Welcome to the "Frog," my little piece of cyberspace to talk about my passion - le foot (or soccer for my North American friends) especially anything around French football. Of course I will have some guest contributors that might want to discuss other aspects of footy!
I support Les Bleus, Arsenal and PSG but really just love watching, analyzing and following the beautiful game.
"You have to trust your teammates, always. If not we are lost."
The FFF has come down with their punishment for the mutineers from the World Cup. Anelka will be banned for 18 games, Evra will be banned for 5 games, Ribery for 3 games and Toulalan for one match. Effectively the ruling has ended Anelka's international career giving him an 18 game ban...basically making him un-selectable for the next 2 years. Les Bleus will have 14 games prior to the European Championships (qualifiers and friendlies) and if they qualify for the Euros, then Anelka would only be available for a semi final game!
Anelka at Wembley
This marks a sad ending to what should have been and could have been a stellar international career. I remember living in Paris when a young 18 year old was poached from PSG by the "professor" Arsene Wenger. The rest is history...Anelka burst on the scene with Arsenal and that commenced a subsequent tour of European clubs (Real Madrid, Liverpool, PSG, Bolton, Manchester City, Fenerbahce, Chelsea, Hollywood FC...last one was a joke) and on again off again career with Les Bleus. He was dropped from the 1998 roster, granted Jacquet already selected 2 young strikers - Henry and Trezeguet for the World Cup. Anelka did find his way back on the side when France won the European Championship in 2000. He would miss the next 2 World Cups, the most shocking was when Domenech decided to take Govou to the 2006 World Cup when France needed to replace Cisse due to a broken leg, until this last World Cup - his first (scary that he played in 1 World Cup...Govou in 2...shocking). A player that demonstrated so much promise as a youngster - many look at his brace against England in Wembley as the game that gave the hope that he would be the great French striker that would carry the team. Alas, the incredible sulk allowed his attitude overshadow his enormous talent and potential. His inability to get along with managers or to even stick around with clubs turned him into the nomad of international football. Fortunately for Les Bleus, they had Henry, Trezeguet and more importantly a Zidane that emerged in 1998 to carry the national side - winning a World Cup and a European Cup (Anelka was on that squad). Not sure where Anelka would have fit into the side, although it would have been an amazing rotation of strikers between Henry, Trezeguet and Anelka in their primes. Nico leaves the international game under a cloud of shame, alas, we barely had a chance to know you.
This will be interesting for Blanc as well with regards to Evra, Ribery and Toulalan. There is some depth at left back - Clichy, Tremoulinas and Cissokho. With 5 games for Blanc to leverage one of the other French left backs, Evra might have a difficult time getting back into the starting rotation. Similar situation with Ribery - there is depth at left wing/midfield. With Malouda scoring a brace over the weekend for Chelsea it would appear his good form from last season has not taken a break. He would be the clear first option on the left, assuming Blanc goes with a 4-4-2 diamond formation. Other candidates - N'Zogbia, Diaby and Menez to name a few. As for Toulalan, fortunately for him, he only suffered a 1 game suspension with M'Vila showing he can more than comfortably hold down the defensive midfield role combined with a more offensive side, the Lyon midfielder would want to be able to get back on the pitch sooner rather than later to hold on to his spot. In addition, Blanc will not be able to call on Gourcuff since he will be serving a suspension for the red card he picked up in the last France game.
September 3rd should be very interesting, how will Blanc continue to build his team with some of the World Cup 23 come back into the list.
With Anelka on his way back to Europe, it appears that Gallas and Ribery might be put in detention for the South Africa game. Squillaci might be slotted in place of Gallas while Ribery might start on the bench, most like Malouda taking over the left and Gourcuff back in the center? It would appear that the sulking from Gallas, not being named captain coupled with what appears to be Ribery the egomaniac has become too much for the team.
Happily in a few days some of these headaches will go away - Anelka's career for Les Bleus is over, it was most likely done prior to this situation. Gallas will most likely not be called upon, not sure he was in the plans for France for the Euros. Ribery is another story, Laurent Blanc's first challenge!
