UEFA Nations League - Netherlands 2-0 France: 5 Talking Points

#4 Pogba's creativity missed - Deschamps' poor selections?

Moussa Sissoko was a surprise substitution from the France bench and didn't perform well either

It's always easier to reflect and say things in hindsight, but when you look deep into Deschamps' team selection ahead of kick-off - as well as his substitutes, he was setting himself up for failure here.

With Pogba having returned to Manchester for treatment, France's creative spark in midfield was no longer present. Instead of utilizing Marseille's Florian Thauvin, or Lyon midfielder Nabil Fekir to replace him, he opted for another defensive-minded player and created a defence-heavy trio.

Matuidi is the most adventurous of the three, but the Juventus midfielder is disciplined enough to remain in his position and not maraud forward unless he's been given a license to roam.

Roma's Steven N'Zonzi, who filled in well when required during the World Cup, started alongside N'Golo Kanté and the aforementioned Matuidi. Perhaps a little harsh, it certainly felt as though Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele did more going forward than all three combined - he was only on the pitch for ten minutes.

The timing of his substitutions and the personnel involved were bizarre. Why Moussa Sissoko when you have better players to choose from on the bench? With a one-goal deficit until stoppage-time, did he really have to wait so long to change things?