As per recent reports, Paul Pogba has withdrawn from the France national squad due to injury. The 28-yrs-old midfielder has suffered a thigh injury during training before their clash with Kazakhstan on 14th November.
The Frenchman’s injury came after he took a shot in training, which led to what looked like a hamstring issue. As a result, he was seen limping off the pitch in a disgruntled manner.
Now with Paul Pogba ruled out for the foreseeable future, France head coach Didier Deschamps is looking on to bring a suitable replacement. He has recalled Jordan Veretout from Roma for their next two international fixtures against, Kazakhstan and Finland.
Could Paul Pogba absence turn out to be a sign of concern for the France national team?
At the moment it is being speculated that Pogba could miss out almost two months of football, ruling him out for both of France’s fixtures. The 28-yrs-old player is the heart of France’s midfield and is Deschamps’ go-to man.
Under Didier’s management, Pogba made his debut for the international squad in 2013. Since then, he has had 89 caps to his name, having 11 goals and 8 assists. Paired with his appearances, the Frenchman has also won a FIFA World Cup and UEFA Nations League with his international side.(stats via TRANSFERMARKT)
While Pogba is the most crucial playmaker in his midfield, but Deschamps would most probably not miss his star man. France sits comfortably at the top of their World Cup Qualifiers table with 12 points and have some of the easiest fixtures in the international break, and with enough flexibility and squad depth, the team will be ready to extend their lead at the table.
What Pogba’s absence could mean for Manchester United
The Frenchman is expected to be out for almost 8-10 weeks, meaning he would also be absent for his club Manchester United. Pogba is awaiting for further tests and will miss out on important games against Chelsea and Arsenal.
With a wonderful start to the season, Pogba is the highest assister in the Premier League this season with 7 assists. He played flawlessly as a left-winger in the absence of Marcus Rashford and was the teams’ main playmaker.
However, the 28-yrs-old player is now struggling to make a start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s new formation. His defensive tactic has left space for only one CAM, taken up by Bruno Fernandes. His poor performance against Liverpool was enough to show his casual attitude, leading to a red card and 3-match ban for a harsh challenge on Naby Keita.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, said the following things to BT Sport, about the Frenchman’s discipline:
“We want to see a disciplined performance from Pogba,”
“He’s got huge talent and Seeing and watching the performance at the weekend there’s pressure so he will have to play the role he’s been given and earn that trust again.”
“For him to miss Spurs away at the weekend I’m sure that dented his confidence.”
Pogba’s absence could be a positive period for the player provided he could use the time to improve his game and attitude. Following which he could emerge as one of the regular players on the field once again after his return.
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