France Continue Transformation Under Laurent Blanc with 1-1 Draw Against England

It follows that the French side that took the pitch for their Euro 2012 opener against England was markedly different than the ones from the two previous international tournaments Les Bleus had participated in.

France manager Laurent Blanc sent out eight different players to the team who'd graced the pitch in South Africa, where Raymond Domenech's divided side slumped to just one point and one goal before bowing out in the group stages just as they had in Euro 2008.

Blanc's tenure—nearly two years now—has been marked by change. Perhaps defined by it would be the better term. He took a national side mired in the mud after the disaster at Knysna, and has pulled them back to the international fore, where they are currently playing some of the most aesthetically pleasing football in the world, and getting results while doing it.

Much had been made about how Blanc's style of play is a marked departure from Domenech's, but the former Bordeaux boss has actually retained the 4-2-3-1 system that Domenech used in the last years of his six-year reign (2004-10).

What Blanc has changed, and what has helped France become so much more engaging and effective, is the personnel fitting into the system.

Whereas Domenech often opted for two defensive-minded central midfielders to man the middle of the park (usually Jeremy Toulalan, who never scored a goal in 36 appearances under Domenech, and Lassana Diarra, although Alou Diarra and Moussa Sissoko earned caps in those positions as well), Blanc has employed one defensive-minded midfielder, while inserting a creative player alongside him.

Today it was Alou Diarra who assumed the defensive midfield role, and it was Yohan Cabaye who played what the Germans call a "No. 6"—a creative holding midfielder in the vein of a Bastian Schweinsteiger or the way Mikel Arteta was used this past season for Arsenal.

Blanc has imbued Cabaye, one of the great success stories of the 2011-12 Premier League season for Newcastle, with the freedom to roam throughout the attacking third.

That liberation requires an excellent shift from the defensive midfielder, and while Diarra was culpable on England's goal—his marking of Joleon Lescott was far too lax, and enabled the Manchester City center-back to head home from a Steven Gerrard free kick—the Marseille sentinel was impeccable thereafter, stopping English attacks with frequency and nearly grabbing an equalizer himself with a powerful header.

Diarra's importance cannot be spoken of enough. Cabaye was granted the space to operate throughout the attacking half, where the Newcastle No. 4 picked out passes with aplomb, and even had some good sights on goal by way of stinging volleys in the second half. He is one of Domenech's most successful introductions to the national side, and on Monday we saw why.

In the other areas of midfield, Blanc opted for two holdovers from the Domenech regime—the controversial Franck Ribery and Florent Malouda.

But here's where Blanc separates himself the most from Domenech. Whereas Raymond often stubbornly refused to grant Ribery his wish to play on the left wing, where he is so devastating for Bayern Munich, Blanc inserted the man affectionately known to Bavarians as "Kaiser Franck" on the left flank almost immediately once Ribery's suspension, earned for his role in the Knysna training strike, was up.

It is that sort of man management that has made Blanc such a hit with France, and helps explain why (this latest England result included) they have gone 22 matches without a loss. Domenech's ego almost made him a liability at the helm; Ribery was just one case where a talented player became a problem.

It's telling that Blanc has had no such problems since he became manager in July 2010.

Just as Blanc entrusted Ribery with the freedom he requires in attack, so too has Blanc reinvigorated Karim Benzema.

By the end of Domenech's time in charge, his rift with Benzema had become well-known. There was a bust-up in the training room during a World Cup qualifier against Romania (Sept. 5, 2009), and afterward, Benzema played nary a minute for the national side until Domenech left his post.

This exile included missing out on the South Africa World Cup.

But under Blanc, Benzema has enjoyed new life in the famous blue shirt.

He credits his new manager with helping get him back to his best, which can be a devastating prospect for opposing defenses.

Blanc stood by the Real Madrid striker during his most trying times in Spain, granting him a starting role in a crucial Euro 2012 qualifier away to Bosnia Herzegovina in October 2010. Benzema had yet to become the force seen last season in La Liga, but that mattered little. Blanc saw his talent, and he realized what he could bring to the team with a little confidence in tow.

Benzema, as he is so apt to do, responded to that trust with a goal in the 2-0 win in Bosnia, and has since gone on to star for both France and Madrid.

His 32 goals for the Galacticos in 2011-12 made him one of Europe's most dangerous goal scorers, and he has transferred that sublime form to the international level—best exemplified by a wondrous curling effort against Estonia last Tuesday that marked his 15th goal for the national team.

While France did not get a win against England, the draw will not have subdued their aspirations for this tournament, where they are a trendy dark-horse pick.

England was always going to be their toughest matchup in the group (the Sweden tilt is a close second), and while France may have wished for a winner—they certainly pushed for one in that final half-hour—a point is a great result to kick off their campaign in Poland/Ukraine.

What is most reassuring for the French public is that they looked a vastly different side than the soporific group of individuals who marked Domenech's last days. Contrasted with that Uruguay match, France were transcendent—that's how bad things had become under Domenech.

This France outfit played as a unit, best seen in the five-man midfield, whose one-touch passing and quick movement against the Three Lions bordered on the mesmerizing. While they couldn't break down England's staunch defense, which often played eight or nine men behind the ball toward the end of the encounter, they did come very close on a number of occasions.

Nasri, who with Ribery was France's best player on the night, was a major reason for that dangerous attack.

Yet another of the unwanted men during Domenech's ill-fated tenure (the Manchester City midfielder also missed out on WC 2010), Nasri provided France with their equalizer by way of an excellent low drive in the first half, and his combination play with Benzema and Ribery around the edge of the penalty area was terrific.

France's defense still shows signs of weakness, and verified the worry Blanc had for it on a number of occasions, but fans can and still should take heart from this result.

If not only because the three best players for Les Bleus in attack—Benzema, Ribery and Nasri—were deemed surplus to requirements for indiscretion (Ribery) or performance (Nasri, Benzema) just two years ago.

Blanc has breathed new life into them, and it has permeated the side, who play with a vigor not seen two years ago.

If hey continue to play as they did against England for the rest of the tournament, France will have ample reason to celebrate.