France are in real danger of being knocked out in the first stage of this year's competition. After quite literally qualifying by the skin of their teeth, they now look to be the first of the 'heavyweights' on their way out, after suffering a defeat at the hands (pardon the pun) of Mexico last night in Polokwane.
This defeat, following their dismal 0-0 draw against Uruguay last Friday night, leaves them with only a point with 1 game, against the hosts, still left to play. However, hopes of qualifying are now out of French hands (sorry, I can't seem to help it) regardless of the score against South Africa. They have the slimmest of chances of qualifying: if Uruguay and Mexico fail to draw in their last game, and France beat South Africa with a huge goal difference, they may go through.
So qualification is still possible, but in order to do that, they are first going to have to be able to at least score some goals, something, which they could not manage to do last night. After the first group games in Group A ended with a point apiece, and following Uruguay's 3-0 win over SA the previous night, France knew that they had to get themselves in gear and win if they were to prove their doubters wrong and give themselves a chance of going through to the last 16 stage.
After much criticism following his formation and the players he chose, Raymond Domenech made a few changes to his side: he left Gourcuff on the bench in place of Malouda, but strangely enough decided to stick with Govou and Anelka who did not have the best of games against Uruguay. Instead of a 4-3-3 formation, he changed it to a 4-2-3-1 with Anelka playing as the lone striker. France did start off better than they had against Uruguay, and this was probably owing to the change in formation as well as the inclusion of Malouda. But to be fair, they didn't have much to improve on from their first game.
They were able to go forward a bit more, especially down the wings but lacked that cutting edge and drive to get into the box and finish off their chances. Anelka, who has now gone a long time without scoring both for Chelsea and for France, looked a shadow of the prolific striker that we saw a long while back, and was unable to create anything for himself or for his teammates. It was frustrating to watch him just standing there, not doing much, and unable to affect the game in any shape or form. Mexico were also quite lively in the opening half, but were again not clinical enough in their finishing. They suffered an early loss upfront, when Vela was forced to go off injured with what looked like a hamstring injury. Vela was replaced by Pablo Barrera, who from the moment he was on the pitch was able to bring a new energy to the game. He was quick and pacy, and able to trouble the French defence into making mistakes. Gallas didn't look at all comfortable with Abidal in the centre of defence, and seemed to be making the most simplest of mistakes. For example, when Oscar Salcido had the ball in the area, Gallas just stood stock still, without even going to close him down which allowed Salcido to take the shot. Luckily for Gallas, he missed but that was not the only bit of shaky defending we saw from the French during the match. Both Salcido and Dos Santos were great for Mexico and put the French players to shame, by easily finding their way past them to get forward.
Domenech finally realised that the inefficient Anelka had to be substituted, and so at the beginning of the second half, replaced him with Gignac. Domenech may have changed the players, but he didn't change the shape, so again the French team were fruitless going forward. There was just no service for the Toulouse striker despite the likes of Ribery, Diaby and Toulalan in midfield. France were made to pay for their inability to score, when Mexican substitute and Man Utd new boy, Javier Hernandez beat the offside trap and scored, after being one-on-one with keeper Hugo Lloris. It was as though the French defence had suddenly gone to sleep, they were looking to the assistant on the far side as they believed Hernandez to be offside, but further replays showed that it was Abidal who was playing "Chicharito" onside. Pure indiscipline, lack of communication and lack of organisation on the part of the French and it looks as though SAF has made another good signing for the Red Devils.
Abidal, who doesn't normally play at centre back, had looked uncertain all evening in that role alongside Gallas. There was just no natural understanding between the two, probably due to the fact that they haven't been playing together like that for very long. And, it was Abidal again who was at fault for the second Mexican goal. This time he gave away a penalty, after blatantly preventing a goal scoring opportunity by Barrera. Blanco, the 37 year old who I mentioned in a previous post, had been put on in place of Guillermo Franco. He stepped up and smashed the ball past Lloris to pretty much seal a first Mexican win over France. Oscar Tabarez's positive substitutions worked a treat and Mexico definitely deserved to be in the lead. They had played the better football, had worked the ball, made the French defence labour and seemed to want it more.
