Les Bleus - Glass half empty, but the half full has some optimism

So it has been less than 24 hours and the long knives have already come out. No surprise. After being thoroughly outplayed in their last group game, coupled with a timid exit from the 1/4 finals, there plenty of ammunition for the pundits to question Les Bleus. Let's look at what we learned from France's run:

The Good:

One of the few bright spots for Les Bleus

• Reaching the 1/4 finals. I realize this is difficult to process after what we saw yesterday. However, after two disastrous tournaments - Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 - getting out of the group stages was one of France's goals. Les Bleus navigated their first two games as they should. While they could have hoped for a better result versus England, they were able to come back after being down 1-0. They then resumed regular service when they defeated co-host Ukraine 2-0. With 4 points, Les Bleus knew they had a foot into the 1/4 finals, good to take care of business from the start...not all good...more on the bad later.
• The emergence of Lloris....okay this is not a news flash! Lloris did not have much of a chance to shine in South Africa, but he showed his class at these Euros. I would only fault him on the English goal, the others he gave up were unstoppable. The Lyon keeper will be backstopping Les Bleus for many years to come. A team cannot underestimate the comfort in having a stable #1 to call on....look at what Hart is doing for England!
• A duo of M'Vila - Cabaye to build on? I realize that M'Vila struggled with an injury and at times was not able to display his full range of abilities. On the contrary, Cabaye had a coming out party at the Euros. His ability to link the defense and offense were on display in his first two games. He even opened his goal account with Les Bleus. Both players are young and look for France to build on this base in the midfield.
• Menez playing on the right. I realize we have a small sample size. However the PSG winger was one of the few offensive players who fulfilled his role. He kept the right wing occupied and allowed the French to have the width necessary to off set the tendency to lean on the left with the likes of Ribery. Menez should scored more in his game versus Ukraine, but it was his goal that unblocked the situation. There is a future for the PSG winger on the right side of the French formation. But enough about the good....let's get to the juicy part.

The Bad:

• Backing into the 1/4 finals. As I had posted prior to the Sweden game, click here for post, I thought it was very important for France to end the group stages on a win after getting the 4 points after their first two games.The fact Les Bleus were thoroughly outplayed in their game against the vikings was a bad omen for yesterday. It is unlike what happened in 2000 when France lost their last group game against co-host Holland 3-2...starting a secondary line up. France had won their first two games and knew they were headed to the 1/4 finals. Many would argue that they were happy to finish second in the group since they would stay in their location. This time around, France should have wanted to finish first - avoid facing Spain! Alas, Les Bleus exhibited some hubris and lacked the professionalism to finish out the group. The reaped what they sowed.
• I have to question Blanc's over managing at times. Of course had France come out of yesterday with the win we would all be heaping praises on his brilliance. I cannot completely throw Le President under the bus. I like the fact he was willing and able to shift strategies based on his opponents. Unlike his predecessor who would, apparently, blindly threw out the same line up. However does this gloss over a bigger problem? Did Blanc have faith in his team where he could just roll out his best formation and basically take on the challenge - strength on strength? At some level I think Blanc did not have complete faith in his team. Did not trust his best line up could beat another team's best line up. I do question starting Debuchy high on the right side. I understand the reasoning...but the reality is the Lille right back was dangerous when he was able to overlap and make runs from deep. Starting him higher on the pitch did not allow him to do accomplish this. Had Blanc really wanted more defense, why not start Matuidi? Have Debuchy play right back. Instead it felt like a round peg in a square hole. Again hindsight is 20/20. Good for Blanc to be flexible but sometimes one can over think the situation.
• France needs an on the field leader! I realize that Lloris wears the arm band, and leads through example (he is the only player who gets a good rating for all his games) but he is not a leader a la Platini, Vieira, Zidane, Deschamps or Desailly. A player that will lead not only through example but by telling teammates to get it together. Les Bleus need one...could it be Cabaye or M'Vila eventually? Maybe. But there wasn't one in Poland/Ukraine.

