Survive and move on...France took this to heart and move on to the 1/4 finals

Ouf ouf ouf...Les Bleus get through to the 1/4 finals. And if anyone thought it would be easy this game should quickly squash those illusions. France were on the back foot for much of the game and the African team could have hoped for a goal for themselves before the 60th minute. For most of the match it felt as if the Super Eagles were more likely to sneak a goal in than the French. But a game is 90 minutes, alas for the Super Eagles. So let's look at the game -

The Good:

• France get through. Les Bleus get where they needed to get to make this World Cup a success. Of course I expect them to go further...but being one of the 8 nations left is nothing to sneeze at. Especially in the context of what happened 4 years ago. Add to all this the group they had to deal with at the World Cup and anything short of this stage would have been a failure no matter how things were spun.
• As mediocre as Pogba was in prior games, it felt like he upped his game today. The beginning of the match his passes were not crisp and lacked a certain weight to them. but as the game progressed his game rose in volume. He was not afraid to take on players in the middle of the pitch and great some space for the attack. The first half volley was a fantastic piece of skill. And of course he got the goal that liberated France in this game. A simplest of headers once Enyeama made an ill advised foray out of his line to try and play the cross. It is a good sign for the French if their Juventus midfielder plays up to his potential.
• Speaking of Enyeama, he had a monster of a game. Granted it was his ill played attempt to play the French cross that led to Pogba's goal. But without his saves the game would have gotten out of hand early on. He made a massive save off a Pogba

  

  Huge save in the beginning of the game

  volley in the first half, got enough of a Benzema 1v1 and then another save on a strong header from Benzema. Any of these saves are not made and the game is lost much earlier. But the one mistake he made cost his team. But without him the game is done, maybe even in the first half.
• Koscielny and Varane looked a very comfortable pairing in the center of the French defense. Kos proved me wrong today, he was a rock back there and his partnership with Varane worked very well. This bodes well moving forward and will give Deschamps some real choices to contemplate if Sakho is back at full health.

The Bad:

• Giroud and Benzema need more time to develop...and this is not the time to work out the kinks. Yes the combo worked well against Jamaica...but that is Jamaica. It worked well again against Switzeland, once they scored and the Swiss started pushing high up the pitch allowing them to operate with relative ease up front. But as Nigeria demonstrated, if the opposing defense packs the space there is not enough creativity to get the ball to either striker. It also pushes Benzema wide, which is not a bad place for him, but it creates a defensive hole on the left side. Which has the knock on effect of neutering some of the offensive runs from the French right back - Evra. The French looked very dull until Deschamps took off Giroud for Griezmann. As much as I was intrigued and in favor of this line up, I think if France are to have any hopes of moving any further they need to insert a natural left winger - Griezmann - to start the game. This allows for Benzema top play down the middle, where he is more comfortable, and provides more defensive cover on that side with a natural left winger in place. 
• France's lack of a true player that can break down a team. This game was an example of how the loss of a Ribery hurts the French. When they had the Kaiser patrolling they left flank, France knew they had a player that could single handily break down a team. This was clearly lacking in this match up. Too static, too predictable. When the fullbacks don't push up it also takes away an element of the attack. To go deep in a World Cup, you need a world class player. France have many excellent players, but without Ribery, they miss their world class player.

The Ugly:

• Deschamps' substitution pattern raises some questions. I have no problem with bringing in Griezmann for Giroud, clearly that was move that worked. However, why did he not take out Matuidi? Even for the last 5 minutes, he was on a yellow. I know France were up 2-0. He took out Valbuena to protect him and also be more defensive with Sissoko. So why not with Matuidi. All it would have taken is a silly challenge and Matuidi is out...for the 1/4 finals as well!

Bottom line, Les Bleus are through. They have all their players available for the upcoming 1/4 final game. It will be interesting to see if Deschamps goes back to Griezmann on the left wing with Benzema in the center. And what about center back? If Sakho is healthy does he come back into the starting line up? The next few days will tell.

Allez les Bleus.

Giroud and Pogba back in line up - hunting for goals

It appears that Deschamps will roll out Pogba and Giroud in his starting line up at the expense of Sissoko and Griezmann. Very interesting. This would be an indication that Les Bleus will be looking very offensively minded. I like this formation from an offensive perspective, but there remains questions with regards to defending, especially on that left side with Benzema.

