Breath of fresh air for Les Bleus - France can truly begin the healing

Le President can finally smile

France scored a famous victory today in Sarajevo defeating Bosnia 2-0 in a game that could have easily been 3 or a 4 goal victory. The win gives Blanc and France a huge oxygen boost. After two consecutive losses under Blanc, and 4 straight losses for France...the first time this has happened to Les Bleus in 73 years! SEVENTY THREE years!!!! If you go back further France have lost 5 of their last 6 games - against the football powers such as China, Mexico, South Africa, Norway and Belarus. France did draw against eventual World Cup 4th place team Uruguay 0-0!!!

So we can start rethinking that Les Bleus might be slowly turning the ship back to the proper direction. Such a victory could not come at a more crucial time for France. Heading into the hostile environment of Sarajevo and coming out with a dominate 2-0 victory can only be seen as an important victory and giant morale boost. As I stated in my previous post, I felt this match was going to be the most difficult on France's qualifying calendar and after dropping all 3 points against Belarus it only became that much more difficult. Bravo for Les Bleus to attacking this match with a level of concentration and urgency that it called for. So what to take from the game:

The Good:

• The full 3 points - I cannot reiterate this enough. France headed into this match desperate to not lose the game, the draw and 1 point would have been seen as a moral victory. Due to the other results of the day Albania and Belarus are leading the group with 4 points - no team was able to grab 2 victories from the first 2 days. This places France right back in the chase to win the group. The next match for France will at home against old friend Romania - a vital match for Les Bleus to continue building on this success with Luxembourg as the second match, France head into these next 2 games with a great opportunity to take a commanding position in the group. Something I could not imagine 24 hours ago.
• The 4-3-3 and the French pressing - After playing with a 4-4-2 against Belarus, Blanc demonstrated what the former French manager could never do...strategic flexibility. Blanc knew he could not afford to drop any points and due to his shortage in the offensive sector he decided to "beef" up his midfield and to defend first and foremost. With a defensive midfield of Diaby, ADiarra and M'Vila, Blanc clearly sought to snuff out any oxygen and space for the Bosnian midfield. France came out from the first minute looking to pursue every 50-50 ball, shut down passing lanes and pressure the Bosnian team into mistakes. With Malouda and Valbuena doing their defensive work back tracking and latching on to Bosnian lost balls, France showed a gear that we have been waiting to see for a few years. Blanc gave us a glimpse of what he brings to the table - tactical flexibility and an understanding that has been lacking for the past 6 years.
• Rami and to some extent Mexes - the central defensive pairing was very strong in this match. In particular Rami demonstrated once again his quality. His personal battle with Dzeko was one sided, in favor of the French central defender, as one article noted he put Dzeko in his pocket. Not a simple victory when you realize that Dzeko is probably one of the best strikers in Europe that no one knows about - let us not forget that the Special One has been in hot pursuit of the German based striker. I have heard some French pundits criticizing both players for their showing against Belarus. However I would caution that these two have played 3 games together, and they will need more time to develop a working relationship which is crucial as a central defensive pairing. What I have seen so far is very promising in my eyes, but they still need time to continue to develop. Aside from Mexes' aggressive play sometimes giving away silly free kicks I am much more encouraged by this pairing than what Domenech had always rolled out on the pitch.
• Le Petit Velo - Valbuena brought a tremendous amount of energy and creativity to the right side of the pitch. Hmmmm too bad Domenech never allowed Valbuena to showcase during the World Cup. The OM play-maker was very active on the pitch. He made sure the French attack was well balanced but also allowed himself to come back to the center of the park and at times to the left allowing Malouda to drift back to the middle as well. He created himself a wonderful chance to score in the second half forcing a save from Hasagic in the 78th minute.
• Benzema - the much maligned Real Madrid striker came to play today against Bosnia. Basically slotted up front as the lone striker, Valbuena and Malouda were more offensive midfielder/wingers. His goal was a glimpse of his talent - controlling a pass in the penalty box surrounded by 3 Bosnian defender, a nice drag back with a quick release from his left foot - not the most perfect shot but the pure goal scorer's strike. He
  