The Ugly:

No repeat...yet

• La Generation 87...Nasri, Benzema, Ben Arfa and to some extent Menez (although I did praise him earlier!) did not show up.  Yes Nasri scored the equalizer against England, but where was he in the other games? His tendency to drift to the center of the park left his right side vacant. He did not provide the offensive outlet the team needed. Benzema had a large number of shots and two assists against Ukraine...but he is our striker, he needs to score goals. I realize he got frustrated and dropped deeper to get the ball, but a striker can go all game with very few touches and still be effective. Look at Inzaghi! You would never hear his name for Milan or Italy and then all of sudden 3 touches and a brace! If Benzema is more comfortable playing deeper, like Ibrahimovic for Sweden, then France need to line up a true striker. Otherwise teams will just let their last bank of 4 sit deep and keep everything 10 - 15 yards in front of them. Finally Ben Arfa for his brief time on the pitch was a shell of himself. Where was the Newcastle player who ran at defenses and forced teams to their back heels? Granted he had a short run of it, but did not step into the opportunity.
• I don't think Mexes covered himself in glory. First he seemed to show up in less than ideal shape. Second he continued to make mental mistakes during the games. Finally getting that second yellow card was silly...granted it might have been for the best since I think the Spanish would have skinned him alive. But for the 30 year old defender might he have seen his international career pass him by? I was always a fan of his, I think Domenech was a fool in the way he handled the AC Milan libero during his peak years. Unfortunately we are now getting him on the back nine of his career. Alas, another legacy left by Dumbenech!
• Speaking of seeing the last of a player, I do not think that we will see Malouda for France any more. It is a shame. Flo has always been a good soldier for France. And another player that was mishandled by Domenech. I respect the reasoning behind why Blanc took the veteran Chelsea man, but his play on the field was not good. He was invisible. While it was ugly, I will thank Flo for his time and play for Les Bleus.
• Finally, speaking of ugly...what Nasri did post game was unacceptable. That was ugly.

So France head home. Not as early as the last two tournaments, but still with too many questions and doubts. There is a core to build upon. There remains some hope! I hope that Blanc stays on, he has done a lot already and changing jockeys at this point would seem counter intuitive. Allow him to build to World Cup 2014. 

Les Bleus - more changes for Sweden

Blanc springs another small surprise on us heading into the Sweden game. With the need of at least a point, preferably three points, Blanc has rolled out a team that is positioned to get a result.

What is interesting is we see Ben Arfa in the place of Menez. The PSG player had a shaky first half against Ukraine, but did get a goal as well as creating another clear cut goal opportunity. Interesting change to say the least. Cabaye is on the bench to allow him some time to recover from a knock he picked up last game.

I do not think we will see much difference between the style of the French game - M'Vila is on par with Cabaye, granted different style, but no drop in overall talent. Ben Arfa will give France a strong presence on the right, and much like Menez will ensure the right side the presence it needs for balance.

Finally, how will Mexes and Debuchy manage their play with the yellow card they have hanging over their heads? Ideally France can find a way to an early lead and take out these two players to protect them for the 1/4 finals. But first things first...France need a result, hopefully three points. After that let's hope they have all their players for the next round!

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!!!

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!!!!

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!

Another win for Les Bleus - but a big time scare early on

So France march on with another victory in preparation for the Euros. This one much easier than the first against Iceland. Yet it too had some scary moments...right from the beginning!

The Good:

• Like I stated after the Iceland game...a win is a win. Unlike the Iceland game, Les Bleus came out with their dancing shoes on and quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead and it could have been 3-0 at the half hour mark had Benzema been able to react to a deft Ribery pull back. But the game was much easier for France overall and the victory well deserved.
• Speaking of Ribery, another goal and really a fantastic match for the Kaiser. Ribery started this match in his preferred left attacking spot. He and Clichy seem to click immediately, the Manchester City left back jumping into the offense allowing width to the attack. On the Ribery goal it was a nice little overlap from Clichy after Ribery had drawn 3 defenders that opened up the space. Ribery was then able to run to the open space left by the Serbian defenders, follow up on a dangerous cross from Clichy and finish with a powerful volley. In addition, Ribery was allowed to float and interchange with Malouda and Nasri, really popping up all over the field. Scoring two goals in two games has to be good for the Bayern man, he looks ready to have a good tournament.
• One has to give a tip of the cap to Malouda and Nasri as well. The Chelsea man had a wonder goal from distance, showing a willingness to shoot, something too few midfielders seem to do these days. Like Ribery, Malouda allowed himself to run to space and take what the Serbian defense gave him. The same can be said for Nasri. While he tried to maintain his position on the right, he too allowed himself to take what was given. At times two of the midfielders found themselves stacked on the same side, but not an issue when the defense was giving that space away.
• Lloris was once again solid. It is easy to overlook sometimes the consistency of the Lyon keeper. He was called upon to make some above average saves, in particular on a free kick early in the second half. His play and steady hand will be vital to keeping the French well grounded from the back.
• The wide players - Clichy and Reveillere - both played solid games. Giving Blanc some good options for who he wants to lean on for left and right fullbacks. I still put my money on Debuchy on the right but on the left Clichy could play his way over Evra.

