France play a bland mid-November friendly versus Ecuador

Wait, what is that? This was a World cup game??? Really? Well that was 90 minutes of football watching I will never get back - a goalless draw - yuck. Not a huge surprise, France were clearly keeping an eye on the next round and clearly were more interested in getting through the game without hurting themselves. So off we go with the match break down:

The Good:

• France finish first in the group - The qualification for Les Bleus into the knock out rounds was all but a formality. Mathematically France was still at risk for not qualifying, but they would have had to lose by at least 5 goals. Clearly neither team thought 5 goals would be scored combined by both teams. I don't think it can be over emphasized how important it is that France not only qualify out of their group but finish first. After what this team did to itself 4 years ago, this can only be regarded as positive.
• All the French players are available - Phew...no one got hurt...and that was not a guarantee after some of the tackles the Ecuadorian players were dishing out. I got a real scare when Matuidi took a heavy tackle that did not look good on his knee or Digne who's leg was used as a scratching post for Valencia's studs. With Evra sitting and Pogba not picking up another yellow card they will be both be available for Monday's game against Nigeria.
• The Ecuadorian keeper Dominguez was absolutely huge. Granted France's players

  

  Big saves from the big man

  decided to see if they could all shoot right at him, but the keeper was still in the right place and made some strong saves. None bigger than on a Pogba header at the end of the first half. He was called upon to stand his ground in the second half, especially after Ecuador went down a man. He did so and earned himself a clean sheet.
• The only French player that kept his game at a high level - Matuidi. He is the engine for Les Bleus. Found himself on his favorite left foot early on in the game but could not find the back of the net as he had against Switzerland. His clash early on in the game was one that made me hold my breath, even more so when they replayed it in super slow motion. Otherwise he seemed to be the only player who showed up, well other than Lloris. The PSG midfielder is clearly the engine room for Les Bleus. 
• I have to give some good to Sagna as well. I have been critical of the former Arsenal back and the fact I think his crossing is putrid. However, in this game he defended well and had a few nice crosses that should have been better handled by the strikers. Then again maybe the strikers were shocked by the quality of service!

The Bad:

• The effort from France was bad....very bad. I realize that Les Bleus were all but qualified heading into the game. But the effort demonstrated was barely one you would expect from a late season friendly. Of course this is not a blanket statement for the entire team. By no means am I saying this looked  like some of the efforts the squad has shown in prior tournaments - see all matches in 2010 or some from the Euro 2012. I am not as concerned about this as I might have been in the past. Hey they didn't lose!
• I have to call out Deschamps here as well. There were some head scratching moves he made prior and then during the game. I am well aware that I am nitpicking. First I am curious as to why a player that came out of the last game due to injury, got a start in a game that wasn't vital to the cause. Sakho, had to leave the Switzerland game with a strain in his leg. Yet he started this game...and had to be taken out again in the

  

  All is well!

  second half. Maybe DD did not want to play Mangala and Kos together since they have had a great big zero minutes together on the field. But it just seemed a mighty big risk with a player France will rely on to anchor their defense. Second, I am curious as to why Sissoko in place of Valbuena. I certainly understand why DD wanted to sit Le Petit Velo, but why start a more deeper lying player when you had true right wing options on your bench? In particular Remy.  Why not start Remy? Let him get some run in since I have a feeling we might need him down the road. That would have also allowed Sissoko to get some rest, a player who might very well start, but back in the midfield trio. Finally I am not sure about the substitution patterns. Part of this goes back to starting Sakho. But having to bring in Varane, who was sick this week, in place of Sakho seemed to be a waste. I will admit I was harsher on DD when the move happened but I now recognize that he was trying to get Varane and Kos some time on the field together in case he needs to do so later in the tournament. But not sure if this would have been necessary had Sakho been rested. Remy did get on the field, but it felt like it was late. Why not get him a good 30 minutes of time? Just felt as if the substitutions could have been handled better. DD received a lot of accolades for having the courage to change his line up against Switzerland, he deserves some criticism for rolling out a team that just did not click tonight. 
• Schneiderlin looked a little overwhelmed. Understandable for someone getting his first start at a World Cup...he never seemed to get into the flow of the game. Then again there never seemed to be a flow to the game regardless. It is also a daunting task since he is in the slot usually held by Cabaye. I don't think we will see the Southampton midfielder again this World Cup, but someone to keep an eye on as France heads towards the Euros.

