France: A Win Against Bosnia and Herzegovina Means Far More Than Three Points

Those painful memories from France's unabridged disaster at World Cup 2010 will never fully heal. But like any coping mechanism, a troubled past can be somewhat allayed by consistent positive activity.

Laurent Blanc's new-look Les Bleus are a far cry from that ignominious bunch just 16 months ago—some star players have remained within the fold, their quality simply too great to see them discarded into the scrap heap reserved for former internationals—but the former Bordeaux trainer has instituted a sea change in the Clairefontaine camp. And the stars have bought in.

This team plays with a purpose—the 4-2-3-1, so in vogue these days, remains from years past, although Blanc has instituted some interesting tweaks to that formation, most notably slotting Newcastle man Yohan Cabaye in alonside Yann M'Vila in the two central holding midfield roles.

Cabaye plays much in the way of a German No. 6 from that position—i.e. a creative player in a withdrawn position, a role similar to what Bastian Schweinsteiger enjoys for Bayern Munich.

Pundits and fans alike complained that under Raymond Domenech, Blanc's predecessor, the style of play that once so marked French sides disappeared entirely. By the time World Cup '10 rolled around, there was no discernible method to the considerable madness in the camp.

Under Blanc, we've seen more of the intricate combination-play and pinpoint passing that worked untold wonders for France on the way to being crowned World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 champions.

On a weekend that has seen French sport engulfed in the furor emanating from the national rugby team's Saturday victory over archrival England in the World Cup in New Zealand, a win by the football team on Tuesday against France's next-best opponent in group play would seal a phenomenal coup de grace in a mere three days' time.

Perhaps it is fitting that the most recent French qualifying campaign for the Euros will culminate where it began—although it will be with an altogether different vibe.

The Stade de France, site of Tuesday's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, is located just outside Paris in Saint-Denis. It has seen both the very best French football has to offer (1998 World Cup final) along with the very worst (Thierry Henry's handball against Ireland in the pivotal '09 World Cup playoff, France's 1-0 loss against continental lightweights Belarus to open their Euro '12 qualifying campaign 13 months ago).

The French public, never shy to resist voicing their (considerable) opinion, vehemently booed the team off the pitch that night—a reception usually reserved for embattled French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Yet Blanc has made a 180 degree turn from his difficult beginnings (a 2-1 loss in an away friendly to Norway to start his tenure, followed by the Belarus disaster).

His side have not lost since that fateful Sept. '10 night, and have even collected the scalps of England (2-1 at Wembley in Nov. 2010) and Brazil (1-0 at the Stade de France in Feb. '11) since.

While the 3-0 win this past Friday night against Albania—also at the Stade de France—was superseded by the zealous anticipation for the next day's pivotal rugby test against les Rosbifs—the 80,000 strong who filled the stands still remained 'till the final whistle, hailing their charges with a rousing round of cheers after the final whistle.

With the French rugby team not due to play their semifinal match against Wales until Saturday, the football team has a perfect opportunity to snatch back the national spotlight with a win over Bosnia.

If they win in convincing fashion, it would provide a vital boost of confidence ahead of next summer's tournament, buoying the French into Poland and Ukraine—co-hosts of the championships.

After two dreary major tournaments (Euro '08, WC '10), where the French didn't manage to get past the group stages, the current team must be eagerly anticipating the prospect of igniting yet another furious run deep into a tournament, which so marked their participation from 1996 to 2006 (World Cup 2002 being the exception, where an injury-ravaged Les Bleus side were knocked out of the first round after failing to score a single goal).

They've always had the talent. For years, it seemed wasted under the stupefying misfires of the Domenech regime. Now, under Blanc's guidance, that panache has resurfaced.

The team is by no means a finished product, but they're certainly headed in the right direction.

Now, it is time to see whether they can eviscerate the painful memories of poor finishes to past qualifying campaigns and head into Euro '12 on a high.