Let us see what the next episode is with this soap opera.
A traitor amongst us....those are the words spoken from the current French captain - Evra. According to Manchester United man there is no anger towards Anelka, no ill will from the players. The Chelsea striker has been sent home, without any dinner. However according to the "incredible sulk" the words attributed to him are not those he used. While he admits having a discussion at half time, he claims it was not as heated as L'Equipe would have you believe. The damage is done, and he is heading back to France.
Yet the soap opera continues - according to Evra there is someone within the organization that is looking to bring down the team and must be "eliminated." Can we please end this circus? Soon?
What I find ironic is Inspector Clouseau left Nasri and Benzema off the squad because they had "attitude problems." How is this anywhere as bad as it was in 2008? Doubtful. What is surprising is that Evra did not come to the aide of his manager, clearly made it visible to everyone that while Anelka heads home alone, no one seems to want to come defend their lame duck Inspector Clouseau. Maybe, as many are thinking, the mole is actual the inspector himself. Wouldn't surprise me. Of course I am sure that Domenech will find a way to blame someone like...say...Gourcuff, since we are all piling on the young Bordeaux playmaker.
Can we invite Ireland to play the last game against South Africa?
Waking up this morning I was looking forward to reading the English tabloids to read about how poorly the Three Lions were playing and how the "savior" Capello was not living up to his reputation. Instead I have been spending my time reading about how the French camp has been thrown even deeper into malaise, hard to believe. All revolving around Anelka losing his mind...
According to L'Equipe there was a bust up between Anelka and Domenech at the half time of the Mexico match. To recap - Domenech apparently told Anelka that he was drifting too deep and was not holding the position he was play as the center forward. Anelka then treated Domenech to some verbal abuse telling the gaffer to "F*** off, you SOB" after which Domenech told the Chelsea man he was going to be substituted in favor of Gignac.
Just when you thought the French soap opera could not get any crazier...it does. Of course this is completely unacceptable and Anelka needs to leave the squad. While Anelka has changed his ways and had apparently matured the past few years, the old "sulk" can still rear its ugly head. The sad truth is that what Anelka said to Domenech is what 65 million French fans have wanted to tell the manager...I know I have wanted to say this on more than 1 occasion. Clearly the camel has had a broken back for at least 6 months if not 2 years, this was not the final straw just the latest public affirmation of what we all knew - Domenech has completely lost the team. The cracks really started months ago when they were rumors that Henry confronted Domenech during a training session. After the manager criticized his team, Henry turned around and said that he and his teammates had grown frustrated by the fact they were lost, unclear of their strategy, had no style and basically had no idea what was expected by the manager. Of course the federation, Domenech and Henry started a crash PR campaign after this showing unity only to see Henry banished to the bench! Based on some reports, this latest incident comes after Anelka has constantly communicated with Domenech that he is not a true center forward, but more a supporting forward like he is at Chelsea. Apparently this fell on deaf ears. Apparently Anelka had had enough at half time of the Mexico game. We cannot forget that Anelka was one of the few players that supported Domenech...the fact the incredible sulk has become so frustrated and angry at the manager is telling.
So with one game to go in the Domenech era, it is clear that the team no longer listens to him, that he has completely lost the plot and that once again Escalettes needs to face the music as to why he has stayed with such an incompetent manager for this long. Add to this the story from Houllier that Domenech has completely gone rogue and it paints an ugly picture for France - the fact Domenech did not even tell the youth manager about who he was selecting for the World Cup is criminal.
France head into the last game which such a cloud over its head I would not be surprised if Les Bleus give the hosts a victory. Les Bleus have been shamefully bad. I blame Domenech I blame Escalettes I blame the players. The players needed to show some pride and professionalism - but sometimes after being led wandering in the desert for the past 6 years by an incompetent manager it takes its toll. Escalettes and Domenech, on the other hand, have zero excuses. Both have been given chance after chance...and have done nothing but waste supporters' time, money and passion.
Anelka needs to apologize to his teammates, the federation and the fans. He then need to return home. Domenech needs to apologize to everyone for wasting the past 2+ years of this team. Shameful.