Even before Mexico got that second goal, I put my hands up in despair, as I just could not see how France were going to score. They were poor offensively, unable to create anything out on the wings or even in the middle of the park and the unfortunate forwards who were expecting some kind of service, just weren't getting any. Then, it struck me. The reason why France were uninspiring, unable to create anything and ultimately poor in front of goal was simple. They were missing the irreplaceable presence of one man: Zinedine Zidane. The more and more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Since his retirement in 2006, to be perfectly honest, the French have been pretty woeful. They were poor in 2008, when they finished bottom of their group with only a point to their name. And even in 2002, when Zidane was still around, it was exactly the same story. Why? Because Zidane was injured at the time. France are suffering from post-Zidane syndrome. Without him, it seems that they are unable to do anything. After all, wasn't it he who in 2006, won the Best Player of the Tournament? And wasn't it Zidane who had run the show against the Brazilians to get the French on their way to the final? It was Zidane also who had taken the penalty that won them the game against Portugal, and again he who scored against the Italians before the infamous "coupe de boule" incident. Short of writing a whole essay on the importance of Zizou, it is clear to see that the French are missing him dearly and have not been able to find an alternative player, who can at least try and fill those very big boots that he has left behind. I know he has retired, but France need a player like Zidane to inject some spark, creativity and intelligence into their game. Let's be fair...it's not like France are short of talent. Some of those names you see out there on the pitch are world class players but they have looked far from their best in this tournament and have given the impression that they are unable to work collectively.
In 2006, a player the French could have relied on for this kind of creativity and attacking threat, besides Zidane was Thierry Henry. However, sitting there on the sidelines, huddled up in a blanket from the cold, he looked less and less like the Thierry Henry of yesteryear and more and more like the old grandad of the team. Seriously, had you given him a cup of cocoa you would have completed the image perfectly. I felt so sorry for him. I know he hasn't been playing regularly for Barca either, but Henry is still Henry. He may have lost a few yards of his pace, he may not be as sharp as he once was...but his brain, well that's still the same. If you put him on, he will still be able to come up with something. He hasn't lost everything...if he had, why bring him? Why keep him on the bench when you're 2-0 down, and needing some inspiration? Wasn't it Henry that assisted Gallas against the Irish? It was a handball, but it was also Henry who was down there in the Irish box, working his socks off to push France to the finals. Surely for all he has done for the world of football, he deserves far more respect than the bench?
I was shouting, as were many I expect, for Domenech to put Henry on. Unfortunately, I don't think Domenech heard, because he didn't put Henry on. He put Valbuena on for Govou and that's all he did. The body language of the manager of the French team was incredible. His side were losing 2-0, effectively on the verge of going out of the finals of the World Cup, yet Domenech was probably the calmest man in the stadium. It was almost as though his team was the one 2-0 up, not down. I mean there was just no urgency or passion or agitation about him. You wanted him to be nervous or screaming at his players or doing something to get his team back on track. It is at times like this that the team, the players, look to their manager to direct them as to what to do next. Instead Domenech was casually looking on seemingly nonplussed about the whole thing. He has nothing to lose. After the tournament, he will be replaced by Laurent Blanc. What a strange decision to announce this before the finals. Domenech knows that no matter how bad his team performs and how much flak he cops, it won't matter so much, because he's going at the end of it all anyway. The result, for him at least, will be the same whatever happens.
At the end of it all, Mexico thoroughly deserved their victory. They were the team with the attacking intent, with the desire to win, with the right spirit and mentality. They were hounding the French players on the pitch every time France won the ball, forcing them to relinquish possession. It was clear that once the penalty was scored, the body language of the French players was one of despair. They were ready to give up before they had even really got going. Mexico will now be looking to finish strongly in order to qualify for the last 16 and the 2-0 scoreline seems a far cry away from the first ever world cup match, played between these two teams, with the score 4-1 in France's favour. The performance of France's green-shirted opponents will also no doubt have pleased the Irish, who will feel that some justice has probably been done.
As predicted, the French papers this morning did not go at all easy on their players, with some papers even claiming that the French team are not worthy of wearing the famous "maillot". Much of the criticism has inevitably been laid at Domenech's door for not using Gourcuff, for sticking with Govou, for not playing Malouda in the first game, for leaving Henry out etc... Many French supporters after the game were seen wagging their middle finger at their side, and their manager. I can totally understand their frustration - having paid all that money to come and support their side in SA and seeing absolutely nothing from them would be enough to wind anyone up. If France do go out this early, then it is clear that something needs to be done to rectify this fragmented team. Perhaps a change in management will be the solution. France will need to go back and reassess themselves, and based on the recent performances we have seen, it is clear to see that Laurent Blanc has a real job on his hands. Having said that, any amount of improvement will be seen as positive change as he can't really do much worse than what the situation has become already...
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