- Title: France won't focus on particular England players, says Konate
- Date: 7th December 2022
- Summary: DOHA, QATAR (DECEMBER 7, 2022) (REUTERS) FRANCE DEFENDER, IBRAHIMA KONATE, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE AND TAKING A SEAT (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE DEFENDER, IBRAHIMA KONATE, SAYING: "It's clear that Harry Kane is a great player, a great English player, everyone knows it. I've had the chance to play against him several times. How to defend against him? I don't think he is where the danger lies in this team. We have to look at the whole team, not just one player. If we play together, and stay compact we can do well. I would not target a single player." AL WAKRAH, QATAR (DECEMBER 7, 2022) (REUTERS) HARRY KANE RUNNING DURING TRAINING ENGLAND TRAINING IN PROGRESS PHIL FODEN / KYLE WALKER DURING TRAINING DOHA, QATAR (DECEMBER 7, 2022) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE DEFENDER, IBRAHIMA KONATE, SAYING: "Soccer is not played with one, two or four players. It's the whole team. I won't be betting just on their defence, we have to talk about the collective, how to mess with them collectively, and not just with their defence, because if they play as a block, that could it make it more difficult for us. So we must talk of the team. And it's the coach's job to show us what we don't see, because we're on the pitch." KONATE DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE DEFENDER, IBRAHIMA KONATE, SAYING (ABOUT BEING CONTACTED BY HIS LIVERPOOL TEAMMATE TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD): "It's true that when we found that we were going to go up against England, Trent Alexander-Arnold (England defender who plays with Liverpool with Konate) who sent me an emoticon, and he said, 'See you on Saturday, brother,' as he's someone I'm very close to in the team (Liverpool). Well, I'm happy to face them (England), but only one team can go through, so someone would be sad in the end." DOHA, QATAR (RECENT - NOVEMBER 20, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FORWARD KYLIAN MBAPPE IN TRAINING WITH OTHER FRANCE PLAYERS PLAYERS PRACTICING GOAL SCORING MBAPPE SCORING GOAL IN TRAINING DOHA, QATAR (DECEMBER 7, 2022) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE MIDFIELDER, ADRIEN RABIOT, SAYING (ON WHETHER THE TEAM IS DEPENDENT ON KYLIAN MBAPPE): "We're doing the most for him (Kylian Mbappe) to be in the best conditions. But no, for me, there's no dependence. He's a highly skilled player. We know that 80-90% of our goals will come from him and he can also deliver decisive assists. This is our main weapon. So of course, it's important, but we also have other players who can make a difference, in another manner." RABIOT DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE MIDFIELDER, ADRIEN RABIOT, SAYING: "On the English midfield, as I said, they have the same characteristics as us, they perform on the same level. They have a midfield that can impose. They have Declan Rice who resembles a player like (Aurelien) Tchouameni, and well, they have big weapons, it's true. But we're not inferior, and it's sure that the midfield battle will be significant." BANNER (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE MIDFIELDER, ADRIEN RABIOT, SAYING (ON ENGLISH FOOTBALL, BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE IN YOUTH TEAM OF MANCHESTER CITY): "I really like the atmosphere around football. We feel that it's something different from France, or even Italy. And I've always said that I would love to play in England during my career. Will it be after my contract with Juventus? I don't know. But it's true that I have this desire, this goal to evolve in the Premiere League." RABIOT DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE MIDFIELDER, ADRIEN RABIOT, SAYING: "I think it's a team (England) that is similar to us. They have players who are fast on the side. They can have wingers who play offensively, midfielders who can impose. So on this level, we are rather similar. But then, I'm not sure we should be saying that we must do less, and pay attention to them. They will also be very careful, because we can make it difficult for them. So I think it will be a match that can go either way, with a lot of promise. Two teams who know how to attack, and to move forward quickly." RABIOT LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 21st December 2022 17:02
- Keywords: Harry Kane Konate Les Bleus Rabiot quarterfinals
- Location: DOHA AND AL WAKRAH, QATAR
- City: DOHA AND AL WAKRAH, QATAR
- Country: Qatar
- Topics: Middle East,Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA001511807122022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: EDIT 5073-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ENG-FRA/PREVIEW HAS FRESH IMAGES OF ENGLAND TRAINING AND EDIT 4840-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ENG-FRA/PREVIEW HAS DECEMBER 6 IMAGES FO FRANCE TRAINING
France will not focus on any particular player when they take on England in a mouth-watering World Cup quarter-final on Saturday (December 10), defender Ibrahima Konate said.
England have an impressive midfield and can rely on the in-form Harry Kane up front, but danger can come from anywhere and the defending champions will not obsess over the Tottenham Hotspur striker.
"Kane is a great player. I've played against him several times," Liverpool centre back Konate told a news conference on Wednesday.
"We have to look at the whole team, not just one player. If we play together, and stay compact we can do well. I would not target a single player.
"We have to talk about the collective, how to mess with them collectively. It's the coach's job to show us what we don't see."
Konate's point of view is all the more understandable given that eight different England players have scored a total of 12 goals in their first four games.
On the other hand, Kylian Mbappe has scored five of France's nine goals with Olivier Giroud netting three, making the threats more identifiable for England coach Gareth Southgate.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot, however, does not believe it is a problem for Les Bleus.
"For me, there's no dependence. We know that 80-90% of our goals will come from him as he can also deliver decisive assists," the Juventus player, the only other French player to score in Qatar, said.
"We're doing the most for him (Kylian Mbappe) to be in the best conditions."
Mbappe did not take part in Tuesday's group training session, but the French federation said he was doing recovery work on his own, adding that this was normal two days after a game.
Rabiot said the 'midfield battle will be significant' in the France-England match, with the two sides having similar strengths, making use of attacking wingers.
Konate said the France-England rivalry is age-old, and shared that his Liverpool teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold sent him an emoticon, and a message saying, 'See you on Saturday, my brother.'
Rabiot has less experience in the Premiere League, having played only less than a year in the youth team of Manchester City, but he said he liked the intensity of English football.
"I would love to play in England during my career. I have this desire, this goal to evolve in the Premiere League," Rabiot said.
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