Rotation leaves France lacking je ne sais quoi: how Stats Zone saw Ecuador 0-0 France |
- Rotation leaves France lacking je ne sais quoi: how Stats Zone saw Ecuador 0-0 France
- Mexico goal a big relief, admits Hernandez
- Who should replace Steven Gerrard for England?
- Alves confirms Xavi departure from Barca
| Rotation leaves France lacking je ne sais quoi: how Stats Zone saw Ecuador 0-0 France Posted: 25 Jun 2014 03:40 PM PDT With France already through to the knockout stages before this game kicked off, Didier Deschamps was afforded the chance to shuffle his pack and rest a couple of his established stars in favour of a few younger fringe players. Deschamps stuck with his 4-3-3 system, but made six changes from the 5-2 win over Switzerland. Patrice Evra, Yohan Cabaye, Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena were among the players rested, while the likes of Lucas Digne, Morgan Schneiderlin, Paul Pogba and Antoine Greizmann were brought in. With Newcastle's Moussa Sissoko moving from the midfield three into the forward three, there wasn't quite the same natural width as against Switzerland when, generally speaking, Giroud was flanked by Benzema and Valbuena. This left France relying on their full-backs for width - not much of a headache with Digne and Sagna in the side, although it did mean there wasn't quite the same fluidity in attack as there had been in Les Bleus' first two matches in Brazil. The most interesting addition to the side was Schneiderlin, who at the time of the last World Cup was playing in League One (as opposed to Ligue Un). Since arriving in the Premier League with Southampton two years ago, the midfielder has built a reputation for being consistent when distributing the ball, and persistent when trying to win it back. There was more of the former than the latter on show at the Maracana on Wednesday evening. No player on the pitch completed more than Schneiderlin's 65 passes, although he only completed 2 tackles and 2 interceptions - not particularly high numbers by his standards, although that was perhaps a reflection of how much his team dominated possession. Schneiderlin kept things ticking over in the middle of the park, but brought little more than that to the table. France missed the vision of Cabaye and the guile of Valbuena - although they still created enough chances to have won the game. Much of their creativity on the night came from Juventus schemer Paul Pogba, who completed more passes in the attacking third than any other player (30) and was direct and aggressive with his running at opposition players, completing 5 take-ons. Despite the fact France were through and Ecuador needed the three points, it was the South American side who sat deep. Their team defensice dashboard (below) shows plenty of blocks and clearances in their defensive third, but hardly any tackles or interceptions higher up the pitch. This invited near-constant pressure from their opponents, particularly after Manchester United's Antonio Valencia was sent off for a dangerous-looking challenge on Digne early in the second half. The star of Ecuador's campaign up to this point had been forward Enner Valencia, who scored three goals in La Tri's first two matches of the tournament. However in this match he was completely isolated, rarely receiving the ball, with his team-mates often resorting to long balls upfield rather than shorter passes in to feet. With the 5ft 7in forward having won only 3/8 aerial duels in his first two outings, this was perhaps always a flawed plan. It was a relatively straightforward night for Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny. The Pachuca striker had just 1 clear-cut chance - a first-half header that was easily saved by Hugo Lloris. Facts and figures France have spent 87 minutes of this World Cup playing against 10 men. There have been red cards shown in 5 of France's last 7 World Cup matches. Antonio Valencia has been sent off in 2 of his last 4 games for Ecuador. Valencia is the first man to be sent off for Ecuador at the World Cup. Karim Benzema's first shot of the match was not until the 44th minute. Only against Paraguay in 1998 (36) have France made more crosses from open play in a single World Cup game (32 tonight; since 1966). Alexander Dominguez made 9 saves against France. Only twice since 1966 has a goalkeeper made more saves in a World Cup match and managed to keep a clean sheet (Pagliuca - 10 for Italy vs Brazil in 1994, Quiroga - 13 for Peru vs Netherlands in 1978). France's last 2 World Cup clashes with South American teams have ended 0-0. The French have kept a clean sheet in their last 6 World Cup games against South American sides. Ecuador are the first South American team to be eliminated from the 2014 World Cup. France have topped their group of