The Ugly:

• Benzema and his "finishing": After basking in the glow of his first two World Cup games, he clearly decided to take this one off. He was timid in the air, didn't attack the ball and his finishing touch was...well abysmal.  He looked like the striker that went over 1000 minutes without scoring a goal. Now I am not going to make too much out of this, much like the rest of the team it felt as if he was going through the motions. But it was UGLY.
• Ecuadorian thugs...clearly the South Americans thought they had to try and maul the

  

  How does my foot taste?

  French to get to the knock out round. It wasn't just the leg mauling that Valencia dispensed, but it felt like the entire team was thugging the French. 

Overall a very forgettable game, other than the fact France qualified in first place of their group. I do not believe in the "momentum" notion. All 16 teams that get to the knock outs start all over again. It is all about survive and move on. The silver lining, hopefully, is that this bad game is out of France's system. Every team usually has a not so good outing during these tournaments, better get them out of the way before serious business starts. For now we can enjoy the fact Les Bleus are back in the knock out round. But let's put this game behind us...now!

Allez les Bleus!

Les Bleus kick off World Cup preparation with classy showing

Well I guess my prediction of a drab 1-1 draw was slightly off...France kick off their World Cup preparation with a thrilling 4-0 win over Norway. And the score line could have been worse for the Scandinavians.

The Good:

• Four goals...nothing to sneeze at. Les Bleus have struggled with scoring goals in the past, but seems that they found a key to unlock their goal scoring account, at least for 90 minutes today. Something to build on. It was encouraging to see the goals coming on some solid crosses from the flanks as well as some pacey play by the likes of Remy. It was also encouraging to seeing France's #2 striker, Giroud, score a brace. His second was from a wonder strike from the edge of the penalty box. He could have had a hat trick had his powerful header in the opening minutes gone in. Remy showed why he is on the team and could play a valuable role being used as a substitute where he can leverage his pace to break down a tired defense. He was a terrific reflex save away from getting his own brace. Scoring the 4 goals and having the offensive flow they had bodes well for the French offense confidence.
• Le Petit Velo - Valbuena, has taken the role as the #10 and run with it. The Marseilles midfielder was at the center of the action against Norway. Acting as the creative fulcrum for the French. His high work rate, dribbling, passing and willingness to take chances on the offensive end really kept Norway off balance. His 3 assists are a reflection of his value to the offense for Les Bleus. With the likes of Pogba, Matuidi and Cabaye acting as the muscle in the midfield, it allows Valbuena to roam freely in the midfield. What will be interesting is to see how he continues to interact with Ribery. Giroud's style usually has him on the last defenders' shoulder, while Griezmann added pace on the left but didn't roam too much. This gave the space that Valbuena enjoys on the right, center and left of the park. Served the team well...but might be an issue...more on that later.
• The midfield trident of Pogba, Matuidi and Cabaye. This is clearly the strength for Les Bleus. And the driving motivation for DD to lean on a 4-3-3 formation to ensure you get these three players on the pitch at the same time. Pogba is an absolute beast. It is amazing to remember that he is only 21. He scored a cheeky goal and controlled the midfield with his pace and size. Partnered with Matuidi, who seems to have a very high motor, and you have a powerful engine room for Les Bleus. With Cabaye doing a lot of the dirty work, and who can also bring a threat from distance, you have a powerful trident in the midfield. One that will determine how far Les Bleus can go in Brazil. 
• Getting one of the reservists onto the pitch. Giving Cabella his first international cap was a shrewd move for DD. The 7, now 6, reserve players should view this as added motivation (Ruffier was part of the 7 and due to Mandanda's injury is now the #2 keeper). They all know that short of injury they will not be heading to Brazil. But there is 2016 to think about and this clearly gives them a taste of what they could work for post World Cup. And for DD, it gives him some time to blood some of his prospects and heaven forbid one of his 23 get injured, he already has vetted some of his prospects. Look for DD to do this again the next two matches, as he should.

