France - Belgium a goalless blah game

After a decent day of friendlies, where every game say some goals...except for Wales v Ireland and France v Belgium. Yuck. Granted the France game had plenty of opportunities for some goals. Watching the game just got me more frustrated with Les Bleus and scratching my head with regards to any solutions...but let me try to extract something from the friendly:

The Good:

• Difficult to extract much good. Not losing their 4th straight game is one silver lining. France was on a terrible run of 3 straight lost matches losing to Spain, Uruguay and Brazil. Getting a draw is not the worst thing, especially on the road to the 10th best nation in the world (yes Belgium is 15 spots ahead of France!) Of course this is the 4th straight game France has failed to score a goal, more on this later.
• Belgium...looked solid. I do like the fact Les Diables Rouge are relevant again in world football. They have some talent on this side. A midfield with Fallaini and Hazard, an up and coming world striker in Lukaku and a solid defensive back 4 anchored by giants

  

  Reason for Belgium's optimism

  Kompany and Van Buyten. Their remains a question in goal, although Courtois did the necessary to maintain his clean sheet. However it is far from certain this is the next JM Pfaff. There is some rumblings out of Bruxelles that this side could actually challenge in a year for a World Cup title...not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Based on how they are currently built I might see them as a dark horse and could seriously make a run to the semi finals of the World Cup (assuming they qualify and get a decent draw).
• I have to said Abidal looked decent at center back. I am not ready to put him in the conversation for French center back, but he did not seem to miss a step. Good first step, but I rather see him on the flanks.

The Bad:

• France might as well start all center or left sided players...because the right side is useless. I realize this is nothing new. But even I was shocked at seeing how much the French game leaned left. It was so ridiculous that there were a few times when Ribery found himself standing right next to either Benzema or Valbuena. At one point it felt like Payet, who had also drifted in that direction, realized that he was suppose to be the right winger and scampered back to the right side. It is as if there is some invisible force that pulls the ball and then all the offensive players for France to the left. There were a number of times where I saw Sagna, all alone, on the right flank, flapping his arms like a wild turkey...yet getting zero service. It got so bad that Belgium just overloaded that side, forcing the likes of Ribery to dribble at 2-3 defenders. Or at times he would run into his player...who was also on that left side. Bad bad bad.
• Once again France gave up too many opportunities to Belgium, that fortunately they could not capitalize on. Kos makes a huge gaff in the middle of the penalty area where De Bruyne completely missed the frame, otherwise he seemed to have a goal sitting on his boot. Lukaku missed a couple of close range goals as well. France also gave up a 5 v 2 on the 25th minute...all terrible terrible gaffs. Belgium should have capitalized on at least one of these opportunities. These were correctable defensive problems for France...but they seem to have been the same issues Les Bleus have suffered for seasons. Unless France can somehow recover from these issues they will a)not go to Brazil b)if they do get there...wouldn't do much.

The Ugly:

• Goals...or a lack thereof for Les Bleus. We are pushing 1200 minutes since the last time our #1 striker has put a ball in the goal. That is UGLY...not how a team wins anything. And it is not just him. France have not scored since they put 3 past Georgia, let's not get too excited. It isn't even that they are not scoring, but they do not seem to even get any real opportunities to scoring a goal! Listening to the game yesterday on ESPN 3, you would have thought that France had made themselves a handful of chances. Not sure. The one real "chance" I saw was late in the game when Giroud tried to one time a left footed volley from inside the penalty spot...only to kick it into row Z. Otherwise the few other "opportunities" came when Ribery, Valbuena or Benzema took on the entire Belgium defense to take a difficult shot on goal. But France never really threatened Belgium's goal...ugly.
• Speaking of lack of goals...the offensive flow for France was ugly. Like what I mentioned earlier about the left side of the French offense this was just a small part of a greater lack of offensive flow. France seems to be looking for some consistency to their offense. Ribery is France's only real world class attacking player. But he is a left winger. There has to be a balance - someone to either bring more offense on the right side and or a true central midfielder. Someone who can pull the strings, hold the ball up or play faster...not sure Valbuena is that player. I think he would be better served on the right wing with a more classical central midfielder pulling the strings in the middle

  

  Probably missed this 1v1 as well...

  of the park. Not sure France have that player...Nasri? Martin? Gourcuff? None give me a huge amount of confidence. Grenier could be the next in line...to be determined. France gave us a slight glimpse of a decent balance of attack when they had Ribery on the left, Nasri in the center and Valbuena on the right. But that only seemed to work for a game or two...not really a wonderful sample size. 
• Okay this is an easy one, and is a continuation of the above but Benzema and his lack of goals is getting to be beyond ugly.  It has become so painful to watch and I think more than just for the player. Why? His teammates clearly know he is on a major scoring drought. There were situations where the ball should have been switched to the opposite field but instead it was forced to Benzema, to try and get him a goal. Of course it did not work. I feel as if the Benzema era is sliding into failure territory. No team can hope for success if their #1 striker cannot score goals! It might be time to sit him and give Giroud or a youngster their chance. 
• Sagna and his crosses...once again left much to be desired. He had the space in his channel, but as usual his crosses were awful. Granted he didn't always have great options. But if there is no one there, don't cross it!!! Hold it and wait for options. Ugh.

