[Football] France and CH

[Icy Gull]

Did anyone else think that France played much like a CH team but with the necessary pace to be effective on the break, along with the creativity, that we lack, in midfield?

Their defence was awesome, helped by the attackers, and they seemed quite happy to soak up whatever the incredibly talented Belgium forwards and midfielders had to offer. If I was French I may well have been biting my fingernails just like I do whenever we take the lead and sit back.

Is this what a CH team would play like if we had the players, or am I kidding myself?

I am really excited about this season and hope that we can be way more effective when we break this year.

 

[Simster]

I hadn't thought about it, but there are definitely similarities.

Both sides were outstanding last night, the difference was one defensive "mistake". If France defend as they did yesterday, they'll win the World Cup.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I hadn't thought about it, but there are definitely similarities.

Both sides were outstanding last night, the difference was one defensive "mistake". If France defend as they did yesterday, they'll win the World Cup.

The difference, as I saw it, was delivery.

France put in one really good corner. Umtiti got away from his marker, and France nose ahead.

Before the goal, Belgium had 8 opportunities either from corners, or positions out wide with time and space to pick a good cross. 6 of them fell to Chadli. ONE of his deliveries was adequate at best, the other five all utterly wasted. He took five corners - three failed to clear the first defender, one sailed completely over the box and out for a goal kick. The fifth, too close to the keeper. And yet he kept taking them, again and again - and this in a team containing Kevin de Bruyne - one of the best deliverers of a set piece in the world. Absolutely baffling, and frankly, if you were a Belgium supporter, unforgiveable.

 

[Icy Gull]

The difference, as I saw it, was delivery.

France put in one really good corner. Umtiti got away from his marker, and France nose ahead.

Before the goal, Belgium had 8 opportunities either from corners, or positions out wide with time and space to pick a good cross. 6 of them fell to Chadli. ONE of his deliveries was adequate at best, the other five all utterly wasted. He took five corners - three failed to clear the first defender, one sailed completely over the box and out for a goal kick. The fifth, too close to the keeper. And yet he kept taking them, again and again - and this in a team containing Kevin de Bruyne - one of the best deliverers of a set piece in the world. Absolutely baffling, and frankly, if you were a Belgium supporter, unforgiveable.

Mertens put in some excellent crosses when he came on I thought, all dealt with quite comfortably, which can’t be easy with Lukaku lurking

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Merton put in some excellent crosses when he came on I thought

Mertens was excellent when he came on, agreed.

The Chadli situation was bizarre. This is a team with massive strength and height - Voetonghen, Lukaku, Dembele, Kompany and Fellaini, all queued up in the box, watching crap cross after crap cross hit the first defender, and Martinez did nothing about it (until about 70 minutes). Very odd.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I can't remember which one, but one of the BBC pundits afterwards commented that the WHOLE Team was defending, and I noticed myself once or twice Giroud plugging away at the back. That seemed more than a bit Hughtonesque.

 

[Bold Seagull]

One of the big differences between the 2 sides I thought was the amount of fouls the Belgium's gave away. I just checked before posting to see if I was imagining it, but the stats back that up with the French committing 6 fouls to Belgium's 16. Some of them were infuriatingly niggly, it impacted the flow of their play more than it did the French.

 

[Simster]

The difference, as I saw it, was delivery.

France put in one really good corner. Umtiti got away from his marker, and France nose ahead.

Before the goal, Belgium had 8 opportunities either from corners, or positions out wide with time and space to pick a good cross. 6 of them fell to Chadli. ONE of his deliveries was adequate at best, the other five all utterly wasted. He took five corners - three failed to clear the first defender, one sailed completely over the box and out for a goal kick. The fifth, too close to the keeper. And yet he kept taking them, again and again - and this in a team containing Kevin de Bruyne - one of the best deliverers of a set piece in the world. Absolutely baffling, and frankly, if you were a Belgium supporter, unforgiveable.

Yes I have to agree with that. Even if Martinez didn't want de Bruyne taking set pieces (and there are good arguments for him not doing so), I am struggling to see why Dries Mertens didn't start ahead of Chadli, who is the one Belgian who looked average throughout the tournament.

One of the big differences between the 2 sides I thought was the amount of fouls the Belgium's gave away. I just checked before posting to see if I was imagining it, but the stats back that up with the French committing 6 fouls to Belgium's 16. Some of them were infuriatingly niggly, it impacted the flow of their play more than it did the French.

To be fair, those stats are warped by the fact that Belgium spent the entire second half pressing up the field. and how they consequently cut down any French break the minute they lost the ball - understandable considering the pace France can break from their own half.

 

[Betfair Bozo]

I assume he went with Chadli again as he and Fellaini were seen as the difference in the comeback against Japan. To be fair, it worked against Brazil (much to my surprise and cost.) I think I have more of an issue with why he has KDB so deep and Fellaini so advanced, especially when behind and chasing. It would sort of make some sense if they adopted the get it in the mixer tactic that dragged them back in it against Japan but he then took Fellaini off anyway! Martinez seems a bit clueless to me but then perhaps I am the clueless one...

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

A central defender scored from a corner. Nothing like a CH team.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

France defended outstandingly well, and that won them the game. Lukaku also had his worst game of the tournament. France are a functional team, certainly not one of the greats. If we were to make it, I would rather play France than Belgium to be honest... we'll be too open to play Belgium, and they would beat us. With France it feels more even, though France would rightly be favourites.

 

[Goldstone1976]

The difference, as I saw it, was delivery.

France put in one really good corner. Umtiti got away from his marker, and France nose ahead.

Before the goal, Belgium had 8 opportunities either from corners, or positions out wide with time and space to pick a good cross. 6 of them fell to Chadli. ONE of his deliveries was adequate at best, the other five all utterly wasted. He took five corners - three failed to clear the first defender, one sailed completely over the box and out for a goal kick. The fifth, too close to the keeper. And yet he kept taking them, again and again - and this in a team containing Kevin de Bruyne - one of the best deliverers of a set piece in the world. Absolutely baffling, and frankly, if you were a Belgium supporter, unforgiveable.

Abso-kin-lutely.

Chadli’s crosses/corners were quite likely the main reason that Belgium didn’t score. He had a mare, and because it was allowed to continue for so long, so did Martinez.

I wonder if Henry was feeding him the old “don’t worry boss, it’s bound to come good soon” line...