The cheat sheet of Denmark – France (2-0): A flop that will simplify the choices of Didier Deschamps

The game: Plan B, like flop

It was plan B night, Sunday in Copenhagen. In the goals, behind, in the middle and even in front, if we assume that Giroud will go to the World Cup as Benzema’s understudy, Didier Deschamps has tested everything he could. A possible recourse in the middle, with Eduardo Camavinga alongside Aurélien Tchouameni. Alternative solutions, on the sides, with Benjamin Pavard (whose taste for the corridor is only relative), and in the axis, with the triplet Saliba – Upamecano – Badiashile. After a consistent start, even if less dynamic than Thursday, the Blues have completely lost the thread.

Picking up on all corners (like an overwhelmed Tchouameni), unable to get out of the Danish vice, the defensive sector, not well helped by the middle, precipitated the Blues in its fall. Two goals before the break, and before leaving Saliba and Camavinga. Clauss and Fofana entered. It was a little bit better. But really not enough.

Players: The new shipwreck of Upamecano, the Calvary of Camavinga

Dayot Upamecano continues to suffer in Blue. This Sunday, in Denmark, he drowned again. The Munich player was not the only one and Eduardo Camavinga probably gave up on Qatar after a failed performance cut short by Didier Deschamps. William Saliba, Benjamin Pavard, Ferland Mendy: many of them have lost points.

The X factor: Marking on corners

Normally, it’s a given. Individual or zone marking, we know how it works. A hole happens. Two, why not. But as much? This complete absence in the first period, as surreal as it is inexplicable, will have completely weighed down the Blues.

The stat: -2

Being led by two goals at the break is a displeasure that the Blues had not known since last October and the semi-final of the League of Nations against Belgium. Stunning, the Blues ended up making the Red Devils bend in the second half. This time, there was neither revolt nor miracle. But a new defeat against the Danes.

The pessimistic tweet

Three times out of four, a year of great competition. Three times, one elimination in the first round.

The declaration: Didier Deschamps

The question: Did anyone say goodbye to Qatar?

At 26, it’s not necessarily better than at 23. Didier Deschamps has been convinced of this since the last Euro. Because the manager knows that the last three of the list are not easier to manage than the first. This defeat will perhaps end up persuading him to take “only” 23 because most of the heads lined up in Copenhagen have hardly taken it out of the water. And for some, it was even drowning.

We are not going to be nice or compassionate and we are going to name names: Eduardo Camavinga and Dayot Upamecano in the first place. They are not the only ones but they were playing very big, possibly a seat on the plane to Doha. Both Real and Bayern drank the cup, the first in forty-five minutes, the second struggled for ninety, for the same shipwreck. In one evening, they reduced their chances of seeing Qatar to nothing, apart from an epidemic (which can never be ruled out).

It’s cruel but it’s the rule of the top level: to choose is to give up. And, except in special cases (Giroud?), we cross out the names starting at the bottom of the list. Not hard to find them. Two months before the World Cup, Didier Deschamps sees it more clearly. We console ourselves as we can … Now, the coach of the Blues must cross his fingers so that plan A is on foot. Because plan B…