If you happened to flick through the first 14 pages of L’Équipe on Thursday morning you would have read nothing but stories about France’s unconvincing 2-1 win over Australia and where they could improve against Peru. The paper concluded that France have “four major deficiencies”: “a lack of physical freshness, no attacking cohesion, not moving the ball quickly enough and the absence of a consistent press.” That assessment will be familiar for those on the other side of the channel. France under Didier Deschamps feel a lot like England under Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Making the most of an ample pool of talent has long been Deschamps’ central task, much as it was Eriksson’s. The narrow 1-0 win over Peru was largely achieved by returning to the comfort blanket of 4-4-2, the only set-up that has produced consistent results, if not fluid performances, in recent times. The midfield diamond of the warm-up games was dispensed with as Ousmane Dembélé and Corentin Tolisso made way for Deschamps favourites Olivier Giroud and Blaise Matuidi.

Matuidi largely nullified the marauding Peru full-back Luis Advíncula but he offered little offensively on the left for France. Giroud, supported by Griezmann as a second striker and Kylian Mbappé on the right, created space for others. He was unable to add to his creditable total of 31 goals in 76 games at international level but he provided a much-needed focal point. If France are to have a real impact on this World Cup, though, their key players need to improve, Antoine Griezmann in particular.

For “Scholes on the left”, “Gerrard on the left” and “a diamond midfield” for England, read “Griezmann out wide”, “Griezmann off Giroud” and “Griezmann as a false 9” for France. Griezmann scored six goals at Euro 2016 – enough to win the Golden Boot – but much of the debate about France (and much of Deschamps’ tinkering) has been focused on finding the system that will help him reproduce his club form in a blue shirt. Griezmann finding his feet could be the difference between another meek exit at the quarter-finals (sound familiar?) and threatening in the final.

Deschamps had already switched between 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 in qualifying and his tinkering across France’s three warm-up friendlies smacked of indecisiveness and even panic. He tried to shoehorn Griezmann into the tip of a diamond but it left the Atlético Madrid striker competing with Mbappé and Dembélé for space. With Benjamin Mendy and Djibril Sidibé unfit, France are crying out for some attacking impetus from out wide.

There were some positives from the Peru game. France began slowly but felt their way into the match thanks to their superior quality and the familiarity of Deschamps’ 4-4-2. Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane proved solid at centre-back and the ubiquitous N’Golo Kanté continued to impress alongside an unusually prominent Paul Pogba. Mbappé’s goal came after a shot from Giroud had been luckily deflected over Pedro Gallese in the Peru goal, but it hardly felt undeserved.

Nevertheless, as Eriksson’s England often did, France faded in the second period. They slowed down, looked lacklustre and Griezmann again underwhelmed. Both of France’s displays so far are reminiscent of how England performed under Eriksson (and Fabio Capello) in tournament football. They have looked timid, turgid and tired against weaker opposition, fumbling their way out of the group with key players underperforming. For France, however, this is not exactly new.

England prepare to lose on penalties at the quarter-finals in 2006. Photograph: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Their displays in Russia have echoed recent performances at major tournaments. It took an outstanding showing from Dimitri Payet and a late winner to see off a weak Romania team in their opening fixture at Euro 2016. They were no more convincing in their group games against Albania and Switzerland. Deschamps’ side trailed the Republic of Ireland at half-time in the last-16; and they had the easiest draw – Iceland – in the quarter-finals.

A quarter-final exit to Portugal on penalties at this World Cup remains a distinct possibility, but France have a few reasons to be hopeful. Firstly, the discourse around the national team differs greatly on the south side of the channel. Whereas English footballing pessimism is relatively fresh, the unbridled pre-tournament optimism of Eriksson’s reign extinguished by a succession of exits that have gone from underwhelming to excruciating, the French naturally hold a more skeptical view. Others may look at France’s obscene levels of talent and see a group of World Cup winners, but predictions at home have been much more conservative. A quarter-final exit would be far from unexpected while a run to the semi-finals, FFF president Noel Le Graet’s stated target, would be seen as a success. They are capable of lifting the trophy, but they aren’t expected to do so.

In comparison to England, France also benefit from the public’s long-standing proclivity to dissect and examine football in great detail. While this is now more prevalent in England, the more laddish, tabloid culture surrounding Eriksson’s team at the turn of the century often boiled down, in simple terms, to “wanting it more” and showing “desire” and “pride in the shirt”, which led to a sense that success would somehow be forthcoming if only the team would try harder.

The pressure in France, although still immense, isn’t quite as prohibitive as it was in England a decade ago. Helpfully, people in France recognise that it is extremely difficult to both win and play well at the same time. If results remain positive and performances are solid, the mood will remain relatively buoyant. England under Eriksson, however, were too often expected to win while playing what the French might call “champagne football”.

Deschamps also has another important thing in his favour. Whereas Eriksson stubbornly tried to force his best players into a variety of unbalanced systems, Deschamps has proved he is capable of ignoring that temptation. He persisted with Moussa Sissoko at Euro 2016; he excluded Adrien Rabiot, Alexandre Lacazette and various other popular players from his squad this summer; and he reinstated the once unloved Olivier Giroud for the win over Peru. Unlike Eriksson, he is favouring balance. Keeping faith with his favourites might be the only way he can avoid another lifeless defeat at the quarter-finals – and the fate of Eriksson.

• This is an article from Get French Football News

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