the first time since the 1998 World Cup. Analyse Ecuador 0-0 France with Stats Zone This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mexico goal a big relief, admits Hernandez Posted: 25 Jun 2014 09:37 AM PDT The Manchester United striker had not scoredfor his country in12 matches before the FIFA World Cup meeting with Croatia. Yet he found the net in a 3-1 Group A win that setup alast-16 clash with the Netherlands and he took great heart from finding the back of the net. "This is a goal that gives me a lot of confidence," he told FIFA.com. One man whose always offered unwavering supportis Hernandez's grandfather and the 26-year-old expressed his gratitude for the backing he has received from his family. He said: "I'd like to dedicate this (his goal) to my grandfather, who's about to turn 85 but has still made the effort to be here. "It's for all those who've been with me in the good times and the bad, like my wife and my family." This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Who should replace Steven Gerrard for England? Posted: 25 Jun 2014 02:47 AM PDT As England pack their smalls into suitcases and prepare for the flight home, they may have a rather larger adjustment coming. After 14 years and 114 caps, Steven Gerrard may decide to retire from international football. You couldn't blame him for doing so. Never a man to take responsibility lightly, Gerrard has keenly felt the pain of leading England in two successive disappointing tournaments – and at 34, the physical demands of international football could threaten attempts to prolong his career for his beloved Liverpool. At the same time, there is a strong body of opinion that England's recent rejuvenation must continue. As ever, some of that is of the baby-with-bathwater variety, but along with Frank Lampard (who at 36 will surely also call it a day for England), Gerrard is now the sole survivor of the millennial "Golden Generation" whose promise never really delivered on the international stage. But if and when Gerrard hangs up his armband and Three Lions shirt, who could step into the breach? Roy Hodgson has a number of options, but most are as yet an unknown quantity - or quality, at this level. Read on for FourFourTwo's assessment of their individual merits... Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) Jack Wilshere has been England's coming man for half a decade; it's about time he arrived. Paul Scholes may have been atypically garrulous on his betting-column soapbox when saying Wilshere "does not look any better now than when he was 17", but there's a kernel of truth there, as the Arsenal man acknowledged after a subsequent phone call with the Manchester United legend. Arsene Wenger says the 22-year-old has "Spanish technique, but an English heart", and that aesthetic/athletic combination perfectly suits Hodgson's new breed of young lions: astute players like Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Ross Barkley. Wilshere also shares their positional flexibility: although perfectly capable of playing at No.10, he has more recently been playing in a deeper role for Arsenal, while being given licence to rampage forward, often to memorable effect. Wenger has described him as "a box-to-box player, more than just a holding midfielder," while Gary Neville has noted that "like Scholes, he dominates possession and keeps things moving." The main worry with Wilshere, bar a niggle over his temperament, is the thing which has most hampered his development: his injury record. It's six years since he became the Gunners' youngest-ever league debutant and four years since his first England call-up in August 2010; from that point, Wilshere has only been in 24 of England's 47 squads, and that's not due to lack of ability. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity, and Wilshere's absence from Arsenal duty during 2014 gave more gametime to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in central midfield. Although the 20-year-old came to prominence as a nippy winger, his club manager sees his future slap-bang in the middle of operations. "His future will be there in central midfield, in a deeper role, because he has a good long ball and penetration from deep," said Wenger in January. "He has good quality to distribute and penetrate individually - very similar to Steven Gerrard." 