Unbeaten France can hold the world champions

 

France currently control their own destiny in Group I, but that control can be taken away if they lose to Spain on Tuesday night. James Horncastle previews this  crucial, mouthwatering encounter...

 

Over the course of his two-year tenure between 2010 and 2012, Laurent Blanc had endeavoured to make France more like Spain. He wanted Les Bleus to take on the hue of  La Roja.

 

The small and technical players of his country who'd frequently been disregarded, an issue that Blanc himself had raised questioning whether a Xavi or an Andres  Iniesta would ever have made it into Clairefontaine, were now to be preferred in selection over the big and powerful.

 

As a philosophy, it looked to be working well. France outclassed England in a friendly in November 2010. They beat Brazil in the spring and then Germany in Bremen  shortly before Euro 2012 too. It was all very impressive. They headed into that tournament on a 21-match unbeaten run and were understandably among the favourites to  win the competition.

 

But when confronted with Spain in the last 16 knock-out stage, the team in who's image Blanc had built his own, well, quite curiously, he went against everything he'd  stood for. Rather than set France up to play their own game and impose themselves, he adapted to the opposition, playing Anthony Reveillere and Mathieu Debuchy, a pair  of right-backs, one in front of the other to stymy the threat posed by Spain's left-hand side.

 

Humiliatingly for Blanc, Spain's opening goal in a 2-0 win came down that flank, as Jordi Alba crossed a ball for Xabi Alonso to head past Hugo Lloris at the far post.

 

France were knocked out in Donetsk. Blanc resigned and the mood surrounding the national team was downbeat once again. It certainly wasn't improved by the knowledge  that France had been drawn in the same group as Spain to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. A sense of fatalism prevailed. France, the reasoning went, would be  powerless to stop Spain qualifying automatically. In all probability, they'd have to go through the play-offs.

 

Flash forward to the present day, however, and it's amazing what a difference nearly nine months make? France are top of Group I with their destiny in their own hands  ahead of Spain's visit to the Stade de France on Tuesday night for what's likely, even at this half-way stage of the qualifying process, to be a decider.

 

Blanc's successor, Didier Deschamps, his former teammate and captain of France's World Cup and European Championship winning sides in 1998 and 2000, has once again  underlined what a good manager he is.

 

After leading Monaco to an improbable Champions League final in 2004, Juventus back to Serie A at the first attempt in 2007 following their Calciopoli-motivated  relegation a year earlier and then Marseille to their first league title in 18 years in 2010, he is performing his next minor miracle.

 

Last October's 1-1 draw with Spain at the Vicente Calderon in Madrid, a match Deschamps' men really deserved to win rather than only just get a result by grace of a  stoppage time equaliser from Olivier Giroud, was hailed by L'Equipe as arguably the best display by a France side since they beat Italy 3-1 in September 2006.

 

Les Bleus had shown great character after going behind. They could have got disheartened after a Jeremy Menez goal was incorrectly adjudged offside and when Spain were  awarded a penalty soon afterwards. But surrender they did not. Lloris saved Cesc Fabregas' spot-kick and France dominated the second half. It gives Deschamps and his  players great encouragement ahead of Tuesday night.

 

Last Friday's results do too, as France beat Georgia 3-1 while Spain unexpectedly drew 1-1 with Finland in Gijon. That slip up, attributable, according to Vicente del  Bosque, to his defenders relaxing because they'd had nothing to do until Teemu Pukki found himself through on goal after a swift counter-attack, leaves Spain two- points behind France as they travel across the Pyrenees and on to Paris to play them.

 

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, defender Carles Puyol, playmaker Xavi aren't in the squad because of injury. Alba, the player who contributed to France's downfall at Euro  2012, is a doubt. David Silva is suspended. Such is the depth, though, within this Spain team and their reputation that the market still has them favourites to win at  the Stade de France. Spain have to do that if they are to regain control of their destiny in this qualifying campaign.

 

They can be backed to triumph at 2.4, a good price considering this generation of players won there 2-0 in 2010. I'm more inclined, however, to go with The  Draw at 3.4.

 

Deschamps' teams are pragmatic. His coaching philosophy owes a lot to his time as a player in Italy and even though his France have kept only one clean sheet in  qualifying thus far - and was away to Finland - they're undefeated in competitive matches under their new manager and have also scored in every game too.

 

An interesting question, I suppose, is who might find the net for them against Spain? Karim Benzema has not scored for France in 929 minutes but, as a Real Madrid  player, he knows Spain well and can be backed at 2.4 to end his drought at international level. His striker partner, Giroud has, on the other hand, been a  little more dependable. He got one against Spain in October and another at home to Georgia on Friday. The Arsenal striker represents slightly better value than Benzema  at 2.72.

 

But why not dabble with Mathieu Valbuena instead? The Marseille right-winger has been France's outstanding player under Deschamps. Involved in all their goals against  Georgia, contributing two assists and getting on the scoresheet himself, the diminutive Valbuena has struck in each of France's last three internationals, including  friendlies against Italy and Germany. He can be backed at 4.0 to make it four in a row. That has a nice symmetry to it, doesn't it?

 

Recommended Bets

Back The Draw @ 3.4

Back Mathieu Valbuena To Score at 4.0 or better

 

Bet HERE

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