France 1-0 Belgium: 5 Talking Points as Les Bleus Storm into Final, World Cup 2018

#5 France must get Olivier Giroud firing to win the final

Olivier Giroud was disappointing in France's attack

Olivier Giroud was quite wasteful in the semi-final and should have got on the scoresheet to ease the pressure on France. In all, the Chelsea striker had six shots on goal - none of which were on target.

In a semi-final where chances are usually so hard to come by, Giroud had plenty. But he had left his scoring boots at home and it was frustrating for France to see him make a mess of many combination plays.

Twice Kylian Mbappe set him up with superb passes - one when he broke through the offside trap to lay it on a plate and another when he made a turn and back-heeled it into his path for a shot on goal.

When France did not use him at the start of the tournament, their attack laboured until he came on. With his back to goal, he is still one of the best in the business.

But to go an entire tournament and reach the final without a single shot on target when you are the man leading the attack is a poor reflection of what could have been had Giroud been a little more clinical.

Olivier Giroud is yet to hit the target with any of his 10 shots at this #WorldCup. He is the only one of the 84 players to have attempted six or more shots at the tournament and yet to hit the target with a single one. ❌ pic.twitter.com/pW3tz7SI8J

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 10, 2018