  
  could have had a brace off a cheeky chip from Matuidi that forced a point blank save from Hasagic. Overall the Real striker had 6 shots on goal - including a sizzler in the 11th minute where he beat two defenders forcing a strong save and a free kick that beat the wall but could not dip in time. His showing was exactly what we have been waiting for from the former Lyon prodigy. The only question is can he string a few of these together for France? If so the question of who will take over the offensive duties for Les Bleus has found its answer. I am cautiously optimistic. His talent has never been questioned, just his desire and will. Maybe Blanc and Mourinho can get this type of effort out of Benzema on a regular basis, now that would be something truly special.
• Speaking of maligned players, Diaby also showed very well for himself. In the 4-3-3 he was given the freedom and space to show off his talents. He was sharp on his passing and dribbling. He even gave us a little school ground trickery on the second goal with a deft little back heel to Valbuena. Were his touch a bit on the softer side could have scored a goal on a text book give and go with Malouda putting the Arsenal #2 thru alone on the keeper, only to have his first touch let him down. After a maddeningly quiet match against Belarus it was good to see the Arsenal man shine in this match. Much like Benzema, I hope that he too can string more of these together for France!
• France's ability to finish strong. I do not take this lightly, that Les Bleus kept a clean sheet and finished strong after going up by 2 goals. They kept their composure and the insertion of Matuidi (his first cap, good for him) in place of Malouda was a clear signal from Blanc that he meant to preserve the clean sheet and that even up 2-0 with 10 minutes to go, the game was not over. The Saint-Etienne midfielder showed well for himself with a cheeky chip to Benzema that could have made it 3-0 as well as a diagonal cross to Diarra that the Bordeaux man could not tap in...his play was an example of the team concentrated on properly closing out the game. In past matches...Serbia in Paris during WC qualifiers in particular, France went up 2-0 only to give away a silly goal when they clearly thought the game was over. Or even the match against Romania during the same campaign at Stade de France - after going up 1-0 they seemed to take their foot off the accelerator only to see the Romanians come back and get the equalizer off an Escude own goal. If history is any indicator, every point counts, ever goal for and against is crucial, therefore nothing should be given away cheaply during qualifiers.

The Bad:

• French finishing in front of goal, okay I realize they did score 2 goals which away to Bosnia should be seen as a positive however Benzema should have had a brace, Diaby's heavy touch let him down, Valbuena tested but should have done better with his effort in the second half...Every goal is vital in qualifiers and there were at least 1-3 clear chances for another goal that France should have capitalized on. Against strong quality opponents, Benzema will not get 6 good looks at goal, so he must be more clinical on those he gets, same goes for the rest of the team.
• Sagna's crosses - I realize this is a pet peeve of mine, but for all his ability I constantly get frustrated with Sagna's poor service on crosses. Clearly he is a world class defender and does get up well into the offense but that does no good when his crosses fall sheepishly into the keeper's Nike clad mitts or fly harmlessly into touch. He must improve this part of his game for both club and country.

The Ugly:

• Dropping the full 3 points to Belarus! I realize that match was last Friday, but after this victory those lost points loom large for France. Had they just drawn that game...then again maybe losing that match was what they needed to give us this performance.
• Fans throwing fire crackers onto the pitch. At least Mexes could laugh about it, but it could have caused some serious injury...stupid. For a second there I thought I was watching a PSG game!

A great win for France. Of course I cannot get too far ahead of myself. While Bosnia is a very solid squad, especially playing at home, France did not just go into San Paulo and defeat Brazil 2-0. But a victory and a full 3 points on the road is crucial for France. There remains a lot of work ahead for the squad and Blanc. But France can head into their next match at home against Romania with much needed confidence, they will also have the return of Gourcuff and most likely Nasri.

As I stated before the healing from the disaster that was Domenech would not start in earnest until France won on the field. Les Bleus final have the breath of oxygen so desperately needed. France can leave this international break with a positive view and hope for the matches in September. Something that seemed like a futile wish only 24 hours ago.

The match highlights:



See you in September against Romania! Allez les Bleus!!!

Blanc and Les Bleus look to a 4-3-3 to take on Bosnia

Seems as if France will go back to a 4-3-3 to confront Bosnia:

France : Lloris - Sagna, Mexès, Rami, Clichy - Mvila, A. Diarra, Diaby - Valbuena, Malouda, Benzema. Sélectionneur: Laurent Blanc

Clearly if Blanc goes with this line up he is announcing his intent to beef up his midfield, play to stifle the Bosnian attack and is looking to not lose. Of course he could change his mind and insert Menez in the place of Diaby and shifting to a 4-2-3-1 looking a bit more offensive in the process. My gut tells me he will opt for the 4-3-3 more "muscular" midfield. With the likes of Valbuena - Malouda - Benzema up front, I think Blanc feels he has enough potential offense to steal a goal from Bosnia. Also, Diaby will be able to give some offensive punch from his deeper role. In addition, with Mexes, Rami, Diaby and Diarra there clearly an opportunity to try and get a goal off set pieces - as well as hopefully ensure strong defense on Bosnian set pieces.

