Les Bleus to line up with familiar faces...except for two key positions.

Deschamps will most likely roll out his usual 4-2-3-1 today in Belgium. And to no real surprise the faces that will occupy those spots are for the most part the ones we are used to seeing. The expected starting line up:

Lloris - Sagna, Koscielny, Abidal, Clichy - Guilavogui, Kondogbia - Payet, Valbuena, Ribéry - Benzema

No surprise in goal nor across the back 4. As it was rumored, the Monaco defender Abidal will be slotted at central defense. Clearly Deschamps is still trying to figure out who will provide cover or even potentially be the starter next to Kos. I have to assume that Varane will get the nod, or at least be the club house leader for the role once he is fully operational. Clichy and Sagna are back on the flanks over Debuchy and Evra. I have no issue at left back, but at right back I still have my doubts of Sagna's offensive contributions.

Will we ever see this again?

Up front it looks much the same as it has for a while: Ribery out on the left, Valbuena now in the center pulling the strings and Payet the latest right winger to be given another chance to take ownership of that spot. It will be interesting to see if Nasri is given time in that channel and what happens when Menez is back to full form. Up front is wonder kid Benzema. Yes that was tongue in cheek. I need not remind readers of how many minutes, games, months it has been since France's #1 striker has netted a goal. But trust me it has been a LONG time (1082 minutes...might as well be another life time ago). We keep saying it each time France rolls out their Real Madrid striker - "will this be the game he breaks back into form?" I am tired of asking this question and frankly tired of waiting for it to happen. I know strikers can be temperamental but this has gotten to a level of absurdity. I might even start calling Benzema a bust.

Of course in the holding midfield role we will see two newbies - Guilavogui (who did get his first cap away to Brazil) and Kondogbia. These two new members of the national team are getting a run out in large part due to the suspensions of Pogba, Matuidi and Cabaye for the next qualifier. Having said that, I think this is a good chance to see some of the depth France has at this position. Let us not forget that Capoue, Sissoko and Mavuba are also available, not bad options. I will be interested to see how the first of the U20 World Cup champions, yes Pogba has played for the senior squad already but he wasn't a WC Champ at the time, assimilates into the senior squad. One thing France have plenty of depth is in the holding midfield role, with Guilavogui and Kondogbia starting we are just seeing more of these riches on display. Now if we could only trade a few of these assets for a world class striker.

The Belgium Pele

So will this line up succeed against an up and coming Diables Rouge side? Belgium is starting to develop a serious roster of talent, reminds me of the teams I used to watch in the late 80s that were built around Scifo and went all the way to a 4th place finish at the Mexico World Cup in 1986. This version has Hazard and Fellaini in their midfield but also a solid
defense built around Kompany and some young talent at striker in Mirallas and Lukaku. This is a side that France could very well have to play in the qualifier play in round. Something I would not look forward to. Unfortunately for Les Bleus, I just do not see a way out of their recent malaise.  I do not see a solution up front when it comes to scoring goals. I am not worried about Ribery or Valbuena, but the right wing remains a problem and we might as well play with Nasri as the fake #9 like Spain does because he has a much better chance of scoring than does Benzema. I am concerned with our center backs - not sure I want to see Abidal there, just do not feel that his is best position. The two newbies in the holding spots will be something to watch. I doubt either will be overwhelmed by the situation but this is their first international match together and having to face the likes of Hazard is no easy task.

Prediction - the poor run of late continues. Les Blues fall to Les Diables Rouge

Belgium 2 - France 1...alas

Allez les Bleus

Abidal back as central defender?

Latest news out of Clairefontaine - Abidal will most likely get the nod in the center of the back four defenders. Hmmmm. I am still not sure why the Monaco defender got a call up to the national side. I am not saying that he should never get a call up, but he hasn't been able to get a decent amount of time back in his boots. But the fact that he might now be starting as a center back is a bit of a head scratcher. Why?

