Euro 2012: Scouting report on England's rivals France Strengths Movement and organisation. Without the ball France hunt and harry in numbers. With it they spring quickly into force. Karim Benzema, whose understanding with the pacy Franck Ribéry seems clairvoyant, is highly mobile. The forward drops deep or goes wide to permit midfield runners to advance. This interchanging of positions makes man-marking impossible. Florent Malouda's 35-yard missile showed the net is not safe from any distance. Joe Hart must be careful to clutch his saves; Ribéry scored from a rebound here. Weaknesses The goalkeeper. Hugo Lloris conceded 51 goals this season for Lyon. They will also miss Yann M'Vila's midfield solidity if he is unavailable at Euro 2012 after he limped out of this match after a kick to the ankle; his replacement Alou Diarra lacks the Rennes man's touch and tactical discipline. France appear vulnerable to the counter. With sustained possession they can overcommit going forward, leaving only Laurent Koscielny and Philippe Mexès back. That will put France in grave danger if Samir Nasri loses the ball against England as often as he did here. Key man Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid forward is the key to the whole system of the team. Some experts might find his occasional clumsiness in front of goal frustrating, but without a player capable of leading the line tirelessly on his own, France's coach, Laurent Blanc, would have to resort to orthodoxy. Blanc is also blessed to have such an outstanding deputy for the formidable Benzema in Olivier Giroud, the Montpellier forward. Tournament experience This is not France's forte. Only six of the outfield players in the 23-man European Championship squad have ever played at a finals competition. Twelve of them have never left Ligue 1, which is ranked fifth among the big-five leagues; that, however, is bound to change this summer. Ribéry and Florent Malouda contested the Champions League final this season. Team spirit has traditionally been France's chief weakness, as the 2010 World Cup campaign demonstrated, although that should not be a problem this time under Blanc's leadership. Tactics Blanc has chosen to sacrifice a forward player for a sitting midfielder to tighten up the space between the lines that Ashley Young will be called upon to occupy for England on June 11. The 4-1-4-1 system can lead to a defensive shape but there is much flexibility. Neither of the nominal wingers hugs the touchline and they are encouraged to advance. The full-backs are also permitted the freedom to push on, whereupon the holding midfielder drops between the centre-backs, leaving a three-man back-line to protect Lloris and allowing seven others to attack. Verdict England have their work cut out, especially with Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry ruled out through injury. Regrettably Serbia could not point the way for Roy Hodgson in this match. France have talent all over the pitch, even if the goalkeeper-captain is prone to rashness and can be maladroit. England must let France come at them by defending deeply. By playing it direct to Andy Carroll and using the pace of Theo Walcott and Young on the break, they will have a fighting chance.