Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba should return for France when they take on Switzerland at Euro 2016
Former European footballer of the Year reckons Les Bleus are thinking too much and playing too slowly this tournament
FORMER Germany skipper Lothar Matthaus is adding his unique tactical insight to SunSport’s star Euro 2016 line-up.
Today the 150-cap legend looks at the battle to top Group A between hosts France and neighbours Switzerland.
FRENCH NEED ENERGY BOOST
YOU can see the French squad are playing under so much pressure. Their body language is not good — and they don’t seem free in their heads.
They are thinking too much and playing too slowly. Albania are not a good side but played at the same level as France for most of their match this week. There is not enough positive energy in the French bodies and I don’t know why.
Maybe it’s because it is a home tournament and they are trying too hard to be perfect. Maybe they are simply not ready for what the fans expect.
What was incredible for me was to see the reaction to the Antoine Griezmann goal. I watched Germany score seven against Brazil and then win the World Cup two years ago — and they didn’t celebrate as much as France did when they scored against Albania.
It looked as if France were playing with a weight on their shoulders, even though they still would have been pretty much through with a draw.
Instead they were like small children running downstairs to find their Christmas presents.
Normally playing at home should be an advantage but France here are looking like Brazil did in 2014, that it is all a little too much, more of a minus than a plus.
TIME TO MANN UP!
THE good thing for France is that they have won games late — twice — and shown they believe all the way to the end.
So far they have not played the football I expected, so boss Didier Deschamps needs to change a few things again.
What he must have now is a dominant performance. I expect Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba to come back in from the start.
Deschamps should play Manchester United’s Anthony Martial as his striker and tell Olivier Giroud to relax, have a few days off, and get himself ready for the knockout stage.
I would also stick with Kingsley Coman on the right and give either N’Golo Kante or Blaise Matuidi a break as well.
Griezmann does not like playing alone up front. He links with Fernando Torres at Atletico Madrid and needs to play off the main striker because he is not the strongest physically.
If Deschamps makes changes it will tell the whole squad he has faith in them — that he trusts them to win the game — and show they are part of his thinking.
HOW SHAQIRI COMPARES WITH FASTEST IN PREM
XHERDAN SHAQIRI came with a big reputation — but he simply hasn’t been in this tournament yet.
I know the Stoke forward is a good player. However he is not happy wide on the right. He is more creative when he plays in the centre.
He likes to play around the striker — and while Shaqiri looks fast — he still isn’t quick enough to run away from people. His pace is over a few metres.
Over the last couple of years he has not impressed me. He has stood still, or maybe gone backwards.
XHAK ATTACK FROM BACK
GRANIT XHAKA is Switzerland’s quarterback — but he can sometimes go a bit crazy and lose his discipline.
But he will learn and is a good presser, a very good player, who works so hard for his team. Arsenal have done very well to buy him for £30million.
The problem the Swiss have is that too many have not played enough. Admir Mehmedi has been on the bench for Leverkusen, Haris Seferovic for Frankfurt and Valon Behrami for Watford. It could prove costly.
LOTHAR MATTHAUS is a SunSport columnist and ITV Sport pundit.
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