Manchester United striker Anthony Martial must be having mixed emotions. After starting this season on a high, the Frenchman could have been forgiven for thinking he got back into national team manager’s plans.
But the 21-year-old’s upsurge in form didn’t have the desired effect, as Didier Deschamps snubbed the Red Devils star in favour of the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Kingsley Coman.
When asked about why he left Martial out, Deschamps came up with a surprisingly diffident reply:
“He’s a player who’s probably better when he starts than when he comes on.” Deschamps explained (Givemesport).
What Deschamps meant was, since Martial is not a guaranteed starter, he would rather not select him than have him in the squad and not give him a match. It is an interesting theory because Martial’s impact for the Red Devils has not just been as a starter but also as a substitute.
Being forced to rotate with Marcus Rashford did not stop Martial from amassing 5 goals and 3 assists from 8 appearances – of which only three have been starts. Probably, Deschamps paid very little attention to what Martial has been doing this season!
It’s no solace that the manager feels that Martial can get into his plans if he keeps performing at this level for United.
“He could have been in the squad. It’s a choice. He was there during the Euros, he went through a tough time, which he got over. I can only tell him to continue to make me think about him.”
The French boss may have got it wrong but Martial has put his mind into saving his Manchester United career. Last season, Martial’s stagnation of form at Old Trafford translated into poor form at the international level. His performances at Euro 2016 left a lot to be desired as he has found the net just once for his nation in 15 matches since 2015.
Martial, and United fans, have reason enough to feel aggrieved that Tottenham flop Sissoko has risen up the pecking order ahead of him. But, now that he has saved his career by improving his form this year, Martial should set his mind on saving his international career.
