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France could play five brilliant different attacking combos at the 2018 World Cup

France could field five different attacking combinations at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and still be a threat

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Not to state the obvious, but without scoring goals you can’t win a game of football. So in order to win the World Cup it’s pretty important you’ve got a strong group of attackers.

For France that won’t be a problem. Les Bleus could pick strikers with their eyes closed and still look dangerous.

In fact Didier Deschamps could call upon at least five completely different attacking trios in Russia and still do damage.


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Life’s good when you’ve got Kylian Mbappe

EPA
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Life’s good when you’ve got Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele

If they don’t kill you with pace they’ll kill you with clinical finishing.

If they don’t kill you with clinical finishing they’ll kill you with technique.

How do you stop Mbappe, Griezmann and Demebele? Who knows. Answers on a postcard.

Dembele constantly looks terrified, as do the defenders trying to stop him

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Dembele constantly looks terrified, as do the defenders trying to stop him

Kingsley Coman, Nabil Fekir and Thomas Lemar

No Frenchman has scored more goals than Lyon’s Fekir in Ligue 1, although a rumoured summer move to Arsenal will almost certainly curtail that form.

In Coman and Lemar France have another two forwards to call upon for whom flair comes as easily as athleticism.

At 21 Coman has already played for PSG, Juventus, Bayern Munich and France. Not bad for a footballing CV.

Move aside MSN

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Move aside MSN

Anthony Martial, Olivier Giroud and Florian Thauvin

Has Giroud finally found a club that’ll give him the love he deserves? Despite a guaranteed front post sweeping finish every other game he’s never been fully loved at club or country.

Newcastle will be regretting not showing Thauvin more love as the 25-year-old, who spent five months on Tyneside, has 15 goals and 10 assists to his name this season.

While we’re on the subject of love, how much does Martial love playing as a defensive winger under Jose Mourinho? About as much as we love watching highlights of England’s 0-0 draw with Algeria at the 2010 World Cup.

Beard game so strong

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Beard game so strong

Dimitri Payet, Alexandre Lacazette and Allan Saint-Maximin

Not even Donald Trump could build a wall big enough to stop Payet when he’s on top form, as he was for France during their last tournament.

With Nice’s Saint-Maximin on the other wing you’d be ensured of an entertaining game, whatever the result. If his end product ever catches up with his raw talent he’ll be a France international for years to come.

Lacazette’s chances of starting for France are diminishing with every appearance on Arsenal Fan TV, but watching him you can’t help but feel he’s got the tools and it’s just confidence holding him back.

Strong beard game

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Strong beard game

Maxime Lopez, Kevin Gameiro and Houssem Aouar

Now for the long shots.

Marseille’s Lopez and Lyon’s Aouar have established themselves as Ligue 1’s breakout homegrown stars this season although, in reality, neither attacking midfielder will be in Russia.

As for Atletico Madrid’s Gameiro, competition for places at club and country couldn’t be fiercer, so he’ll probably be missing out as well.

Still, everyone loves an underdog.

In case you weren’t jealous enough, Karim Benzema’s continued exiled means he didn’t make the cut while Wissam Ben Yedder, Moussa Dembele, Remy Cabella, Morgan Sanson, Jean-Kevin Augustin, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Hatem Ben Arfa would get in most international squads in world football.

Now that’s just plain greedy.

The Outsiders

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The Outsiders

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