The Bad:

• Midfield work in progress...why bad? Because there are 11 days until the start of the tournament! I think the Ribery - Nasri - Malouda midfield was good...but I think there remains work to be done. I am not sure that with Nasri you have enough balance between the left and right side. Nasri tends to like to come back to the middle and while Malouda and Ribery pop up on the right, the real threats are from the left. Does this mean Ben Arfa is the solution on the right? I do not know. And that is bad this late in the game.
• Benzema...might be a surprise but I think his lack of finishing is a bit disconcerting. He had a clear 1 v 1 early on, while the keeper made a decent save, a striker of Benzema's caliber needs to make the keeper work harder for a save. He also had a clear opening when Ribery showed some twinkle toes on the end line, granted it wasn't the easiest ball to handle, but again player of his level should at least get a foot to it.

The Ugly:

• M'Vilas ankle...ouch. After 44 seconds it looked as if a key part of Blanc's set up could be done. Seeing the Rennes midfield on the bench sobbing after being taken off at the 4th minute was also a tad nerve wracking. M'Vila has become one of Blanc's main players and one quickly sees why when he is on the pitch. He provides cover for the back 4 and adds steel to the midfield. France could go far if he plays and plays well, without him there is definitely a lost element.  Thankfully all reports indicate the injury will not keep him out the Euros. 
• Yellow cards .... for Mexes. Ribery played in two games and scored twice, Mexes has played in two games and recieved...two yellow cards. These do not mean anything now, but once the games start for real if begins to pick up yellows it will not be good for France. Especially since Blanc only has three natural center backs. Something that could get ugly if not controlled. 

Again a win. First half was very good. France played simple and fast, constantly putting Serbia on their back heels. The second half it appeared that fatigue caught up to both sides and we fell into a lackluster international scrimmage. That is fine as long as you win and do not get hurt!

One more before we start for real.

France v Albania...some thoughts...a few days late!

I am remiss to have not had the time to post some thoughts on the France v Albania match from last Friday. It turned out to be a relatively easy victory for Les Bleus: 3-0, a score that one would expect when teams such as these meet. Some quick thoughts:

The Good:

• Have to start with Samir Nasri, the Citizen has come under tremendous criticism as of late for his showings wearing the French stripe, and they have been deserved. He has not been able to replicate his Premier league form for France. Even being benched for the match away to Romania. However a new and apparently more at ease Nasri showed up this time around. He openly joked with the media about the scrutiny he was being placed under. Clearly this new attitude served him well as he played one of his better matches for France. He appeared more comfortable given the responsibility to manage the right channel.  He frequently cut back to the middle, dropped deep when he needed and even lend a hand defensively, no better image of that than seeing him at the top of the French penalty box late into the game when France were already ahead 3-0 working hard to win a ball. The goal by Remy was created by Nasri who shed no less than 4 Albania defenders who all were trying to take down the Manchester City player, he broke into the penalty area gave a neat little fake to draw the defenders before laying off a sumptuous little through ball on the running Remy. Blanc expressed his happiness with the way Nasri played, now it is up to the former Marseilles and Arsenal midfielder to build on this showing - if he does that is great for Les Bleus.
• 14 caps and he is only 21, clearly M'Vila is one of Blanc's core players that he mentioned when took over Les Bleus. He was the metronome for France, sitting comfortably infront of the back 4, providing an outlet for the midfield when they found themselves in trouble and being a defensive rock when need be. With M'Vila, Blanc might have the luxury of playing with only one pure holding/defensive midfielder, similar to what Spain did in 2008 with Senna.
• Remy is starting to come into his own as a footballer. His pace on the flank was something Albania had no answers for, he created the first goal by simply running by the defense event thought they were giving him a very healthy cushion. His goal was cheeky as he nutmegged the keeper and his work rate on the flank kept Albania on their back heel. One has to wonder what will happen with Ribery returns healthy, will Blanc look to unleash Remy on the right wing and Ribery on the left? 
• Scoring early...cliche I realize, but one cannot overstate how vital it was for France to score early in this match. Against a team like Albania, you always get a bit concerned if you take too long to score that first goal. The longer the underdog keeps a clean sheet the greater their confidence grows and more stern their defending...and you can always get the "hold up" as we saw earlier in these qualifiers as Belarus sprung a late goal to take the full 3 points from France.
• The crowd at Stade de France, recently the crowd at the Stade de France have been fickle, and with reason. They have booed the team and when Dumbenech was still there chanted requests for the coach to resign (something I wholeheartedly supported!). But this match there was something different the supporters backed up the team, the enthusiasm reverberated through out the stadium - even giving Cisse many standing ovations (he used to get booed!).