So Les Bleus leave Bruxelles with a drab 0-0 draw and once again could not score a goal. Ugh. One take away from the match is France cannot function in a 4-2-3-1. Why? They do not have the discipline to stay in the channels - too often with the game leaning left you saw Valbuena drifting too far left, or even Payet finding himself there. This took out the entire right side as well as drawing the defenders to that channel. Benzema drifts back too much as well, adding more congestion. Because of this clustering, when the ball gets lost it tends to go back the other way in space. When your central midfielder, left winger and striker are all within 5 feet of one another there is space behind them that gets exploited. Not good. Add to this the strength France has in the holding/defensive midfield position and I believe Les Bleus should think about the 4-3-3 as the formation of choice.

The formation can also evolve into a 4-3-2-1. With the likes of Pogba, Cabaye, Matuidi, Capoue to name a few, you have a wealth of options of midfielders who can offer a strong defensive line in the midfield, but one that can also carry the ball up the pitch. It would also allow the three high line players more space. A line of Ribery on the left, Benzema in the middle (even thought I am calling him a failure he might do better in this formation) and Valbuena on the right would have the space to do their thing - meaning float around the pitch. Players like Cabaye, Matuidi and Pogba, to name a few, have the ability to jump up into the offensive end and contribute goals and opportunities. Now if France goes with this formation, it will also force the left and right fullbacks to be more offensively savvy - not sure Sagna gives you that on the right not does Clichy on the left.

Let's go Deschamps, muscle up your midfield, play counter attack football. That is the talent you have available, play to your strengths and stop trying to find different results from the same formation that is not working.
 

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!

Abidal - god speed with your recovery

Barcelona and France left back, Eric Abidal will need a liver transplant. He had surgery a year ago and made such a fast recovery he was able to lift the Champions League trophy for Barcelona. This is clearly a set back. I wish Eric the best and for a speedy recovery.

Clearly his ability to play for France this summer is in doubt. This will have some trickle down impacts:

• Evra will most likely slot back in as the starting left back
• If Blanc was hoping to gain an extra slot, but leveraging Abidal as both his left back and cover for center back, this is out. Does this mean Blanc takes 4 central defenders? That will get Kaboul and Koschielny back into the picture.
• Who will provide cover at left back? Will Clichy find his way back to the side? Most likely Valencia left back/midfielder Mathieu will get some serious consideration, he also offers some cover at midfield (then again left midfield is crowded). How about Lass Diarra? He would provide versatility at holding midfield and left back (he showcased there for France in the past). How about a dark horse in former Blanc player - Tremoulinas? With the Bordeaux player on the left and Debuchy on the right and you would instantly get some real dangerous players covering the wide channels.

The most important is that Abidal recovers and is 100% healthy. Whether or not we see him on the football pitch is secondary to his overall well being. Godspeed with your recover Eric.

Lloris the captain...by default

Laurent Blanc has long avoided the question of who will become the captain for France. Instead he has rotated his captains amongst - Lloris, Mexes, Diarra, Abidal and Malouda (I might have forgotten one...). The latest to get the arm band on a regular basis is Lloris. The Lyon keeper does not necessarily fit the profile. His talent is unquestionable, but he is a quiet leader. It does appear that he is becoming the choice for captain, a but by default.

• Malouda - he is one of the players that experienced the Berlin final in 2006, but he is not a clear starter (Ribery offers competition for the left wing slot).
• Diarra - Blanc's captain while at Bordeaux but also not a clear starter for the French, plus his form has dipped as of late. Difficult to give him the arm band when you do not always pencil him in to the starting 11.
• Abidal - some lingering South African clouds hang over the Barcelona defender. When healthy, he is a clear starter either on the left or in the center of the defense. But cannot seem to entirely shake that legacy from South Africa.
• Mexes - I believe that the former AS Roma defender could have a strong case for wearing the arm band. In a strange way the manner in which he was handled by Dumenech makes him a great candidate - a player who has great ability but who understands what it means to fight through adversity. Unfortunately with his knee injury he has been sidelined allowing others to gain ground.

For the time being it appears that Lloris is the choice to wear the arm band, I think that he is a reluctant captain and the reality is he is holding the role until a true team leader emerges - M'Vila?

Abidal back in the center - France v Chile

All indications point to Abidal - Kaboul as the central pairing for the French defense in tomorrow's match against Chile, which also be the pairing for the match against Albania in the Euro qualifiers (Rami will be suspended and Mexes recovering from injury). The last few matches for Sakho, both for France and PSG, have not exuded confidence in the eyes of Le President. How quickly things change, a few months ago Sakho seemed the clear #3 option behind Mexes - Rami!

Back in the middle again

With Evra injured, Clichy will most likely take up the left flank with his former team mate Sagna off on the right. The question is who will start in front of this back 4? With Blanc leaning towards a 4-2-3-1, it appears that Malouda is the choice on the left (made easier that Ribery was not selected) with Benzema up front and Nasri as the #10. So who for the right or the holding pairing?

Blanc was seen working Martin - Diarra as one pairing and Cabaye - M'Vila for another. The latter much more defense, the former with a #10 in Martin playing deeper, something Blanc had tremendous success doing while managing Bordeaux when he would line up Diarra - Gourcuff as his deep lying midfield duo. On the right I think the time will be split between Menez and Remy. With 6 substitutes allowed, look for Blanc to rotate his central pairing in the midfield, give both pairings a run at it. Look for Menez and Remy to split time on the right. And I can see Gameiro getting in 45 minutes at the top of the formation. I doubt he will swap out his central defensive pairing, unless he wants to see Sakho on the pitch for 20 minutes, hopefully get him back on the right track; however, I think Blanc of all coaches understands the importance of getting his central defensive pairing in sync, and this will be seen as his best chance in preparation for Albania, so expect to see his pairing stay together on the pitch for the full 90 minutes.

