Arsenal's Saliba brutally criticised by France boss Deschamps

Didier Deschamps has strongly criticized William Saliba and offered an explanation for the Arsenal defender's limited playing time with the French national team.

Didier Deschamps has voiced his criticism of William Saliba and provided reasoning behind the Arsenal defender's absence from regular selection for the French national team.

Saliba has encountered difficulties securing playing time with the French national team, despite his notable performances for Arsenal in the Premier League under Mikel Arteta. Deschamps has addressed Saliba's limited minutes with the French squad and provided insights into why he currently ranks lower in the team's hierarchy.

Deschamps' comments shed light on the factors influencing Saliba's position within the national team setup, potentially including aspects such as competition for places, tactical considerations, or areas requiring improvement in Saliba's game. These insights offer a glimpse into the challenges Saliba faces as he strives to establish himself as a regular fixture in the French national team.

WHAT DESCHAMPS SAID

Deschamps expressed his views to reporters, stating, "He is having a good season, but he also does things that I don’t like so much. For France, he has limited game time, but when he plays, that hasn’t necessarily gone well. The hierarchy doesn’t favour him at the moment, but he is here.

Dayot Upamecano has had game time and perhaps William has had less. With certain players, I make sure to persevere, because it can be confidence or little blockages that can shift. Some don’t have any concerns, some need game time. William has had less game time, so that doesn’t allow him to be very calm."

Deschamps' remarks highlight Saliba's mixed performance record with the French national team and his struggle to secure regular playing time. The coach also suggests that certain factors, such as confidence or specific areas needing improvement, may be contributing to Saliba's current situation. Deschamps' comments offer insights into the complexities involved in player selection and development at the international level, shedding light on Saliba's challenges and the coach's approach to managing players' progression within the team.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

With only 12 caps for France, Saliba aims to increase his international appearances in the upcoming friendly against Chile in Marseille on Tuesday. Despite being absent from France's recent 2-0 loss to Germany, the Arsenal player anticipates being included in Deschamps' lineup for the team's second fixture of the international break, as the coach is likely to make adjustments to the squad. Saliba sees this as an opportunity to showcase his abilities and contribute positively to the French national team.