France vs. Albania: How Les Bleus Should Line Up in Euro 2016 Game

On Friday evening, France takes on Albania in the first of two friendlies during the international break at the Stade de la Route de Lorient. It is another chance for Didier Deschamps to continue his preparations for the European Championships in 2016.

This latest squad is the furthest away from the 23-man roster that Deschamps took to Brazil in the summer, with the original team including 10 players who were not at the World Cup.

Blaise Matuidi and Benoit Tremoulinas have had to pull out due to injuries, with Lyon’s Maxime Gonalons and Monaco’s Layvin Kurzawa brought into the full squad. Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma has also moved up from the under-21s due to injuries to Loic Perrin and Eliaquim Mangala.

That leaves only 10 players in the current squad that played this summer. This is the perfect time for Deschamps to experiment and give players on the fringe, or the newcomers, a chance to shine for Les Bleus.

Here is how France should line up in the friendly match against Albania on Friday night. 

Goalkeeper

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Costil deserves a chance against Albania.

Deschamps knows exactly what he is going to get from Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The former Lyon man is the undisputed No. 1 for France, and that is not going to change.

However, with the game against Albania being played in Rennes, it would be a great opportunity to give Benoit Costil his first appearance at the home of his club side.

A relative unknown outside of Ligue 1, Costil has been a consistent performer in France for the last few years, so it is no surprise that he has made it into Deschamps' squad.

Starting Costil would be a nice gesture from his coach, and a wonderful moment for Costil himself.

Defence

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Zouma could start against Albania.

It could be all change this week as Deschamps picks his back four for the Albania game. Three of the back four that lined up against Germany at the World Cup are not included in Deschamps' squad, and a few injuries will mean the defence has a new look on Friday.

Christophe Jallet of Lyon is likely to start against Albania with Bacary Sagna taking the second game against Sweden. He has been superb this season for Lyon, and although 30 years old, he deserves his place in the team.

There is no doubt that Raphael Varane will start on Friday, but his partner is definitely still to be decided. Both Eliaquim Mangala and Loic Perrin picked up knocks this week, which meant Kurt Zouma was called up to the squad.

With the second game against Sweden the tougher of the two fixtures, there is a chance that Zouma could play on Friday, while Mapou Yanga-M’Biwa could step in beside Varane in Marseille. It will all depend on the fitness of Perrin and Mangala. Both are still in the squad, but they are more likely to feature against Sweden if they are to play at all.

Varane, Zouma and Yanga-M’Biwa are the only fit centre-backs for the game on Friday. It could lead to the Chelsea youngster making his first start, but Yanga-M’Biwa is the more senior option and has played well on loan at Roma this season. 

Midfield

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Pogba will be France's leader on Friday.

The injury to Blaise Matuidi all but helps the French midfield pick itself. Paul Pogba is a definite starter as he continues to blossom on the international stage. He gives the French midfield an air of unpredictability and is the one player that can create something from nothing.

If Pogba plays both games, he is likely to have four different partners over the two contests.

Against Albania, there is the opportunity to play Josuha Guilavogui in the Matuidi role and Morgan Schneiderlin as the deepest of the three.

Wolfsburg are up to second in the Bundesliga with Guilavogui impressing more than he did at Atletico Madrid. The move to Spain saw the midfielder lose his place, and it is good to see the loan move help him back into the squad.

Schneiderlin is in a similar situation with Southampton, riding high in the Premier League. With Yohan Cabaye out of form and lacking confidence, this is a great chance for the former Strasbourg man to win his place in the starting XI.

Moussa Sissoko, Cabaye and Maxime Gonalons will feature at some point—two of them will look to start against Sweden. 

Attack

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Lacazette is in fantastic form.

Deschamps could continue to play the three-man attack that featured heavily in the World Cup, with Karim Benzema through the middle, Mathieu Valbuena starting on the right but drifting inside and Antoine Griezmann doing the same on the left.

There is also a chance that he could try something a little different.

The form of Alexandre Lacazette is hard to ignore, but to get the best of the Lyon man, Deschamps would need to adapt things in attack.

Lacazette has 11 goals already this season, and he has impressed in a free-flowing two-man attack with a playmaker playing just behind. Valbuena could move inside and play that role, but he would still have as much licence to drift.

That would then pair Lacazette with Benzema.

It is just a small tweak to the formation Deschamps currently favours, but it would be enough to get the best out of the Lyon forward.

The Albania match is the type of contest in which a small tweak could be what is needed to give France another option going forward.

FRANCE XI vs Albania: Costil - Jallet, Zouma, Varane, Digne - Schneiderlin, Pogba, Guilavogui - Valbuena - Lacazette, Benzema