I do not expect too much from this game, players are getting back into game shape, are focused on the start of the season...Chile is coming off Copa America. I expect to see a bland 0-0 draw. The real issue will be, can Blanc get the most out of his 90 minutes to prepare for Albania?

Allez Les Bleus

Les Bleus and Blanc going witha 4-4-2

No surprise,  Blanc will align a 4-4-2, after announcing that Hourau would be a starter I could not really see him lining up as the lone striker. After his match against Ukraine, Gameiro was given another chance to start this time with a strike partner - Hourau.

The midfield is no surprise with Diarra (I am a bit surprised to see the Bordeaux man back in the starting XI but he did not play against Ukraine so makes sense), Martin, Valbuena and N'Zogbia. Look for N'Zogbia to hold the wide flank on the left with Valbuena doing the same on the right. Martin, after his 15 minutes of insanity, will be given an expected start and will be expected to pull the strings in the midfield. This will place some pressure on Diarra since he is the single "guard" in front of the back 4. Speaking of the back 4, no surprises, except for Sakho sitting and Abidal in central defense. How ironic when that is the exact role he did not want to play under Domenech. Granted Abidal has slotted there for Barcelona when Pujol was injured. With Rami suspended against Albania when the qualifiers start up again, and Mexes coming off injury, Blanc is clearly getting ready for having to leverage Abidal and his experience in central defense.
I see this game being another trial run for Blanc in preparation for the Albania match in September.

Prediction: France 3 – Poland 1, goals from Hourau, Valbuena and Gameiro

Allez les Bleus

Best wishes for rapid recovery for Abidal - opens door for Evra and FFF?

The latest from Barcelona is that their left back , Eric Abidal, will be operated for a liver tumor. All reports point to his ability to have a normal recovery and will be back on the pitch in a reasonable time frame. That is the essential and we wish Eric the best of luck and speedy recovery. Of course his absence prior to Blanc's list for the upcoming matches against Luxembourg and Croatia opens an interesting question: will Evra be brought back into the fold?

Next FFF left back?

Blanc had clearly slotted Abidal as his starting left back, and I would assume that once Abidal is back on the pitch he will continue to assume that slot. However in the short term who will be in that position? Based on the prior matches it would appear that the Gunner's left back Clichy will be given the starting role. But what about Evra? Will the Manchester United left back find his way back onto the list. Other alternatives - Tremoulinas (played under Blanc at Bordeaux) or Cissokho from Lyon. I think that Blanc will take this as a chance to call up Tremoulinas and at some level I think that the competition for the #2 left back is open, I am not convinced that Clichy has a lock on that spot. Tremoulinas has more of an offense minded game and has more consistency when it comes to his crosses than his Arsenal counterpart. I do think that Blanc sees Evra as the center piece of what transpired in South Africa last summer and is not convinced he would be a welcome presence in the French dressing room. We will see tomorrow when Blanc unveils his list.

Best of luck to Abidal and wishes for a rapid recovery.

Blanc provides his list for England match...with another "striking" player from South Africa

For the last France international of the year, next week in Wembley versus England, Laurent Blanc called many of the same players he has leaned on in his rebuilding project....with some exceptions. The return of Eric Abidal is an interesting inclusion. The list:

Gardiens : Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Cédric Carrasso (Bordeaux)

Défenseurs : Eric Abidal (Barcelone), Gaël Clichy (Arsenal), Bakary Sagna (Arsenal), Philippe Mexès (AS Rome), Adil Rami (Lille), Mamadou Sakho (PSG), Anthony Réveillère (Lyon)

Milieux de terrain : Yohan Cabaye (Lille), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Yann M’Vila (Rennes), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille), Samir Nasri (Arsenal), Yoann Gourcuff (Lyon)

Attaquants : Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Dimitri Payet (Saint-Etienne), Kévin Gameiro (Lorient), Guillaume Hoarau (PSG), Loïc Rémy (Marseille)

No major surprises in the list. Still no Evra - last game of his FFF suspension - he will be eligible to return for the first match of 2011 against Brazil. Also no Ribery, because he is still recovering from injury. Alou Diarra gets the call even though he has been suspended by Ligue 1 due to his actions towards an official - he had a physical altercation after receiving a red card.  Clearly signals that he has the potential to be one of Blanc's core players. It will be interesting to see if he also retains the captain's arm band.

The biggest surprise is the return of Eric Abidal. While the Barcelona defender avoided disciplinary action based on what transpired in South Africa, he found himself in international football Siberia for the first matches of Blanc's tenure. However there has never been any denying in his talents, the main issue was the way Domenech utilized the defender. Rather than playing him at his natural left back, he was always slotted in central defense by Domenech, a role Abidal was clearly not comfortable with. Blanc has made it clear that he selected the left back...to play left back. Clichy has been the left back of choice recently for France and has done an admirable job, however his performances have not cemented him in that position. With Abidal back in the fold, there will be some competition to take over that role. Evra has not had great performances for Manchester United, however assuming he returns closer to form, he will be back in the mix as well for left back. Add to this Tremoulinas and you have a wealth of options for left back, sometimes having too many choices means you have none! But I trust that Blanc and the play on the field will make clear who will take over the left back role for Les Bleus.

