Pragmatism at It's best : Dissecting Didier Deschamps pragmatic approach against Portugal.

Pragmatism at It's best : Dissecting    Didier Deschamps pragmatic approach against    Portugal.

The drama of Group F ends with France becoming   the top of the group.It was predictable,nevertheless, not the exact picture as everyone had before the beginning of the tournament.  

Mainly, because Deschamps pragmatism and over  cautiousness.       

The first minutes set the tone, against all odds we are unable to animate the right flank as no one knows how to play there. Tolisso navigates haggardly between flank/halfway/axis.We have the impression that he has no instructions.

The Danilo-Moutinho-Renato midfield swapped a lot, completely destabilising the first two lines. After touching one of their midfielders on the inside, the aim was to create more space in the back of the central midfield (Tolisso-Mbappé).

Another illustration of the impossibility of progressing down the right: Griezmann plays his role as a fixateur on the eccentric midfield, opening up the corridor to Koundé who should be able to touch a winger in depth (Coman?), but Tolisso talks to someone.

There is nothing new under the sun but it is always a pain to see it: France has no positional habit and is unable to penetrate the block. The midfielders are on the same line, the strikers are at the level of the midfielders and nobody is in the middle.

So how do you make yourself threatening on a placed attack? We use our own cheat code: Pogba on a long play and Mbappé in the depth. Benzema's stall allows the opposing second line to be put on the wrong track and find Kylian masked.

Kanté tried to play the 3rd man on the move as he does so well at Chelsea, except that as the only player attacking space his calls were easily controlled.

Iconic action of Portuguese midfield moves disrupting our block: Renato calls for the side, Moutinho prevents Kanté from coming out, Nelson mobilises Semedo. This makes us passive, and the overhang is put in and then found in the middle.

The syndrome of a team that doesn't know how to restart: midfielders who stall in any way they can and unbalance the team more than they help it.

Good was interrupted by the restart of the game, but we're back in business:

Rather surprising behaviour from Tolisso who apparently is instructed to take Jota on individually and leaves the line of 4 to form a 5-man defence, completely opening up half space.

The Soupline sponsored minute "a little bit of sweetness in this world" with these two passes that break two lines from Mr Ruben Dias: right foot, left foot, looking at the stands, in density.

Benzema's goal came about because Tolisso held his position up high, stretching the Portuguese backline. This allowed Pogba the corridor between LCB and LB to find Benzema who took advantage of Dias lack of concentration.

Portugal were too focused on the other flank "Mbappe"

Portugal's  second goal: Renato finds a relay in the middle and Koundé has to manage a 2v1 in his lane. The action will lead to the penalty.

France’s  two left-backs are out due to injury, so it's the new soldier Rabiot who occupies the LG position. Interesting adaptation, he comes to position himself inside in possession. But as Kanté and Pogba stay behind the ball it doesn't create any imbalance.

Are we talking about Coman's entry? The EDF staff was stunned to see the incredible contribution of a right winger on the right wing. Coman positions himself in half space, turns to receive, keeps in the density, plays the one-two with AG and asks again in the axis.

But Coman is not only able to wait in the right space, he also knows how to appear there. He starts out wide but squirts halfway into space on Kanté's reception to be touched in the direction of play in the box.

Suddenly drops back on the rebound to break the pressure. He delivers a one-touch pass to Benzema who returns it, then finds Kanté moving in front of the game. Availability, simplicity, Kingsley.

And Coman's huge advantage is (in addition to his defensive involvement) his ability to bring danger to the defensive line by attacking from deep. 

He is found on direct play, keeps, then finds Griezmann in the back. An essential relay for Mbappé in this area.

The moment Lucas Digne was forced to move away from the pitch, France became   more defensive, as they wanted to skwied the game and move to the next round. 

As a World Cup winner, no one is qualified to judge Deschamp. But with this kind of talent,  he could have played more attacking and free flow game. But instead, he was loyal to his pragmatism.