The line up - Lloris - Evra, Koscielny, Varane, Debuchy - Cabaye, Matuidi, Pogba - Benzema, Giroud, Valbuena

We all know what this line up did (swap out Pogba for Sissoko) against Switzerland. But that game's pace was dictated by the quick two goals scored by Les Bleus. That is not

You are a little heavier than Valbuena to carry around

something you can count on facing the Super Eagles. France will most likely have to play a match similar to all the other knock out round games - caution from both sides and the team to score first goes back into a shell to defend the lead. As I mentioned in my earlier post, Enyeama will be the x-factor for Nigeria. The Lille keeper is quietly one of the best in the world. Can the French attack break him down? I think they will be able to, but they need to hit crosses early and often into the area. Look for Giroud to knock down these crosses for Benzema and the midfielders making runs. Benzema will also need to be clinical with his finishing, his form against Ecuador will not work in this game. From the flip side, will the likes of Evra be able to slow down and contain the speed from a Musa coming in from the wing? Evra is also on a yellow...might this make him more cautious in his defending? Look for Matuidi to shadow that side a bit more to help with Musa. Cabaye will also be key. It has been overlooked in the Ecuador match that the PSG midfielder was not on the pitch (neither was Valbuena). While Le Petit Velo is clearly the offensive metronome for France, Cabaye's ability to cut down offensive forays by the opposition and more importantly be the launching pad with his surgical passing is vital for the French. The x-factor for France might be how Pogba plays. He gave some glimpses of his talent but he has also disappeared at times. Which Pogba do we see today? Remember - he is also on a yellow - something to watch for.

This game is by no means easy for either team. Nigeria was not overwhelming in their group matches, but they did what they had to. They are now playing with house money and many are touting France as a new team, one that can actually contend challenging for a ...gulp....title.  I am not as optimistic. I still think Les Bleus will emerge victorious from this match. But it will be a nail biter.

France 3 - Nigeria 1. Late goal from France make the score line more flattering.

Allez les Bleus!

France head into Nigeria game with serious question marks

Surprise surprise, Sakho might not be ready to go for the Nigeria match. Again...I call into question DD's decision to play the Liverpool man against Ecuador. Maybe he would still have been out for this match, but I have a feeling more rest would have been helpful. Now Deschamps approaches the knock out stage without his first choice central defender.

It would appear that Koscielny will partner with Varane in central defense. I will admit this pairing makes me a tad nervous. Not sure Kos has the athletic ability to keep up with some of the Super Eagles' strikers. Just look at Musa carving up the Argentine defense in their final group game. This will be something to watch for in the match.

Second thing to look for is how does the midfield do, especially Pogba who has been receiving some scrutiny lately about his temperament. The Juventus man is also victim to lofty expectations that were set from having such a wonderful domestic season. Latest report is that Pogba is in the starting line. I am not sure the criticism of Pogba have been fair. Other than a silly gesture against Honduras, Pogba has been playing well. To his lofty level? No. But that talent is hard not to have on the pitch.

Cause for celebration?

Finally what to do up front? Griezmann or Giroud? Clearly Valbuena and Benzema will start, but who to play that left wing?? Seems like it might be Giroud in the middle with Benzema on the left. I do like this formation, much more offensive and as we saw against Switzerland, lethal on the counter. Does DD hope he can catch lightening in a bottle again and see this
formation strike early?

There are some questions heading into the Nigeria game. I will be very curious to see what the actual team sheet looks like. The Super Eagles have every right to believe they can beat Les Bleus. They already did so last time they played...in France! They have some pacey players that can cause the French defense some serious problems. On the flip side the Nigerian defense can be leaky as well. However, they do have the x-factor - their keeper, Enyeama. Who had an amazing 1,062 minutes without conceding a goal in Ligue 1 for Lille this season. Much like Ochoa for Mexico, this quality of a back stop can be a real difference maker. Something to watch for.

Regardless I am not ready to look past the Super Eagles. Was France's victory against Switzerland fools gold? Let us see who DD rolls out tomorrow!

Allez les bleus!

