Tinkering Didier Deschamps is still searching for answers at Euro 2024
France have only scored three goals at this tournament: a penalty and two own goals. They are not right
By Luke Entwistle for Get French Football News
“He feels like he’s seeing things in 3D,” said Didier Deschamps when asked if Kylian Mbappé had adapted to wearing a mask. That’s two more dimensions than this France side. Despite their various experiments at Euro 2024, France are yet to hit their usual form. Deschamps is not fine tuning on the fly at this tournament. In light of poor performances, injuries and imbalances in his team, he is being forced to make relatively major structural changes. The results, however, have not varied greatly.
Bar William Saliba starting in place of Ibrahima Konaté at centre-back, Deschamps did not spring any surprises in France’s opening game against Austria in Düsseldorf. The first change of the tournament was enforced. After Mbappé’s nose was broken against Austria, the manager switched to a lopsided 4-2-3-1 against the Netherlands, with Adrien Rabiot playing a Blaise Matuidi-esque role on the left. France were uninspiring in a goalless draw, so Deschamps went back to the drawing board against Poland.