Much will be determined during the practices at Clairfontaine see how Blanc will align his team for next week's match. My guess is the following line up will be rolled out onto the pitch, formation will be a 4-2-3-1:

Lloris
Clichy - Mexes - Rami - Sagna
M'Vila - ADiarra
Malouda - Nasri - Valbuena
Benzema

Blanc might go back to the 4-4-2 diamond, take out M'Vila and slot in Gourcuff at the top of the diamond, move Nasri out to the right (similar to his role at Arsenal) and shoulder Benzema with Hourau/Remy and place Valbuena on the substitute bench. Abidal might also be slotted at left back over Clichy, but I think Blanc will lean on many of his Premier League players in his starting line up - Clichy, Sagna, Malouda and Nasri...

It will be an interesting test for Les Bleus. The problem with these friendlies, other than the fact my fellow podcaster Gooner does not like them, is the timing - is that it comes at the end of the international season (a World Cup one at that) and the middle of many tough domestic seasons. Not sure how much the players will have left in their legs as well as in their compete level. The fact it is France v England provides a natural incentive in terms of rivalries.

I hope it is a good game, I hope no one picks up an injury....but I have a feeling we might see a drab 0-0 draw.

Allez les Bleus!

Les Bleus are dead long live Les Bleus! Turning the page...

We will now be subject to all the spin control from the players of the French National Team. Starting tonight with Henry on the Grand Journal and Abidal on TF1, it will be interesting to see if they are asked tough questions, doubtful and what spin they put on this entire fiasco. Patrice Evra is also rumored to be planning a public interview as well. A good blog post for Sport24 argues that if, the perpetrators of the mutiny are going to speak, then the players that tried to do the right thing - Lloris, Gourcuff, Sagna to name three - need to also speaking their mind.

However I would argue, allow the guilty parties to make their cases in public. I think the French supporters know who is to blame in this situation from the players point of view. Those that were not active participants should stay above the fray, do not get embroiled in a who said what did what airing in public. Allow Laurent Blanc to come in on July 1st and take care of the situation.

Laurent Blanc, needs to sit down with his players individually and figure out what really happened, at least try to piece enough of the puzzle to get a good sense of what transpired. Then he needs to tell his team. "That was the past, it was unacceptable but it was not under my watch so I will not punish you for it. However, if I get a sense that any of that has carried over, you will be dealt with swiftly and severely. There is a new sheriff in town so behave." He should confront some of the main perpetrators individual and tell them - what you did was reprehensible if I call you up for the team you will follow my rules and if you do not, I will find a replacement for you. No one is bigger than the team."

It will be interesting to hear what is said over the air waves. If it is true that Henry was one of the ring leaders, then is is a truly sad day. The all time leading scorer and one of France's greatest players would go out in shame - hand ball against Ireland and then this, not a good way to end one's international career.

France v Ireland...the "second half"

We have had over 2 days now to chew on France's 1-0 victory at Croke Park, and now the hard part is at hand - the return leg in Paris' Stade de France. As we all know, France has also suffered some more injuries - Abidal, Diaby and Toulalan all officially out for the return leg. What is a little disconcerting is that France lose two of their options in the defensive midfield as well as their starting center back from the Dublin match. What is absolutely inexplicable is that Domenech has not called up any replacements - Vieira (maybe too awkward after slighting the former France captain from the get go), Flamini, Cheyrou, Matuidi and Mavuba - all available and most have already experienced wearing the French kit. Clearly Domenech and his staff have known about the potential for forfeit of Diaby and Toulalan well before the first game in Dublin....so why not think about having a plan b, get one of midfield options to Clairefontaine, just in case. As Sport24 stated, what if one of the Diarra's gets hurt? France only have the TFC player - Sissoko - as cover right now at holding midfielder. Funny how many were critical of Domenech taking too many holding players and now he might be short at the position! Add to this the loss of Abidal and it is shocking that no player had been brought in over the weekend to at least get 48 hours of preparation with the squad as cover. Equal surprising since most international managers would see the a player(s) having to sit out the match as a great chance to call up players they might want to take a closer look at...even if it is only for 48 - 72 hours. However, once again Domenech appears to be going the unconventional way and feels as if he has enough to navigate the return match. I really hope he is right.

So moving on to the match. The next fear, which we all knew could be a reality, is that the Stade de France resembles a green cauldron with close to 20,000 Irish descending on Paris. This would not be ideal, but everyone knows that the fans from the UK travel extremely well...look at the Parc des Princes during the Scotland - France Euro qualifier...you would think you were in Glasgow! Just a reminder of what could happen -



The strike was a thunder bolt, but pay attention to all the Scottish flags that were ringing the stadium! Get ready to see the Irish green white and orange flags in place of Scotland's blue and white!

I think this will help the Irish cause more than hurt the French cause, but it something not to be taken lightly, allowing the Irish to have a strong fan base to rely on to stir up the emotions. I am not sure if that will have enough of an impact. Can Ireland win? Of course, they are a solid squad and very well coached...plus they are making this a match for the respect of the Irish people.

I think that Trapattoni and his Irish team will start very much as they did over the weekend in Dublin - cautiously. They will let the French take the game and dictate the pace, always looking to counter and secure set pieces. As they showed in Dublin any set piece is license to drive a high ball into the French 18 yard box, the fact that Given was taking any kick in the Ireland defense 1/3 was an indication that we are going to drive high balls from anywhere on the pitch into the French 18 yard box (clearly having your keeper take "goal kicks" from your defense side means you are not looking for precision but rather high driven balls that will force your defenders to deal with this mortar shots). Trap and the Irish will look to leverage the "bend don't break" defense and see if they cannot steal an early goal on a set piece or a French mistake. If they can go into half time up 1-0, they may look to continue this play and try to get to penalty kicks...where everything is a crap shoot. If they go into the half time even 0-0 then Trapattoni will have the next 45 minutes to seek the precious goal, he might decide to go another 20 minutes with a similar strategy and then start bringing in additional attacking options for the final 25 minutes - hoping that the pressure to hold the lead will be increasingly heavy on the French shoulders. I am not sure Ireland can score 2 goals against Les Bleus, not that Irish do not have the talent, but that Trapattoni's style coupled with Les Bleus' defensive posture should not allow for 2 goals from Ireland.