France have to focus on their remaining qualifiers and if, hopefully, they qualify for Brazil will Les Bleus be looking at Abidal as a viable option for central defense? I am not sure. I think that Deschamps needs to get his central defense in order...and not certain Abidal is a top option. Didn't we see this under Domenech during the disaster that was the South African World Cup? One of the last memories I have is of Abidal as a central defender getting carved up by Mexico. If he gets back to form, I do like him as an option on the left. But not in the middle. Especially when France have other options: Kos, Varane, Sakho, Yanga-Mbiwa, Rami, Mangala...of course Varane is injured so let us see what Deschamps does once the young Real player is back in the fold. I just don't see Abidal as a viable starting option if Les Bleus get to Brazil. So why not run out a young player like Mangala instead??

Deschamps out with the old and in with the old - list for upcoming Belgium friendly

It is that time of the year again...back to school you say? No! The kick off for club footy as well as the international calendar. Whoohoooo!!! Granted most think this first friendly is useless, players are barely back in game form, some leagues will not have even started yet. But I am not one of those naysayers. I think internationals are great, and these vital with the remainder of the World Cup qualifiers taking place later this Fall.

What is interesting is that Deschamps has put out a list of players, that looks very similar to a list that Blanc or gasp...Domenech might have used when they were managers. Abidal, Evra, Ribery, Landreau, Nasri, Benzema??? Okay I realize that some of these players are in their prime...but just something I wanted to point out. So the list:

La liste des Bleus :
Gardiens : Landreau, Lloris, Mandanda
Défenseurs : Abidal, Clichy, Debuchy, Evra, Koscielny, Mangala, Rami, Sagna
Milieux : Capoue, Grenier, Guilavogui, Kondogbia, Mavuba, Sissokho
Attaquants : Benzema, Giroud, Nasri, Payet, Ribéry, Valbuena

Some observations:

• Abidal has to be a bit of a surprise. The player has returned to Ligue 1 and Monaco after a very successful run with Barcelona. But after making an amazing recovery from a liver transplant just over a year ago.  He is really only now returning to top flight action, nothing short of amazing. But does that mean he is back in the plans for then national team? It feels a bit premature. And where is he to play? On the flank or as a central defender? Clearly with Clichy and Evra on the list, it would appear that he is most likely to see action as a central defender. Is that really who DD is going to lean

  

  Back in Ligue 1

  on? An interesting selection.
• Where are the PSG players? Okay okay, I realize that players like Matuidi and Menez were not going to be called due to suspensions and injury. But what is a little surprising is that both Jallet and Sakho were not called up. The right back spot, in my mind, is not guaranteed for Sagna and Debuchy. I do think the Newcastle man has an edge to hold the starting spot, but I do not see a clear gap between 1 and 3. What is a real surprise, coupled with the call up of Abidal, is the absence of Sakho. Early in his tenure, it appeared that DD was going to lean on Sakho as one of his pillars in the central defender role.  Now it appears that there remains a bit of chaos at that spot. Is Kos one of those pillars? Seems that way. So who to shoulder him? Mangala? Abidal? One is very green and the other will be in his mid 30s once the World Cup rolls around. I guess we have to wait to see when Real Madrid wonder kid Varane gets back to form if he figures to be the second central defender.
• Notice that Deschamps is rotating some serious muscle in his midfield? I guess as a defensive midfielder himself he knows the value of having a strong and defensive minded midfield. Mind you, Pogba is suspended for the next qualifier otherwise the new U20 World Cup champion would most likely figure in this mix. With Capoue, Grenier, Guilavogui, Kondogbia, Mavuba, Sissokho the only non-holding midfielder is Grenier! Granted, players like Ribery, Valbuena, Payet and Nasri I would consider as attacking midfielders more than strikers. It will be interesting to see what happens with Cabaye, Pogba and maybe even M'Vila come back into the equation (I realize the last mentioned is on a FFF suspension).
• Speaking of the strikers....stop me if you have heard this, but Benzema has to start scoring again because Les Bleus seem to have a shortage of goal scoring options. With the retirement of the Petit Louis today, Louis Saha, it is another reminder of how

  

  The good old days for French strikers

  good we had it a while back! Remember when Saha was a third option behind Henry and Trezeguet...there was a time France could lean on the leading scorers of Ligue 1 - Cisse, the EPL - Henry or Serie A - Trezeguet. Okay enough nostalgia! But France had better hope that some of the freshly minted U20 World Cup champions such as new Arsenal man Sanogo or Thauvin can build on their success and start helping the senior club find some goals. Of course Benzema could rediscover his Lyon form and we would be all set...but how long have we been waiting for that?

