In Ukraine`s last outing against Sweden their opponents sat back and opted to counterattack, however France are more likely to play on the offensive from the start, and to control possession.
|Last Updated: Jun 15, 2012, 09:21 AM IST|Source: Bureau
In Ukraine`s last outing against Sweden their opponents sat back and opted to counterattack, however France are more likely to play on the offensive from the start, and to control possession. Therefore, Oleg Blokhin may well field a slightly more defensive line-up than the XI who defeated Erik Hamren`s men 2-1.
The main option for the Ukraine boss would be to sacrifice a striker in order to overload the midfield in an attempt to stop France from playing. Match-winner from Monday night Andriy Shevchenko could be the man to make way after the 35-year-old, who has been struggling for fitness, played 80 minutes against Sweden and has also been reportedly involved in a car accident, although no injuries were sustained. Ruslan Rotan is a possible candidate to fill in as the extra man in midfield.
Laurent Blanc decided not to risk Rennes midfielder Yann M`Vila in their opening game against England, but he is likely to be back to full fitness and start in place of Alou Diarra. Apart from that, France are expected to stick with the same team that drew against Roy Hodgson`s men.
However, should Laurent Blanc wish to freshen things up Hatem Ben Arfa and Marvin Martin, who netted twice against Ukraine in a friendly last year, were introduced late on against the Three Lions and offer variety going forward. Reported Arsenal-bound Olivier Giroud is also an option. Laurent Koscielny also represents a slightly different approach in defence, should the coach see fit to swap things around.
Goal.com
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.