Ireland's hopes should be bolstered by the fact they had at least 3 clear chances against France in Ireland only to suffer poor finishing. If they can just convert one of those chances in Paris, then it is anyone's game.

As for Domenech and Les Bleus, I think they need to go for the coup de grace early, try to get another goal in the first half, make it close to impossible for Ireland. This will depend much on how Gourcuff plays and if he and Anelka can "coexist" running the offense. There have been some grumblings this week that Anelka was wandering into Gourcuff's central area making it difficult for the Bordeaux man to make himself heard during the match. I do not think this is as much of a problem as is reported. I do think that Les Bleus will need to defend better on set pieces, reduce the sloppy passes and take more chances in front of the Irish goal. If they can do all three, they will succeed.

Prediction - France 1 Ireland 1 - Anelka scores in the 38th minute. Keane equalizes in the 76th minute, making for a nerve wracking final 15 minutes.

France v Ireland....Part II...more injuries

The latest news from Clairefontaine, Abidal is out for the return leg on Wednesday (so is Toulalan but he was already injured for the Dublin clash). This is an interesting wrinkle for the match. Abidal played, other than the terrible mistake late in the game gifting the ball to the Irish in the French camp, a very strong game. He was able to bring a degree of calmness and steadiness that the central defense has not had in a long time.

So what will Domenech resort to in the return leg? Clearly the favorite should be Squillaci, who shouldered Gallas very nicely when given the chance. In addition, Squillaci is a big center back and strong in the air, clearly something the French will need defending the long ball bombs the Irish are sure to lob into the French 18 yard box in Paris. I cannot see Domenech going with Escude, who has been shaky in the past few games from Les Bleus, especially against Romania when his own goal gave Romania the draw in Paris. Interestingly, Domenech has not looked to call up replacements for either player. I would think this opportunity would be a golden chance for him to at least call up his binky - Boumsong.

France v Ireland...."First Half"....France 1 - Ireland 0

Ooof...that was a tough match to watch. France escape Dublin with a 1-0 victory as well as no players suspended for the second leg in Paris on Wednesday. Good to see a little fracas after the match...with Richard Dunne in the middle of it! Overall not a surprising match, Ireland defended in lines of 4 behind the ball and allowed the French to come to them, blocking Les Bleus once they came close to the 18 yard box. On the flip side, the Irish took their chances on set pieces and long balls into the box causing the French fits, something to be concerned about for the return leg. Let us jump into the match -

The Good:

• France get the essential done - win on the road. Having the away goal in hand will force the Irish to seek to win the game back in Paris, this is not impossible but the stakes have been raised considerably.
• Hugo Lloris, he was absolutely huge in this match. I wrote previouslyy that neither he nor Mandanda have stepped up to claim the #1 shirt, well games like this go a long way to doing just that. While he did not have a large number of shots to face - 4 shots - he made the save of the match in the last 10 minutes when Abidal inexplicably misplayed a harmless ball right into the path of the Irish attack resulting in Whelan having an absolute point blank shot saved by a sprawling Lloris - text book keeping! However it was not just that save, but Lloris' complete command of his 18 yard box. On multiple occasions he came off his line to corral dangerous crosses from the Irish. He did have a few poor kicks on back passes from his defense, otherwise played a solid match and saved the victory for Les Bleus late in the match.
• While Lloris could be considered man of the match for Les Bleus, that would go to Anelka. He was absolutely everywhere for Les Bleus. Slotted as the right offensive midfielder, he was much more of a #10 being present everywhere on the pitch, slotting deeper to pick up the ball, holding his right channel, drifting to the middle and even defending. His goal was fortunate in that it took a deflection, but like all good goal scorers you know good things happened when you put the ball on net.
  
  
  
  The Irish defense had no solution for the Chelsea man. Nico was clearly the man of the match.
• Take away his terrible last minute gaff and you realize that Abidal had a tremendous game defensively. His pace and power clearly were put to the test as he had to provide cover to Evra and Sagna who both were constantly pushing up high as if they were the French wingers. Abidal showed the composure and presence needed to play central defense. Now if he can avoid having gaffs like the one that almost led to the equalizer!
• From the Irish side, Duff was absolutely huge. He gave the Irish the creative maestro in the midfield. The turn he had on Evra in the first half was Brazilianesc. He gave Les Bleus fits all game and was dangerous every time he touched the ball. Unfortunately for him, Robbie Keane was fairly invisible during most of the match leaving Duff alone in attack.
• Shay Given also had a solid match. He made some solid saves including one that was called back on an offside call but he still made a superb save on a header from Gignac. The goal was clearly not his fault after taking an unlucky deflection.
• Finally and very good were the fans at Croke Park. The atmosphere was electric, the fans were clearly into the game and understood the importance of the match; however, clearly it was all in good sport. You could hear fans singing the Marseillaise...even some of the Irish fans! Too often I have seen the Marseillaise booed - in Serbia, at Ukraine...even during the Algeria and Tunisia games at the Stade de France. I think that it is completely unacceptable to boo the anthems, no matter what your feels towards that nation. Fans need to demonstrate the respect associated with teams representing their nations for nothing more than the pride of wearing your national colors. Kudos for the Irish fans for showing class during the anthems. Throughout the entire match the fans were engaged and brought an incredible atmosphere (especially when you saw the other matches being played to half full stadiums - except for the Portugal match). While the audience was clearly for the lads in green, they are to be applauded as an example for the rest of Europe and the World.
  