Overall a relatively "stable" line up from Deschamps. No real surprises. We will see how he lines up against a very tough Belgium side, one that France might face if they go to a home and away playoff for qualifiers. Will DD give Nasri a start? And if so where? Ribery on the left, Nasri in the middle and Valbuena on the right? Or flip Le Petit Velo and Nasri? Right side seems to be a revolving door again for Les Bleus. What central defensive pairing will be used this time? Does Evra get the nod again on the left and what about the right?

Many questions ahead. I will be interested to see what DD does during training, will give us a glimpse of what is ahead.

Allez Les Bleus!

Fantastic spoof by NBC before they start with their EPL coverage

EXTRA EXTRA...The US wins the Gold Cup!!! Hohummm

So the US mens national soccer team won their 5th Gold Cup title yesterday, defeating surprise finalist Panama, 1-0. When is the ticker tape parade? Cover of the New York Times, Sports Illustrated and Time? Okay Okay, I am being a tad harsh. Yes I am a total Euro-snob when it comes to football. I always giggle when I hear the World Cup being called the European Cup, but with Argentina and Brazil. Of course I am also not as football ignorant as I just came across. The international game has benefit with the rise of African nations, such as Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon to name a few. As well as the rise of Asian powers such as South Korea, Japan and Australia. And, the game has benefited from seeing the richest country in the world - the United States - start to put a solid side out for World Cups and other international matches. We should also start seeing nations such as Iraq making more noise in international venues. All this is good for the international game. But back to the Gold Cup.

Reason why I am saying hohummm...is that it has become clear that nations like the United States and Mexico have outgrown the Gold Cup. And really have outgrown the CONCACAF. That is my real ramble. I have written about this before, but after this Gold Cup finals it only reinforces my thinking about the US and Mexico being part of the Gold Cup. I realize that you play the conference you are in. But look to the example of Australia, who realized they had outgrown the Oceania region and moved into Asia. Australia was finding some success in football, getting to World Cups and having aspirations of getting beyond the group stages. However, the nation recognized that only in getting a more challenging region could they grow as a team that could do better at the World Cup.

Could the US and Mexico benefit from changing regions...say join CONEMBOL region.

Think about the celebration after beating Brazil!

Okay okay, I know what fans of the US and Mexico will say...why head to tough region when they are quasi guaranteed a spot at the World Cup by staying with CONCACAF! I mean seriously...the top three nations make it and the fourth plays the first place team from Oceania! But think about the following, how much better for the overall US and Mexican teams being forced to play high pressure games against Brazil or Argentina...going to Uruguay would be better than a match in Jamaica! I know that the US plays some intense games like away to Guatemala, but not sure that is as intense as away to the South American nations. Granted the US and Mexico would not longer be guaranteed a spot at the World Cup, but cutting their teeth on these matches would better in the long run. Of course FIFA would have to redistribute the qualifying spots between CONEMBOL and CONCACAF.

Finally, imagine the benefit for the US and Mexico to play regularly in the Copa America rather than the Gold Cup! Having to play tournaments with the likes of Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile etc rather than Panama and Costa Rica will be a much greater challenge.

I know you have to play the regional tournaments you find yourself in and a title is a title...crap if Les Bleus could win a trophy on a regular basis I would be happy! Well we did win the U20 World Cup!! But for the United States and Mexico to real grow as national teams they need to test themselves with a real qualifying campaign. It will probably never happen...but something that would be great to see. Think about the excitement of hosting Brazil in Columbus for a World Cup qualifier, or seeing Messi and Argentina coming to New York for a qualifier!

Say it ain's so Arsene...Arsenal bid on Suarez.

