In Leipzig,
This story of impotence will end up becoming a problem… Unable to score a single goal despite a new load of clear chances, the Blues were forced to share the points with the Netherlands on Friday in a stadium in Leipzig with a large orange dominance.
But you’re going to put it in the bottom, dammit! Well friends, the time of the harvest with friends to jump headlong into the grapes is fine for a while, but it would be a question of putting it all in barrels, right? The wish we made after the victory against Austria to see the Blues regain a certain efficiency in front of goal clearly did not reach their ears. How else can you explain that you can find yourself at 0-0 against the Dutch who, after causing us a breakdown with this Dumfries-Maignan face-to-face (won by the Frenchman) after 50 seconds of play, didn’t show much after that?
Once the quarter of an hour of obligatory observation under the “DD I, king of the prudent” era has passed, squatting in one’s half of the field, ESPECIALLY NOT risking the slightest offensive combination for fear, you never know, of scoring a goal, the French team finally came out of its torpor. After a first scud from afar by Griezmann, the biggest opportunity of the first period came from a magnificent one-two between Rabiot and Thuram, whose backheel placed the former Parisian in orbit. But the Duke’s pass for a Grizou alone in the axis six meters from the cages, good in idea, missed narrowly. Same for Thuram’s strike, although ideally launched by Koundé, who preferred power to precision, slightly off-center to the right of Verbruggen’s goal.
Kanté attacking is not bad either. If the attackers have once again taken the big steps, there is one on the other hand who has not failed in his reputation. He is “Ngé”. Reducing N’Golo Kanté to an extreme coal miner, a doctor of recovery, is a heresy that we will not be caught with. As against Austria five days earlier, the pocket midfielder demonstrated that he also has the talent and technique in small spaces to drive the Blues’ attacks when his partners are snoozing or doing anything, like Dembélé during a good part of the match.
On several occasions, we saw him get out of the Dutch pressing with artistic pirouettes before serving Griezmann on a plate or trying his luck from afar (53rd). From the great Kanté, once again.
Pogba last scorer for the Blues at the Euro. But as N’Golo as he is, he cannot (yet) be in recovery, passing and finishing. However, without Mbappé, no longer busy on the bench sending formal notices to PSG, the Blues were reduced to helplessness. Thuram (59th), Tchouameni (61st), Griezmann (65th) and Dembélé (67th) tried hard, but nothing worked. And inevitably, by dint of messing up, the vice world champions extended their cheek, their buttocks and everything you want to the Dutch, not far from carrying out the heist at the start of the Euro.
Fortunately for the France team, Dumfries was offside on the shot (and the goal) of Xavi Simons (69th). On arrival, the two teams separated in a draw with the taste of victory for the Oranje and defeat for the Blues. Casually, at present, the last French scorer in a European championship is still called… Paul Pogba. It was in the round of 16 against Switzerland in 2021. It’s time to remedy that, gentlemen. Against Poland on Tuesday, for example.