The Bad:

• French passing....there were occasions during the match I thought I was watching a pub league game on a chewed up field...why? Because there were countless passes from Les Bleus that were lazy and ended up at the feet of the Irish. None of the passes were anything of creative difficulty, simple square passes or through passes in the midfield area....not good.
• The Bordeaux boys - ADiarra and Gourcuff - Diarra was not out and out bad, but I expected more from him. He appeared timid and unsure of himself right from the start. I thought that having his physical presence would make a difference in the aerial game, but instead he at times appeared tentative and not sure of himself allowing the Irish to take advantage of him, something that should not have been allowed to happen. He did settle in, but at times his inability to take control of aerial game could have cost Les Bleus. And what about Gourcuff? I got through the first 30 minutes of the game and had to remind myself that he was on the pitch. When he did get the ball he tried to be too complicated, appearing as if he wanted to dazzle and justify the "next Zizou" moniker that he has had to burden. The few occasions he did have to threaten the goal his shots looked barely better than the ones I am able to muster in my hack league games. He was slow to react to a ball in the area in the 69th minute that he should have gotten to ahead of Given. I realize that he has been injured and not 100% back to game form, but he was invisible for too many stretches of the match for a player of his caliber.
• Gignac did not cover himself in glory today. Granted he had moments of good play and looked dangerous on some occasions. He also proved why Domenech favors him as the lone striker. He is physical, has pace and is not afraid to shoot. However as Manu Petit (one of the commentators on TV5) pointed out, his first touch was a bit heavy today. One a few occasions his first touch let him down and rather than put himself in a position to score he did the Ireland defenses job for them. The worst of these may have been with 10 minutes left in the game with an open goal in front of him, he butchered the shot which should have given Les Bleus a 2-0 cushion. Not sure why Benzema was not brought on in his place late in the game, more on that later.
  

The Ugly:

• The scuffle at the end of the match. Not sure it is "ugly" just showing the intensity that is involved in this match. But the game was played well, there were hard tackles and hard fought one on one battles, but it was all within the laws of the game. So no need to re-enact traditional post US-Mexico activities. Should lead to an interesting return leg on Wednesday. Of course Trap claims that Lass insulted the Irish people and that is why there was a scuffle...how is that for mind games to try and rally the entire nation...not as if they did not need the motivation already.
  
  
  
  
• I know I sound like a broken record...and I always take a chance to criticize the France manager...but Domench once again drove me crazy. Why? How can you return back to Paris with your 3 substitutions in your pocket...the Malouda substitution was completely inconsequential and did not make much sense coming so late in the game. Clearly as the game was moving along in the second half it was clear that Gignac was not having his best of matches, maybe bring in a Benzema in his place. Ireland had a tired defense as they started to show signs of cracking, maybe a fresh stiker with the talent of a Benzema could have added another goal. Or how about Gourcuff? First he was already on a yellow so another one and he would be suspended for the return leg. Second he was clearly not at his best and was getting tired. Maybe take him out with 15 minutes left - after you have the 1-0 advantage. Maybe bring in a Govou to spell Gourcuff and go with a 4-2-2-2, allowing more width to be added. Or if you want to be really cautious bring in Sissoko and play with 3 holding midfielders, let Henry and Anelka carry the game behind Gignac. I would have brought on Benzema at the 60 minute mark, give him a good 30 minutes to run. Once you have the lead I would think of taking out Gourcuff with 15 minutes to go, get Sissoko in there and play a 4-3-3, or let Lass push higher as he does with Real Madrid. But at least use your subs! You have a game in 4 days. You will need fresh legs. Clearly that did not weigh on Domenech's mind, which is completely incomprehensible. TV5 was speaking that maybe Domenech was comfortable with the way the game was being managed...sure, but you need to think about the following game. You should also have a substitution rotation ready - for any situation - leading, needing a goal, injury, etc. Yes he got the victory, but he could have managed better and might have even had another goal...or had fresher legs to defend so we would not need Lloris' heroics to save the victory.
• The fact the game might not be televised on Wednesday is ugly!!! With the FFF having some issues with the TV rights it might get down right ugly and not be available for fans across the globe to watch the match. I realize this is all about money, but think of the money you will lose if fans are shut out. Get it worked out, get it done.

So now we have a few more days before the return leg. Much to think about. Nothing is done yet, France have a slight advantage having securing the victory. For Ireland heading to Paris down 1-0 or 1-1...even 0-0 makes no difference, they will need to chase the goal. So the final score does not change how I think Ireland will approach the match, unless they had a win leaving Dublin they were always destined to be the team chasing the goals. This should be very interesting as both managers look to devise the strategies needed to get to South Africa.

I am going to take a deep breath now...read all that I can, maybe even watch the game again, but the stress level will only increase since there remains 90 minutes of football!

France v Ireland...Yellow cards

Another twist to watch, which will have a bearing on the return match in Paris are the French players under "yellow card" peril - meaning if they pick up a yellow card during the match tomorrow they will miss the Paris match. Those players:

Evra, Gallas, Abidal, Sagna and Gourcuff...um yeah that is the entire, probable, starting back 4 and France's play maker. This could make the return match even more interesting.