Both France and Mexico head into this match knowing that Uruguay have one foot into the next round after a resounding 3-0 victory over the hosts, while South Africa look to be the first host nation not to make the knock out stage. So heading into the game the standings look as follows -
With Uruguay at top with 4 points and just as importantly - a positive 3 goals for both El Tri and Les Bleus realize that they need to win otherwise the last day will be made that much more complicated. Granted a draw will keep everything in play for both nations going into their last match. There is a small advantage for France, why? They face South Africa, while it is never easy facing the host nation, with only a point from 2 games baring a minor miracle the hosts will just be playing for pride. While Uruguay and Mexico will both be chasing a win, regardless of what happens today. Here are the scenarios:
Mexico v France end in a draw - Uruguay are top of group for last game with 4 pts, France and Mexico at 2 points. The Uru v Mex game will be huge since they can both expect Fra to defeat RSA and therefore have 5 points. Uruguay could go for the draw and hope that France do not have more than a 3 goal victory so Uruguay could hope to finish top of group. Mexico would need to push for the victory to top Uruguay and go through.
France victory - Uru and Fra top with 4 points, Mex at 1pt. Mexico versus Uruguay match would be paramount for El Tri, since a Mexican victory by a large enough margin would get them over Uruguay, France would only need a draw to be guaranteed a spot but would look for a victory to avoid a possible match up against Argentina.
Mexico victory - Similar scenario as above except swap France and Mexico. Mex - Uru would both only need a draw to go through, the only question is who has a better goal difference. Again ending top of the group would avoid facing Argentina in the next stage so most likely Mexico would be looking for a win (as bad as France are, I doubt Mexico will win 3-0). France would hope that the game does not end in a draw and that they can get a large enough victory to sneak in on goal difference.
Bottom line, regardless of what happens today, the last game day will be very important for all 4 nations. Should be interesting.
Of course the pressure is more on Les Bleus, no surprise there. This game will either give Les Bleus a spring to their step or will put so much pressure on France that they might wilt in the final game versus the hosts. Add to this scenario the internal strife that is rumored to be ravaging the French camp, who knows what to expect today. Based on the latest reports we might expect the following formation -
Anelka might slot in place of Govou allowing Henry to play the point, regardless it appears the biggest victim of the latest putsch is Gourcuff. With Ribery potentially slotting it he middle of the park it will be interesting to see if the Bayern man can play the #10 role. He claimed earlier in the club season to be open to such a move, not sure testing this out in game #2 of the World Cup is the most intelligent move...then again we are talking about Domenech. Of course I am not sure why you would roll out Govou once again who has been completely ineffective on the right wing especially when you have options - Valbeuna or at worse Anelka.
France will be most likely facing a 3-4-3 which might open up some space at the back for the French attack. We shall see.
I have my optimist hat on so I think Les Bleus will emerge victorious 2-0. goals from Ribery and Malouda.
The word out of the France camp is that Domenech has succumbed to pressure from the veterans and they are going to stick with the 4-2-3-1. The tragic part is that Gourcuff, apparently, has been forced to the bench and in his place the Malouda - Ribery - Anlka middle 3 with Henry up front has been "preferred." According to the Sport24.com blog, this was done more via politicking rather than sound tactics and strategy.
What the commentator contends is that there has been a mini-coup inside the French camp. The veterans: Abidal, Gallas, Ribery and Malouda all lobbied, successfully it would appear, to get Henry back on the pitch as a starter to the detriment of Gourcuff. If there is any element of truth to this statement, and there definitely has been plenty of smoke around that fire, it is a sad element to this World Cup. Further indication of the complete lack of leadership exhibited by Domenech. There have been rumors that in training the team is about to implode - players refuse to speak to one another, do not pass to specific teammates, Gallas giving the silent treatment after being passed over for captain (even though he was vice-captain) and there is an overall malaise blanketing the team. Again, take those reports with a grain of salt, but many times where there is smoke there is at least a small camp fire. Throw into the mix the rumor that Domenech went to Barcelona to tell Henry that he would not be a starter but if he was okay with that and wanted to come he would be selected for the squad....really? I respect a manager being open with his players, but to ask whether or not he wanted to come? Either you have a use for the player or not. You communicate with the player telling him how you want to use him and that is it. I did not realize the national team was open to Athens style debating.