With the rumored move on Real Madrid striker Higuain sputtering along, the latest rumor is that Arsene and the Gunners are looking at Luis Suarez from Liverpool. Ugh. There is no questioning the Uruguay striker talent, but it is all his other baggage that Wenger doesn't need. Everything from being a racist to a cannibal are labels that Suarez's actions have bestowed on himself.

The mad biter

Wenger and Arsenal need to stay far away from this cancer. While the player's talent should power his club to challenge for trophies, his baggage become too much of an albatross. If you have a player on your roster that is a risk of getting a 10+ game suspension at any time, how can you stomach spending a large sum of cash to acquire that player and then have to deal with the constant headache that player provides? Not worth it.

Come on Wenger, get Higuain in here and let Suarez leave England.

Brazil win the Confederations Cup...oh well

The Confederations Cup, yes it is a sanctioned FIFA tournament and yes you actually get a real trophy if you win it (Les Bleus have won it twice!). However what does it really mean...a whole bunch of nothing. It has become an opportunity for the following year's World Cup host to get a dry run for hosting a tournament. For that it makes a lot of sense. Otherwise it is really just a glorified series of friendly matches. This version was no different, so let us not make too much of the "dismantling" of Spain by host Brazil.



The game ended with a 3-0 beating of the Spaniards by the Brazilians. There are voices that are already saying Brazil is back, they are the odds on favorites to win the World Cup...yaddy yaddy yadda. Let us pump the brakes on the win last night. There are some things to take away from the game:

• Spain can be rattled if pressed high on the pitch. Okay easier said than done. Brazil demonstrated what can happen if Spain is not given the space and time to work their short pass game. Of course Brazil almost got burned a few times, notably when Luiz had to save on the line after Pedro sprang up on the right side on one of the few Spanish break outs. Brazil forced Spain very deep into their end of the pitch, at times seeing the play having to be initiated by the feet of Spanish keeper Casillas. The Brazilian out side backs also jumped the play at every occasion. Clearly not every team in the world can do this to Spain, but Brazil demonstrated that if you have the ability, muscle and speed you can press Spain. Again, easier said than done.
• Spain needs a striker....Can we finally agree that Torres seems to be done...or at least is a shadow of the striker he was for Athletico and Liverpool? Playing a false 9 would not have done any good either. Spain needs to figure out who can be a true #9 a player, like a Drogba, who when you are being pressed can receive the ball, hold it against defensive pressure and allow your team to reorganize. A striker who can also find ways to create space and goals on his own. I heard a great discussion this morning equating this to Barcelona (the club most similar to the Spain style) and how Barca, when it trouble, can just turn to Messi and he will find a way. Spain lost out on Messi, but they have some options. Could an inform Villa be the option? Or maybe Llorente? I would vote for the Juventus bound striker - big man who can hold the ball up and can be a "fox in the box." Sometimes you need to win the games ugly.
• Don't get too over confident in Brazil. Brazil won. Brazil rolled out a very entertaining line up, putting out there Neymar, Fred, Hulk and Oscar...add to that the "striker" Alves who plays right back and even Luiz who sometimes fancies himself as Zico and you have the potentially for a very attacking minded squad. But can that survive when the games really count? Add to this the perfect storm for Brazil. Playing at home in front of 100,000 fans after Spain had to get through an extra time match against Italy etc etc. Brazil will not play a competitive match again until the World Cup kicks off. I am not convinced that defensively the Brazilians can hold up when the pressure really mounts. Much will be asked of their defensive midfielders and center backs...as well as goalkeeper (remember he is the one who played for QPR). Brazil put 3 past the defending World Cup and European Cup champions, good for them. But a year is a long time...don't forget that 4 years ago in the Confed Cup in South Africa, Spain lost in the semi finals to the US and Brazil won the title...need I remind you who has won two real titles since then?

It was a nice little tournament, but one that comes at the end of a long season for the players. The big nations involved - Spain, Uruguay, Brazil, Italy, Nigeria and Mexico all have things they can build on and work on. But none should read too much into this dry run, good or bad.