France v Ireland....The Players

So I gave some th0ught to the managers last post, now let us look at the players. Since at the end of the day it is the players on the pitch that will make the passes, take the shots, defend, score and make the saves. Where to start...might as well go from the back to the front:

Goalkeepers: Ireland is very stable with their starting keeper. Shay Given has been a main stay in the back for Ireland for a long time, since 1996 to be exact. In that time span he has 100 caps to his credit. He was the Irish keeper during the World Cup 2006 qualifying campaign, so is no stranger to having to play Les Bleus in a qualifying campaign. Also, he also has been in the middle of the Premiership since 1991, having played over 350 games for Newcastle...not a place without huge pressure from the fans. France will be backstopped by either Mandanda or Lloris - who have a combined 17 selections for the French national team. Based on Domenech's track record I would assume Lloris will find himself between the pipes for both matches. Both keepers are incredibly talented and have very bright futures ahead of them, however neither's performance has made him the clear cut #1 for Les Bleus. In such a high pressure match, experience will play a huge part in the ability of the keepers to make a difference, both positively or negatively....for that I will give Ireland the edge.

Defense: Rather than looking at individual defenders I will look at the entire units. Ireland will lean on Richard Dunn and John O'Shea to anchor their back line, both of which are veterans of the Premiership. They can even expect the unexpected goals such as against Italy when Sean St Ledger scoring the opener on a set piece.



This unit is solid, have veteran leadership and under Trap I am sure will be prepared to defend. As for Les Bleus they are still maddeningly inconsistent at the center back tandem - who to pair with Gallas? While I still contend that Mexes should be that player, and the heir apparent for the future "patron" of the back 4, he has not shown the consistency nor the opportunity from Domenech to establish himself in that role. The wide defenders are some of the best in the world at their positions - Sagna and Evra. The question becomes who will shoulder the central defensive role with Gallas? My bet is on Abidal, not that he is a natural central defender, but he appears to be the most consistent of the inconsistents. Edge is a push - on talent alone it would go to France but the instability gives me pause for concern.

The Midfields: This causes fans of Les Bleus some serious hair pulling at times. With all the potential that Domenech has at his disposal it appears he constantly leans on defensive minded midfielders, rather than take a balanced approach. Granted some of the offensive talent is injured - Nasri and Ribery - however there are other players that could have/should have been blooded earlier in the campaign - Menez, Feghouli, and Mounier - or players that could still serve a purpose - Pires and Giuly. It would have been nice to at least have a greater pool to pull from with regards to the offensive midfield. Defensively France have holding/defensive midfielders in spades - Toulalan, ADiarra, LDiarra, Sissoko and Diaby (he will most likely have to withdraw due to injury). That is not even looking at the likes of Vieira or Mavuba that have been used in the past. As for the Irish, the midfield would be much more formidable if Stephen Ireland would decide to play for his nation. A strange decision indeed for the young 23 year old, who is clearly Ireland's most creative player. Add to this Damien Duff's recent injury for club and the Irish midfield might have to rely on the likes of Hunt, McGeady and Miller...not house hold names. Advantage - Les Bleus, and if Ribery/Nasri had been healthy the advantage would be even greater.

The Strikers: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea...3 of France's strikers are all starters at these clubs. Ireland? Their main striker plays at Tottenham and could not make his mark at Liverpool. Now Keane is not slouch, he is a solid striker so please don't bombard me with comments that I am not giving him enough respect...he is a good striker...I just said it again. However, looking at the offensive punch Les Bleus can pull together means that purely on paper the advantage is clearly with Les Bleus...I really do not need to go into further analysis. The question is the following - will Domenech leverage all this offensive power or put most of it on the bench? Will he have Henry/Anelka on the field...how will Benzema be leverage? Will Gignac be the choice striker? Unless Domenech plays a 4-3-3 there will be a striker or two left on the bench. Not a bad thing to have late in games, but if you have 2 of the said strikers on your bench you will clearly be wasting one of them...(doubt you would bring in 2 strikers late unless you are chasing a goal). So how Domenech selects the starters will play a role in how much of an advantage France can take with regards to their talent offensively. I would argue that Keane is a wash with any of the strikers France will throw on the pitch - it is the second and third striker options where the gap becomes apparent. Advantage - Les Bleus.

On paper France clearly have the more talented squad. However that does not always guarantee a win...

France 1 - Serbia 1....mixed emotions in Belgrade

France's best game under the Domenech era? Might be a bit of a stretch since France beat Spain, Brazil and Portugal to get to the World Cup finals in Germany. However it might come close based on all that has happened over the past 72 hours with Les Bleus. France had chances to snatch the full 3 points, but so did the home team. End of the day France will have to qualify via the 2nd place play off, something we all knew was highly likely after drawing with Romania. So let us jump into the game:

The Good:

• The French team will to fight, I was pleasantly surprised that Les Bleus weathered the storm and showed a lot of backbone and resolve after being down 1-0 and down to 10 players. The penalty was questionable...more on this later, but Les Bleus could have easily rolled over and allowed the Serbian crowd and team to complete squash any hope. Rather Les Bleus showed heart and kept attacking, after equalizing they keep attacking looking the more dangerous of the two nations. Les Bleus obviously took chances and realized that 1 point or 0 points were not very different, but getting the fill 3 would have changed the situation. Chapeau au Bleus for this effort.
• France's two veteran strikers - Henry and Anelka - both strikers expended bags of energy and at times tried to take on the entire Serbian defense to try and get the vital goal for the draw and the victory. It was an Anelka long distance shot that led to France's tying goal from ... Henry who pounced on a bobbled handling by the Serbian keeper to gift the Frenchman his 50th goal in Blue. The attacking duo continued their personal assaults against the Serbian goal for the remainder of the match. Anelka in particular was not afraid to try and dribble the defense, in an other game this might be seen as selfish, however under the circumstances the veteran French striker knew he needed to hold the ball, try to make something happen, and not be afraid to attempt long distance attempts at the Serbian goal. Henry did the same from his left side, at the end of the match even slotting deeper to provide some cover for the French defense.
• Speak of which, the French defense needs to be commended. While they appeared a little overwhelmed to start the game, and had to make some desperation defensive plays. Gallas and Abidal worked well together, Abidal making a solid cover late in the first half when Serbia seemed to have sliced through the French defense. Evra and Sagna once again showed their worth on the wings, defending well and adding some punch on offense. Evra in particular was very active on the offensive end. Finally, Mandanda was thrust into a difficult situation and shown a glimpse of what has pundits raving about his ability. The penalty was, clearly, not on him and a well struck kick. After that he settled down nicely, played the ball well with his feet, made a courageous challenge on a through ball into the box towards the end of the 1st half, was more decisive in the air than in previous occasions, and did the necessary on a laser from Branislav Invanovic to keep it from finding the back of the net.
  
• As much as I criticised his regular appearance on the starting sheet, I will have to save Toulalan was good during this game. As Petit said during the commentary of the match, the game actually became perfect for his style of play. Being down a player his responsibility shifted to purely destroying any semblance of offense from the Serbs. Something he is very capable of doing. His work rate is to be applauded. He ran out of steam late in the game when he attempted to dribble out of difficulty being trapped by 3 Serbians. But overall his work rate and defensive ability were vital for France holding on to the draw. Granted, not sure what the French were doing on a late corner passing it to the Lyon player at the top of the 18 yard box where he promptly ballooned a shot over the goal.
• The atmosphere in the 'Marakana' was electric, granted it was slightly ugly the whistling of the Marseillaise, but that is another story. Clearly from the start the Serbian team was feeding off this energy. The camera pans of the crowd was fantastic, the communist built stadium gave the feel of a massive crowd, cheering in unison for a common cause....very socialist! It must something special playing in such a stadium with that type of crowd.
  

The Bad:

• French finishing...yes they go the vital equalizer but they had other chances to actually go up by a goal or even 2! Anelka, always the stiker, had a few chances, especially in the second half to give a simple lay off pass to a wide open Gourcuff in the penalty box, but instead tried for goal. Granted he also put the Serbian keeper in difficulty with his long range shooting but sometimes the pass is more important. Henry had the ball for a 2-1 lead and a brace but smashed it harmlessly into an on rushing keeper. Gourcuff tried shots from distance again, with out much success...other than a surprising direct kick from 35 meters out that forced a scrambling save from Vladimir Stojkovic to put the ball into corner.
• Speaking of Serbian keepers, Vladimir Stojkovic needs to be called out on a shaky game. The Henry goal, falls squarely on the shoulders of the former Nantes keeper. Anelka's shot was powerful, not a screamer, but had some venom. It skipped in front of the keeper, but hit him right in the chest/hands. It was a ball any high level amateur, let alone professional keeper handles with ease (granted I am sure I have mishandled my fair share of similar shots, but I meet neither of the above criteria). There was no screen, no deflection, a clear view of the shot that came from at least 20 meters out. He should have know Henry was pressing on him and if he really had fear of handling the shot, could have easily boxed if to safety. The direct kick from Gourcuff forced a scrambling and desperate save on a ball that should have been a simple catch or deflection. He made a meal of another scramble in the second half, and thankfully 9 of the Serbian players were in the box otherwise France might have added a second.

The Ugly:

• The referee's decision on the penalty and red card against Lloris was TERRIBLE. An absolute awful and ugly call, completely changed the game. Even at game speed it seems that Lloris gets a finger on the ball and the Zigic let his right leg lag behind and then completely flopped. At first I thought the card might go against him for diving! I realize that the referee was enacting the rules of the game as they are written, as the last defender with a clear scoring chance, Lloris' foul was justified for a red card and penalty. It did remind me of the red card Lehman took against Barcelona in the Champions League finals, although that one was CLEAR!! See below.
  
  
  
  
  

• Late game substitutions from Domenech...once again. I understand that Domenech was looking to protect the draw and point when he brought in Diarra for Gourcuff. However I must agree with Petit, why not insert another offensive option? The Serbians were also clearly happy with the 1 point, and as was stated even had France lost it would not change much - they still need results from the last 2 games to secure the 2nd place and get into the 2nd place playoff. So why not go for the second goal the last 15 minutes of the game? I understand the Ribery for Henry substitution, Titi was cooked and you are bringing in another offense player. However why not Benzema for Gourcuff...or even Malouda?? At least Malouda has played as a fullback so you are adding a player with some defensive instincts, but much offensive ability than Diarra. With 9 players, Les Bleus were "setting fire" to the Serbian penalty box, what if they had added a fresh offensive player to the mix late in the game?? Once again I am not sure how Domenech manages late in the game.
  

The result gave me mixed emotions, I was very proud and happy to see Les Bleus fight back in a hostile environment, down a goal and a man early on in the match. I was frustrated that they did not score the 2nd goal that was well within their reach. I was also frustrated that this gave Domenech a life line that he did not deserve. It appears we are headed to the playoffs. It appears that we must live with Domenech for at least another 2 if not 4 games....and if France make it to South Africa, deal with him through next summer. Sigh.