So the inmates are running the asylum...not really a surprise. Reading these stories makes me sad and angry at the same time. Every national side is full of egos, every player that plays for countries such as France are superstars in their own right, yet only for France do the players seem to run amok. If half of these stories are true, part of me hopes Les Bleus crash out of this World Cup so we can turn the keys over to Laurent Blanc, who will have a huge task, but he clearly has more backbone than Domenech. I think Blanc will know how to instill the right system, select the right players and control the egos - he cannot be worse than Domenech!
I can no longer blame Domenech, he is limited by his stubbornness and complete lack of ability. I have to blame the FFF and Escalettes for keeping Inspector Clouseau on this long as the manager. You reap what you sow.
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.
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!
The play offs for the final spots in the World Cup are well under way, with the latest side - New Zealand - with a tight 1-0 victory over Bahrain, New Zealand had to stop a penalty in the second half otherwise a non scoreless draw would have seen the visitors progress. Congrats to the Kiwis for making only their second World Cup - last time being 1982 in Spain.
Russia already defeated Slovenia 2-1, however a late goal by the visitors might make the return leg much more interesting than had Russia preserved their 2-0 goal cushion. With the away goal in hand, Slovenia would progress with a simple 1-0 victory from their home match. Meanwhile Ukraine and Greece are deadlocked at 0-0 with less than 10 minutes left in the first half, however Sheva had a screamer of a free kick warm the Greek keepers' gloves in the 7th minute.
But on to what I and would guess most neutral footie fans are looking for - France v Ireland - it is the most intriguing match up. Domenech v Trapattoni, a large percentage of players from the Premiership, France's maddening inconsistency and the potential to see the biggest footballing nation miss next year's World Cup. I still stand by my believe that Les Bleus will find a way to go through. I think another player to watch for is Anelka. As Lekarlokin commented a few posts ago, Anelka should be very motivated during these matches (granted any player that is at the doorstep of a World Cup needs no added incentive) because this is his last chance to play in his first world cup. Granted he could be a factor in 4 years, but I doubt it. If France do not make the World Cup the team will be completely revamped - Henry, Gallas, Anelka, Vieira to name a few will most likely be done as French internationals. Anelka was one of the last players cut in 1998, was left at home in 2002 with DCisse taking his place (Cisse was the leading scorer in Ligue 1 that year), and was somewhat inexplicably left at home in 2006 after the same Cisse suffered a horrific broken leg in a pre World Cup game against China (Domenech'sbinkyGovou was preferred over Anelka...not sure why you look to take a winger on rather than another pure striker). So we arrive at this week, which might be just the platform a player such as Anelka needs to shine to get his team into the World Cup finals. I think he could hold the key to France's success - if he is lined up on the right he will be asked to bring width to the French attack and find a way to link up with Sagna as the Arsenal man makes his trademark runs on the right flank. If Anelka is lined up as the lone striker, France will need him to provide much of the danger for Shay Given. Of course if he ends up on the bench...he might need to come on late in the game to give the change of pace necessary to snatch a goal from the Irish. Allez Nico! Prends ta chance!!!
One final note, it appears that the grounds crew have decided to water the pitcheven though it has been raining...hmmm making the pitch water logged are we...maybe slow down the French attack? Increase the risk of losing ones' footing during free kicks????
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'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 auBleus 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 BranislavInvanovic 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 Stojkovicneeds 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.