The Bad:

• Balance...even without Ribery on the pitch, France leaned heavily on the left side of the pitch. Yes Valbuena is on the right side of the pitch. But his tendency to roam, and he does a lot of that, means he sometimes vacates that right channel. And sometimes seems to be too often! It felt as if too much of France's offense was left dominant. This will only become more apparent with Ribery on that side. DD has to figure out a way to make sure that with Ribery and Valbuena on the pitch, that Le Petit Velo keeps in mind his role to support the right side of the attack. It is fine and recommended that the wingers switch sides from time to time, or even drop deeper. But, the right channel remains something that needs to be addressed.
• The central defensive pairing. After keeping a clean sheet it is difficult to criticize the defense. But I am a little nervous at what Sakho showed. I am not saying he was bad, but there were some glimpses at his bad habits. Losing the ball in dangerous areas, making some rash challenges and some risk taking. In a way with Kos he can do that, since the Arsenal man is a good stay at home defender who can clean up such errors. But if Sakho makes some of these errors against the likes of Shaqiri or Valencia it could prove very costly.

The Ugly:

• Nothing ugly about this match...maybe ugly for Norway.

So DD and France get their first preparatory match out of the way.  The 4-0 win will do the team a lot of good, they need to continue to build on this and will face a much more stern test against Paraguay. It will be interesting to see how things change if we see Ribery and Benzema find their way back into the starting line up, especially with the interactions with Valbuena.

Les Bleus take out Oranje - time for optimism or fool's gold?

Les Bleus returned to Stade de France last night for their first match since the miracle 3-0 victory against the Ukraine which propelled them to the World Cup in Brazil. I am the first to admit I expected a lackluster 0-0 draw between two national sides full of players with many many club matches in their boots. Instead I watched a lackluster 2-0 victory from Les Bleus. So should we allow ourselves to get excited about what DD is doing with this side? Or was this win fool's gold? I am going to lean a little bit towards the former...but just a little bit.

The Good:

• Benzema after going what felt like a life time without scoring, the Real Madrid striker cannot stop scoring for Les Bleus now. He almost opened the scoring early in the

  

  Continues his scoring streak...hope it keeps going

  game when he took a pretty cross in the 19th minute from newbie Griezmann and appeared to slot home a header, only to see the Dutch defender Vlaar save the ball on the Dutch goal line. He was rewarded in the 32nd minute taking a pass over the top from Matuidi to hit a powerful half volley into the far corner. He also had another goal disallowed for being off side. It is very good news for France if Karim keeps up this form into the World Cup. Fingers crossed.
• The 4-3-3 is taking root...and hopefully is allowed to flourish. DD aligned once again a formation that allows France to play their strongest players and more importantly what some are calling the trident - Pogba, Matuidi and Cabaye. When France plays in the 4-2-3-1 or the 4-4-2 one of these players has to come off the pitch. Having this trident on the pitch brings a level of energy and control in the midfield otherwise not enjoyed. It also allows the likes of Pogba and Matuidi to be much more offensive and not shackled to sitting deep in front of the the back 4. The likes of Cabaye is also perfect in the role to cover for the other two when they go up and press, but also bringing his own offensive talents to bear. His ability to strike from long distance is perfect as he can fill the space opened up when Pogba and Matuidi pushes up to support the front 3. The formation, and the fact a Pogba can push higher on the pitch is it allows Benzema to do what he does best - get the ball within the last 1/3 of the pitch. Benzema, when he is in the 4-2-3-1, tends to drift deeper and deeper just to touched the ball. When he does that...he tends to not put the ball in the back of the net.
• Speaking of Matuidi, he had a phenomenal game for Les Bleus. He had an assist and a fantastic goal. In addition he was very active in all phases of the game. In addition to his goal he had at least two more decent chances at the goal. A good sign coming from the midfielder. As I mentioned above, he benefits from DD having a 4-3-3 formation. His ability to click with Pogba and Cabaye will be key to how far Les Bleus can go in Brazil.  
• Mangala scored some points for Les Bleus. The FC Porto central defender looked right at home next to Varane. Mangala, plays the role of "destroyer" well next to the smooth Varane who does more of the linkage to the offensive/midfield from the back. Mangala was calm the few times Holland threatened, made some big tackles in the box and was strong in the air. He even came close to offering himself a goal at the end of the first half. He made a strong case to be included in the final list...I would take him over Abidal. 