Devasting loss...but not the worst. Bruins go out heads high

This blog is 99% about the beautiful game, and more specifically about anything associated with French football. However once in a while I need to write about other sporting topics, and since the title of the blog is The Beantown Frog in honor of being a Bostonian I feel I need to write about what feels like a terrible loss for the Bruins...but in reality is not that bad!

For those of you that are not aware the Boston Bruins were within 90 seconds last night of sending the Stanley Cup finals to a decisive game 7. Mind you, had the Bruins not given up 2 goals in 17 seconds they would not have won the championship last night, just extended it to a game 7. But still painful. However, I would argue not one of the most painful losses in Boston/Massachusetts sporting defeats. Here are my top 5 from least devastating to most devastating (in my life time) -

• 5 - 1978 Red Sox v Yankees one game playoff. Granted I did not witness this but it was in my lifetime! The ramifications definitely haunted me. Red Sox have what appears to be an insurmountable lead in the AL East - 14 games - only to see the Yankees make a crazy come back and force a one game play off...to be played in Fenway Park. Red Sox end up losing 5 - 4 and the memorable dagger to the heart was watching a light hitting Bucky "Bleeping" Dent hit a 3 run home run into the green monster. This loss was terrible on so many fronts - withering away a 14 game lead, losing to the hated Yankees and continuing the baseball futility.
• 4 - 2010 Celtics v Lakers NBA finals game 7. I think this game is underrated on the devastating lose index. Celtics were playing their hated rival the Lakers. Celtics were on 17 titles and the Lakers were on 15. Celtics had defeated the Lakers a few seasons prior to win that 17th title. 2010 felt like the last run for the Celtics' "Big Three" or Allen, Pierce and Garnett. Kobe Bryant was looking to cement his place in history. Phil "I can only coach world class players" Jackson was going for his 11th championship. The series see sawed back and forth with the Celtics heading back to LA for game 6 with a 3-2 series lead. They got destroyed in game 6 AND lost their starting center Perkins to a knee injury. Setting up game 7. Where the Celtics looked in control for most of the game. Doc had regularly given his bench lots of time to save his veteran's legs, but for some reason in game 7 he went away from this strategy. Plus being a player down (no Perkins) his starters were asked to do even more than usual. Running out of gas and missing some key shots saw the Celtics give up the lead late in the game and an attempted come back fell short giving the Lakers their 16th title. The Big Three were not able to cement their places in Celtics and NBA history as multiple champions, the Lakers closed back to within one title and the reality is that might be the closest the Celtics come to a title for a few maybe many seasons.
• 3 - 1986 Red Sox v Mets World Series game 6. Amazing that this "only" number 3 on the list. I do think that #s 3 thru 1 could all be interchanged...maybe the are 1a 1b 1c! But back to 1986. Red Sox fans think of 86 years of futility when they won the title in 2004, but we were counting decades already in 1986...granted that was only 68 years! Red Sox win the ALCS in dramatic fashion after being down 3 games to 1 against the Angels and down to their last out - Dave Henderson hits the game tying HR and Red Sox end up winning three straight. With the  likes of Evans, Clemens, Rice, Boggs etc the Red Sox were heading up against the powerhouse Mets who had the likes of Carter, Gooden, Strawberry, Hernandez etc. Series was back and forth. Red Sox surprisingly winning the first two games on the road, only to see the Mets win games 3 and 4 in Boston. Bruce Hurst pitched a gem in game 5 sending Boston back to Shea with a 3 - 2 lead. And then game 6 and then Buckner....agony. I wouldn't go over the gory details but my personal experience sums it up. I was watching the game with my dad, after the Steamer threw his vaunted palm ball that Gedman couldn't stop allowing the tying run to score from third I went to my room and yes....cried myself to sleep. So I never saw the Buckner five hole gaff live....and ever time I am subjected to it I somehow think he will actually get the ball or somehow Dave Stapleton will be there instead. I realize they had a game 7 to play (in which the Red Sox led for a while) but we all know that game 6 was the series for the Sox.
•  2 - 2009 Patriots v Giants Super Bowl XLII - Ok first a disclaimer - I cannot stand the Patriots, I am a Steeler fan. So the fact this game went down the way it did actually made me very very very happy...but from a Boston/Massachusetts stand point I get the pain it caused (just not for me!). 2009 was suppose to be a historic year for the Patriots and the NFL, the first undefeated team since the 1972 Dolphins, a record setting offense, a devastating defense heading into the Super Bowl as a double digit favorite! The Super Bowl in Arizona was suppose to be a coronation for Belichick and Brady - potentially thrusting them ahead of the 1980s 49er teams, the 1990s Cowboys and the 1970s Steelers as the greatest team of all time in the NFL. Ooops. Instead what happened was a New York Giant team that utterly slow down the high flying Patriots, putting pretty boy Brady on his rump. On the other side the Giants much maligned QB Manning played out of his mind. There were also some ridiculous plays that turned the tide, missed interceptions, potential no calls on holding etc etc. But in the end for non Patriots fans it was a wonderful game to watch. For New England fans...devastating.
• 1 - 2003 Red Sox v Yankees ALCS game 7. Devastating...with what happened in 2004 we forget how painful that game was. If the Red Sox had not made a historic come back against the same team and then gone on to sweep the Cardinals to win the World Series, the game 7 loss to the Yankees would be haunting us. There was so much in this series - Clemens vs Pedro, Zimmer vs Pedro, Manny, Posada, new Red Sox ownership, evil empires....the Red Sox headed in to New York down 3-2 but found a way to win game 6 with John Burkett!!! JOHN BURKETT!!! Game 7 was Pedro vs Clemens...awesome. Red Sox got to their former farm hand and then Mussina, who had shunned the Red Sox overtures a few seasons back game in from the bullpen and shut down the Sox. Pedro pitching a gem into the 7th...he cannot come out for the 8th??? Not with the "Timlin in the eight, Williamson in the ninth" combination being lights out all post season!! Pedro is sitting in the dug out accepting congratulations from his team before the 8th....and then Grady Little sends him BACK OUT!!!! Why??? Pedro got the first out...and then all hell broke loose. I will always remember watching the television pan to Timlin when Grady Little went out to talk to Pedro, and the look on Timlin's face when he didn't get the call. He was thinking what were all were "what the BLEEP are you doing Grady!!!!" Arghhhh. And similar to 1986, I never saw the last play...Brett "Bleeping" Boone's HR off Wakefield. I took the dog out for a walk and once I heard the collective groans in the street I went home. I remember going to work the next day and it felt like a funeral, no one was able to do any work, I sat in my boss' office for a good 30 minutes without saying a word....we were both in shock. Again, what went down the following year took away most of the pain and the fact the Red Sox won again in 2007 made this game part of a longer story, one that ended well. But I would say in the moment it was the most devastating loss for this region.

