Why Arsenal target Antoine Griezmann can fill Franck Ribery’s World Cup Shoes For France

News has emerged this afternoon that both Morgan Schneiderlin and Remy Cabella have been asked to join up with France’s World Cup squad.

Schneiderlin was originally seen as a replacement for the injured Clement Grenier but Cabella’s inclusion meant that Franck Ribery will also be missing from France’s World Cup squad.

Is this the worst news for France though? Probably not. There are players like Hugo Lloris who are even more important than Ribery and the Bayern Munich wideman’s fitness and form for France meant that he wasn’t going to be anywhere near his best.

Additionally Les Bleus already have a ready made replacement in the shape of Arsenal target Antoine Griezmann. The Real Sociedad winger has enjoyed an incredible past couple of seasons and with Arsene Wenger rumoured to have been watching him for sometime a potential switch could be on the cards.

Griezmann will be a direct replacement for Ribery on the left of France’s 4-3-3 with Mathieu Valbuena on the right hand side. Griezmann has enjoyed playing on the left for Sociedad this season but in the past he has showed himself to be adept at playing through the middle and on the right hand side, as well as up front. His versatility could prove key should France manager Didier Deschamps want to switch things around.

Griezmann Goals

Both players enjoy cutting side but given that he is left footed Griezmann does like going down the line more. Both players have clever movement that allows them to slip into the box unnoticed and both represent goal threats with ten goals for Ribery this season and 16 for Griezmann.

Griezmann didn’t create too many chances this season – less than Ribery which is telling given Ribery played 13 fewer matches – but this is reflected in his importance to Real Sociedad. He is the man they look to for inspiration and the man that gets them goals when they need it most, just look at how he played against Barcelona earlier this year.

He’s not a traditional wide player in the sense that he will beat a man and then put a cross in but he is not an inverted forward either that loves cutting in. Griezmann’s strength lies in his movement, something that Mesut Ozil would love to exploit, and he has an uncanny knock of getting into scoring positions.

Ribery’s form for France recently has been inconsistent and they look a more exciting side when he is not in the line-up. Unburdened of having to feed their star man France play much more expansive football at a far higher tempo and Griezmann fits into that system beautifully.

Given their respective form and in particular their form for the national side it may not be the worst thing for France to see Ribery injured. Griezmann is one of the true rising stars of this French side and it would have been a shame to see him not feature. Ribery was the breakout star of 2006, perhaps 2014 can be Griezmann’s year. He has started his career with the national team well enough and if he performs well enough it could persuade Wenger to bring him to the Emirates.