Didier Deschamps has never been one for hyperbole. The man is as stoic as the granite of the Massif Central. So when he steps in front of the micropho...
Didier Deschamps has never been one for hyperbole. The man is as stoic as the granite of the Massif Central. So when he steps in front of the microphones and starts talking about a "spectacular" semi final, you sit up and pay attention. Speaking exclusively to GoalZaza ahead of what promises to be a heavyweight collision in Dallas, the France boss made no attempt to cloak his excitement. He knows, and we all know, that this is the fixture the tournament has been crying out for.On one side you have a Spanish side that have rediscovered their edge. Gone is the sterile, sideways possession of yesteryear. This is a team that marries their traditional technical purity with a terrifying directness in transitional play. They will look to pin France back, force mistakes high up the pitch, and then punish you with clinical finishing. But here is the rub. Deschamps has built a machine that thrives on exactly that sort of pressure. His side are not just talented; they are tactically flexible to the point of being chameleonic.The real battle will be fought in the central corridors. Can Spain's midfield, as silky as it is, cope with the raw power and relentless running of the French engine room When Les Bleus break, they do so with a ferocity that borders on the chaotic. It is not pretty, structured football. It is intelligent, instinctual chaos. And against a team like Spain, who will want to control the tempo, that sort of direct thrust can be the difference between a masterclass and a meltdown.Let's not pretend this is going to be a cagey affair. This is a semi final in Dallas, a city built on spectacle. Deschamps is clearly backing his attackers to outscore the opposition rather than simply smothering them. It is a bold, almost reckless call from a manager traditionally seen as a pragmatist. But when you have the firepower at his disposal, why on earth would you park the bus The stage is set for a proper ding dong. Someone is going to bottle it, and someone is going to become a national hero. Squeaky bum time has arrived.
