Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
France were actually looking pretty good the first 15 minutes are so. It's hard for me not to think the biggest issue for the French is their mentality, even more so than any coaches.
I see what you're saying, but obviously it's the coaching still, ginger. They did look really sharp on the first attack, but as I keep saying, because of the sheer class of some of our guys, alone, you'll see France putting nice pieces of action together. On that first movement they looked like they were getting 7 points for sure. But you see it in the finishing in plays, in the huge holes mid-way through matches where nothing happens, France are literally playing as it goes. They're randomly trying to bring the ball up the pitch, and somehow score. It worked against England last Feb, remember ? Didn't work at all in Cardiff. We got "out-strategized" in Wales.
There are no plans B or C. Plan A itself is unclear most of the time. And then frustration sets in.
We have literally spent all of 2013 til now playing hard, but aimlessly. And the only reasons we didn't ship 40 in each one of those games are the following two things:
- PSA has taught and achieved very good defense.
- Our players are really good individually.
As for the mental part, France are very easily disrupted. And this goes back to what I've been saying: there's enormous scrutiny over their heads, and it seems like every game is just redemption for the previous. Like they're constantly late, in the wrong, and have to make up for their mistakes. It's like there's almost no confidence there since the start of 2013, and that comes from having no certainty, no gameplan to lean onto, nothing tangible to hold or squeeze, and the accumulation of negativity. The players have to count on their lonesome selves to make anything happen. The coaches are only really good at answering the press.
Of course, with a guy like Michalak, yes it's mental. He's always been a roller-coaster type of guy.
I hope this helps whoever is reading understand our situation.


