5 things we learned from France’s demolition of the Netherlands

France took a major step towards qualifying for World Cup 2018, smashing the Netherlands 4-0 in a qualifying encounter at Stade de France to move three points clear of Sweden in Group A.

It will take an astonishing turnaround now for Didier Deschamps’ side to be overhauled, given a relatively kind fixture list, meaning that the likelihood is that arguably international football’s most attractive side will be in Russia next summer.

Les Bleus’ performance against the Dutch was particularly dominant, with goals coming from Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Lemar (two) and Kylian Mbappe.

Here are five things that we learned from the game.

#1 Arsenal made a HUGE mistake not pressing for Lemar more

It has been a pretty miserable transfer window for Arsenal, who signed only Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac. After offloading Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on Deadline Day to Liverpool, there was speculation of a €100 million move for Thomas Lemar.

If reports are accurate – and on a day as frenetic as August 31 that cannot always be guaranteed – Lemar rebuffed them, citing a lack of Champions League football as his reasoning. Liverpool, too, cast their eye over him but could not force through a late move.

Arsenal fans watching Didier Deschamps’s side destroy the Dutch, though, could only have been left shaking their heads as he played a starring role for Les Bleus. He was involved in the genesis of the move for Griezmann’s opener but took centre stage with a stunning first-time shot to put the game out of their opponents’ reach with 10 minutes left and capped a man-of-the-match display by scoring a tap in after 88 minutes.