Ok I will admit that I have been playing Fifa 07 on my PS2 to feed my footie fix (my team had an off day on Sunday due to Labor Day) and as I was playing I came to realization that Domenech or hopefully the new manager...wink wink....post Belgrade should learning something from one of the formation that I like to use in Fifa - the 4-1-2-1-2, basically the 1-2-1 plays in a diamond formation in the midfield, see the figure below:
Here is why the new manager...wink wink....should think about this formation:
Do we really need 2 holding midfielders? Diarra and Toulalan seem to be overkill. I realize that some would argue, well Zidane played with THREE holding midfielders - Petit, Deschamps, Karembeu - however I would state that first Zidane was a special talent (understatement alert) and was able to function with this time of freedom and space. Additionally, Petit and Karembeu were, what I would consider, hybrid holding midfielders. Both had a high work rate, both were not afraid to push up and help offensively, while both were not goal scorers (7 total goals between the two under the France jersey) they had the ability to pressure the opponent's penalty box. Petit of the two, had a decent shot from distance. Toulalan is much more in the Makelele role - work hard, tackle, and win the ball -but offensively lacking. This worked well when Makelele was shouldering Vieira, a player that can score and does score. I think that Diarra has the chance to be more like Vieira than Makelele - more offensive than the tackling machine that is Makelele. However in the current form, I do not see why Les Bleus need the additional holding midfielder.
This formation calls upon your right and left fullback to make deep runs offensively to bring width to your formation...Evra/Clichy/Sagna/Fanni/Abidal all the options at full back have the ability to bring width to the offense. One thing I noticed during the Romania game was the ability for Sagna and Evra to jump into the play offensively offering crosses and offensive pressure when need be. With the diamond formation, there should be more space on the wide channels for Evra and Sagna to push up the field.
The top of the formation, top of the midfield diamond and the 2 strikers, gives Les Bleus greater flexibility to have more of their talent on the pitch - Gourcuff sitting behind Henry/Anelka? Or Henry/Benzema...or Gignac/Henry....the ability to have a striker tandem up front allows for more offensive talent on the pitch.
Allowing to have Henry slot higher, but still on the left, allows Les Bleus to slot a Ribery back on the left side of the midfield, or have Malouda on the left and Ribery on the right, but with more room to work with. With a player like Malouda, who came up as a full back, you have a player that understands the importance of defending and back tracking. There are also options to have Ribery on the left and a Remy or Luyindula on the right side of the diamond.
Granted, this formation takes some muscle out of the midfield, but with more offensive talent on the pitch it should pressure opponents and score more goals than in this current formation. Players like Lass will have increased responsibilities defensively, however also more freedom to push up the pitch, similar to what he did with Portsmouth and now with Real Madrid. Ribery and Malouda would have more room to be creative in the midfield, and Gourcuff would be pushed higher with 2 offensive options at his disposal.
Ok so I finally was able to watch the France - Argentina match on my DVR. I had to watch, not that I wanted to knowing Les Bleus lost 2-0, but based on some of the comments I was reading I had to see with my own eyes what happened. First of all, let us be clear, Les Bleus did not lose to some run of the mill chump team, we are talking about Argentina. Twice World Cup champ, defending Olympic soccer champ, with players such as Messi, Gago, Mascherano. I know they are ranked 6th in the FIFA rankings (which are a joke) but I believe they are one of the top 2 teams in the world currently with Spain. With that in mind here are some thoughts -
The Good:
Mexes and Gallas looked solid even though they lost. Both central defenders appeared to find their role during the match. Gallas was the calm presence in the back while Mexes dominated in the air and was aggressive and attacked the play higher up the pitch. The only minor mistake was early on the match when he allowed Messi to turn to the center of the 18 yard box and needed Gallas to block the young Argentina's shot that seemed destined for the right side of the goal. Otherwise both central defenders looked much more confident in this match than in previous. Something to build upon moving forward, and finally we might see the end of Boumsong in the middle of the French defense!
The center of the Argentine midfield - Gago and Mascherano - were formidable. As I had stated in prior blog entries, I was convinced that which ever midfield controlled the middle of the park would have the advantage in the match. The two Argentine holding midfielders were huge during the game. The completely shut down Gourcuff and were tireless in their work rate. They constantly attacked the French midfielders and strikers when they had the ball in the middle of the park. This duo allows Argentina to do so many things offensively, freeing up the likes of Aguero, Messi, Rodriguez and Gutierrez to be completely offensively minded.