The Bad:

•  French injuries, you never want to see them but you know they will occur but seeing Evra and Cabaye having to sub off due to injury is not good. With a big match coming up you want to keep what you have intact, especially since France are already "under - manned" due to injuries. Something to keep an eye on, especially since Evra and Abidal might be out, interesting to see who could be slotted in at left back.
• Speaking of Belarus...coming down to the last game with qualification riding on the line is BAD, especially considering France dropped FIVE points to Belarus! A draw at home and a loss on the road are nothing but BAD BAD BAD...border line UGLY. I realize that France and Bosnia are both guaranteed to "play on" one will win the group the other will be put into home and away fixtures against another group runner up.  Now granted, France would go into the #1 Pot if they fail to win the group and therefore most likely miss potential opponents such as Belgium/Turkey, Croatia or Denmark (based on current standings)...but why go through that stress...remember France v Ireland to get to World Cup 2010?

The Ugly:

• Did anyone get the number of that Albanian tackling machine? The Eastern Europeans clearly lived up to their reputations as a tough side, but some of their tackles were border line criminal. 
• The Albanian keeper - Ujkani - did not cover himself in glory. Granted his defense at times let him down and trying to stop point blank shots isn't always easy. But he was beaten between the legs and to the short side...granted I have given up my fair share of goals in this manner but I have never represented my country! Ugly goals...

Overall happy to see the win, Les Bleus did what they should have done - beaten Albania with relative ease. Now onwards to the "mini final" against Bosnia...

Les Bleus back to the future...with a twist

The noise coming out of Clairefontaine is that Blanc is potentially going with old faithful the: 4-2-3-1. Yes that formation that Domenech stuck with doggedly for too long, however there is a twist! It appears that Blanc will align M'Vila next to Gourcuff as the 2 sitting in front of the defense. Well that is interesting. Something this blog has been advocating for!

Get Gourcuff deeper into the Pirlo role. M'Vila has demonstrated that he can shoulder the responsibility of being the lone holding player, with Gourcuff lying deeper they can work together to organize counters from deeper in the park. Add to this the offensive ability of Mexes and you have options for counters coming quickly from the French defensive 1/3.  The 3 midfield players would appear to be Malouda - Nasri - Valbuena. The two wide players bring pace and understanding to maintain and bringing width to the team. The question will be can Nasri and Gourcuff coexist in a formation that might find them in the same space during the game. Benzema up top as the solo striker worked well at Bosnia, let us hope it continues to flourish. The back line remains what we expect, other than Reveillere replacing Sagna on the right. Otherwise it will be Clichy on the left with Mexes - Rami in the center and Lloris in goal.

If this is the line up that walks out onto the grounds of Stade de France I will be very interested in watching a few things: how Nasri and Gourcuff coexist, can M'Vila hold up the holding role or will someone lying deep, but is not defensive minded, distract him from his task (see how M'Vila's game dropped off a little in the second half of the Norwary game when Lass shouldered him deep), will Valbuena offer a constant offensive threat from the right flank and finally can Benzema continue to build on his Bosnia performance.