The Bad:

• The French left and right backs. I can imagine the Gooner will be smirking...but Debuchy and Evra were not at their best. Neither defended particularly well. Debuchy demonstrated that against a pacey winger with a decent bag of tricks he gets caught out of position a little too much for my comfort. Boetius' pace gave Debuchy fits early on in the game. On the other wing Promes gave Evra equal amount of fits. Now Holland could not take advantage of this pace, but something that Les Bleus need to address if they hope to do anything in Brazil. France will have to face a winger like Valencia in the first round, not sure if right now they are ready to check such a player. Digne did come in the second half for Evra and looked decent...but not sure that was because of the PSG player or because the game had died down by that point.  
• Griezmann who received his first cap appeared a little timid. He did have a nice volley that could have led to and assist had Benzema been able to put it away in the 19th minute. Otherwise the 4th best scorer in La Liga was a little too timid for my liking. He did seem to position himself well in the different channels, not just sticking to his left side, but switching off with Valbuena. But when the ball fell in to his area he wasn't aggressive enough. Might have been first game jitters and by no means do I think he played his way off a trip to Brazil. But I would like to see more from a player of his talent.

The Ugly:

• Did Holland realize there was a game? Were the likes of Sneijder or RVP on the pitch?  Granted in the second half neither side really looked motivated to do much more than pass the ball around and not get too tired. But after a first 15 minutes where Holland looked like Clockwork Orange...and that was really due to the play of their wingers, they just seemed to now care to much. More importantly the likes of RVP seemed completely invisible. Was it because of France's back line? Maybe. But more the usual malaise for Holland, they sometimes just don't care. I realize this was a friendly and one where the likes of RVP and Sneijder know they are going to Brazil. But still have some pride! Maybe I am making much about nothing.

Overall it was a decent win for France. Nothing too much to take from this match. I do think the likes of Mangala and maybe Digne showed enough to get some serious consideration for a ticket to Brazil. Mangala because of his strong play and Digne almost by default - just no left back that is head and shoulders above. Griezmann did not hurt his chances to go to Brazil but might not have put any distance between himself and the likes of Nasri or Payet.

See you on the 19th of May when Les Bleus start their preparation for the World Cup - we will also have the list of who is most likely to go. Look for DD to take 26-28 players and then trim the roster to the 23 that will go to Brazil.

Allez les Bleus!

PSG Ligue 1 Champions...3 questions for how they defend title next season

PSG capture the Ligue 1 title, something that was expected after the club made some major moves last season. It was not without some difficulty. After winning the crown, PSG will be expected to defend their title...potentially begin a run of form similar to Lyon's run from a few seasons back. PSG have the resources and already the talent to defend their title. There are three main questions that will linger with the club:

• The main question - who will be managing the club? With Ancelotti all but heading off to Real Madrid it is clear that PSG will have a new manager for next season. The rumor mill was ripe with stories from North London that Wenger would make the move across the channel, but those have recently simmered down. What about Rafa from

  

  We hardly knew ya!

