DD - The new sheriff is in town or is it meet the new boss same as the old boss?

France's new manager had his first press conference, after the sanctions were handed down last week. Nothing out of the ordinary...except for once again France is faced with some players facing sanctions based on their comportment at the last tournament. With Nasri getting 3 games and Menez getting 1 game, the sanctions and the like are not the same as after the South African debacle.

Deschamps emphasized that players need to remembered that playing for the national team is an honor and should be seen as the ultimate achievement, regardless of what club they play for. This is easier said than done. With the whole club versus country row this will only continue to be a hard sell for any national team manager...especially when they are not paying the salaries! The other challenge is, will Deschamps be viewed differently from his predecessor...Blanc. They are both 98ers. Deschamps was Blanc's captain. They will forever be linked. With this association hurt Deschamps as he tries to take over a side still suffering from the same malaise as during South Africa? Only time will tell.

Much will be seen based on who Deschamps calls up for his first match...list expected on the 9th of August. It will also be interesting to see who Deschamps looks for as his captain. Much will be determined over the next week or so...

Allez Les Bleus.

Les Bleus get their man - Deschamps takes over France

After a tempest in a tea cup of a soap opera, the FFF lands their man - Didier Deschamps. Not a huge surprise. DD had been in the conversation for the past 4 years, many thought he would get the role after Domenech left.

DD's resume is nothing to sneeze at - captained Les Bleus during the golden era winning the World Cup in 1998 and the Euros in 2000. He then managed Monaco, getting the French side to the Champions League finals, falling to Mourinho's Porto side 3-0. He then had stints at Juventus and most recently Marseilles, winning silver ware at each stop. DD was destined to manage Les Bleus....but....I am wary of his future with France. Why?

In most circumstances, having the former captain of France run the team would instantly change the atmosphere. Just having a World Cup and European Cup winner at the helm would and should dictate a different attitude from the players. At least for a honeymoon period. Unfortunately this time the former captain is replacing...another former World Cup and European Cup champion. Another player that held a very similar stature when it comes to the French national team. Deschamps replaces Blanc...Le President...in a strange way it feels as if Blanc is taking the left overs from Blanc. Blanc is the one that decided not to renew his contract and now Deschamps is the "second choice."

What I fear is that Blanc might have resigned since he felt his team and the players had tuned him out. So why would they all of a sudden listen to his former teammate.

Deschamps has the pedigree and experience to be successful, but he will have to deal with the challenge of replacing his former teammate. Meet the new boss same as the old boss?

Blanc says stop - Merci Laurent

After 48 hours of reflection, it appears that Laurent Blanc will not look to renew his engagement with the French national team. This is not entirely surprising. While France "fulfilled" its sports goals - reach the 1/4 finals - overall the Euros have to be viewed as more of a disappointment than a success. Here is his "line" -

• 27 games managed
• 16 victories
• 7 draws
• 4 defeats...unfortunately they book end his tenure!
• Qualified for Euro 2012 by finishing first in their group
• Reached 1/4 finals of Euro 2012
• Notable victories - Bosnia, Brazil, England and Germany
• Notable losses - Belarus, Norway and Sweden

Le President decides to go home

His record gets a grade of an incomplete from the Frog...why? For me when Blanc took over Les Bleus I saw this as a 4 year project, taking France to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. After the disaster that was the Dumbenech era, I felt that both the federation and the coach needed to look at a 4 year window, barring complete implosion. From the outset I felt that Blanc was looking to develop his "core" find the handful of players that he would build around. The bad ending of the Euros aside, he was progressing towards that goal with the likes of Cabaye, M'Vila, Lloris, Benzema....now we will have to start over again.

Of course Blanc might have felt he lost the dressing room. After managing these egos for the past two years, and doing a good job of it, what took place the last few days at the Euros might have been an eye opener for Blanc. He hadn't gotten through to the likes of Nasri, Menez or M'Vila. Maybe Blanc realized that he was on a slippery slope with these players and if he was still going to struggle holding the dressing room together why deal with this headache?

So France now moves on...most likely with Blanc's former teammate - Deschamps. DD has been itching to run the national team for many years and he finally gets his opportunity. I think Deschamps has the chance to be a good manager - like Blanc he has the trophy case as a player and unlike Blanc a larger body of work as a club manager. But he will have his work cut out for him. Like Blanc he does have a wealth of riches to select from, but does he have the right "mind set" from his players?

Merci Laurent, I wish you could have seen this adventure through to Brazil.

Les Bleus...a defensive 4-3-3

Wow another surprise from "Le President."  I will give Blanc credit, unlike his predecessor, he is willing to adopt his tactics and formations based on his opponent. Rather than just forcing his usual formation, he is acknowledging his position and the opponent he is facing.

Wow, a very defensive and "muscled" 4-3-3. The partnership of M'Vila and Cabaye is not a surprise, I look for them to be the core of the French midfield for years to come. Malouda is in the game for his veteran savvy. I have a feeling Blanc will give him the orders to push up judiciously and that his primary responsibility will be to track back. Debuchy as the right sided midfield is a surprise. The Lille right back does have good instincts going up, but he is a right back. Clearly Blanc does not trust his other options - Nasri, Menez or Ben Arfa to do the defensive work that will be required facing La Rojas.

This formation is going to call upon the duo of Benzema and Ribery to do the bulk of the offensive work....look for them to try and play fast and hit Spain on the counter. With Spain playing with a 4-6 formation...again no true striker, look for this game to be a real chess game and Spain trying to get offense from any position. In a way this might play into Blanc's strategy, as Spain do not employ a true striker it might ease some of the pressure on his center backs. It will place more pressure on his midfield to slow down the ticy-tac of Spain. But with the line up he has rolled out, they have the defensive minded players to do this.

Should be interesting!

Allez Les Bleus.

France v Spain...preview of World Cup 2014

For those of you not aware, France and Spain are in the same qualifying group for the World Cup 2014. So the match tomorrow is a nice little preview for those games...hahahahaa. First things first, France have backed into the 1/4 finals to face the defending World Cup and European Cup champions. Neither team emerged from the group matches without questions. The biggest are swirling around Les Bleus. Spain, however, do have their own concerns. I spoke with some folks yesterday who stated that Torres is back in form...uh not sure. Yes he scored a brace...against Ireland. Against Croatia he was invisible and was taken off the field. Unlike Gemany, I do not think that Spain is clicking on all cylinders. Let us not forget that had Croatia won the game, and they very well could have, then Spain would be home right now.

France's issues smacked us right in the face against Sweden. Lack of on field leadership, in fighting, lack of heart...general disinterest. Question...the big one...can Blanc reverse this before heading to the game tomorrow? I do not think that Blanc will magically find an on field leader - one of the likes of Vieira, Platini or Zidane in 24 hours. However he can get his troops ready and have them play like they did the past 23 games.

Can he bring joy to Les Bleus?

Les Bleus have a puncher's chance versus Spain. How so? I look for France to play the counter attack style they leveraged for success against Bosnia in qualifications and again in Germany in a friendly. Look for Les Bleus to go to a 4-3-3 again, with a more muscled midfield - Cabaye, Diarra and M'Vila. The three will look to absorb and disrupt any Spanish attacks coming from the midfield. With Cabaye back on the pitch, look for the Newcastle man to continue to act as the link between the back line and the attacking side. The three at top will be Ribery - Benzema - Menez...yup Nasri on the bench. Why Menez? His discipline of staying wide and keeping width to the formation is necessary to keep Spain honest. With Ribery who likes to drift, but really does his best work on the left wing, Les Bleus must have a player that is more natural on the right. This should also provide some cover for Debuchy and allow the right back to get some deeper runs knowing that the right side will not be vacant of a player. France could potentially catch Spain on the counter, force La Rojas to defend deeper.

Of course France will need to get the ball, which is a challenge when playing the Spanish. The last time these two nations met, it was an easy 2-0 victory for Spain.  I do not think we will see the same. Spain has suffered not having a top form Torres nor a healthy Villa. I think France will surprise many with their resilience and with their ability to put Spain back more than others. Les Bleus will be able to get the ball and possess it more than some might expect. But one thing for Spain, they are more clinical in their finishing and that will be the difference.

Spain 2 - France 0.

Unfortunately the 23 game streak will end as it started...with back to back losses.

Allez les Bleus!

France to 1/4 finals...via the back door...La HONTE!!!

C'est la honte!!!! What was that? Nothing but a disgrace from Les Bleus...I am not sure what to write other than expletives. But I will try to contain my anger....

The Good:

• Get to the 1/4 finals...through the trap door. That is about all that was good. At least France live to fight another day. If Les Bleus put together a good showing versus Spain, even....gasp beat the Spanish this loss will be a distant memory. Let us not forget that Les Bleus were heading home at this stage last two tournaments...need to focus on the sliver of positive!
• Okay I have to say the Ibrahimovic goal was amazing. Hitting a volley from that angle was nothing short of spectacular. Hats off to the Swede for that piece of artistry. No highlights yet live but check the web or TV for the replay.

Thing of beauty...

• One more "good" were it not for Lloris, France would have lost 4-0. He was the only French player that showed up today. Big saves in the second half, nothing he could do on both goals.

The Bad:

• France France France...Les Bleus were awful today. They were beyond bad. Only needing a draw they played like it. They had no heart no game no desire. France looked from the start of the game the team that was about to head home for the summer. They played flat. Unacceptable.
• Ben Arfa, was completely invisible. I was expecting him to come in and bring some real width for France. Much like what Menez did in the Ukraine game. Instead, he kept drifting back to the middle of the park. And even there he was invisible. He unleashed one strike from distance but otherwise was a complete no factor.  I expected much more from Le Petit Prince.
• No strikers for France! Yes I realize Benzema is France's striker, but really? The fact he wears #10 is very appropriate, why? Because he drops so deep really playing a #10 role. Against England and Sweden it was frustrating to see that France was facing a flat back 4 that had no threat of any striker. Once Giroud entered the game it opened up some space for the attack. I realize that Blanc said he does not want to play two strikers, but is Benzema really playing the #9?
• Mexes gets a yellow...the French libero got a silly yellow which coupled with the yellow from last game means he is out for the 1/4 finals. Wait...hold on...maybe this is good since he had some serious brain farts in this game! The Arsenal man Koscielny will get the start along side Rami this weekend.

The Ugly:

• France...see above.
• France mindset heading into 1/4 final. After having their streak of games (23 games) without a loss broke, how will Les Bleus go into their next game...against Spain? This will be a huge test for Blanc. The French manager will have his work cut out for him to get his team ready on the pitch but also mentally. Blanc needs to remind the French players what they were able to build the past 2 years, the fact they got caught in today's game must be set aside. At the end of the day all the teams in the 1/4 finals have zero wins and zero losses...

What a frustrating game...France played like crap and deserved to lose. No heart. No desire. Too many players looked like they were thinking about the 1/4 finals and not the game. Maybe this is a wake up call and gets them to play like they can, or maybe this is an indication of the malaise that has hung over Les Bleus since South Africa...we shall see. Blanc has his work cut out for him.

Allez les Bleus...

Last game...no surprises please France!

Les Bleus head into the last group game in a position they have not enjoyed the last two tournaments - with one foot in the 1/4 finals! Granted at the Euros in 2008 and World Cup in 2010, they were not mathematically eliminated heading into the final game but the odds were against them...kind of like the famous scene in "Dumb and Dumber"...





This time around, France sits on top of their group and all they need is a draw to get into the next round, could even loss the game and get in...but let's keep it simple. France need to win this game. Period. Sweden is already out of the tournament, only they and Ireland were eliminated before the last group game. Sweden have nothing to play for but pride. Sweden will pose a good challenge for Les Bleus.

Let's face it, France has won one game in major tournaments in 9 tries and it was against Ukraine. Nothing against the co-hosts, but this is their first European Championship ever...and they are ranked 52nd. If France expects to do anything beyond they 1/4 finals they must show that they have overcome the malaise that has struck them the past few years. Additionally, Sweden will test one area of France's game that has been lacking for a few years - defending set pieces.

Another aspect - France has three players on a yellow card - Mexes, Debuchy and Menez. I debated whether or not Blanc should look to protect these players, but I realized that if he tried to get too cute and France do not go through...well it will turn ugly. I expect Les Bleus to start a formation looking to win, looking to go forward and build on what they have done so far.

Look for the Rennes MF to get higher up the pitch

The one change could be M'Vila and Diarra partnered together in a more beefy midfield. I could see Blanc looking to a hybrid 4-3-3 slash 4-2-3-1. Looking to snuff out Ibra in the midfield and hit Sweden on the wings with his wide players. This could also be what Blanc wants to look to if France do progress and have to face the likes of Spain or Germany.

How I see the starting line up -

Lloris
Clichy, Mexes, Rami, Debuchy
Diarra, M'Vila, Nasri
Ribery, Benzema, Menez

Look for Nasri to have the freedom to roam wing to wing as well as play a higher line or drop deeper. M'Vila will play more like he does at Rennes in a traditional Relayeur role - linking up between the back 1/3 and the attacking 1/3. Diarra will continue to hold on to his role as midfield destroyer. The Marseille man will be tasked to keep an eye on Ibrahimovic, much of Sweden's offense goes through the big man who plays a 9 1/2  type role almost a traditional #10. I would look for Benzema to try and play a higher line, pushing the Swedish defense deeper and getting service from the wings. I would hope to see Clichy get a start again, he gives France more of a threat from the left back than Evra did in the game against England. He partners well with Ribery and opens up the diagonal run for the Kaiser. On the other side, Menez showed that he can keep his discipline by staying on the right wing, while he does drift inside at times, he is holds his channel better than Nasri who's natural instinct is to drift more to the center of the park. I also think that the first half of the Ukraine match, Menez had some jitters (it was his first action in a major tournament), but getting the goal in the second half should boost his confidence and I look for him to be more clinical from the start.

France needs to play for the win, while minding the players on a yellow. Meaning - if France go out to a lead and have the luxury look for Mexes to get some time on the bench with Koscielny getting some run as well as Reveillere on the right. If the game is tight until the end, Blanc might still look to afford himself this luxury.

Prediction - France 3 Sweden 0. Brace from Benzema and goal from Rami.

Allez les Bleus!!!

Les Bleus WIN! Finally....

Menez opens the scoring for Les Bleus

Ouf Ouf Ouf...France come away from the Ukraine game with a victory and are top of Group D. For those of you keeping score it has now been 8 games in major tournaments between French victories. Last game was the 1-0 win over Portugal in the 2006 World Cup semi final!  In a game that saw a 50 minute rain delay due to lightning and rain, France put two past the Ukrainian keeper in a 6 minute span. This has to get a rather large monkey off France's back.


The Good:

Diarra making a case to keep his starting role

• LES BLEUS WON! I do not think you can underestimate this. After the debacle in South Africa and the terrible showing 4 years ago in the Euros, France had to get a victory. That was the least of what one needed to see from the group games. Even if all teams had drawn each game and somehow France got to the 1/4 finals, a victory was the most important first stage for Les Bleus. Just imagine the pressure had France only drawn or gasp, lost, to Ukraine! Now Les Bleus go into the last game knowing that more than likely any positive result will see them through.
• Goals...granted only two of them. But Cabaye did hit the wood work, Menez should have had a brace, could have should have! But France did get two goals. Both came from some clinical passing from Benzema. Maybe wearing the #10 kit for Les Bleus makes him more Platini or Zidane like! France have 3 goals from 2 games, no  one is going to mistaken them for the French team from the '58 World Cup. But compared to the past two tournaments, I will take the 3 goals!
• Diarra once again showed his skill and ability as the midfield "destroyer." He was strong on the ball, strong in his tackles and read the game very well. His play will give Blanc a real dilemma, a good one, but a question of should he bring in M'Vila or use him as a late game substitute to shore up his midfield. Not a bad problem to have!
• Speaking of midfielders, the play of Cabaye was excellent. His first half was quiet but he did his job. Second half he had a fantastic finish, after slotting higher up the pitch when Benzema dropped deeper for the ball. He could have had a brace after a fantastic shot from distance hit the wrong side of the wood work. His midfield partner - Nasri - had another solid game. He was dangerous on set pieces, held the ball very well and was able to provide a safety valve for Les Bleus when need be.
• The left side of the formation. The change of Clichy for Evra changed the French game. Clichy was much more active charging down the flank, opening up space for Ribery. The Manchester City player also defended very well. Ribery once again showed he had his dancing shoes on. Making some fantastic runs, pick pocketing some Ukrainians and being very active through out the game. Now if he can only get himself a goal! 
• The Ukrainian keeper...Pyatov kept his side in the game, without big saves versus Menez (1v1 break), Mexes (header off a set piece) and Nasri (direct kick). Without Pyatov Les Bleus might have run off to a 3 or 4 goal victory. He was also assisted by his posts on a powerful strike from Cabaye who can very close to a brace.

The Bad:

Game started under a small typhoon

• Benzema, okay not bad in the way you might think, but it is clear that the Real Madrid man is getting frustrated at not finding the back of the goal. This might become bad if he starts pushing and forcing his game. Mind you he was the reason for the two goals that France did score. Tactically he seems to be drop deeper on the pitch to get his touches, this takes away any potential pressure that the defense might have to face where he to play off the last defender. Something to watch.
• Silly yellow cards...both Mexes and Debuchy got yellow cards late on for fouls that were not necessary. These are not smart. Both players will be on a "alert" heading into the Sweden match...if either get another yellow then they will miss the 1/4 finals. Not good. Menez will also be on alert, however where he to miss the 1/4 finals I feel France have more cover with the likes of Malouda, Ben Arfa and Valbuena. Something to watch for next week. I would not be surprised if Reveilliere did not get the start for Debuchy against Sweden, not sure if Mexes will sit nor Menez.
• French finishing...I realize they scored two and had some clear opportunities, but they need to be more clinical and put one more goal. There was a time after being up 2-0 that France just toyed with Ukraine, rather than go for the goal...let's not forget that French flair sometimes bites us in the arse...Sevilla 1982...

The Ugly:

• The weather...wow that was scary. Never seen a professional football match get postponed like that! That was ugly...correct move.

Overall not much to complain about after winning the match. With England beating Sweden, France are in a good position to get to the 1/4 finals. The standings after day 2 -

Group D

Teams	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
France	2	1	1	0	3	1	2	4
England	2	1	1	0	4	3	1	4
Ukraine	2	1	0	1	2	3	-1	3
Sweden	2	0	0	2	3	5	-2	0

France only need a draw to go through, and can even make it if they lose to Sweden. Of course France should push and look for the win, Sweden is on 2 straight losses and if France get the full 3 points they will most likely avoid Spain in the 1/4 finals.

Les Bleus should get to the 1/4 Finals, barring a disaster...lets hope that the French can build off the good win as well as avoid any players getting another silly yellow and missing the 1/4 finals.

Allez les bleus!

Moving day - France v Ukraine

In golf the "moving day" is usually associated with the third day of a 4 round tournament...but we only have 3 group games in the Euros! In the Euros and the World Cup, the second game is when teams figure out who is in to the knock outs and who needs a miracle in the final game....as well as who goes home (see Ireland). So tomorrow's game for Les Bleus will determine if they can get to the 1/4 finals.

The weight on the game cannot be underestimated. First, France is facing the co-host who pulled off a surprise win versus Sweden and sits a top the group. If the Sweden v Ukraine game is any indication, the crowd is going to be super-charged. Second, France have history to contend with...they have not won a game in a major tournament since they defeated Portugal in the 2006 World Cup semi finals! Need I remind you that Zidane was the captain of the team, Barthez was the keeper, Vieira was patrolling the midfield and Inspector Clouseau was the manager (Domenech). Since then Les Bleus have 3 draws and 4 defeats...France need a victory. Granted they could draw against Ukraine and still qualify in their final match. But I rather see a France win for obvious reasons! Finally, France cannot allow Ukraine to get a point or gasp a win! If so it will make the final game very dicey.

So will Blanc change his line up with the return of M'Vila and the ineffective play of Malouda? Not sure...based on his press conference there is a chance he might, but he remains mum.

France will most likely stay with a 4-3-3. The back line and keeper will not change, least last minute injury. The front three will most likely remain the same as well...unless. The question becomes, does Diarra sit for M'Vila and what to do with Malouda?

Paired up like against Bosnia?

Diarra had a good game against England, had he not allowed Lescott run onto the Gerrard free kick for the England goal then I would say he had a very good game. Diarra was a rock the remainder of the game allowing the other midfielders to focus on their offense. Ukraine, surprisingly, might be more offensive minded than the English! Well maybe that is not too surprising. Against Sweden, the Ukraine played very open, attacking football. Might Blanc opt for two more defensive minded players in his midfield to break up any potential attacks and act as a platform for counters.

Or does Blanc stick with Malouda and his veteran stature?

I think Blanc will insert M'Vila in place of Malouda, go with a more muscular midfield - Cabaye, M'Vila and Diarra. Mimic what he did away to Bosnia. France was in no shortage of offense against England, but then again the Three Lions sat back. Ukraine appears to be more keen on going forward, France will need to break that and ensure that Shevchenko does not get fed opportunities from the midfield or wings...

France will get some chances on the break and in general, the interplay between Nasri and Ribery with Benzema higher up the pitch will cause problems for Ukraine. I do not see the co-hosts with the same discipline England showed in the first game.

Prediction - France 2 Ukraine 0

Benzema with a brace.

Allez les bleus!!!!

France - Estonia: Building momentum

I have been remiss for not posting on the France v Estonia match, the last one prior to the start of the Euros. But sometimes life gets in the way of my publishing! Here are my thoughts:

The good:

Keys to France's fortunes

• I realize I sound like a broken record - the victory. Granted France were playing a smaller side in international football - 57th in the FIFA world rankings. The nation still finished second in their qualifying group, behind Italy. They ended up being thumped by Ireland in the playoff. But let us not forget what it was like during the warm up matches for the World Cup in 2010 - France lost to China! That threw everything into a tail spin, granted Dumbenech didn't help the situation and deciding to start Gouvou...sorry I digress. Heading into the Euros on a high note is a positive.
• Benzema and Ribery - These two have been linked at times for all the wrong reasons, but the fact both got goals is very positive. The fact that Kaiser Frank has scored in three straight games for Les Bleus is even more positive. After not scoring for France in too long, he now seems on a nice streak. Granted he will be facing a slightly tougher opponent on Monday, but he must be heading into the tournament full of confidence. The same for Benzema. After a very successful season at Real Madrid, I wanted to see him score for France before the start of the tournament. 4 years ago he headed into the Euros with a lot of pressure on his shoulders, which he still has. However playing at the highest levels with Real Madrid, having to battle for his place on the squad have allowed him to mature. Getting a brace against Estonia is just what the doctor ordered. He also had a nifty flick on for the Ribery goal.
• The 4-3-3 seems to be working well for Les Bleus, at least offensively. Scoring 9 goals in 3 games is a very positive sign. The freedom the formation gives to the offensive players has allowed them the freedom to exploit their offense. The move of Malouda to a deeper role seems to be working out very well. The question remains - is the system solid defensively? More on that later.
• No one got hurt! This cannot be understated, while it looked like Diarra might give us a scare early on, end of the day none of the players picked up any last minute knocks. All you have to do is look at France's first opponent - England - and see what injuries can do to your squad.

The Bad:

• While not necessary bad, it is not good either...but I am still waiting to see the right side of the offense take the next step. Nasri continues to be a bit maddening in his inconsistency. At times he looks like the player we always expected him to be - able to play the right wing, slot to the middle, drop deep and bring an offensive touch to the side. Unfortunately at times he seems to disappear as well. I am also not convinced of his interplay with Debuchy, the Lille right back makes some very dangerous runs from deep, but I am not sure that Nasri is quite there yet with how to interact with him. We know that Nasri has it in him, but can he be consistent? The one saving grace is that Blanc has a number of options he can throw on the right in games to change the pace - Ben Arfa, Menez and Valbuena can all operate on the right side.
• Of course on the left side I am concerned about Evra. He does not seem to have the confidence a player of his stature should have. I believe Blanc will stick with him because of his experience, but he is at times a tad shaky. His offensive runs are still useful but on defense he is not the defender we are accustomed to seeing patrolling the left side for Manchester United.

 The Ugly:

• Speaking of defense...Mexes is starting to give me some concern. There have been whispers of he being out of shape and too "fat." Whether or not his weight is an issue, the fact remains that the AC Milan man has had some gaffs, which against a sterner opponent will not go unpunished. As with Evra, Blanc will stick with his core. Mexes has the talent and ability, the question is he paying for being injured much of the year in Italy? If the central defense gets leaky, this could get very ugly.
• This is not helped by the current 4-3-3. I realize I stated I thought the 4-3-3 is good, and it is, but defensively it still needs some work. Unlike the formation and how it was leveraged away to Bosnia, where Blanc deployed 3 holding midfielders: Diaby, M'Vila and Diarra. He now has 1 true holding and 2 hybrid holding players...The question is, can Malouda and Cabaye be disciplined enough to pace themselves when it comes to their offensive runs? Both players will have to be very conscious of their defensive responsibilities otherwise we might see the equivalent of run and gun!

Overall there is much to like from this last match. But none of this counts come June 11th. France will have a massive task ahead of it. Look for the Frog's Euro predictions coming out soon!

Allez Les Bleus

Diarra to showcase versus England

Latest news - M'Vila and Matuidi will be out for the opening France game against England. While both, especially the Rennes midfielder, will still be available later in the tournament, it will be tough heading into the first match without the full compliment of players. M'Vila has been the most used player by Blanc and that will make things slightly more challenging. Granted, England have their own injury concerns.

It could have been worse!

This would point to seeing Diarra starting the match as Blanc's defensive midfielder. If the latest match is an indication, it would appear that Blanc might lean on a 4-3-3 with a midfield of Malouda, Diarra and Cabaye. Diarra will be responsible for protecting the back 4 allowing Cabaye and Malouda to push higher on the pitch.

The loss of M'Vila will be difficult for Blanc, and with Matuidi out for the first match, Blanc has only one healthy defensive midfielder - Diarra. Let us hope that the OM midfielder does not pick up a knock between now and June 11th!

France with the 4-3-3 or Christmas tree?

It appears that Blanc might be ready to move on from the usual 4-2-3-1 that we have grown accustomed to. Of course let us not forget that a certain Dumbenech dabbled with a 4-3-3 before the 2010 World Cup, it showed some potential...and then went back to a 4-2-3-1 once the World Cup started. Why the 4-3-3 or even the Christmas Tree is an option for France is the personnel available.

Not just a pretty face

Blanc does not have a true #10, but what he does have are a number of flexible midfielders - ones that can play wide or float into the middle of the park. With that in mind, the 4-3-3 works well allowing the top 3 to interchange, play at different levels and widths. Benzema fits that scheme as he likes to drop deep at times or float to the wings...Ribery, while natural on the left, can pop up on the opposite wing or in the middle. What has been eye opening is the play of Malouda who seems to be at ease slotting deep or in the middle. While he is not the typical #10 he does fill a void in the center of the park. The question becomes Nasri or Ben Arfa on the right. The Manchester City man had some flashes against Serbia but also disappeared at times. Does Blanc continue to put him out there or does Ben Arfa get a serious look.

Blanc also has depth - Menez, Martin and Valbuena are all options to play on either wing in the 4-3-3. The formation shows promise, it has been used before with success and I hope Blanc sticks with it...and does not pull a Domenech at the last minute!

France v Iceland a tale of two halves

Who would have thought this would be a hard fought 3-2 victory for France? A bad first half, from the scoreboard perspective, not necessarily from the play on the field. A much better second half and in the end a victory for Les Bleus.

The Good:

Le Petit Prince scored some points

•  A win....a come from behind win none the less. Regardless of what the ranking is for Iceland in the world...131 if you are curious...going down 2-0 at half time and being able to come back in the second half to win the game has to be encouraging. France made two defensive gaffs in the first half and demonstrated what happens when professional football players are given a chance. But Les Bleus continue to press on and were rewarded with a victory.  Something to build on...the alternative would have been difficult to accept.
• The right side of the formation - Ben Arfa and Debuchy. What was interesting with these two players on the field was that what tends to be a left heavy attack for France now switched to the right side. The Newcastle midfielder was constantly putting the Iceland defense on its collective heel, while the Lille right back was constantly making dangerous overlapping runs from his fullback spot. Debuchy even open his international scoring account, aggressively pouncing on a deviated ball in the box. I have a feeling this will be the right side for Blanc heading into the Euros and might be one we see for a few years.
• Giroud once again showed why he is a viable option up top for France. While he did not score he got the assist on both Ribery and Rami's goals. Both times doing what a penalty box striker should do - receive the ball and distribute to cutting teammates. His ability in the air and to hold the ball deep might make him a valuable offensive joker during the tournament.

The Bad:

• Going down 2-0 the way France did was not good...a tentative play on 50/50 ball by Mexes led to the first goal and some sloppy covering by Evra led to the second. The Manchester United defender was sloppy again in the second half forcing a terrific save from Mandanda. I think that part of the sloppy play was the fact Blanc did not align a true holding midfielder. This forced the back 4 of France to play higher on the ball than usual. Mexes was pushing up the field to challenge the Icelandic offense...only allowing space to be created behind him. I would hope that the introduction of M'Vila would alleviate this problem. But something to keep an eye on.
• The left side of the attack. What has been the strength for France recently was absent tonight. Granted the usual starter - Ribery on the left wing - did not play until the last 15 minutes and when he did the dynamic on the left changed. There was little going on between Menez and Evra. The Manchester United left back at times was invisible offensively, not making any threatening runs. This left Menez alone to try and animate that side. I think the PSG winger did a commendable job, but was a shadow of what the right side was able to do. We shall see if that remains the case if Ribery is inserted back on his preferred wing. 

The Ugly:

About as fast as his game was going

• I have to say Gourcuff did not impress me. And his play was not bad, I would say it was ugly. Why? When he was not on the pitch, it appeared that Les Bleus operated at a different speed. That speed was not slow. To the OL midfielders defense, he is still no 100%. He worked hard for the ball. However every time he came back to get it, the game appeared to slow down. He was sloppy in some of his passes, seemed to head backwards or sidewards too often rather than ahead and just did not seem to bring any offensive creativity or punch. I do not believe he should head to Ukraine in a few weeks.
• Speaking of Gourcuff...the defending of set pieces was not pretty. Iceland's first corner kick went sailing to the back post where TWO Icelandic players were there and only Gourcuff to defend. He was not even in a good position! I am sure that Carrol or Crouch would salivate at being that open on June 11.

Overall it was an entertaining game, and the result can let us all sleep better! There remains a lot of work to be done for France. I do think that it is encouraging that the right side of the French formation is where much of the attack came until the introduction of Ribery late. I did like the fact Menez and Ben Arfa as the game went on starting popping up on opposite wings. Unlike other French teams, I believe the creativity will have to come from the wingers - Ben Arfa, Ribery, Menez and Valbuena. For that reason I think Blanc will keep all 4. Martin and Nasri were decent in the middle as outlets, I think that Gourcuff will be the odd man out. But we still have a two games and some training sessions to go before we determine who goes.

Next up - Serbia on Thursday. Should be interesting.

France v Iceland: De l'audace, encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace

Well well well. "Le President" must have read my post about the Christmas Tree...of course my Christmas Tree is more to act as defensive base with three holding midfielders protecting the back 4 and acting as the destroyers in the midfield. Blanc's Christmas Tree is one that is all about moving forward. France's line up:

Le onze tricolore :
Mandanda - Debuchy, Rami, Mexès, Evra - Cabaye, Gourcuff, Nasri - Ben Arfa, Benzema, Ménez

Reunite again

The top three are really more of a 2-1, with Ben Arfa and Menez expected to animate the wings with Benzema up top as the striker. The midfield three of Cabaye, Gourcuff and Nasri are not going to be mistaken for the likes of Karembeau, Petit and Deschamps, three very defensive minded midfielders. Much pressure will be placed on Cabaye, playing somewhat our of position, as the only true holding player. This formation could rapidly evolve into a 4-1-4-1 with Gourcuff and Nasri pushing higher on the pitch filling the space behind Benzema and between the two wingers. They can also stay deeper allowing the wingers freedom to roam in the offensive zone.

While I would be shocked to see this formation showcased on June 11th, it is interesting to see Blanc think "outside" the box for these friendlies. I am sure Blanc has his system in mind, but wants to allow some of his players an opportunity to showcase themselves before he has to cut two more. This game will be key for the likes of Ben Arfa and Gourcuff. For the former I think Blanc will look to see if he can animate either wing and even slot to the middle supporting the high striker. For the former Bordeaux midfielder, he must demonstrate that he can bring some creativity from the midfield as well as being able to keep up for the majority of the match. Another player to keep an eye on is Debuchy, can he build upon his good showing against Germany? The right back role is wide open. While I do not think he is at risk of not going to the Euros, he must still show progression in his play to warrant, what I believe will be, his starting at right back for the tournament.

I like this strategy by Blanc, it will give him a sense of what he has offensively and allow the likes of Gourcuff and Ben Arfa to showcase immediately.

Prediction: France 3 - Iceland 1

Goals: Benzema, Ben Arfa and Menez...with assists from Nasri to round out the 87 Generation!

The "Christmas Tree" option for Les Blues

My cousin Benjamin can attest, when we face off on FIFA 12, that I sometimes employ "le sapin" or the "Christmas tree" formation. The formation is a 4-3-2-1 (looks like a christmas tree). Ancelotti was famous for using this when he managed at Milan and used a similar formation with PSG. What got me thinking was is this an option for Blanc? I realize that seeing Blanc change from a 4-2-3-1 is about as likely as seeing Uruguay qualify for the Euros, but it does have some potential.

Just add presents under the tree

First a little history lesson. Les Bleus won the 1998 world cup by employing such a formation. I realize that they probably argue they had a traditional 4-4-2 formation...but with Deschamps, Karembeu and Petit on the field together you had 3 holding/defensive midfielders. Zidane and Djorkaeff acted as the two offensive midfielders with Guivarch as the "striker"....(quotes because he was really just a warm body not really an international striker). So why not with this side?

The biggest headache for Blanc - he doesn't have a real #10...so why not look for the creativity to come from your wide players, aka your fullbacks pushing up and allow your three pure offensive players to free lance...the formation could look like the following:

Lloris
Evra, Mexes, Rami, Debuchy - the two full backs will push high on the pitch and both have good offensive instincts and skill
M'Vila, Diarra, Cabaye - granted the Newcastle man is not a pure defensive midfielder but he plays a deep lying role and his a good passer from deep. Diarra and M'Vila would be there to do the dirty work.
Ribery, Menez (or Nasri or Ben Arfa) - allow the two offensive midfielders space and freedom to switch wings. They would also have the potential to cut into the field and allow their fullbacks to push into the vacated space to add width.
Benzema - can play well as the lone striker, but can also drop deeper to pick up the ball or allow one of the midfielders to push higher.

Just a thought for Blanc. The advantage of this formation is France could really clog up and block the midfield and hit teams on the counter. Without a true #10, they do not really have a player that can be the outlet and the creator in the middle of the park. Granted when France ran this in 1998, they had one of the greatest players of all time in Zidane...they had a #10 that would always act as the safety valve for Les Bleus.

Something to think about Laurent!

Allez les Bleus!!!

26-23=3 to be cut before heading to Euros

Blanc has kept 26 players in his pre-list...list for the Euros. He will need to reduce that number by 3 for his final list. Here are the players to keep an eye on:

Kaboul - The Tottenhan central defender has already declared forfeit for the Euros. After re-injuring a nagging knee know, he will not be available for Les Bleus.That is one of the 3. No odds - he isn't going.

Remy - The OM striker also picked up an injury and is in question whether or not his fitness will come back in time. Unlike Kaboul, Remy does not seem to have a clear cut replacement in the list. The striker order appears to have become Benzema the starter with Giroud and Remy as his deputies. Remy offered the flexibility to play on the wings as well. Odds 50/50 that he goes, entirely depends on health.

Together again?

Gourcuff - Does the midfielder have enough to get back in the squad? The manager has a soft spot for Gourcuff and that might put him on the flight to Eastern Europe. Much will be determined in training. Does the midfielder have enough in his legs to be a viable option for the French midfield? I am doubtful that he is any where close to the form he had a few seasons ago. Odds 50/50 a lot of this due to his relationship with Blanc otherwise I would drop his odds at 30%.

Ben Arfa - To me the Newcastle midfielder should be a shoe in to go, but I have a feeling Blanc will heavily scrutinize "Le Petit Prince." I would think that Malouda is the one in jeopardy but Blanc keeps talking about the Chelsea man's experience...Ben Arfa might benefit from Remy not being able to go as the midfielder brings pace and creativity that can be leveraged on the wings (where without Remy would be a void to fill). Odds 75% he goes.

Matuidi - Blanc has retained 3 true holding midfielders - Diarra, M'Vila and Matuidi. For that reason I would think that Blanc will keep all three. However, he demonstrated against Germany that he was not afraid to slot someone like Malouda as a deep lying midfielder. Could Blanc see that as an option or even the likes of Gourcuff playing a deeper lying role? Odds 70% he goes.

Martin - The Sochaux play maker has struggled this season, while still showing well for France. Question becomes, if Gourcuff is kept will that make Martin's participation at risk? With Nasri and Gourcuff, Blanc would have his two main central play makers and might not see the need of a third.
Odds 50%.

A lot will depend on who recovers from injuries as well as how the friendly games go for Blanc and Les Bleus. It should be an interesting few weeks! 

Allez les Bleus!

PSG gets cold shoulder by Blanc - France domestic players for Euro

Well well well, Blanc announces his list from Ligue 1 that will head to Clairfontaine in order to prepare for the Euros. For the most part no major surprises...except for the strikers and one defender. First the defender - Montpellier defender Mbiwa gets the nod over PSG defender Sakho. On that decision, Blanc has stuck with what he has been saying all along - player needs to be a regular with his club and showing something. Sakho has found himself sitting on the bench recently and when he has played - he has not covered himself with glory (see red card and PK versus Lille). Hopefully Blanc will not need to do so, but if he has to play Mbiwa for any considerable time it will be a risk since the player has never been called up and has no time with the other central defenders. Even thought Sakho has not been playing for PSG, he has had time over the past year with the others...something to watch.

The list:

Gardiens : Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Cédric Carrasso (Bordeaux)
Défenseurs : Mathieu Debuchy (Lille), Anthony Réveillère (Lyon), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Montpellier)
Milieux de terrain : Alou Diarra (Marseille), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Yann M'vila (Rennes), Yoann Gourcuff (Lyon), Marvin Martin (Sochaux)
Attaquants : Olivier Giroud (Montpellier), Jérémy Ménez (PSG), Loïc Rémy (Marseille), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Will he be fit by June 11th?

The second surprise for me, are the strikers. He calls up Remy, but then also states that he does not believe the Marseilles striker will be able to make it to the Euros....hmmm...curious. Blanc did state that he will wait for a few weeks to determine how Remy is doing. What surprises me is that if Remy cannot go, Blanc will be leaning on two pure strikers - Benzema and Giroud. While he might lean on a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-3-3 which both require one lone "pure" striker, only carrying two on his roster seems a little risky. What about Gomis or Gameiro? Having another healthy striker gives Blanc substitution options if he is chasing a goal or needs to deal with injury. As currently constituted he has two pure strikers, if one is substituted out and he needs to chase a goal late he will need to move one of his wingers/midfielders high up the pitch: Menez and Ribery could do so in a pinch, but why take them out of their wide positions? I would think that Blanc would have taken Gameiro as cover for Remy...something to be watched.

Something else that is to be watched, but not a surprise, is the inclusion of Gourcuff. Both Diarra and Gourcuff were instrumental to Blanc's run at Bordeaux and he has shown them loyalty since taking over the French national team, even keeping Diarra in the captain's arm band race...even thought the Marseilles midfielder was not a lock starter! As much as I like Gourcuff, I recognize that his game has dropped that he has been injured and that I am not sure he is any where close to his past form. I realize that in terms of pure #10s, Blanc is limited in what he can call upon. But I feel that he might be a little blind to his former protege. It will be interesting to see how camp goes and how the friendly matches are managed to give us some indication of who will make the flight to Poland - Ukraine.

Allez les Bleus!

Injury bug hits two more players for Blanc and Les Bleus

Laurent Blanc will have to deal with two potential forfeits - Kaboul and Remy. While neither is an unquestionable starter both could have impacts on Blanc's roster. The Tottenham defender was most likely going to act as cover for the two center backs while the future Tottenham striker was seen as a valuable player - one that could play central striker or winger for Blanc. This will open the door for Gameiro.

Without Kaboul, might Blanc decided to look at the youngster Varane from Real Madrid?

Blanc's first list, no surprises

Blanc looks to his Foreign Legion...domestics next week

Blanc unveiled his first list, foreign based players, for the Euros. No major surprise.

Défenseurs : Philippe Mexès (AC Milan), Adil Rami (Valence), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Younes Kaboul (Tottenham), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Gaël Clichy (Manchester City)

Milieux de terrain : Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Attaquants :  Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle)

The one missing name is Mathieu from Valencia. Why? I thought that his ability to play both left back and on the left side of the midfield might make him someone that Blanc would want to look at. Without his inclusion, I have a difficult time envisaging any combo other than Evra/Clichy as the left backs for France. As well as Malouda being included in the final list as another left sided option.

While not a real surprise, still happy to see Ben Arfa being included on the list, his creativity must be look at as a serious need for Les Bleus. Let us see next week which domestic names round out the list.

Allez Les Bleus.

In, out and on the fringe - Les Bleus for the Euro

Laurent Blanc will start unveiling the list of the players he will be looking at for the Euros over the next week (starting tomorrow). With that in mind the Frog wanted to weigh in on who should go, who is on the fringe, who is out and who might be a surprise.

I think that Blanc will lean on a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation, he might even look to apply the "christmas tree" and go with a hybrid 4-3-2-1 that would morph from his 4-3-3. Blanc might also have his group games in mind, with the tasking of facing some physical strikers - Crouch/Carrol and their height or Ibrahimovic combination of height and power. France has always had problems with set pieces and international football is becoming a set piece type game.

Les Bleus will most likely take 3 keepers, 8/9 defenders, 8 midfielders and 4 strikers. There will be some players that could be mid/stk or play defensively or in the midfield.

Goalkeepers:

This is the one position where I think we know who will be heading to Poland/Ukraine.

Lloris is the undisputed #1 and team captain so fairly certain he is going.
Mandanda and Carrasso have done nothing to lose Blanc's faith. Look for Ruffier to get a pre-selection but I think that will be more for Blanc to get some competition and get a look at the keeper.

Defenders:

Rami, Mexes, Evra, Debuchy to me are all locks, and very likely going to be your starting back 4 with Debuchy slotting on the right and Evra on the left. Debuchy will be able to animate the right channel and re-balance the attack that has been very left sided in recent games for France. As I stated in my last post, I think that the Sagna injury, while terrible for the Arsenal man, might be a good thing for France. Makes Debuchy the likely right back, a more offensively skilled player than the former Auxerre right back.

The tricky question becomes who is the cover for the above 4?

Surprise selection for Real youngster?

Blanc will have to pick two amongst the following center backs: Sakho, Koscielny and Kaboul. The PSG man has been relegated to the bench in recent matches and his showing against Lille reminds us why he can be so maddening - poor positioning leads to his foul, red card and PK for Lille. Koscielny has shown well for Arsenal while Kaboul has not be consistent for Tottenham. I think the two center backs from London have the upper hand to get the call.

Now what about the outside backs? There is noise for PSG right back Jallet to get the call but I think that Blanc will reward Reveillere to play second fiddle at right back. On the left side look for Clichy to regain his spot with Les Bleus. Mathieu could make a last minute push, especially because of his ability to also play on the left side of the midfield in a pinch. Another wild card - the youngster from Real Madrid Varane. However, if Blanc had to leverage Varane, at center back I am not sure that he would want to put that responsibility in the hands of a 19 year old. Varane will be invited to Clairefontaine, but will not go to Eastern Europe.

Midfielders:

This is where it gets tricky...let us look at the holding spots first:

M'Vila and Cabaye are in. I also think that Matuidi and Diarra are the other holding players that will be called up. Blanc should lean on the Rennes and Newcastle midfielders to be the steel of the midfield. Matuidi and Diarra used as cover and tactical substitution. Mavuba and Gonalons might get a call to Clairefontaine but again not heading to Eastern Europe. The one big loss will be Diaby, a player that gives Blanc what he would want, a midfielder to link defense and offense.

Offensive midfield: Ribery will man the left...other than than not sure. Nasri will get the call up, whether he is the center midfielder or slotted out right will remain to be seen. That also means, who will called upon to animate the right channel? Menez or Valbuena? Both will be at Clairefontaine, but it might be where Blanc determines which player is given the right side. Ben Arfa should not only get the call but head to Eastern Europe. He is one of the few players that can turn a game on his ability to dribble and score. Also, his understanding with fellow Newcastle teammate Cabaye is something to leverage...





Players that have to prove themselves - Martin who has been a bit on the down side after strong showings for Les Bleus, Malouda who will most likely make it as 2nd fiddle on the left side, Amalfitano would offer more creativity...the big question is Gourcuff. The player that Blanc leaned on while at Bordeaux has not found that form...he has only started playing regularly again for Lyon. He has an outside shot...more because of Blanc's knowledge of the player not from what he is showing currently on the pitch. I would vote for leaving him home, but Blanc might surprise us.

Strikers:

There are some locks here as well - Benzema, Giroud and Remy are all heading to Poland and Ukraine. The question becomes does Blanc look for a 4th striker? Or does he push a Ribery or Menez higher on the pitch if he needs another offensive player? Gameiro and Hourau have been struggling with both form and health, for those reasons I think they are long shots if Blanc selects another striker. Gomis has had a decent season but also long shot. A youth player like Lacazette might make a surprise appearance as well.

We will find out more over the next week. Blanc's core will/should not be a surprise, what will be interesting is who he will take - Valbeuna or Menez? Gourcuff? Who will pull the strings in the midfield? Will there be 4 strikers?

Allez les Bleus!