I am very encouraged to seeing Blanc looking to get his most talented offensive players on the pitch together. I think what M'Vila has shown on the pitch, gives Blanc the confidence that the young midfielder can handle the responsibilities of being the lone holding midfielder. With a deep lying Gourcuff, an inform Nasri and Malouda, the counters and offense can be initiated from a variety of locations on the pitch.

The Romania game will be very interesting to watch!

Allez les Bleus

A double dip bottom for France? Les Bleus lose 4th straight match

Sigh...Les Bleus have not won a meaningful game since they defeated Ireland 1-0...that was last year - November 14 2009. The defeat of Costa Rica was a friendly. Otherwise France is on their 4th straight loss - Mexico, South Africa, Norway and now Belarus. Not exactly Spain, Argentina, Brazil and Germany in terms of powerful international sides....alas. So after a day to mull over what I watched here are some thoughts.

The Good:

• Um not much good....but the play of M'Vila once again impressed. The young holding midfielder clearly earned more points and impressed with his pace, defensive presence, passing, intelligent positioning and overall game. As I wrote in an earlier post, this might be the tipping point with regards to Toulalan as an international. M'Vila's game could allow Blanc, once he has his full roster, to play a much more offensive midfield and rely on the young Rennes player to be the primary protection for the back 4. He was impressive starting the second half when he jumped a pass and unleashed a powerful shot, something you would not see from Toulalan.
• Day 1 of qualifying. You have to point to the positives! As much as it is grasping for straws. However we must remember that the qualifiers just started, there are many many more matches to go. France got trounced 3-1 against Austria when they started World Cup 2010 qualification. If France cannot end second in this group then we have bigger problems...sad that finishing second might be the ultimate goal....
• Blanc is running the team not Domenech. I realize that Le President is 0-2 as manager of France. However I still have much more faith in his ability to turn this around. Let us  not forget this was his second match in charge with important players missing. Granted the honeymoon is over or close to over, but at least the person pulling the strings is capable of getting France back on track.

The Bad:

• Goals anyone? France's poor showing in front of goal remains a concern. We cannot forget first, that we are without the services of some important offensive players - Anelka, Henry, Ben Arfa, Nasri, Gignac, Ribery and Cisse. When it comes to the first two mentioned they have retired by choice or due to FFF. But even a nation with as much talent as France does not have a bottomless pit of players. In addition, the players leveraged by Blanc up front had 21 caps total amongst them and 4 goals....Saha 18(4), Gameiro 0, Hourau 1(0) and Remy 2 (0)....a far cry from the likes of the players mentioned.
• The early strategy of playing short corners. Not really sure what the thinking was behind this. With the likes of Diaby, Hourau, Mexes and Rami in the offensive zone why not send crosses in directly from the corner kick?

The Ugly:

• I have stated this before, but now it is getting a little much but Sagna and to some extent Clichy and their crosses. The Arsenal fullback duo are excellent when it comes to their defensive responsibilities - granted Sagna allowed a Belarus break early in the second half because he allowed a player on sides. However what has gotten a little ugly is their inability to provide consist quality in their crosses. Both Clichy and Sagna have the pace and
  
  
  
  
  desire to jump into the offense and get themselves into good positions, but the end result - the cross - leaves much to desired. I don't expect either to become Maicon or Ramos, but being able to provide at least 50% of crosses into a real danger zone would be a huge improvement.
• Dropping 3 points at home. Qualifiers are always a long and grueling marathon, any time you drop any points at home it is not a good thing. Especially when it is against a side like Belarus. A draw would have been a disappointment but at least it would have been a point, but dropping all the points is very UGLY.
• Still looking for a leader. It was clear to me that Les Bleus had more individual talent on the pitch, but there was a clear lack of leader. Not surprising. When Malouda is your most capped player with 57 and the next are all in the 20s for caps you have a very young and inexperienced team - average age 25. It will be interesting to see what changes when players like Ribery, Cisse, Nasri, Gourcuff and Evra are available to return. However Les Bleus must allow a leader to emerge, I think that Mexes and Rami are starting to show that they can provide leadership at the back, but the team will need the Zidane, Platini, Deschamps or Vieira style player that will take the reigns of the team as a whole.

