France drew 1-1 with Ukraine at the weekend to record a fifth successive draw.
Les Bleus had been held by Bosnia days earlier, following draws against Switzerland, Portugal, and Hungary at Euro 2020.
The 2018 World Cup champions are not in a good moment, and while Kylian Mbappe being injured doesn’t help, France have enough talent to be getting better results than they have been.
Paul Pogba has played in each and every game, and he was one of France’s better players against Ukraine at the weekend, a match in which Anthony Martial scored their equaliser.
Pogba touched the ball 107 times and created one chance, completing 89 per cent of his passes. He had four shots but could not find a winner.
Not the best
Speaking after the game, Pogba admitted France’s spark had disappeared.
Pogba told Le Parisien: “I put myself in there. It’s everyone’s fault.
“When we are aggressive, we play higher, we are sharper and we see the difference. So we have to take it all over again.
“It’s up to us on the field to make the effort, to score the chances, to make the tackle to avoid the goal. Everything else, tactics and all that comes after.
“Our flame has dropped a little and we have to rekindle it.”
Even Martial who scored, did not have a great night. He had missed two earlier chances including one right before Ukraine’s opener.
Chance to end on a high
It is always tough for teams to bounce back from tournament elimination, and France look a little lost without Mbappe’s energy in attack.
France have one more World Cup qualifier left during the break, a game at home to Finland.
Les Bleus are still in a strong position in their group and a victory over second placed Finland will keep them on track.
A draw or defeat will go down terribly in Paris, and Pogba will be desperate to escape back to Manchester United if that is the case.
And if France do win, Pogba will return to United on a high, with the team’s Champions League campaign getting underway in a week’s time.
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