France coach Laurent Blanc has challenged his players to prove they have enough character to take charge of a match from the start.
In their opening European Championship match against England
three days ago, the French began meekly and had to settle for a 1-1
draw, despite having long periods of possession. Blanc knows his team
could be more severely punished against a fired-up Ukraine on June 15 in
Group D if it makes another lackluster start in Donetsk.
“Great
players always show up for big games, because a great player takes
responsibility. If we have great players, they will have to show it
tomorrow, because we need to win,” Blanc said June 14. “There was
pressure in the first match and it will be even stronger for the second.
Pressure either inhibits a player or motivates a player.”
The
French team is at something of a crossroads: unbeaten in 22 matches but
without a win at a major tournament since the 2006 World Cup semifinal —
which makes it eight games and counting.
Blanc insists that his
players can fulfill their potential, provided they find a way to “let
go” and take more risks. This was rarely the case against England, and with a feverish crowd of nearly 50,000 roaring Ukraine on, it won’t get any easier at the Donbass Arena.
“We have to be ready from the first second of the match. I hope we don’t get a repeat of the first 30 minutes against England,”
Blanc said. “There are things to work on and things to prepare, but you
need the personality and the character to be able to do it.”
After the match, France will either be on course for its first
quarterfinal since the 2006 World Cup, or sweating on the final group
game against Sweden June 19.
“We can tell the players ‘Look
at how Germany plays.’ That’s great, but then you have to go out and do
it,” Blanc said. “The difference between a good player and a great
player is on the field. That’s the only place where you make the
difference.”
France has a very strong forward line, with Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri either side of center forward Karim Benzema.
Benzema failed to live up to his billing against England, but it wasn’t entirely his fault, as he was tightly marked and there wasn’t enough support from midfield.
“Forwards
are there to make the difference in the team, but you have to make sure
they’re near the goal when they receive the ball,” Blanc said. “If the
players don’t take any initiative, they just end up knocking it up to
the striker, who is 40 yards (meters) from goal — and there’s not much
he can from there.”
Blanc suggested he could make changes, with central midfielder Yann M’Vila fit again after recovering from a sprained ankle.
“All
the players are available. We have a few things to think about, we’ll
have to weigh everything up and make a decision,” Blanc said. “Yann’s a
good passer who can play higher up the field. If there are changes, they
will be to improve how we play and in no way a punishment for the first
game.”
England used two banks of four in a defensive-minded set up, but Ukraine may be more adventurous.
Victory will put Oleg Blokhin’s team into the quarterfinals if it wins, the fans
will create a blue-and-yellow wall of noise, and veteran striker Andriy
Shevchenko is only two goals away from the magical 50 for Ukraine.
“They’re
quick, athletic, and they have a clever player up front who scores
goals,” Blanc said. “But we also have qualities of our own and the way
we play doesn’t just depend on Ukraine. I heard that the Ukraine coach
said he didn’t fear France. He can rest assured that we don’t fear
Ukraine, either.”
Blanc spoke of his admiration for the 35-year-old Shevchenko, who scored both goals in the 2-1 win against Sweden.
“He
has the art of making you forget about him, and then all of a sudden he
pops up where you never expected him,” Blanc said. “Great players
always turn up for the big games, even at his age.”