It will be very interesting who comes out of the tunnel for France to start the game. Is Blanc going to be overly cautious to get 1 point or will he look to throw enough offense on the pitch to give France an outside chance at the full 3 points?

France v Uruguay...nothing gained nothing lost

My my my how we never make things easy. France once again open their World Cup campaign with a very lackluster match. They had their chances and they gave up opportunities...all for naught.

The Good:

• France did not lose...when that is the best thing you can write that is not good. With the other Group A match ending in a draw France neither gained nor lost with the result.
• There were no injuries. When that is the second best thing one can say about the match...that is all one needs to know about this game.
• I was happy to see the play of Diaby, the Arsenal man showed some pace and creativity. He did attempt some
  
  long distance shots early, which is not bad for him, he has shown an ability to score from distance for his club. He also did some of the defensive work in the midfield and his height played a part defending on set pieces. Something, albeit small, to build upon.
• Lloris was solid, he was not called upon too often but did make some sure handed saves when called upon.
• Speaking of keepers, much was made about the young Uruguayan keeper, Muslera. And how he was not the first choice and he was too young...well he played very well, did not get rattled and made a strong save on a Gourcuff free kick midway through the first half.

The Bad:

• Missed opportunities for France....and Uruguay as well. With both teams knowing the other game saw a sharing of the points, both nations knew if they could grab the full 3 points they would be a very advantageous position in the group standing. Both nations made some attempts to get the win, yet neither team seemed fully invested in the effort.

The Ugly:

• So much "ugliness" for Les Bleus...not sure where to start. Govou? Again he seemed like a waste on the right side. Anelka looked okay at times but he constantly drifts too deep as a center forward. Ribery? Where was he more lots of the game? Gourcuff? Is he being properly used?? He, Ribery and Anelka seemed to get in each others' way on too many occasions. France just seemed out of sorts, no one seemed to take the reigns on the team on the pitch...maybe not having a Pat Vieira or Zizou on the field is showing in the leadership category. Could this increase the desire to see an Henry back in the starting XI?

So much like kissing your cousin, this game leaves you with a bad taste. France miss out on an opportunity not only to get a full 3 points but also to give a better showing...all this will do is increase the pressure on Les Bleus and increase the doubts on the unity and quality of the team. I realize that Les Bleus did not start the 2006 World Cup very well, but they also had some elements that are missing - on field leadership and the creative genius of a certain Zidane.

On to Mexico next week....nerves on edge....

Diaby in Malouda out - Domenech sat the wrong player!

As we have all grown accustomed to dealing with when following Les Bleus - Domenech springs another surprise and swaps out Malouda for the Arsenal man Diaby. The formation -

France : Lloris - Sagna, Gallas, Abidal, Evra - Gourcuff, Toulalan, Diaby - Govou, Anelka, Ribéry 

Is this really going to be a 4-3-3? Or are we shifting to a 4-2-1-3? With two holding players - Diaby and Toulalan? I am happy that Domenech made a change, but changed the WRONG player!! Why is Govou still out there? Why Why Why? I just do not think the Lyon man will bring to the game.

It does look as if Domenech is nervous about the Uruguayan line up with what appears to be 5 midfielders and only 3 at the back. Defending the likes of Forlan and Suarez are first priority, but adding some attack on the right side would  have been nice as well... 

Diaby to infuse panache to the French game?

One positive aspect I have taken from the otherwise lack luster performance from France over the last 3 games is the dynamic Diaby brings to the pitch.  The often injured Arsenal man has always had the "potential" to be a great player for club and country - he has shown glimmers of his potential but too often sees those spurts derailed by injuries. This past season is one where he finally was able to remain on the pitch consistently. Is he an option to play a greater role this World Cup?

Anyone who has followed this team during the Domenech era knows one thing - expect the unexpected. No one would be surprised if this Friday Domenech rolled out a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-4-2 or started Henry as sweeper...so if Diaby somehow finds himself as a started one should not be shocked. What Diaby would bring is more height (Diaby is 6'3" while Malouda is under 6') and a more "defensive" oriented midfielder. The problem would be forcing Malouda to the bench which I am not sure would be a net gain. On the flip side could we see a 4-2-3-1 again with Diaby and Toulalan as the back 2, a midfield of Malouda - Gourcuff - Ribery (forcing the Munich winger to the side he does not like - the right) and have the lone striker - Henry or Anelka?? Of course this would be somewhat problematic since Domenech has been going with the 4-3-3 since Tignes.

Diaby is a nice player who offers some options, the real problem however is not whether or not Diaby should start over Malouda, but who should start over Govou on the right!

