Soccer
Deschamps calls on Mbappe and Co to be more ruthless in front of goal
Didier Deschamps wants France to be even more ruthless in front of goal — despite his side already being joint-top scorers at the World Cup.
Les Bleus have netted 14 times during their march to the quarter-finals in North America, with Kylian Mbappe bagging seven and Ousmane Dembele scoring four.
But Deschamps, who will step down as manager after the tournament, believes there is still room for improvement.
Ahead of tonight’s clash with Morocco in Boston, he said: "We have to be efficient, offensively speaking. In all the areas both teams have strong assets.
"We are efficient but we could have done better on this front.
“Sometimes you have six chances and score two goals and sometimes you have two chances and score twice. It is more important to be efficient."
While Mbappe and Dembele have grabbed the headlines, Bradley Barcola has also weighed in with two goals and Desire Doue has netted once.
France sit level with holders Argentina in the scoring charts and Deschamps, 57, wants to ensure the goals continue to flow as he bids to bow out with a bang.
Asked if he was worried that the last-eight tie would be his last in the French dugout, he added: "I absolutely don't think so, because the previous match could also have been the last.
"In my mind, and with my coaching staff, our goal is to do everything necessary so that things go as well as possible.
"After that, in football, there are obviously different possibilities. But in my mind, I am only concerned with facing the Moroccan national team.
“I am completely focused on this match so that things go the way we want."
France cruised through as Group I winners before brushing aside Sweden in the round of 32. They were given a tougher time by Paraguay in the last 16 but edged through thanks to Mbappe’s 70th-minute penalty.
And Deschamps is expecting another difficult assignment against Mohamed Ouahbi’s men.
He said: “They have top individuals. They are not here to play — they are here to win. We have to be ready and perform and deliver against this great team."
If Mbappe and Co have their shooting boots on, it would take a brave man to bet against the two-time World Cup winners.
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