International Friendly Recap

Yesterday we football junkies were privy to a slew of international friendlies, and many enticing match ups. Of course the one that was my focus was the Argentina vs France at Stade de France.

First, a plug for Setanta sport, thanks to their broadband service I was able to watch the game on my PC. Granted the streaming video had some cuts and stops, but overall I was able to watch the entire match. The one issue is the screen size, anyone who has watched a match on your PC you are watching it on a screen not much larger than an iPod screen....not the same when you are used to watching this on a 42 in Plasma!!!! But enough about me, back to the match and some observations.

Argentina, after losing to Brazil and Spain in the last matches finally won under their new manager, beating the French 1-0. The goal was on a nice build up and flick on by Saviola where Coupet made the initial save on Crespo's screamer by allowed the rebound to fall perfectly into the path of the on running Saviola. Other than the nice flick, the match was clearly between two teams that were going through the motions with players that had not completely recovered from their domestic league winter break nor ramped back up.

Argentina played a very defensive formation with 4 midfielders more geared towards blocking the middle of the pitch and strike on counter attacks rather than try to play free flowing football. With 8 players behind the ball, not including the keeper, the French had a hard time cracking the this light blue and white defensive wall.

• Crespo and Saviola: both players demonstrated their skill, with little support from the midfield both players remained dangerous latching on to long balls and working well together to put some pressure on the French penalty area. Crespo was always a threat, lashing a screamer from 20 yards forcing Coupet to make a good save on a hard knuckling shot. Saviola showed that his club form is no fluke.
• Henry and Trezegol: What has happened to this dynamic duo? These two broke out on the international footie scene in the late 90s when both were academic players at AS Monaco under the tutelage of one Arsene Wenger. Both players were looked at as the future of French football, and they have been vital parts of the French teams that dominated the world football scene between 1998 - 2001...both took cool penalty shots in the 1998 World Cup 1/4 shoot out against Italy. Trezeguet scored a stunner in the European Cup finals in 2000, against Italy again. Both strikers have piled up the goals for their nation - Trezegol with 34 tallies, Henry with 39 tallies. Yet, since the Euro 2004 campaign it appears that Henry and Trezeguet cannot find the magic they had a few seasons ago (the last time it clicked was when France dominated Germany Trezeguet with the brace and Henry with one). This partnership is being hurt by the loss of Zidane, which is ironic since the debate used to be can Henry and Zidane coexist on the pitch. Without Zidane, France is a team that attacks via the wings - Ribery, Malouda, Abidal and Sagnol bombing down the wings. This allows Henry to pick up the ball higher, and play quicker passes with the wingers. However this takes away from Trezeguets strengths which are to play with his back to the goal and camp out around the penalty box, poaching, latching on to crosses, and cleaning up in the box. When Zidane was roaming the pitch, he would carry the ball in the middle of the pitch and wait for players to place themselves before looking to distribute, giving Trezeguet the ability to work his positioning to receive good distribution. This becomes more apparent when Saha or Anelka come in to partner with Henry, they are both strikers that also like to run at defenses from 30 yards out, strikers that like to pick up the ball deep and challenge defenses. Does this mean that Trezegeut's future in Bleu is in jeopardy? I say no, but I think he needs to go back to his super sub role that he excelled in, the team is still trying to figure out tactics and direction. But if this team is going to be built around wingers and attacking defenses, Trezeguet will continue to struggle to get the touches a player such as he needs. And he has the perfect style to come in late in a game when a defense is tired and suspect to mistakes, mistakes Trezeguet is clinic at punishing teams.
• Vieira and Makelele: Vieira showed me that he still has some solid football left in his legs. And Makelele showed how valuable he is, reason why Domenech is not worried about strong arming Chelesa to ensure France can secure his services. With Makelele doing lots of the dirty work, Vieira was free to connect the defense to the offense.
• Gallas: It is clear how much France is lacking without their talismatic defender anchoring the back four. The Argentine goal saw too much standing around and poor reaction to the situation, while I am not sure Gallas or Thuram would have been able to do anything different, it was clear that Escude and Squillaci were not 100% comfortable along side one another. While both demonstrated some individual skills, they did not work as a team. I am not laying any blame since this is the first time they were thrusted into the middle of the defense, and to do so against Argentina is no small task. A useless statistic - without Gallas, Domenech has never won an international match.....
  
• Heinze: I never realized what a dirt bag he really is. He is the type of player everyone loves to hate, and it is easy to see why. He comes in studs high all the time, whines about everything, dives, cheap shots and is overall annoying. It fits that he plays for Manchester United.
• Overall: This was by no means a horrible defeat for Les Bleus. The game was clearly one played by teams playing a "friendly" not a qualifier or World Cup match. While there were some intense moments, mainly due to Argentina cheap shots (a horrible back tackle on Anelka end of the game comes to mind), the game itself was a simple "scrimmage." The Argentines needed to win the game more than the French, having been on two straight defeats. The French showed me some glimpses of hope - Vieira was the engine running the team he can be, Ribery showed signs of brilliance (let us not forget he is just coming back from injury), Abidal and Sagnol controlled their flanks very well and had timely attacks. With a big Euro match at Lithuania in the Spring for France, this lose might give the French the wake up call necessary to refocus on the task at hand.

Other internationals: USA - Mexico, there are no friendlies when these two hated rivals play on another, and this was no different. The US came away with a not so deserved 2-0 victory. The first half both teams were feeling one another out, neither mounting much of a threat. The sparks flew once the second half started, but Mexico appeared the more offensive of the two sides, until the US scored on what appeared to be the only way they could - a dead ball. Mexico inexplicably allowed Conrad to sit unmarked on a corner kick in addition to not having a defender on the back post....so you don't cover everyone nor cover the two posts....yeah good formula for defending a corner kick, maybe it is a French coach running set piece defense.

However, had the Mexicans had any kind of finishing they could have won the game. The second goal came on a strange play where the ball deflected off the referee and Donavon did the only thing he can, use his speed to get a scoring oppt'y. Of course he looked great goading on the Mexican defenders as he pulled away from them....wonder what would happen if he did that to Roy Keane or if Donavon was playing in Europe where folks don't take to kindly to being shown up.....yet another reason I cannot stand the American "wonder boy." Speaking of Wonder boys, not a fan, but I have to say Dempsey is a solid player, and I think playing in the Premiership will really allow him to develop. Something which has also helped Howard, he is clearly the US #1 keeper. Also classy of the Mexican team to not shake hands, while I too would want to wipe that stupid grim off Donovon's mug, you still need to shake hands:

England - Spain: Huge win for the Spanish, too bad they cannot carry the success in friendlies to the qualifying campaign. With all this talent how can they struggle??? Aragones...how does he still have his job? As for the three lions, it is clear that they still have some issues up front, Crouch (yes I know he scores) and Dyer are not the ideal option up front. They really miss Owen. And Rooney needs to find his form back if they want to make some noise, with a difficult qualifier at Israel.

Holland - Russia: When will Hiddink find his way to East London? Russia has the talent and now the domestic league has improved we should see the Russian Football Federation recapture some of the glory from the days of wearing the CCCP stripe. And once again, it is amazing to see the Dutch machine, churn out teams and players that play total football.

Ireland - San Marino: Wow what could have been...Ireland barely comes out with 3 points having to score in injury time. Not a good sign for a nation trying to recapture some of their success from the 1990s and early 2000 when they were qualifying for tournaments. But that showing, from all reports, was UGLY.....where is Roy Keane when you need him?