France coach Raymond Domenech has been trying out more attacking formations during the team's pre-World Cup training camp, suggesting he could finally drop the defensive approach that has won the French few admirers.
Heading into Wednesday's friendly match against Costa Rica, Domenech has been working on a new 4-3-3 formation - thus dispensing with the two holding midfielders he systematically used during the World Cup qualifiers, where the team played with extreme caution in a rigid and uninspiring 4-2-3-1 lineup.
In Monday afternoon's training, Domenech had Jeremy Toulalan as the lone holding midfielder in front of a flat back four, with Yoann Gourcuff and Florent Malouda either side of him, Franck Ribery on the left wing, Andre-Pierre Gignac on the right wing, and Thierry Henry as the lone striker.
Arsenal center back William Gallas, who is trying to prove his fitness to Domenech following a recent calf problem, trained normally in both the morning and afternoon sessions and appears to be close to full fitness. Domenech could be ready to start him in this new attacking formation on Wednesday.
Gallas took part in all the afternoon drills - running, passing, heading, shooting - and did not appear troubled.
Domenech also put in place some set-piece training late in the session. France has shown a weakness defending freekicks and corners in recent times, and Gallas' aerial presence is crucial to Domenech's defensive plans.
In a stark contrast to the tense buildup to the European Championship two years ago, the French players trained in a festive and jovial atmosphere, with players exchanging banter with some of the 500 fans present under a blazing sun at the Alpine resort of Tignes.
Even the usually surly Domenech, looking relaxed with a pair of sunglasses on and his tracksuit top thrown loosely over his shoulder, cracked a smile when he heard some fans chanting, "Domenech, President!" as the squad arrived for training.
In the morning, Domenech had put his players through some endurance and sprint exercises.
Gallas joined strikers Nicolas Anelka, Djibril Cisse and Gignac as they trained apart from the rest of the squad, pairing off against each other as they hopped over hurdles and then raced over a short distance.
Gallas suffered minor injuries to his left hand on Sunday after rolling his dune buggy on its side during some down time.
The rest of the players did timed sprints across a football field on Monday morning.
Ribery joined in training after flying in from Madrid on Sunday night, where he had watched his club lose the Champions League final to Inter Milan on Saturday night.