We are down to the final 16 at the World Cup. It has been a fabulous tournament so far, even with the incident in kindergarten with the 5 year old Suarez biting. I think the excitement will continue now that we have reached the knock out stage.

Right away there are some very interesting match ups....and there are potential match ups that might be in the works. Here are the Frog's predictions:

Brazil v Chile - This is the South American bracket, and a great match up in the first game. This could be Brazil's biggest threat to not reaching the finals. I just cannot envisage Brazil losing at home if they get past this round. Brazil and Chile have also met in the World Cup, in 1962, 1998 and 2010. Each time the Brazilians have emerged with a victory. The Brazilians have not lost to Chile on home soil in over a decade. So why should this match be any different? A few reasons: the pressure on the home side is mounting, their last outing aside I think Brazil might have trouble scoring if it isn't Neymar and Chile have their tails up after a strong group stage. I think this will be a very entertaining match but one where the host will get through. Brazil 3 - Chile 2.

Colombia v Uruguay - Another great Copa America semi final! Just think about the buzz had Falcao and Suarez been present. Alas one missed the entire tournament  because of a knee injury and one is just crazy and a biter. Regardless the match up has the potential to be one of the best games of this round. Colombia quietly dominated Group C - 9 goals for only 2 against. Uruguay on the other hand had one great match against England but otherwise looked very lackluster. Losing a shocker to Costa Rica and a drab game against Italy. Uruguay is also in disarray with the fall out from the Suarez suspension. There were even rumors that La Celeste would not play the match. I highly doubt that will happen. Uruguay can either rally around this or fall apart. Either way I think their game is negatively effected when they don't have their star striker - look at the Costa Rica game. Colombia 2 - Uruguay 0

Holland v Mexico - El Tri seem to always get to this stage in World Cups...and then not much further. Holland seems to be a wagon right now. Oranje is rolling. This will also prove to be a good match up with two sides that are not afraid to push forward. Mexico does have a wild card - Ochoa. If he plays like he did against Brazil, then anything is possible. I just do not see how Mexico will slow down both Robben and RVP. Holland 2 - Mexico 0

Costa Rica v Greece - Unfortunately this might be one of the more boring ties. But...since it is Costa Rica this adds some intrigue to the match. I truly believe that the speed Costa Rica has leveraged to win their group might cause the Greeks a lot of issues. Greece, by some,

More glory for CONCACAF?

is thought to have reached this level by chance. A fortunate penalty granted at the end of their match against Cote D'Ivoire. This is not the Greeks that won the Euros in 2004. I think we might be in for another shock from Costa Rica. Costa Rica 1 - Greece 0

France v Nigeria - Talk about soap operas. The Nigerian national team went on strike over...World Cup bonuses. Hmmmm strikes and World Cups. Sounds familiar. Between Nigeria and Ghana, what is going on with the African nations and the World Cup?? I had this match up when I saw the draw a few months ago. At the time I also toyed with the idea that Nigeria could upset France and move on. That fear is still lingering somewhere in my mind. Can't seem to shake it! Nigeria has some pace up front that will cause France some problems. Look at what it did against Argentina. However the other aspect that was on display was Nigeria's back line. It was not solid and seemed very leaky at times. Something France can exploit. France 3 - Nigeria 1 (a more in-depth look prior to the game)

Germany v Algeria - Get the 1982 stories ready! Algeria has been impressive. They have an infusion of talented attack minded players - Feghouli, Slimani, Brahimi to name a few. The question is can they hold up defensively against a very well run German machine. For the Germans it will be interesting to see if their back line - made up of 4 natural center backs - can hold up against some of the pace that the Algerian forwards will throw at them. If France win their game against Nigeria, either team from this match up would create a mouth watering match up. As much as I would like to pick or hope for an upset, I cannot pick against Die Mannschaft. RFA 3 - Algeria 1

Argentina v Switzerland - There is a lot of buzz, well at least coming from Switzerland, that the Swiss can pull off the upset. Especially after their last game against Honduras and Shaqiri's hat trick. I think the Swiss will play Argentina much tighter and will surprise many. But Messi and co are picking up momentum as well. Not sure if Switzerland will be able to keep down Del Maria, Messi, Higuain etc. Argentina 2 - Switzerland 0

USA v Belgium - The Red Devils have failed to impress. Yes they won their three group games, all by 1 goal. But neither Lukaku or Hazard or any of the other stars of the side have lived up to the hype. Some deemed Belgium as a dark horse to win the entire tournament. I just don't see it. They have a collection of big names but they don't seem to be playing well as a team. The US on the other hand, surprised everyone by getting out of the group of death...well they didn't surprise me since I pegged them to finish second! I think that some of the hype surrounding the US from North American pundits has been a tad overblown. The US national team has some flaws, center backs and Bradley seem shaky. But you heard it here first: USA 2 - Belgium 1

So there you have my picks. I am surprised that I did not pick any game to go to penalty kicks...lets hope that is the case!

Let the games begin tomorrow.

Round of 16 is set, looking back to one of the best group stages of any World Cup

The World Cup version 2014 has been nothing short of amazing. I was telling some friends this the best World Cup I have seen. I would compare it to the 1982 version. After Thursday, we knew who we would have in the round of 16. Some very intriguing match ups to say the least, more on that in another post. But for this post we should take a look back at the great matches we witnessed over the group stages. Here are some thoughts:

Best Matches - The three matches that stick out to me:

• Holland v Spain - Right from the start we were given a match between two football super powers and the two teams that faced off in the World Cup finals in South Africa. The game did not let us down, well those of us who were neutral supporters or fans of Oranje! A good first half of back and forth footy. Had Silva scored on his clear cut opportunity and the game might have taken a very different tone. Alas for Spain, it was only a 1-1 draw at the half. The second half was a clinic of football when a pacy, lethal side faces an aging and maybe a little too lazy side. The game could have easily finished 6-1 or 7-1. Regardless, Oranje absolutely eviscerated by the likes of Robben and RVP. 
• Uruguay v England - In the group of "Champions" this was a massive match up. Prior to the tournament it was already hyped up with Suarez facing England, the nation where he scores a ton of goals and bites players for a living with Liverpool. The game was only made more tense with both England and Uruguay having lost their first games of the group. The game was typical for England. A collection of names on the pitch that never seemed to know how to work together. Granted they put on a valiant effort. But clearly they were not a well functioning unit. One mistake and they saw Suarez bag his brace and send England home. 
• Germany v Ghana - Yes this game ended in a draw. But both teams emptied their tanks. I have never seen a professional footy game where multiple players from both sides have their hands on their knees late in the game. 4 great goals. Germany opens the scoring on a typical German goal - well created, clinical finish. Ghana strikes back quickly with two beautiful goals. Finally they succumb to the German machine and ... Klose.  Who draws level with Ronaldo (the one from Brazil) for the all time leading goal scorer in the World Cup.
• Other games of note: USA v Ghana, France v Switzerland, Argentina v Iran, Chile v Spain, Algeria v South Korea, Costa Rica v Italy.

Best Players - Here are the three players that have stepped it up

• Robben from the Netherlands has been a man possessed. Like someone who missed some golden opportunities last World Cup and has something to prove! He and RVP absolutely shred Spain apart. Against Chile his pace was something Chile did not have an answer for. He and RVP will determine how far Holland can go this tournament.
• Neymar from Brazil has been the safety blanket for the home nation. I was sitting with the Gooner at local watering hole watching the opening game between Brazil and Croatia and I remember telling him I thought Neymar was a tad overrated....oops. He has been a man on a mission for his home land. Brazil has become a little too over reliant on him, something to watch for as the tournament continues. But he has done nothing to disappoint in that trust placed in him.
• Messi, much like Neymar, has been a one man life jacket for Argentina. Saving the Albiceleste in the first two matches from embarrassing results. After a failed 2010 World Cup, he clearly has stepped up his game for this version. Switzerland needs to figure out how to control the Barcelona man, not sure there is a solution to this challenge.
• Other players of note: Dempsey USA, Benzema France, Muller Germany, Oscar Brazil.

Best Goals - there have been some amazing goals during the group stages...my top 3

• RVP diving header against Spain. Absolutely ridiculous goal. High difficulty, ball from deep over his shoulder, decides do dive forward and just flick the ball over Casillas.  
• Dempsey opens the scoring against Ghana. Watching the goal in replay you realize the ball control and fake he breaks out to get a clear look at goal...then he has the wherewithal to pick his head up and hit the ball with his left foot and tucks it in far post.
• Shaqiri's hits a laser against Honduras. The Swiss fire hydrant of a winger cuts in from the right and hits a laser to the opposite corner. Just filthy.
• Other goals - Messi's curler against Iran, Robben's second goal against Spain, Cahill's volley against Holland, Gyan's quick strike against Germany.  

Biggest Surprises:

• Costa Rica...stuck in the group of Champions and they finish first? Wow. Good for them. Their pace could surprise Greece and get the CONCACAF side into the 1/4 finals. A real pleasant surprise.
• Colombia, I was pleasantly surprised that this team has done so well. I thought that without Falcao they would struggle...just think how good they would be had their Monaco striker not been hurt!
• CONCACAF - 3 out of 4 teams have advanced to the next round. And based on their match ups, all of the 3 nations have legitimate chances of advancing to the 1/4 finals. I am the first to make fun of the region...but they have proven me wrong.
• Algeria - France's B team! They played Belgium close, and could have drawn or even won that match. Played a much more open and attacking football against South Korea and were rewarded. Facing Germany in the knock outs....queue up the 1982 footage.

 Biggest Disappointments:

• Spain...in a class of its own. I do not buy the argument that this tournament was "one too far." They still have plenty of talent - Cesc, Carzola, Silva, Pedro to name a few. But they seemed to "force" Costa into the top of their formation. Not only do I question whether or not he was fully fit, he also didn't seem to fit the system. Insisting on starting Casillas, a keeper that wasn't even his club's first choice, proved to be a disaster. Spain has to much talent to have crashed out this way.
• Italy and England, I will lump them together since they played in the Group of Champions and both got dumped out. The game they played against each other was drab and the drabness only continued. The Azzurri looked awful against both Costa Rica and Uruguay. At least the Three Lions put up some fight against Uruguay. But overall the two former World Cup champs are heading home having one win, one draw, and 4 losses...ugly.
• Cote D'Ivoire - The African side should have gone through, yes there was a dubious PK at the end of their game versus Greece, but it was a foul and a penalty. Samaris only kicked the ground because his legs got clipped. But still a disappointment for a nation that has carried the "best hope for Africa" for a few tournaments. I was hoping they would finally put it together and get through what was a weak group.

I am not going to call Portugal a disappointment, because I felt they were being over hyped to start with! Maybe it would have been better had Zlatan and Sweden qualified. This has been a great set of group games. And now the round of 16 starts. Take a breath on Friday and get ready starting Saturday!

Biggest match in US history to be played today...

Okay okay, that was a little bit of a sensationalist headline. This might be the biggest hyped game for the US mens' national footy team. I certainly do not diminish the importance of this match. When the draw first came out this group was widely seen as one of the leading candidates for the moniker "group of death." Deservedly so. After a stunning first match win versus Ghana and maybe an as stunning draw against Portugal, the US sits in a position

What do I do during the anthems??

otherwise only reserved for dreamers - one foot into the knock out round. However, all the hype surrounding this game is a tad overblown. Why? The US has over a 75% of qualifying. Those are pretty good odds. This is not a "do or die" game that the US media would like to hype it up to be. Even with a loss the US could still go through. A draw or win guarantees the US goes to the knock outs.

Of course there are some interesting undertones - Low used to work for Klinsmann....when Klinsmann managed the German national team. We all know that Klinsmann is...German. The number of US/German players that play for the United States. Yes these are good story lines. But they are just that...stories to hype up an otherwise simple game. Draw and move on. Add to this the fact that the Ghanaian camp is starting to resemble France 2010! The Portugal v Ghana game might not even be played with both teams pouting!

This all makes a good story line. This game is key for another reason - an opportunity for the US to see how they stack up against a world power on the biggest stage - but not really for qualification. Or might I be proven wrong??

I see a cautious game between both sides.

1-1 draw. Goals from Klose and Dempsey (Again).

