Pogba is the only positive in a sea of French negativity
Paul Pogba admitted France must improve after an uninspiring win that was significantly helped by the application of video assistance.
“We must not be too hard on ourselves, but it’s true that we must do better,” Pogba said. “We hope to do better the next games. But if we win all like that, we’ll take it.”
Sporting a pair of John Lennon sunglasses, his hairstyle unusually sober, Pogba was in a businesslike frame of mind, straightforward and pragmatic. “They were very determined and they defended well,” he said of the Australians.
“It was difficult to find the spaces between the lines, which is our strong point. We did not have as many chances as we are used to. Now, we know what to expect during World Cup matches that are never easy.”
In a team of substantial youthful talent, Pogba remains the focal point. When he walked through the mixed zone after the game, the surge of reporters seeking his opinion was quite a sight.
France manager Didier Deschamps admitted there had been a “lack of pace and speed” about his team. Which is odd given the personnel: Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are quick enough to challenge Usain Bolt in a straight sprint. But watching the French collectively labour their way to victory here, it would be unfair to place any of the blame on Pogba.
He was central to the build-up to both goals, freeing Antoine Griezmann with a superb pass to win the penalty, then galloping forward to concoct the winner, which has been ruled an own goal by Aziz Behich, who got the final touch to Pogba’s shot.
“I will be honest,” said a smiling Pogba when asked the identity of the scorer, “it’s a goal for the French team.”
Rather than blaming Pogba, France’s problem seems to stem from the structure at the heart of the side. In a midfield three, the Manchester United man plays to the left of N’golo Kante, with Corentin Tolisso on the right. But with Kante so deep he was almost a third centre-back, there was no one in the middle supplying passes and getting up to support the front line. Which meant that instead of probing, France were plodding.
One Deschamps critic, alluding to the intervention of the VAR for Griezmann’s penalty, described the ensuing victory as “Technology 1 Good Football 0”. Nonetheless, France negotiated a potential slipup with three points. Pogba did not seem alarmed about the negativity the performance engendered in the French press. “Critics are always here. That’s football,” he said.
“When I was little, with my friends, we always used to take the mickey out of each other, saying ‘You were good, you were bad’. I treat the criticism like I did when I was playing on the block as a kid. I never listen to it. I’m having fun and that’s the only answer I can give to all those people who criticise me or who think that I’m this or that. It’s not a big deal. Everybody has opinions.” Ricardo Gareca, the Peru coach, defended the omission of all-time leading scorer Paolo Guerrero from his starting line-up.
Guerrero was only permitted to take part in the World Cup after a 14-month doping ban was temporarily lifted pending an appeal. He scored twice in a 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia in a friendly on June 3 but only came on after an hour on Saturday. Peru failed to convert an array of chances, including a first-half penalty missed by Christian Cueva.
It took a goal from Denmark’s Yussuf Poulsen for Gareca to press Guerrero into action. “All the players had been playing for a long time together,” the coach said, while admitting: “He played well. He was up to the pace of everyone else.”
Denmark midfielder William Kvist will miss the rest of the World Cup after sustaining suspected fractured ribs.