Clichy, like a number of other defenders in Les Bleus' squad, never looks as convincing in a France shirt as he does for his club.

The 23-year-old Arsenal star has been arguably the Premier League's best left-back over the past two years but in his two appearances for his country, against Serbia and Tunisia at the back end of last year, he often looked uncomfortable.

The same can be said of right-back Bacary Sagna, who is Clichy's team-mate at Arsenal, Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra and Roma centre-back Philippe Mexes, all of whom shine consistently at club level.

France have conceded six goals in three qualifiers so far in Group Seven and they lie third in the table heading into two crucial qualifiers against joint leaders Lithuania over the next week.

Clichy, whose attacking instincts are stymied when he pulls on his national-team jersey, admits the pressure of being a defender for Les Bleus is unbearable at times.

"With Arsenal, I know I have the confidence of the squad and the staff. I play with more freedom and I'm settled," he said.

"In blue, I still have everything to prove. And also it isn't easy to start when you play in a position where your job is mainly defensive.

"The pressure is enormous. You can't make a mistake. The slightest error can cost the team dear, a goal.

"We're asking ourselves too many questions. We're scared of doing badly.

"We'd all like to be able to copy Franck Ribery and come into the France team and let everything go. But us defenders, we can't.

"So when I play, I'm thinking especially of the primary function of a left-back, which is to stop the attacking midfielder from performing."

France head coach Raymond Domenech is never short of options at left-back, with Clichy, Evra and Barcelona's Eric Abidal battling for the starting spot there.

Abidal is currently out injured but his form has been patchy since the 2006 World Cup and he is in danger of being ousted by the Premier League duo, who offer far more going forward than the former Lyon player.

Evra has four years on Clichy and is often preferred by Domenech, although there is nothing to choose between the pair.

But the Gunner is confident in his ability to become a regular starter for Les Bleus.

"I think Pat has a slight advantage. He has more experience in the France team and he played at Euro 2008," Clichy added in L'Equipe.

"But I can bring a lot to this France team. My goal is to impose myself, to make the position my own, as I did at Arsenal where I was behind Ashley Cole to start off with."

Left-back is the least of Domenech's worries heading into the first match of the double-header against the Lithuanians, which comes on Saturday in Kaunas. It is up front where the questions are being asked.

Nicolas Anelka was ruled out on Monday with what the France medical team said was a toe injury, and the Chelsea striker was replaced by Paris St Germain's Guillaume Hoarau.

Worse was to come with Jimmy Briand yesterday damaging knee ligaments in a collision with goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso in training. The Rennes frontmen will be absent for the next six months.

With Andre-Pierre Gignac also struggling with a thigh injury, Domenech called up late last night Peguy Luyindula and Loic Remy to bolster his attacking options.

The last of Paris St Germain forward Luyindula's four caps came four and a half years ago, in Les Bleus' 2-0 win over Cyprus in October 2004.

Nice's Remy has never played for France's senior team but did feature for the 'A' side in a friendly against Mali a year ago at Paris' Stade Charlety.

Thierry Henry and Karim Benzema are expected to lead France's strikeforce in Kaunas, while in defence, Domenech's training sessions suggest he could go with Sebastien Squillaci - rather than Mexes - as the centre-back partner for mainstay William Gallas.