  Chelsea? Ugh. Please no. Although PSG might have a decent shot at a cup with the Spaniard at the helm. Mourinho was spoken of as well, but all signs indicate he will head back to his stomping grounds a the end of King's Road in London. Of course two Italians could have outside shots at getting the gig - Mancini who was just let go at Manchester City and Allegri from Milan. Both dark horse outsiders. What about Pellegrini from Malaga? He seems destined for City, but you never know. I think an outsider to keep an eye on is Laurent Blanc. Who has been out of work since France crashed out of the Euros. The former French national team manager would be a good fit - he knows Ligue 1 from his time managing Bordeaux. Blanc might see this as a chance to take over a club with the resources and ambitions to allow him the environment to succeed. And would thrust him right back into the lime light.
• Whoever is the manager will have to find someone to help shoulder the scoring load of Ibra...that is if the temperamental Swede remains at PSG! The Swede led Ligue 1 with 29 goals. The next highest goal scorer for PSG - Gameiro - had...6 goals. Yikes, talk about over-reliance on one player. Assuming Ibra stays, that might be a big assumption, PSG will need to find someone not named Ibra to score more than 6 goals. The Napoli striker - Cavani - is highly rumored to be heading to Paris. As well as a rumor of Rooney being in the sites of the Parisian club. Of course there is the outlandish rumor that PSG see themselves as serious contenders for Ronaldo...not sure that is going to happen. I think the Portuguese superstar might get overwhelmed by the financial offer from Paris, but I just do not see him wanting to go the Ligue 1 over a return to the EPL. I think PSG will hold on to Ibra, at least for one more season, and add the likes of Cavani to try to spread the scoring burden.
• Can PSG develop or acquire the necessary depth to be serious players for both

  

  Get this man some help!

  Ligue 1 and Champions League glory? Other than Ibra, PSG became overly reliant on the likes of Matuidi, Alex and others. In order for the club to be more of a player on multiple fronts they need to add some more depth. More importantly the talent they already have must step up their game. The likes of Pastore, Menez, Lucas, Lavezzi to name a few need to contribute more when it comes to PSG's game. Adding some depth in the midfield to take away some of the pressure on Matuidi would be helpful. This transfer season will be telling for what PSG can expect next season.

Great to see PSG getting their hands back on the Ligue 1 title. But the hard work has only begun.

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!

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 - Manchester City on the Seine

I will say that the Gooner called PSG, MCFC south, but I prefer calling PSG - Manchester City on the Seine! Why this new name? With the cash infusion from new Middle Eastern backers, PSG has started to spend like the Citizens did when they also received a cash infusion from wealthy middle eastern backers. Yet, I would say the parallels stop there. Why?

Let us look at the recent purchases by PSG.

• Gameiro - leading scorer in Ligue 1 for the past few seasons. He was playing for small side Lorient but always one of Ligue 1's most sought after transfers. In the past, players such as Gameiro would either go to Lyon or head to another league. PSG finally did what a club of their stature should do - secure the best players from within your league. Gameiro will add another element to the PSG side, with Hourau struggling to regain his consistent scoring touch and recent misses at the striker level - Erding and Kezman. I would not be surprised if Gameiro became PSG's #1 striker from day 1. Solid signing.
• Menez and Matuidi - I lump these two players together because they signed close to one another but they also slot in nicely to fill in for Giuly and Makelele. Menez will slot in on the right channel while Matuidi will become the anchor at the holding midfield role. Matuidi is like Gameiro - one of Ligue 1's best players being acquired by one of France's largest clubs. Menez was a minor coup, getting a player in his prime to leave one of the bigger leagues and clubs: AS Roma to come back to Ligue 1. 
• Sissoko and Sirigu - As two players from Serie A I will also lump them together. I am luke warm on both signing, warmer on Sirigu, always need quality keepers and last season proved that you will most likely need to use both of your keepers. The Sissoko signing I understand for depth, but not sure I would have gone over this Sissoko, I would have preferred the one from TFC. Regardless I think he will be in the defensive midfield rotation with Bodmer and Chantome, so in the end it could prove a good move for depth.
• Douchez - This was a free as the former Rennes keeper was at the end of a contract. The fringe national team keeper was an easy choice for PSG as Coupet was retiring and let's face it, Edel was not going to be the answer long term. Coupled this move with the recent signing of Italian #3 keeper Sirigu and you have the makings of a good tandem of keepers for PSG. The question becomes does the #2 keeper become disgruntled, but if so, you can always sell him and make back some of your money. 
• Bisevac - The Serbian international was brought in to add depth and talent at central defense, and some insurance as the rumors of Sakho being lured to a larger European club will not go away. Again, another player from within Ligue 1, who was reasonably priced and a know entity.