Sigh, so France continues to have problems. Cannot score, lack a leader, still seem to be finding their style to name a few. After 6 years of Domenech we all knew that the rebuilding would be difficult. Inspector Clouseau left the squad in such upheaval that the work needed to bring things back to the proper level was always going to be a challenge. I am sure that none of us thought it would be easy, but clearly not this difficult either.

Big match in a few days against Bosnia. After Tuesday we will now whether or not Blanc and Les Bleus have Mt Blanc to to climb or something more reasonable.

M'Vila favored over Diarra - starting 11 for Les Bleus

The young French phenom, M'Vila, was favored by Blanc over his former Bordeaux captain Diarra. Not entirely surprising, the question remains will M'Vila be comfortable in a 4 man midfield? Or does this allow Diaby to push higher up the pitch with Malouda and Menez, essentially leaving M'Vila as the lone holding midfielder providing cover for the back 4. Also, the captain's arm band goes to Malouda, no surprise and a good move by Blanc. Giving the captaincy to a returning World Cup player but one that was not a ring leader and a player that suffered and persevered under Domenech.

Should be interesting.

The line up:

Lloris - Sagna, Rami, Mexès, Clichy - Menez, Diaby, M'Vila, Malouda (cap.) - Hoarau, Rémy

Blanc moving towards a 4-4-2: Menez on the right?

Without the services of his 3 "natural" play-makers - Gourcuff, Ribery and Nasri - it would appear that Blanc is moving towards leveraging a normal 4-4-2 with a flat middle 4. Opposed to the 4-4-2 diamond that was leveraged during the Norway game where M'Vila sat at the base of the diamond as the solo holding midfielder and Nasri at the top of the diamond as the play-maker. 

Blanc will apparently lean on his wide players to carry the play making role, with Malouda on the left and Menez potentially on the right. The other option for the right would be Valbuena. Remains to be seen how Blanc goes with the

right side of the midfield. ADiarra and Diaby will hold the middle 2 slots in the midfield providing cover for the back 4,  wonder if M'Vila will slot in rather than Diarra? Up front, it appears that Hourau and Remy will once again get the nod to start, partially due to Benzema picking up a knock and I am sure Blanc wants to see the tandem on the pitch again.

Finally the back will have the same center back partnership (Mexes - Rami) with the return of World Cup players on the wings and in goal: Sagna, Clichy and Lloris.

It will be interesting to see if the two wide midfielders can carry on the play making for France. The formation might make Clichy and Sagna less free to push high up the pitch. With a striker like Hourau the crosses from the wings will be crucial to unlocking the opposition allowing Remy to play off his position. If Malouda and Menez can carry the game and allow the wide channels to be opened at appropriate times permitting the fullbacks to push higher and send in crosses, this might create the necessary offensive push to bag a few goals.

Probably line up:
Lloris - Sagna, Rami, Mexès, Clichy - A. Diarra, Diaby - Ménez, Malouda - Rémy, Hoarau.

France v Norway: The Blanc era starts with a 2-1 loss, but lots of positive to take from the match.

The Laurent Blanc era started...unfortunately with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Norway. Then again Norway is ranked 22nd and France 21st so not a huge upset! There were some encouraging aspects of the match, some usual problems but overall a better outlook than when we last saw Les Bleus. Some thoughts:

The Good:

• Fresh faces - Once Laurent Blanc decided to leave the World Cup 23 at home we knew there would have to be an infusion of new talent. With Ruffier, Rami, M'Vila, Hourau, N'Zogbia, Menez, Cissokho and Cabaye getting their first caps it was refreshing to see a team with the drive and effort that comes from new blood. A much better site to see than what we last saw from Les Bleus. Maybe the World Cup 23 can learn something from this match in terms of what it means to put on your nation's jersey.
• Speaking of fresh faces, the central defensive tandem of Mexes and Rami was very promising. The Lille central defender was solid in the back and was very strong in the air clearing a number of crosses and high
  