A little compilation of what the Arsenal man can do -

France v Ireland...the "second half"

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

Diaby out...again

The news this morning from Clairefontaine is that the Gooner, Diaby is out for France and Mavuba has been called into the squad. This is a shame since Diaby had all the chances in the world to start next to Diarra, since Toulalan is suspended and maybe for once Domenech would take a slight chance with his line up and not have 2 pure holding midfielders. Alas...unfortunately for Diaby he is starting to resemble Pat Vieira in another way - always injured.

Diaby appeared to have gotten over his latest injury bugs and playing very well for Arsenal, chipping in a goal in the recent Gooner win from a bursting run through the midfield beating at least 2 defenders and the keeper. I hope that this set back is temporary for both club and country.

As for Mavuba, he gets a deserved call up. The Lille captain has been quietly playing at the highest level in Ligue 1. After making a brief foray into Iberia, Mavuba is back where he feels more comfortable and is the main man in the engine room for Lille. It is a nice problem to have - depth at the holding midfielder spot. Ask the three lions if the would like that problem.

No Vieira for Lithuania

Domenech announced his list of players for the upcoming double confrontation versus the Baltic nation of Lithuania, who is also sitting atop of the group with 5 points on top of Les Bleus. So first the list -

Gardiens
Cédric Carrasso (Toulouse)
Hugo Lloris (Lyon)
Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenseurs
Gaël Clichy (Arsenal)
Rod Fanni (Rennes)
Patrice Evra (Manchester United)
William Gallas (Arsenal)
Philippe Mexès (AS Rome)
Adil Rami (Lille)
Bakary Sagna (Arsenal)
Sébastien Squillaci (FC Séville)

Milieux
Alou Diarra (Bordeaux)
Abou Diaby (Arsenal)
Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid)
Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux)
Samir Nasri (Arsenal)
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)
Jérémy Toulalan (Lyon)

Attaquants
Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
Karim Benzema (Lyon)
Jimmy Briand (Rennes)
André-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse)
Thierry Henry (Barcelone)

Nothing shocking, Gignac and Rami a bit of a surprise but when you peel the onion back not that much of a surprise. So lets dive in:

The Good:

• As I mentioned, Gignac was a bit of a surprise. However he fully deserves the call up. He is the leading scorer of Ligue 1 (17 goals) and allows Domenech some options offensively. He is strong in the air and can play out wide, and could operate as the lone striker up front if need be. Additionally he has been on quite a roll as of late, scoring a bundle of goals in recent matches, more than can be said for . Of course I am not sure if the Toulouse man will even see the pitch for either match, but it will be good to have him at Clairefontaine. I just hope he has more of a chance than did other strikers who were given a "cup of coffee" such as Savidan (granted Gignac is 7 years younger than Savidan so has more time ahead of him to cement his spot with Les Bleus).
  
• The other "surprise" is Rami from Lille. Well not entirely a surprise, I have been calling for him to be part of the squad well ahead of donkeys like Boumsong, and Rami had been called for an A game for Les Bleus. Thankfully the Lyon central defender is injuried otherwise I am sure Domenech would have found a way to include him in his list. The Lille central defender has already been approached by Lemerre to play for Morocco, his parent's native land, but turned down the offer hoping to earn a full cap with France. It would appear he might achieve that goal by next month. Rami might have a decent chance to see the pitch based on the injuries that plague the central defenders for Les Bleus.
• Another Gunner is back in the mix, Diaby, is playing very well for the Goooners and deserved to be in the mix. The issue for Diaby is where does he play for Les Bleus? While everyone likes to compare him to Vieira, their games are very different. Pat is more of a tackler, defender, hard man at the midfield, while Abou is more offensive and potentially more of a wing player. Not sure if he has the discipline or game to be one of the two that sits in front of the back 4. However, based on his play, and to some degree on his potential it is good to see him in the mix. The nice element as well, Diaby gives Domenech a natural left footed player.

The Bad:

• While I do not have too much critique with regards to the list, I think that not having Landreau in the mix is bad. I recognize that Carrasso has had a solid season with Toulouse, but the PSG keeper is having, arguably a top 2 performance in France. He is clearly one of the main reasons PSG is contending for the title and not for maintenance in Ligue 1. What I think is bad is more, once again, Domenech's completely asinine way to manage his keepers. I am not saying that Mandanda or Lloris are not deserving of battling for the #1 strip...but neither has translated their club success into success with Les Bleus. That should at least mean that Landreau should and needs to be considered for the roster. Don't get me started on Frey...who is the clear #1 for France.
• Hourau, it is not bad that he was not selected but bad that we constantly hear a drum beat about the tall PSG striker needing to be included on the list. First I am not saying that Hourau's recent form for PSG does not give him legs to stand on with regards to being called up, he, like Landreau are some of the main reasons PSG is contending. However, his game does not match with how Domenech has decided to run his squad. Hourau is tall striker that is a "pivot" a player where the offense will pivot on leveraging his height to play high crosses and through balls. He can also shield defenders so can receive passes and distribute off to players filling the channels. This style is, however, very static, not what Domenech has apparently wanted for Les Bleus. To me Hourau is a taller version (potentially) of Trezeguet, granted Trez can pick up the ball much deeper. If Trez has no role with Les Bleus, not sure Hourau will either. Maybe he can be a joker, come into a game late and change the dynamic, very similar to what Trezeguet brought to France early in his career. But let us please stop with the constant drum beat that Hourau is the answer for the French attack.
  

