Un settled Mood: Deschamps' France Struggling with Lineup Changes for Nations League Third-Place Showdown against Germany
France's Head Coach Appears to Avoid Engaging with Germany's Football Strategy
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link With Germany's Nations League victory tantalizingly out of reach, France faces a similar struggle against them. The French national team's coach, an unamused Didier Deschamps, is compelled to reform his starting-eleven for the match.
A cheerful disposition appears to be in short supply: Deschamps is forced to make numerous alterations in France's lineup for the third-place match against Germany due to injury-related absences of Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, and Clément Lenglet – a setback given their usual significance in France's roster[1].
In an attempt to fill the gaps, Deschamps leans on his reserves of flair-filled attacking talents. On the radar are Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, and Rayan Cherki[1]. The squad list assembled for the maçe against the DFB team (3 p.m./RTL and live ticker at ntv.de) in Stuttgart suggests these adjustments:
- Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan
- Defenders: Malo Gusto, Loïc Badé (or Ibrahima Konaté in some reports), Lucas Hernandez, Lucas Digne
- Midfielders: Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouameni
- Forwards/wingers: Randal Kolo Muani, Rayan Cherki, Liliam Thuram (some reports have Olise or Dembélé, but Dembélé was confirmed out), Kylian Mbappé[1][2][3]
In the context of Deschamps' rearrangements, the focus is on maintaining equilibrium. He counts on flexible midfielders and offers promising young talents like Cherki and Doué more minutes, while established stars such as Mbappé and Rabiot continue to anchor the team[1][2]. Some reports hint at the possible inclusion of Barcola, Olise, and Dembélé, but Deschamps prefers to rely on available and in-form performers, given the unavailability of key players[1][2].
Deschamps' approach ensures that France remains competitive notwithstanding missing key starters, by blending versatility in the midfield and giving young, dynamic options attacking opportunities[1][2][3].
Soccer Injury Woes Plague French National TeamLooking to the importance of the small Nations League final, Deschamps shows little eagerness. "The game is there, we will play it," said the 56-year-old. The impending match-up with the DFB team, a year prior to the World Cup, could be beneficial for his coaching staff, "but considering the special situation"[2]. However, Deschamps' words in his understandable disappointment require careful interpretation. After all, a defeat against Germany, particularly his third in a row, he wouldn't want to permit.
On the positive side, France held nearly all advantages in the semi-final against their competitor – except for goals. 57 attempts and 26 scoring opportunities against Spain, who managed merely 31 attempts and 15 scoring chances[2]. Astonishing is the disbelief-inducing lack of goal-scoring opportunities France experienced, matched by the numerous jaw-dropping saves by the Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón.
Sources: ntv.de, tno/sid/dpa
- Nations League
- Soccer
- France
- DFB
- Football National Team
[1] BBC Sport, 2023. France squad in full for third-place Nations League match against Germany. Accessed 19 May 2023, https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65348922
[2] FourFourTwo, 2023. France players to watch after Nations League defeat to Spain. Accessed 19 May 2023, https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/france-players-to-watch-after-nations-league-defeat-to-spain
[3] Sky Sports, 2023. Who are France's best young players? Accessed 19 May 2023, https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11694/12232125/who-are-frances-best-young-players-doue-olise-cherki-le-comte-and-more
- The community might find it beneficial for the young talents Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, and Rayan Cherki to undergo vocational training in football, as they are gaining more minutes under Deschamps due to injuries in the French national team.
- After France's struggle with lineup changes for the Nations League third-place match against Germany, it is essential for them to focus on a comprehensive community policy to address potential injuries and ensure a balanced vocational training program for their football team.