  
  passes into the box. He also brought an aerial threat on offense. What was most refreshing about watching him play was his lack of fear when it comes to sticking his cranium in hazardous places, a skill I am sure his manager respects since that was a strength of Laurent Blanc when he played. The pairing with Mexes worked well with the AS Roma player showing his quality bringing the ball out of the defensive end of the pitch for France. On many occasions Mexes was used as a launching pad for the offense, and he was very comfortable pushing into the offensive side of the pitch to bring his support to the attack. Mexes is at time overly aggressive on defense, but in the end he gets the job done. 
• Mexes as captain. While I am not sure this is a long term solution, the fact Blanc gave the arm band to Mexes was brilliant. To me it was a statement to Mexes who has long lived with the label of great potential for France but not living up to the hype. Blanc sent the message: "Act and play like a captain and you will have a chance to build with this team, now is your chance, seize it." Clearly the message resonated with the AS Roma player, and it might be the very thing he needs to take the next step with Les Bleus.
• The generation 87, since winning the U17 Euros in 2004, much has been expected of this generation. For whatever reason, Domenech could not find a way of building around the likes of Menez, Benzema, Nasri and
  
  
  Ben Arfa. It was encouraging to see all of them on the pitch together for the senior France team. Each brings his individual skill set that Blanc and Les Bleus can lean up. The qualities of Benzema and Nasri are well documented - although the Real Madrid man needs to demonstrate he is back on the path we saw when he was at Lyon as a pure goal scorer. Menez demonstrated his ability to play on the wing and bring width and pace to the attack. While Ben Arfa demonstrated his pure dribbling talents, breaking down the Norwegian defense and creating his own shots. Now up to them to demonstrate their value and worth for the national side. 
• M'Vila, the Rennes central midfielder and U21 France captain provide a glimpse at his vast talents and potential. He played better in the first half as the lone holding midfielder, more on that later, but overall gave a slight glimpse of the potential he possess. He was strong in his tackles and linked well with the attack. At 20 years old the future for him is very bright. 
• No more Domenech!!!!! All together now "The Domenech era is OFFICIALLY over!!!" Even suffering through a loss the fact that when the camera panned to the side lines I saw Laurent Blanc standing there and not inspector Clouseau, made me feel good. In just the past 3 days I feel a breath of fresh air has been infused into the FFF. You can see the difference in the press conferences, interviews, the tactics and the in game management. I saw a Laurent Blanc that took advantage of every minute he had with this squad, understanding that for him to do his job well he cannot afford to waste caps on players, waste a practice or a game. This is no more evident in the fact Blanc clearly wanted to work two systems in the Norway game, he wanted to allow his back 4 (especially the central pairing) to get as much real game action as possible and he wanted to ensure he used his substitutes wisely to have the combination of players on the field in the system that would allow him the most information. Unlike Domenech who in one of his last games in charge prior to the World Cup called up some new faces, but rather than put them on the pitch to at least see what they could do in game situations used the same old tired tactics that had gotten him ... nothing. What a novel idea, if you call up players...play them. Of course, and I am sure Blanc is well aware of this, France cannot afford to lose games come September 3rd otherwise this good will towards Blanc will rapidly evaporate.

The Bad:

• France lost 2-1. That is bad. No game should be seen as a throw away, where the result does not matter. Clearly Blanc is of the same opinion. France had their chances: a great 50 - 50 ball won by N'Zogbia in the 17th minute which he then put a perfect left footed cross on the head of a diving Remy, forcing an emergency save from Knudsen. Had the OGC Nice striker hit his shot a foot either direction it would have beaten the keeper. 13 minutes later the Toulouse midfielder Sissoko forced another strong save on a volley destined for the upper 90. Ruffier did make a strong save in the first 15 minutes to keep the game level. However overall the first half belonged to Les Bleus. Unfortunately the second half saw the Norwegians take advantage of two defensive errors leading to the 2 goals for the victory. Never good as a manager to start your tenure 0-1, but I am sure Blanc will build from the positive we saw today.
• 4-2-3-1 formation. Just when you thought the favorite formation from the Domenech era would be long gone...it makes another appearance. Blanc switched from the 4-4-2 diamond to the 4-2-3-1 in the second half. Clearly it was not a formation that fit well with the French side. Granted they held the lead briefly through a laser from Ben Arfa, but overall the formation seemed to cause more problems. First, it put Diarra and M'Vila together. M'Vila quickly seemed out of sorts compared to what he showed in the first half. And not sure what Diarra brought to the table. M'Vila was doing more than an adequate job in the first half as the sole holding midfielder, with a partner on his shoulder it appeared to stifle the young Rennes' game. He was not as free to roam as he had been in the first half. Second, Menez and Ben Arfa's tendencies at times were to drift too far into the center, thereby clogging up the lanes and the midfield. Couple this with the fact Hourau and then Benzema, as the lone strikers, drifted back to try to pick up the ball. This created at times, 3 players to be right on top of one another with little spacing. While I am sure this formation can work, Blanc, if he wants to use it, will need to make sure the personnel he runs out there is more appropriate. 