Messi, what do you expect from one of the world's best players? I find it somewhat humorous reading some commentary that the second goal was Diarra's fault, or Mandanda should have done better, or 4 French defenders had the chance to shut Messi down...um folks we are talking about one the world's best players (#1 or #2 depending on how you rank him with Ronaldo). Has anyone watched him for Barca or in prior Argentina games? He has done this to other defenses and will do it for many years to come.
Maybe we just need to applaud and realize there is no shame in giving up a goal to Messi.
The Bad:
I do not want to completely throw Mandanda under the bus but you could make the argument that his poor angle work on the first goal changed the entire game. Granted, speaking as a keeper, the shot was much trickier than it appears. A low, rebounding shot to the near post, you are usually playing for a hard shot rather than one that takes a soft skidding bounce. But again, as an international keeper you should be expected to do better. The OM keeper did show himself more aggressive and in control of his 18 yard box when it came to crosses and high balls into his area. In prior France games he tended to be too hesitant too passive, this time he attacked the ball and took advantage of his physical presence. However overall he did not do enough to secure the undisputed #1 spot in the keeper pecking order. I still think that France's number 1 resides in Florence. Too bad Domenech has rubbed Frey the wrong way...what a surprise that is!
Gourcuff had probably his worst game in his short career with Les Bleus. He was completely shut down by the Argentine midfield. Every time he had a little bit of space to work with, he was quickly shut down by the defense. He did have one moment of brilliance, dissecting the Argentine defense with a diagonal ball springing Anelka 1 on 1 with Carrizo, otherwise he was well bottled up. It was clear that Maradona had targeted him as the primary Frenchman to contain, and it worked to perfection. Gourcuff will have to learn that as his role becomes more prominent for Les Bleus that he will start getting this style of treatment and attention, it is up to him to take his game to the next level. I believe he can and will. This was a sobering reminder that being dubbed the next Zizou is a heavy burden.
Anelka and Benzema, neither appeared too dangerous. The Argentine back 4 did a very good job shutting down Anelka and later Benzema. But neither man appeared motivated to really work hard against the defense. One two occasions I watched as crosses came in to Anelka where he barely worked to get free, allowing Demichelis to easily sit in the striker's back pocket. One the picture perfect pass from Gourcuff I felt Anelka should have taken another touch, tried to go around Carrizo rather than try to one time chip the keeper. Benzema did not really have enough time to do much, but never appeared into the game either.
The Ugly:
As good as Gago and Mascherano were, Toulalan and Diarra were not. The French holding midfield were the opposite of their Argentine counterparts. They committed an outrageous amount of fouls (I believe over 20 between the two of them), they were late on many tackles and just did not provide the proper platform for counter attacks. Toulalan was more of the culprit than his Real Madrid partner. But both men had ugly games that they need to put behind them.
And of course the biggest culprit...Domenech. Once again I seriously question the manager and his ability to motivate his team, to adapt a game plan, and as the ESPN commentator said "have a plan B." I really do not understand how you cannot look to do things differently, down by a goal in the second half. Maybe take off one of your holding midfielders who was not having a good game and insert another creative midfielder, say Nasri, to put more pressure on Gago and Mascherano, giving Gourcuff more space as well. Maybe you allow Henry to slide higher up the pitch shoulder Benzema. Maybe you take off the other holding midfielder and insert ADiarra who will give you more height allowing you to attack the Argentines through the air...just a thought Raymond. For me, a good international manager needs to have 3 attributes - 1) ability to select the right mix of players, no brainer. For a nation like France you have no shortage of talent, but getting the right mix is important and having the right players on the bench to change a game is what allows for success 2)understand the right system of play but have a Plan B, do you play a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, do you have the right player to control your midfield? attack on the flanks? attack with long crosses? 3) motivate your team, you are managing a national team, the cream of the crop. But you need to ensure the team understands that they are playing for the nation they represent and a manager needs to instill that national pride and motivation, this usually entails strong interpersonal skills. Unfortunately I am not sure Domenech possesses any of the above. I question some of his selections - Boumsong? I think he has some clue about what system, but has no ability to change if and when that system stalls. Yes he took France to the WC finals, but I attribute that to Vieira's will and Zidane's immense talents, not Domenech. Motivation...um Domenech might be the worst when it comes to interpersonal skills. Look at how he handled the Coupet v Barthez question during the World Cup, he has alienated players like Trezeguet and Frey, he has completely shut out players like Landreau for no apparent reason. I really fear that Les Bleus will waste a crop of talented footballers because the FFF insists on keeping Domenech as the national team manager.