France play a bland mid-November friendly versus Ecuador

Wait, what is that? This was a World cup game??? Really? Well that was 90 minutes of football watching I will never get back - a goalless draw - yuck. Not a huge surprise, France were clearly keeping an eye on the next round and clearly were more interested in getting through the game without hurting themselves. So off we go with the match break down:

The Good:

• France finish first in the group - The qualification for Les Bleus into the knock out rounds was all but a formality. Mathematically France was still at risk for not qualifying, but they would have had to lose by at least 5 goals. Clearly neither team thought 5 goals would be scored combined by both teams. I don't think it can be over emphasized how important it is that France not only qualify out of their group but finish first. After what this team did to itself 4 years ago, this can only be regarded as positive.
• All the French players are available - Phew...no one got hurt...and that was not a guarantee after some of the tackles the Ecuadorian players were dishing out. I got a real scare when Matuidi took a heavy tackle that did not look good on his knee or Digne who's leg was used as a scratching post for Valencia's studs. With Evra sitting and Pogba not picking up another yellow card they will be both be available for Monday's game against Nigeria.
• The Ecuadorian keeper Dominguez was absolutely huge. Granted France's players

  

  Big saves from the big man

  decided to see if they could all shoot right at him, but the keeper was still in the right place and made some strong saves. None bigger than on a Pogba header at the end of the first half. He was called upon to stand his ground in the second half, especially after Ecuador went down a man. He did so and earned himself a clean sheet.
• The only French player that kept his game at a high level - Matuidi. He is the engine for Les Bleus. Found himself on his favorite left foot early on in the game but could not find the back of the net as he had against Switzerland. His clash early on in the game was one that made me hold my breath, even more so when they replayed it in super slow motion. Otherwise he seemed to be the only player who showed up, well other than Lloris. The PSG midfielder is clearly the engine room for Les Bleus. 
• I have to give some good to Sagna as well. I have been critical of the former Arsenal back and the fact I think his crossing is putrid. However, in this game he defended well and had a few nice crosses that should have been better handled by the strikers. Then again maybe the strikers were shocked by the quality of service!

The Bad:

• The effort from France was bad....very bad. I realize that Les Bleus were all but qualified heading into the game. But the effort demonstrated was barely one you would expect from a late season friendly. Of course this is not a blanket statement for the entire team. By no means am I saying this looked  like some of the efforts the squad has shown in prior tournaments - see all matches in 2010 or some from the Euro 2012. I am not as concerned about this as I might have been in the past. Hey they didn't lose!
• I have to call out Deschamps here as well. There were some head scratching moves he made prior and then during the game. I am well aware that I am nitpicking. First I am curious as to why a player that came out of the last game due to injury, got a start in a game that wasn't vital to the cause. Sakho, had to leave the Switzerland game with a strain in his leg. Yet he started this game...and had to be taken out again in the

  

  All is well!

  second half. Maybe DD did not want to play Mangala and Kos together since they have had a great big zero minutes together on the field. But it just seemed a mighty big risk with a player France will rely on to anchor their defense. Second, I am curious as to why Sissoko in place of Valbuena. I certainly understand why DD wanted to sit Le Petit Velo, but why start a more deeper lying player when you had true right wing options on your bench? In particular Remy.  Why not start Remy? Let him get some run in since I have a feeling we might need him down the road. That would have also allowed Sissoko to get some rest, a player who might very well start, but back in the midfield trio. Finally I am not sure about the substitution patterns. Part of this goes back to starting Sakho. But having to bring in Varane, who was sick this week, in place of Sakho seemed to be a waste. I will admit I was harsher on DD when the move happened but I now recognize that he was trying to get Varane and Kos some time on the field together in case he needs to do so later in the tournament. But not sure if this would have been necessary had Sakho been rested. Remy did get on the field, but it felt like it was late. Why not get him a good 30 minutes of time? Just felt as if the substitutions could have been handled better. DD received a lot of accolades for having the courage to change his line up against Switzerland, he deserves some criticism for rolling out a team that just did not click tonight. 
• Schneiderlin looked a little overwhelmed. Understandable for someone getting his first start at a World Cup...he never seemed to get into the flow of the game. Then again there never seemed to be a flow to the game regardless. It is also a daunting task since he is in the slot usually held by Cabaye. I don't think we will see the Southampton midfielder again this World Cup, but someone to keep an eye on as France heads towards the Euros.