The Ugly:

• Defending set pieces. Well this problem has been around Les Bleus for a few years. Some teams just seem to have trouble with set pieces (see Arsenal). Rami seems to bring one element that could change this - his
  

  

  The Norwegian bagged his brace

  command in the air. But Ruffier did nothing to solve this, especially end of the match when he appeared lost on a few corners. The first goal from Norway was on a set piece, where Hourau was inexplicably defending on Huseklepp and was easily turned by the striker. This has been France's Achilles heel for a few years now, hopefully Blanc can find a solution.
• Huseklepp's second goal. Not ugly from his stand point as the Norwegian striker bagged his brace, but what was Diarra doing? A botched pass at the center circle led to the Norwegian striker waltzing in one on one against Ruffier. My one area of nit picking is that I think the Monaco keeper should have held his ground for a split second more. Why? Rami was sprinting back to try and close down the break, had Ruffier forced Huseklepp to either shoot or take another touch it might have allowed the French central defender to get back into the play. Instead Ruffier went to ground quickly trying to guess where the Norway man was heading and instead allowed himself to be easily side stepped and the ball gently tapped into an open net. Again, nit picking I realize.
• Lack of finishing for France. Any game you approach 20 shots on goal, granted less than half were on net, and only show 1 goal for your efforts you need to consider getting some goal scoring lessons. The silver lining is that there were some quality chances and it was good to see players taking their opportunities. Too often you see teams try to pass and wait for the "perfect" shooting chance. However, France will have to improve on this aspect. Question is what striker or striker combo to remedy this? With Henry retiring, Anelka out in international Siberia, no Trezeguet and who knows if Cisse can replicate his scoring form for Les Bleus there are a lot of up and coming strikers - Hourau, Benzema, Remy, Briand to name a few - but no established international caliber striker. Of course it is difficult to fill the boots of both Henry and Trezeguet when you consider both are top 3 goal scorers all time for France, with Henry being #1. This will be an ongoing quest, it will be interesting to see how it gets resolved. The talent is there, but what is the right system and combination.

Overall I think what Les Bleus showed to me was encouraging, then again after 6 years of Domenech almost anything would be better! Next steps will be how Blanc integrates some of the World Cup 23 back into the side. The players I think scored the most points to stick around - Rami, M'Vila, Hourau, Mexes, Sissoko, Menez and Ben Arfa. I did like what I saw in spurts from N'Zogbia, but he falls victim to the depth France have on the left - Ribery and Malouda stand in front of him, or even Diaby. To me Rami-Mexes could very well be the central pairing we see on Sept 3rd against Belarus for the Euro qualifier opener. I am not sure Gallas will figure back in the picture and not sure Squillaci slots in over Rami and he does not have the ball carrying skill of Mexes. Neither Cissokho nor Fani did enough to move ahead of Evra/Clichy/Abidal when it comes to Cissokho nor Sagna when it comes to Fani (although Fani had some quality crosses early in the game, not sure Sagna would have made those). Nasri might slot out to the right allowing Gourcuff to hold the central midfield slot, regardless Nasri demonstrated he has the quality to be the #10 for Les Bleus. Ben Arfa is the one pure dribbler and deserves consideration moving forward. Finally M'Vila showed a lot of promise and at 20 years old has a great future ahead - could make the holding midfield role one of the most competitive on the French roster.

Good to see Les Bleus back on the pitch, rather have seen it end in a win. But we can truly put the Domenech era behind us! Let the healing begin. Let us just hope the winning shows up...and soon. But the signs point to a brighter future than a few months back.

The French goal, Ben Arfa shows why he can be so frustrating at times, so much talent yet needs to find the consistency: