Petit: Griezmann’s not focused on World Cup and Messi should be ashamed

The World Cup winner blasts the performances of Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi in Russia, and also says Unai Emery made the right call on Jack Wilshere…

I expect more from Antoine Griezmann than he’s shown in either game so far this World Cup.

He’s been distracted with bad communication around his announcement video and Atletico Madrid, alongside the saga with Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti.

It’s ridiculous. It happened two days before the first France match at the World Cup – it’s an enormous distraction.

He didn’t play well against Australia and his body language was poor.

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When you look at the spine of the team on Thursday, Lloris was good, Varane and Umtiti were played well, Kante and Pogba were fine, and so was Giroud. The only player that didn’t perform was Griezmann.

Something needs to change with him because he’s our leader up front, but since the start of the tournament he’s not been there.

We though after he’d sorted out his club future, he could now concentrate on his play on the pitch. He needs to step up for his country, now.

Croatia are the team I’d most like France to avoid

I’d be really worried about France facing Croatia. I’m very surprised they had to win a playoff game to qualify for the World Cup. I watched the first leg of their tie, they won 4-1, and I was thinking ‘how does this team have to play this game?’

They looked so powerful and so good, how did they not win their group? They have so many good players, they are strong, resilient, and when they get the ball – good luck getting it back off them.

They’re a serious underdog for the tournament.

Luka Modric is so brilliant and they have plenty of talented players. Most importantly, they look like a unified team. The main danger for me would be if they were playing as individuals, but they are collectively good too. They’re a real force!

Argentina look sh*t

Excuse my language, but Argentina look sh*t. It was shameful to watch them. To see Messi walking with his head down, he should be ashamed.

I don’t feel sorry for him, either. When things don’t go well for him, he’s always down on the pitch, he shows no reaction.

He’s not a leader. He’s no Ronaldo in that regard. Messi is one of the best players ever, but he needs to show that mentality.

He needs to wake up! When things go well with Barcelona he’s a terrific player. We’ve seen it in the Champions League though, when things don’t go well, he can disappear on the pitch. He’s not there anymore. He’s not running, he’s walking. He’s not concerned about the ball. Come on man

The whole team’s body language was so poor, they’ve no confidence and no trust between each other. The way they looked, I cannot see Argentina qualifying now.

It would be a shame to see them qualify, because against Iceland they looked terrible with no inspiration.

The manager, Jorge Sampaoli, has made so many mistakes since the start of the tournament, in choosing his team, making substitutions, just everything.

You remember so many Argentina teams with great players in the past, but this team is so far from those. I’m not that surprised though, I’ve been saying it since before the World Cup that there was no chance they would win it because of that defence.

Leaving Arsenal is the right call for Wilshere

I don’t know where he will end up, but this has been a complicated season for him, with two very big blows at the end; not getting into the World Cup squad and not getting his contract renewed.

Injuries and inconsistency a have been the two main troubles for him. We all know his qualities, but to show them one game, and then not for two or three games, and then being injured so often on top of that – you can understand why he is in the position he’s in now.

The new manager considered that Wilshere won’t be in the starting eleven, so it’s time for him to go. That will be good for him.

When he went to Bournemouth he did well. He can expect to play for a better club than Bournemouth now, but Arsenal have made the right decision.

I hope he can enjoy playing too. It’s quite difficult when you have injuries and you’re always making the effort to come back from them.

That would make you ask is there something wrong with him?

I don’t know what would be going on in his life, but when you get so many injuries like this, you need to find an answer if you want to keep playing.

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