draw but were still condemned to second spot in the group.
Since their desperately poor showing in Switzerland, Domenech has tested seven different centre back pairings. None have convinced. If Irish fans are looking for a chink in the blue armour, they should look no further.
“The defence is in a permanent state of reconstruction,” ex-international Emmanuel Petit complained recently. “Every player who comes in is playing with an axe hanging over his head. He doesn’t know if he’ll play in the next game.”
France had no such problems in Petit’s days. The legendary back four of Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc and Bixente Lizarazu provided the cornerstone of the team’s world and European conquests in 1998 and 2000.
Slowly, however, age took its toll on those players, and reliable replacements have been hard to come by. If Patrice Evra and Bacary Sagna have just about made the full back positions their own – without ever replicating their impressive club form – no one has emerged as an obvious candidate to play alongside Gallas in the middle.
Indeed, any one of Philippe Mexes, Julien Escude, Abidal and Sebastien Squillaci could get the nod to play at Croke Park.
Desailly, who retired in 2006 after winning 116 caps, works as a television pundit nowadays and is well placed to comment on the difficulties. He admits there is a genuine problem. “There shouldn’t be an issue because there are a lot of good players,” the former AC Milan and Chelsea stopper told The Irish Times.
“But there clearly is one. None of the guys who have come in have imposed themselves. The biggest worry for France is the fact that defensive solidity is vital to the whole balance of the team. When I played everybody knew the defence would be reliable. We formed a really strong unit and that confidence fed through to the rest of the team.”
So why has Domenech failed to settle on a defensive partnership? “That’s difficult to answer. You’d need to ask him,” Desailly smiled.
To be fair to Domenech, the players he has tried have invariably let him down. The coach was heavily criticised for failing to name Mexes in his Euro 2008 squad. He was, according to most experts, the natural replacement for Thuram.
However, when the AS Roma defender got his chance in the first World Cup qualifier away to Austria, he was quite simply disastrous. France lost 3-1 in Vienna with Mexes responsible for all three of Austria’s strikes, even scoring one of them himself.
“But Mexes is a phenomenal player,” Desailly countered. “He’s just had one or two bad games. We’ve got a host of defenders who play for Europe’s best clubs so you can’t say there’s a shortage of quality. There’s no reason why Squillaci, Escude, Abidal or Mexes shouldn’t become good, consistent performers for the national team.”
Mexes might be Desailly’s preferred choice yet he has lost Domenech’s trust both on and off the pitch, where their relationship is strained at best. Sevilla defender Escude, meanwhile, was looking the part until he sliced a clearance into his own net to gift Romania a draw at the Stade de France. His club-mate Squillaci is the one candidate who has not yet committed a costly blunder, but his inclusion would force Gallas to return to the left of centre despite his form improving immeasurably since he has been playing on the right for both France and Arsenal.
Every expert has a view on the subject and whoever Domenech selects will be under the microscope. Laurent Fournier, another former France international now working in the media, believes Abidal would be the safest bet to tackle the Irish. “Domenech hasn’t received guarantees from anyone he has tried, so he needs to look at the opposition and decide which player would be best suited for the job,” the former Paris Saint-Germain coach explained.
“Personally, I’d play Abidal with Gallas. They form a powerful duo and both are used to playing in big games with their clubs. They won’t be fazed by the atmosphere in Dublin. Also, Abidal’s aerial strength could be important against a physical Irish team.”
High balls into the box have posed Les Bleus endless problems in qualifying. Six of the nine goals they conceded came from set-pieces and there is an underlying fear the former world champions could miss out on South Africa on the back of one poorly defended free-kick.
Fournier, however, is not convinced the principal danger will emanate from dead-ball situations. “There may be a problem in the air but we’ll be all right defending the free-kicks now that Hugo Lloris is first choice in goal,” the 45-year-old said. “He’s a very commanding keeper and will come off his line to take pressure off the defenders. We’re more likely to suffer in open play if Ireland win a lot of flick-ons.”
In order to counter the aerial threat, Domenech is believed to be considering the inclusion of Bordeaux’s towering midfielder Alou Diarra. “He could be useful in the first leg because he’s imposing,” Fournier argued. “You could play him just behind Jérémy Toulalan and Lassana Diarra, but that would mean losing a forward player. Still, it’s an option.”
Domenech has already come under fire for playing two defensive midfielders against supposedly weaker opposition. Should he opt to field three against Giovanni Trapattoni’s charges, the cries of “Domenech, démission!” (Domenech, resignation!) that get voiced at every home game could be louder than ever come the second leg on November 18th.
The French remember the champagne soccer displayed by Zinedine Zidane and friends at the turn of the century, and are reluctant to accept a more defensive approach, even if it means the team win. They see names like Thierry Henry, Franck Ribery, and Nicolas Anelka on a team sheet and demand both flair and goals.
It is not only the shadow of the 1998 vintage that hangs over today’s team. Petit, Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry are all powerful voices in the media and have all been scathing of Domenech’s regime. Desailly remains more reserved in his analysis. He was initially reluctant to speak at all about France’s defensive problems, explaining that several members of team are still good mates of his. Yet it is more than just friendships that lead the 40-year-old to believe in Domenech’s side.
He remembers the pressure Aime Jacquet’s struggling team were under in the build-up to the 1998 World Cup and sees similarities with the current plight. “Today’s squad is probably even more talented than the 1998 group, Desailly said. “In midfield, we used to have Petit and Deschamps operating as our shield. For me, Toulalan and Diarra are even more gifted. This team just needs a break. They need to find some serenity so that they can play some games without always being under pressure.”
But as both Desailly and France know, Dublin is not the place to come in search of serenity.
French faux pas: four defensive blunders
1 France 0-2 Italy, 17/06/2008:Abidal is restored for the must-win group match against Italy at Euro 2008. There are just 25 minutes on the clock when he misjudges a long ball over the top, allowing Toni to burst clear. Abidal fouls the forward and is sent off. Pirlo scores the resulting penalty and France are beaten 2-0.
2 Austria 3-1 France, 06/09/2008:Having already conceded to an early set piece after Mexes had lost his marker, Austria doubled their lead three minutes before the break. Again, France failed to deal with a long free-kick into the box from Ivanschitz, and after a goalmouth scramble Mexes (number 4) deflects the ball into his own net.
3 France 1-1 Romania, 05/09/2009: France miss a host of chances before eventually taking the lead on 48 minutes. They are on their way to a vital win before Escude inexplicably slices a cross from the right wing from Maftei into his own net on 55 minutes.
4 Serbia 1-1 France, 09/09/2009: Gallas is stepping across to clear an innocuous bouncing ball 30 yards out when Abidal also decides to intervene. The two get in each other's way, allowing Zigic to pounce and race through on goal. The striker is fouled by Lloris who gets sent off, leaving Milijas to beat Mandanda from the spot kick
