France are on their second longest winless streak in a major tournament but they’ve got to change that if they’re to justify the support that so many – this page included – have given them for Euro 2012 against co- hosts Ukraine today, in a game that’s likely to provide plenty of fun and entertainment for the neutrals.
Co – Hosts Ukraine can seal their place in the quarter finals with a win over the French and spirits will be incredibly high for Oleg Bolkhin’s side after their 2-1 win over Sweden on Monday night with Andriy Shevcehnko providing both goals in a fairytale comeback from 1-0 down. All credit must be given towards the co – hosts for fighting back when at times it had looked as if they were going to concede a second and third, but it’s likely that things will be harder for them here against Group favourites and tournament tips France, who themselves should be encouraged, if not satisfied with their 1-1 opening draw with England. The end result was probably just about a fair one between the two sides although France had 21 shots on target to England’s 5 and controlled 65% of the ball throughought the match, while passing the ball more than twice the number of times of their opponents – 634 to 307. Despite this, they lacked any real threat apart from the 5 minute period during which they responded to England’s opener, although there’s good reason to think that they may be a different animal this time round.
Blanc opted for a 4-3-3 formation on Monday but it played well into England’s hands with Karim Benzema taken out of the game by the heavy man marking tactics of Lescott and Terry, often leaving the excellent Nasri (seen scoring) and Ribery with nothing to target in face of their marauding runs from deep, while the roaming Lille left back Matieu Debuchy seems to be denied of a proper target man for his excellent crosses in the system. There was also the issue of the stifling temperatures that the second half was played in – temperatures were topping 37 degrees at one point – and the long length of the grass at the Donbass Arena was one of the more specific reasons given for the lack of threat in the second half, but there was an acceptance of a point from Blanc and his men on Monday (possibly evidenced by the time it took for him to bring on Hatem Ben Arfa) and I’d be very surprised to see them in that mindset today. For one, the return of highly rated Midfilder Yann M’Villa from an ankle strain is likely to concede with the return to a 4-2-3-1 formation, which should see Karim Benzemema played more as a target man with Ribery and Nasri providing danger with Debuchy and Evra overlapping. We all know that France are good enough to work their own opening but one would have to be more hopeful about them getting spaces in behind to run into given how forceful Ukraine’s back four were in their opening game to get the ball forward, and with a chance to go straight through to the quarter finals, they’re sure to go forward again in search of a win just like Poland did in their second game against Russia.
And with Philippe Mexès and Adil Rami being given a lot of problems against England by the movement of Young and Wellbeck whenever they had the ball, it would be foolish to think that the hosts – who are surely going to be proactive from the get go – couldn’t use the movement of Andriy Yarmolenko and Andriy Voronin to create some serious problems, especially with the aforementioned two noted for struggling aerially. Add to that the weaknesses of French fullbacks Patrice Evra (himself at fault for the goal against England) and Matieu Debuchy going back upon themselves, and you have a recipe for blotted scoresheets on both sides. We’ve got more than enough in the France basket to leave 11/10 alone (it’s too short a price anyway) but France to win with Ukraine scoring is 7/2 with Coral, and that looks to be a good source of value, while the France 2-1 win is a mouthwatering 9/1 with Stan James.
Advice
1 pt Both teams to score and France to win (7/2 Coral)
1 pt 2-1 France (9/1 general)
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