Overall, I do not think that Les Bleus were dominated by Argentina. There were some rays of hope - Mexes and Gallas - the primary one for me. However the real issue remains the man in the funny glasses. As long as Domenech is making the managerial decisions I think France will be hamstrung. He does not seem to have any creativity when it comes to selecting, managing or motivating the team. Watching Argentina, it was clear that they were unified that they were playing for Maradona, and that he had their trust. If Les Bleus do not want to waste the talents of Gourcuff, Ribery, Mexes et al it is time to find a different manager.
I am all worked up, have some pent up thoughts on Les Bleus and their success against Serbia and what that means for Domenech and the gang. I was actually back in the homeland, was suppose to go to the game but family events prevented me from attending...but I was able to watch the game on my DVR as well as read the press in Paris. So here are some thoughts:
The Good:
Gourcuff - The young French prodigy has been left out in the waste lands when he made a very ballyhooed move to the San Siro. At the time Grourcuff was seen as the rising star in France the player with the talent and ability to become the next "Zidane." Of course like many hyped players, he became lost in the plethora of stars that he found himself amidst at AC Milan. Especially for the position he played - midfield. AC Milan already had Pirlo, Kaka, and Seedorf sitting in front of Gourcuff. Playing time was obviously going to be hard to come by, and being banished to the substitute bench put him out of site for Domenech. His move to Bordeaux allowed Gourcuff to finally find himself earn first team football as well as find himself playing for one of France's up and coming managers - Laurent Blanc. Probably does not hurt for Yoann to be under the tutelage of one of France's most capped players as well. Of course as usual, Domenech used Yoann in strange ways to start the international season, substituting him for 40 seconds against Sweden in the opening friendly. However after the horrible showing in Vienna, Domenech turned the keys of the offense over to Gourcuff and saw the dividends immediately. Playing a 4-2-3-1, with Yoann playing the #10 role. What was very good for Les Bleus was the ability of Gourcuff to drive at the defenders, to look to make the thru balls and take chances that France needs to break down defenses. Clearly in the second half, Gourcuff also demonstrated a strong understanding with Anelka putting in the Chelsea striker on a few occasions. If they get a chance to develop more of a working relationship you can see that Anelka will feast over the Bordelais' passing ability. While one game does not mean long term success, I think Gourcuff might be the key for France's midfield. More on this later. But for this one game, Yoann definitely gets ranked as good.
Anelka - The bad boy of French football, once again demonstrated why he has commanded so much in transfer fees and played for so many top clubs in Europe. Once he came in the game, the dynamics of the match clearly shifted. Serbia had no one that could slow down the Chelsea man. He threaten the Serbian goal from the get go with some long distance bombs, forcing some stellar saves from the Serbian keeper. These long range threats forced Serbian defenders to come up higher on Anelka, which then allowed passing lanes to be opened and for Nico to make some threatening runs. Anelka demonstrated, once again, that when he is on top of his game and motivated he is one of international football's most dangerous striker.
Henry - Titi had a very good game, opening up the game with his second half goal. However it was his play on the left and ability to slot wide and drift back to the center that was the key. He floated around the pitch at times but overall stayed true to his role as a left winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation. He also played a much more prominent role in the airial game, he attacked the high balls and looked to threaten the goal from crosses and long balls, a part of his game he has never been known for but did enough to force Serbia to respect that aspect of the French game. While I am still not convinced he can be the tip of the spear for France if they make it to South Africa, he proved that he still has some football left in his legs.