'The Ox' certainly caught the eye in that role this spring, combining energetic bursts forward with increasing tactical awareness – knowing when to simply stand still, the better to block an opponent. The defensive side of the game is something that will require more work, and one could argue that Arsenal may not be the best place to get that training, but Oxlade-Chamberlain has the attributes to succeed. Not far shy of 6ft tall and robust enough to have seriously considered a career as a rugby scrum-half (he took trials at London Irish), the Ox is hardly a greenhorn after two years in the squad. Hodgson and Wenger both have high hopes for him; it will be interesting to see how much faith they show in the coming seasons. Michael Carrick (Manchester United) Two years ago, the Manchester United midfielder most likely to have an England future was Tom Cleverley - but despite being named in every England squad since Euro 2012, he currently has enough trouble proving his worth at club level. Turning 25 this August and with a fearsome new manager to impress, Cleverley may find that being on standby for Brazil 2014 is not just an accurate assessment of his current worth but a harbinger of his international future. Michael Carrick has his own history with being on standby; after a polite word with the FA, he wasn't listed as a reserve for Euro 2012. However, Hodgson named him in the first post-tournament squad for the Italy friendly, and the Geordie ended up with the armband for the last 20 minutes; since then he has been in every squad bar one, quietly accepting his place on the standby list for 2014. It may seem absurd to suggest someone only 14 months younger than Gerrard as a replacement, but the Manchester United man is an entirely different beast to the (presumably) outgoing captain. Whereas Gerrard has had to adapt his game to cope with decreasing athleticism, Carrick was always one to glide rather than strive, and has been United's regista for eight years. More subtly, perhaps, he is less of an obvious link to England's past underachievements: for all his medals he has never been a gilded icon, with all the subsequent potential for disappointment. Carrick's metronomic passing prowess has never been doubted. Even last season, United's worst and Liverpool's best title tilt for a generation, he averaged more passes per 90 minutes (74.48 to Gerrard's 67.65), more successful passes (65.76 to 58.10), better pass completion (88% to 86%) and - in answer to those who claim he always takes the safe option – more forward passes (55.09 to 46.73). The 32-year-old also possesses more ingrained defensive tactical sensibility than most of England's other options. He averaged 2.98 interceptions per 90 minutes last season - more than twice Gerrard's 1.46 - and was far less susceptible to defensive errors, just 0.04 per 90 minutes compared to Gerrard's 0.16 (or one every 6.25 games, about the length of a run to the World Cup semi-finals). Nor did he make a single error leading to a goal conceded - sorry, Stevie G fans, but we had to bring it up. With England's first-choice centre-backs notably short on experience, it could well be that Hodgson wants or needs a calm older head in defensive midfield. He could hardly ask for someone better qualified than Carrick - and with Gerrard and Lampard out of the picture, Carrick may well be pleased to cement his own role. James Milner (Manchester City) What, THAT James Milner? The one who can't hold down his preferred central role for Manchester City, or any role for England? Yes, that one. City can buy anyone they like, but England can't - and although Hodgson has gone for electric youth down the flanks, he has long appreciated the value of a Milner around the place. Now 28 and arguably entering his prime, the Leeds-born midfielder has long been accumulating experience. It's more than 11 years since he scored his first Premier League goal, while he has represented England more than 100 times at various levels, including a record 46 U21 caps, a mark he recently passed for the seniors. He has been in every squad bar two (one injury, one suspension) for the last five years. But can he cut it in central midfield? He certainly thinks so. Tactically adaptable at the top level while some of the current crop were still at primary school, Milner even slotted in at right-back during England's preparations for Brazil 2014. An intelligent player trusted by managers, the indefatigable teetotaller could yet come in from the periphery and make the central role his own - for country, if not for club. Tom Huddlestone (Hull City) Flavour of several months during Hull's successful adaptation to the Premier League, Huddlestone is arguably the Premier League's best long-range passer; with Gerrard out of the picture, Hodgson may have another look at the 27-year-old in the games to come. Another two-footed England Under-21 graduate, Huddlestone impressed the casual Match of the Day viewer last season with his range of passing - with either foot. But there are certainly drawbacks with the ex-Tottenham man. Hull's usual 3-5-2 system means he doesn't have to be very mobile, and some suspect that's probably for the best. Despite getting his first senior call-up six years ago, he has yet to be trusted by either Hodgson or Fabio Capello. He was on the Italian's 30-man longlist for South Africa but didn't make the cut, being subbed at half-time on his only England start. His only England call-up under Hodgson didn't go so well: in November 2012 he got the last 15 minutes in Sweden, who promptly came from 2-1 down to win 4-2, including that immortal worldy from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. If Huddlestone continues to impress, including during Hull's Europa League campaign, he may warrant further investigation by Hodgson. What happens after that is far less certain. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Eh? Well, it's not definite that Gerrard will retire from England duty: he has always simply said he will make a decision after the World Cup. In the rawness after the defeat to Uruguay, he wisely opted to give himself more time to think, waiting a while so that intellect rather than emotion might aid his assessment, acknowledging that he would "need at least three weeks to clear my head… I will consider it long and hard." Hodgson, for all his commitment to rejuvenation, recognises Gerrard's qualities: he had already asked him to stay on before the captain faced the press in the Uruguay aftermath. Most good teams have a blend of innocence and experience, and there is a lack of mature leadership in the England corps; of Hodgson's 30-man longlist for Brazil, the only regular club captains were Gerrard, Adam Lallana and Phil Jagielka, who at almost 32 might find his own England place under long-term threat. So England still want Gerrard, and they arguably still need him - not just as a captain but as a particular kind of player: still athletic, always a leader, with excellent ball distribution (his set-pieces would be particularly missed). Does Gerrard still want England? It may depend on whether he's too much of a romantic fool to bow out with a tournament like this; after the sickening ending to his club season, he may not be able to walk away from his country on such an anticlimax. Nobody Maybe England don't need another Steven Gerrard. It's not that he's a Dying Breed of the Like We'll Never See Again, but one of the joys of football is that it doesn't have to conform to a linear narrative. It is a terrible misfortune of promising Argentines that they have had to be the New Messi, just as Messi himself won outright the previous title-come-millstone of being the New Maradona. Alan Shearer wasn't the New Lineker, partly because he was completely different, but neither was Michael Owen. Although the English love their heroes, and worry when they leave, they don't often feel the need to squash others into a predetermined template. Particularly on the international stage, players arrive, peak and disappear; others come to replace them, but seldom directly. So maybe England won't get another version of this one-club hero who tried to win games through force of will. And maybe, for all Gerrard's undoubted qualities, that's for the best. Football is a team game and perhaps England will do better without the somewhat militaristic, class-ridden habit of looking to one's superiors as exemplars. The best team units – the disciplined Italian defences of yore, the unanswerably brilliant Spanish midfield of the last decade – have functioned by working together: individually competent yet collectively undefeatable. Perhaps whoever plays in England's next midfield will just be another cog in a smooth machine. Well, maybe... 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| Alves confirms Xavi departure from Barca Posted: 24 Jun 2014 09:57 PM PDT Speculation surrounding Xavi's future at Camp Nou has been rife following Luis Enrique's arrival, with Al Arabi coach Dan Petrescu announcing last week that the 34-year-old midfielder had agreed to join the Qatari outfit. Manchester United and clubs from MLS have also been credited with an interest, and while the identity of his new club remains a mystery, Alves confirmed the Spain international has called time on his 16-year career at Barca. "Yes, it's true, Xavi is leaving Barca," Alves told reporters after Brazil's recent 4-1 drubbing of Cameroon at the FIFA World Cup. "It's a shame. I'm sorry for Barca and with him goes one of my footballing idols." Xavi progressed through Barca's youth ranks and went on to win 22 trophies following his debut in the club's Super Cup final against Real Mallorca in 1998. As for Alves, he appears to set to remain at the club, despite reports linking him with a move to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. "I think I'm staying, nobody has told me anything to the contrary," he said. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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