There are other games receiving votes:

• 2010 Bruins v Flyers game 7: Bruins surrender a 3 games to 0 lead AND a 3-0 lead in game 7.
• 2012 Patriots v Giants super bowl XLVI: another chance for Brady and Belichick to get their 4th title, once again fall to the Giants...oops.
• 2011 game 162 Red Sox v Orioles: Red Sox once again let a play off spot slip away in last month of season and then proceed to lose to the Orioles in the bottom on the 9th. End of Francona era in Boston and a major downturn for the home town 9.

The loss last night is definitely up there. But here is why it should not be as devastating as these others:

• This was for the right to get to a game 7, unlike 1986 and that game 6, the trophy wasn't lost in the last minute, the right to try to play one more time for the trophy was lost.
• The Bruins were on a 1 season title drought...making two finals (and winning one) in three years is nothing to be ashamed of.
• This is not the end of this teams run - the 2010 Celtics felt like that was the end (which it was) of that team's run before having to rebuild. On the contrary this team should be coming into their primes.
• This loss did not take away a historic opportunity - 2009 Patriots...that was history.
• I cannot hate the Blackhawks. This series was void of any real hatred by the teams, fans, cities etc. It was a great series and the better team won.

Be mad or sad or angry today Bruin's fans, but time will heal this wound. We will realize what an amazing run this team went on, they fought hard, they lost to a worthy opponent and I believe they will be back for the next few years.