The Bad:
The French Defense, okay maybe this is a bit harsh but the French defense was not rock solid. Clichy got his long awaited first cap, much deserved based on his play for Arsenal, but he was nervous at times, took bad angles, and almost got beat early on in the box. Sagna was solid, made some good runs on the flanks. Gallas and Abidal had some issues, what bothered me was Abidal relying too much on his atheletic ability and speed rather than his positioning. When you are on the flanks you need to be quick and keep up with the fast wingers the opposition will throw at you. However as a central defender, speed, while necessary and nice, is not crucial. Positioning and anticipation is much more important for success. France were fortunate not being down a goal or two early on based on Gallas and Abidal making some poor decisions allowing some threatening thru balls. There was clearly still lots of work that needs to be done for the back 4 to become a strength and not a risk. The talent is there, the problem is the proper combination is not necessarily in place. As I have stated before, I think your back 4 should be a combo of Sagna, Gallas, Mexes (or Abidal, but I am not convinced of the Barca man as a central back), Evra/Clichy. Throw in Clerc as a back up to Sagna and I think you have the talent to work with, again France needs to find the right combo, but for now it is a weakness.
Benzema - for all his talent and early season success for Lyon, he has been a bit transparent for France the last two games. Yet, this game he was slotted exactly in the role for the young prodigy, he was allowed to play up top supported by Henry, Gourcuff and Gouvou. He really did not threaten the Serbian goal and what was frustrating was watching his replacement - Anelka - torch the Serbian defense. By no means should Benzema be dropped, but he needs to translate his club success to the national team level. Benzema might be pushing too hard for France, it might make sense to put him on the bench for the short term, allow him to come off the bench and run at a tired defense for the last 20 - 30 minutes of a game get his confidence back where it should be.
The Ugly -
Set piece defending is terrible. France has now given up 4 goals in 2 games from set pieces, granted one was a penalty kick, but still. And of those 4 goals, at least 2 of them were balls that Mandanda should have come out and attacked. The goal France gave up was off a corner to the 5 meter box, that should be the keeper's home, he needs to own that space. Especially an international level keeper! While the defending was not glorious, it really should have been Mandanda coming out and challenging the Serbian player for the ball rather than allowing a free header. I am not sure if this is a training issue or a philosophy issue, not having keepers come further off their lines to attack high crosses and long balls. France is going to need to improve on this, and soon. Otherwise they will be in trouble. The teams they will face will play a similar style - defend and try to beat France on the counter and set pieces. Mandanda is a big keeper and athletic, he needs to be more aggressive on this balls take some pressure off his defenders, take ownership of his goal box.
The essential was accomplished against Serbia, France secured the full 3 points. There remain some weaknesses and some major gaps for Les Bleus. I do feel a bit better than I did after the Austria game. With Austria losing, the group remains wide open, I am not convinced Lithuania will remain a top the group. France's destiny will really be determined over the next few matches, going to Roumania and then back to back games versus Lithuania. Les Bleus still need to address the defense, figure out how to defend set pieces, and determine where to play Benzema. Here are some ideas:
France needs to figure out the central pairing for defense. I think that Mexes needs to be back in the mix with Gallas. The Roman defender has too much talent and ability not to be successful, he just needs the time and trust to build the central anchor with Gallas. Defensive midfield needs to be more offensive, Toulalan and Diarra did a good job breaking up Serbian attacks but need to be more of a linkage between the defense and the offense. Vieira can provide this solution, when healthy....and that is a huge IF. But Diarra has the ability, based on his play at Portsmouth, to play that role. The offensive midfield has some talent but also needs to find the proper system. I think that the attacking midfield should be built around Gourcuff pulling the strings, with Nasri/Ben Afra on the left and Ribery on the right. Potentially throw in Malouda/Gouvou to shore up one of the wings and you have what could be a very potent attacking midfield. Finally, the question is who to have at the top of the diamond - Anelka, Henry or Benzema? Les Bleus need to find the right system. They have the talent, but need the system. The Serbian win gives them some breathing room, but the next game is away to Roumania which will be a huge match. France has always struggled traveling East. Domenech remains on the hot seat. Les Bleus have some work ahead of them, but parts are emerging that might be very solid for the future.
