World Cup 2010: France verdict

By Simon Briggs Published: 2:57PM GMT 04 March 2010

All smiles... but Thierry Henry perceived jeering and whistling from French fans Photo: AP

Coach Crazy is as funny does, as Forrest Gump competence say, and Raymond Domenech has copiousness of prior in this area. Frances figure usually looked wrong on Wednesday night. Frank Ribery was as well far out on the right, withdrawal nobody to supply the small dinks and lay-offs that Nicolas Anelka thrives on, whilst the behind 4 were so block that they regularly looked exposed to a well-timed by ball.

Looking great The dual wing-backs, Patrice Evra and Bacary Sagna, are able of removing this painfully immobile France group on the move. On Wednesday they outlayed a lot of time pegged behind in their own half, shower up complicated Spanish pressure, but with a bit some-more receive they could means problems with their crossing. Yoann Gourcuff was additionally a hazard down the left.

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Must do improved The supply to Anelka was thin to non-existent. There was no executive playmaker to feed the round up to him, and with Ribery and Thierry Henry a span of dribblers, by inlet on the flanks, he wasnt removing any crosses either. It says something that Frances most appropriate cranky of the night came from Djibril Cisse, who could have had an 80th-minute support if Florent Maloudas header hadnt come behind off the post.

Mood Grim. Martin Johnson competence think he has his hands full, but by some-more aged with this lot, Englands rugby fans have the calm of saints. Thierry Henry was viciously whistled and jeered by his own, whilst it usually took one or dual mistakes by the alternative players for the throng to get on their backs. The tip man on everyones strike list, though, is Domenech.

Star man Ribery has superb gait and appetite on the round but was corralled in to far-reaching and unthreatening areas by the Spanish defence. This is where he plays for Bayern Munich, admittedly, but France need him to take a some-more executive role.

Verdict France usually usually squeaked by World Cup gift and this crude opening showed why. For all their talent, they see a cloyed side, full of Gallic shrugs rather than Gallic flair. And with Mexico and Uruguay in their group, there could be some-more difficulty ahead.