The Ugly:

• Benzema and his "finishing": After basking in the glow of his first two World Cup games, he clearly decided to take this one off. He was timid in the air, didn't attack the ball and his finishing touch was...well abysmal.  He looked like the striker that went over 1000 minutes without scoring a goal. Now I am not going to make too much out of this, much like the rest of the team it felt as if he was going through the motions. But it was UGLY.
• Ecuadorian thugs...clearly the South Americans thought they had to try and maul the

  

  How does my foot taste?

  French to get to the knock out round. It wasn't just the leg mauling that Valencia dispensed, but it felt like the entire team was thugging the French. 

Overall a very forgettable game, other than the fact France qualified in first place of their group. I do not believe in the "momentum" notion. All 16 teams that get to the knock outs start all over again. It is all about survive and move on. The silver lining, hopefully, is that this bad game is out of France's system. Every team usually has a not so good outing during these tournaments, better get them out of the way before serious business starts. For now we can enjoy the fact Les Bleus are back in the knock out round. But let's put this game behind us...now!

Allez les Bleus!

Deschamps turning over his starting line up again - 6 changes?

As it appeared earlier this week, it appears that DD will turn over more than 50% of his starting line up from the one that put up 5 1/2 goals against Switzerland (I give Benzema a 1/2 goal for the one he scored at the end of the game!).

The expected line up -

L’équipe probable : Lloris -  Sagna, Koscielny, Sakho, Digne - Pogba, Schneiderlin, Matuidi - Sissoko, Benzema, Griezmann

• Both full backs will be swapped out with Digne and Sagna getting the nods.
• 2 changes in the middle three from the ones that started against Switzerland - Pogba back in as a starter and World Cup debut for Schneiderlin.
• Griezmann back up front...but not Sissoko on the right wing over Valbuena. Interesting. 

Deschamps has always implied that what he likes about Sissoko is the ability of the Newcastle midfielder to play multiple roles - defensive midfielder, wide player and even as a #10 on the pitch. Something to watch, I still see Sissoko as more of a defensive player. Could DD be trying this out to counter some of Ecuador's outside speed? I would have thought that Remy might have been given the start on the right side.

Deschamps is clearly tackling this match as a fait accompli with regards to France's

First taste of the World Cup

qualification to the next round. Which I would agree with. For France to NOT qualify they would have to lose to Ecuador by more than 4 goals and for Switzerland to blitz Honduras. Could happen...very unlikely it will not happen. And it is not as if Deschamps' second options to roll out are chopped liver. It is smart to get some of his bench players some time at the World Cup. I would not have been surprised if he had opted to have Ruffier in net over Lloris. But I have a feeling he wants to ensure his #1 keeper gets time behind the defensive rotation, in case he has to have them in front of him later in the tournament.

If this is the line up that comes onto the pitch tomorrow, it is almost a hybrid 4-4-2 with Sissoko dropping back to form a four man midfield while Griezmann and Benzema act as the two high players. This could be to allow France to absorb pressure from Ecuador and look to hit on the counter. France is almost assured to not only go through but also in the first position in the group, so they can sit back and absorb the pressure. Ecuador is going to look to win this game. They are ahead of Switzerland right now, but they need a result against Les Bleus and hope that Switzerland doesn't. With this potential formation, it appears that DD will roll out a team that can defensively sound, manage the pace of the game and look for Benzema or Griezmann to exploit any counters the French can launch.

I expect Ecuador to start out aggressively, look to find an early goal against the French. If they can somehow spring an early surprise they might be then content to sit back themselves and look to counter through their pacey players. If Les Bleus can weather a potential offensive push early from Ecuador, both teams might sit back and play cautiously until the second half. Depending on what is happening in the other game the pace of the second half might take on a much different look. I also think that Deschamps will want his side to look for a result, keep their positive momentum going. But what he certainly wants to avoid is to create a situation where his defensive gets exposed - and where questions start to arise.

Look for Remy, Mavuba and Giroud to get some time in the second half. Depending on the situation I could see Pogba being taken off for Remy who would slot to the right and allow Sissoko to drop back to the middle three. Mavuba could replace Matuidi and Giroud in for Benzema.

I look for a very cautious first half, but a much more open second (much like many of the other games this week). France keep their momentum going but Ecuador gives them a run for the their money.

France 3 - Ecuador 1

Allez Les Bleus!