The Ugly:

• Again nothing that is ugly, other than the fact injuries are hurting Les Bleus. Speaking of injuries, the fact that Pat Vieira is not on the list is not ugly, he does not deserve to be on the list based on his recent action for Inter. What is ugly is that we might never see Pat done the #4 shirt for Les Bleus.

Overall this is a good list, there are not too many players I would have switched for another. Based on Domenech's prior statements I would expect we see the following line up -

Mandanda
Sagna - Mexes - Gallas - Evra
Toulalan - Diarra
Ribery - Gourcuff - Henry
Anelka (or Benzema)

I think Henry is playing very well for Barca and has found his place on the left, Ribery is the best player in the Bundesliga, what worries me is Gourcuff. No doubt he is the key to much of the French offense but I fear he is hitting a wall. I hope that Domenech would consider slotting Nasri on a wing and sliding Ribery into the middle. Up front I am not sure either Anelka or Benzema are lighting up the scoreboard right now, but both should be more than adequete against Lithuania. LDiarra is a no brainer as holding midfielder. I might actually look to play Diaby there, knowing that he might be more offensively minded than Toulalan, and more importantly brings more size to the line up. That will be crucial. Why? France struggles on set pieces and the one way I see the Balts drawing or even defeating Les Bleus in one of these matches is via the set piece. Finally I think the back line is fairly straight forward. Maybe Sagna sits in favor of Fanni and maybe Clichy and Evra split the matches. Mexes and Gallas should be the central defense short of an injury to either one. Mandanda is the best keeper in France right now, hopefully he carries it over to Les Bleus.

Just based on this list, France has the fire power and talent to expect the full 6 points from these upcoming matches. Unfortunately this is Les Bleus of the Domenech era so who knows which team will show up. Lithuania have nothing to lose and have played very well. I think both matches will be much more difficult than anyone would otherwise think....let us hope Les Bleus don't get ambushed.

Aresnal - buy low sell high, and win no silverware

Arsenal once again, look like a net seller in this market. As of today they have acquired the French international Samir Nasri, I think a perfect signing for Wenger and Arsenal. But they are rumored to lose Adebayour and have lost Hleb, Gilberto and Flamini. The last two the real steel of the Arsenal midfield the past few seasons. Hleb is not a huge loss since Nasri will take his "slot" and is probably a net gain in terms of ability and versatility.

The problem I have, is Arsenal were a little soft for me last season, and the players that were the least soft - Flamini and Gilberto are gone with no replacement yet at the Emirates. I have heard some talk that, well Wenger will just slot Diaby in the middle. While I like Diaby and think he could flourish playing his more natural role as a central midfielder rather than on the wings, the main problem I have is with his health. He has not had a full season, injury free, yet. If he is to be the next holding/defensive midfielder for Arsenal he has to play the bulk of the games, something he has yet to prove he can do. So who else can Arsene turn to? There is talk that they are in the running to get Yaya Toure from Barca, a move I would absolutely love to see. But I am sure they will need to spend some money to get Kolo's brother. Might they get Barry? I doubt it if Liverpool is also in the running, they will overspend for the Villa player. How about the revelation of the Euros - Arshavin? He would be a great addition, but does not address the need for a holding midfielder. He would make a great complement with Nasri and Cesc, that would be a formidable offensive midfield, granted a little lacking in size for the Prem.

Bottom line, I think that until the Emirates finances are better in control Wenger will continue to sell and be frugal and selective on his purchases. He is also going to continue to look to build on the backs of his youth and not hold on to 30+ players. Some might argue this is the way to go, but when is the last time Arsenal has really challenged for the league title? And when is the last time they have won any silverware? Until Wenger loosens the purse strings and realizes that there is value in keeping older players to combine with youth, Arsenal I fear will be looking up at Manchester United and Chelsea....maybe even Liverpool, for the near future. We will not be seeing images such as the one above for a while....