Manchester United striker Anthony Martial and Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud both have been included in France squad for their upcoming friendlies against Armenia and Denmark.
France will face Armenia on Wednesday, and ahead of the match, manager Didier Deschamps was involved in the customary press-conference, where he spoke about some of his players including Martial and Giroud.
Both the strikers have enjoyed contrasting fortunes at their respective clubs. While the 19-year-old Martial has taken the Premier League by storm since he joined from Monaco for a record fee (for a teenager) of £36m, that could possibly rise to over £56m, Giroud has been largely disappointing for the Gunners.
Martial has already scored four goals for his new club, earning rave reviews from the ever critical British press.
This is what Deschamps said about Martial, via GFFN:
There was a lot of anticipation and criticism at the beginning. He has gotten rid of a considerable amount of that, but not entirely.
He is with us because he has a very exciting potential. He is not a very assured character, he is quite quiet, but that does not bother me.
With the younger players in the squad, it often happens like that. He has changed world but for the moment he is carrying himself very well.
Olivier Giroud on the other hand has cut a frustrating figure for Arsenal this season. After going through a spell of a mediocre performances, he was dropped to the bench, with Wenger opting for Theo Walcott instead as a lone striker.
Deschamps believes that Giroud is going through a rough patch at the moment, but he has full confidence in the striker.
He is in a rough patch. This is a difficult period for him.
His playing time is less important, his confidence has diminished and he recently had a match with us where he could have shown himself to perform better.
That is part of a season… The fact that he is here means that I have confidence in him. He cannot lose his abilities overnight.
The 29-year-old striker has played 331 minutes for the Gunners this season, scoring three goals so far in the Premier League.
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