Lacklustre Les Bleus need a wake-up call: Richard Buxton

Lacklustre Les Bleus need a wake-up call: Richard Buxton

The New Paper - Sports·2021-09-06 09:00

The hand of history is now firmly gripping Didier Deschamps' shoulder, and he knows it.

Weighing heavily on the France coach is more than a personal mission to be the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup.

No reigning holder has failed to reach the Finals after Fifa scrapped its automatic qualification route almost two decades ago.

But another 1-1 draw with the Ukraine yesterday morning (Singapore time) sees Les Bleus staring at a potential crisis as the world champions prolonged their winless streak to five matches.

Since edging out Germany in their opening Euro 2020 clash, they have continually come up short in 90-minute encounters, often against opposition that are undeniably inferior.

Deschamps is no stranger to a barren run; he presided over an identical stretch in 2013, mitigated by three games being non-competitive affairs.

But the former midfielder now draws striking similarities with an ignominious predecessor, with his side conceding the first goal in each of their last five outings.

Raymond Domenech, the previous architect of that statistical anomaly, fell on his sword after approaching the 2010 World Cup campaign in a precarious position and Deschamps is in danger of emulating him.

France scraped into South Africa 2010 courtesy of a controversial play-off victory against Ireland which did little to paper over the cracks emerging in their camp.

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