Football in its simplest form is entertainment, and scoring goals plays a big part in that.
Speaking to one France fan before Monday’s match in Dusseldorf, he complained that they were too boring, and the statistics make it hard to argue with that.
Of the teams remaining in the tournament they are the lowest scorers with just three goals. That’s seven fewer than hosts Germany who, rather than scraping through, seem to be building momentum with every game.
None of France’s three goals have come from open play.
It was an Austria own goal that gave them victory in their first game of the tournament, an Mbappe penalty against Poland was their second before Vertonghen’s own goal became their third.
While Deschamps would not acknowledge it as a problem, he accepted it is something that needs to improve.
“We have always got the capacity and capability to score more,” he said. “I know it is a bit tricky for us since the beginning of the Euros, but we have had the chances.
“We need to push the destiny to make sure things go our way, but we don’t want it to be a psychological barrier.”
France were perhaps fortunate to face a Belgian side that appeared to pay them too much respect and were far too cautious for long periods of the game.
Heading deeper into the competition, and potentially facing more confident sides, they will arguably need their attackers to start delivering.
“Part of me thinks sometimes in football you create your own luck but I don’t think they are going to have much more luck,” former England midfielder Izzy Christiansen said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“They have to go and own it now. Whoever they do end up facing in the quarter-finals, they have to go and own it.”
2024-07-01 20:33:04
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