All these signings are what PSG should have been doing for the past few seasons. As one of France's largest and richest clubs (even before the new investments) they should have always been more aggressive with the talent within Ligue 1. What makes them creep into Manchester City territory is the bid for Pastore. The Argentine is also a target of Chelsea. The latest is that he has signed of PSG for a whopping 38m pounds. This is the one signing that I feel is a "Manchester City" type signing. Get a new cash infusion and spend it like a Russian Oligarch. But unlike some of these other spenders, this move makes sense for PSG. They need a playmaking midfielder, I realize the have also purchased Menez but he is creates from the right flank. Ever since PSG sold Sessegnon to Sunderland they have not had a true attacking midfielder, now they do.

All in all very good signings for PSG. Unlike Chelsea or Manchester City, they have not gone out and signed players just for their names and then wondered where they fit in the system. PSG have acquired pieces that were desperately needed to either replace players leaving or bolster areas that needed addressing.

Call them what you want, I, for one look forward to seeing them on the pitch with all these new assets!

PSG quietly making some strong moves

The transfer season barely opened and PSG already, for once, was aggressive and in the right direction. First they went out and took care of their goalkeeping issue but signing Nicolas Douchez, should finally resolve PSG's long term goalkeeping issues. With Edel being let walk and Coupet retiring, Douchez slots in immediately as the #1...granted had Edel stayed, Douchez would still be the undisputed #1! Maybe Wenger can learn from this move and get himself a true #1 keeper...one that could be lining up for your club for the next decade.

Good long term option for PSG's GK situation

Not stopping there, PSG made a surprise move and acquired Gameiro from Lorient. Why a surprise? Gameiro was heavily linked with La Liga for 2 seasons and more recently some EPL clubs. The fact PSG was able to swoop in and grab the French striker bodes well for the Parisian club. According to reports, PSG is not done. They have targeted Matuidi from St Etteinne to be their holding midfielder to replace the retiring Makelele. It appears that PSG will get Matuidi as long as they can agree on the price. If PSG stops there, I would say that is already a good transfer season (assuming as well that they hold on to the likes of Sakho). Douchez solves their keeper issues, Gameiro will be an upgrade for the PSG strike force. I do not see Erding sticking around and with Hourau struggling a bit, adding the Ligue 1 scoring leader will be an upgrade.

PSG have also inquired about Gervinho from Lille, but LOSC has stated they will not sell him within Ligue 1. It is not coincidence that this new aggressive tact from PSG coincides with investment from Qatar. With a new infusion of capital, PSG can be more aggressive in the market. However this is not any different from other eras in the PSG history, the difference is this time it feels as if they are making smart investments.

Let us see how much more PSG have to do when it comes to transfers. I would like to see Matuidi as well as another creative presence, maybe his St Ettienne teammate Payet?

After a lackluster 1st half...a 5 goal second. What a debut for Martin

With many of these friendlies, the game between France and Ukraine was an exercise in playing pass around and keep away rather than really trying to get a result...that is until the second half. End of the 90+ minutes and Les Bleus leave the Ukraine with a 4-1 victory, scoring 4 straight goals and might have had more.

The Good:

Could we see both these men in Blue on Thursday?

• Let us start with the debutant - Marvin Martin - what can you say from a player who entered the game at the 79th minute and had quite the last 10+ minutes of the game. The leading assist man from Ligue 1 showed that he has a good goal scoring touch as well. Hitting a sneaky shot for distance that found is way just inside the inner post and then patiently latched on to a simple square ball from Benzema, and cooly finishing with a strike into the Ukrainian upper 90. Martin also came close to springing Benzema on a wonderfully weighted pass. Before we get ahead of ourselves and start comparing him to Zidane - and the fact Zizou also scored a brace on his debut for France will draw comparisons - we only saw about 12 minutes of Martin. He was also playing against a tired Ukrainian side; however, it is something to build on and it is positive.



A true poacher

• A number of France's other new starters did some good things. Cabaye gave Newcastle fans something to look forward to, he had a high motor and made some strong passes. Matuidi demonstrated an ability to play the midfield "destroyer" role, however at times I felt he was pushing a bit. Kaboul had a quiet, yet solid
  game, his goal was a great show for the Tottenham man, always good when you can get your central defender to be a threat in the air on set pieces. Finally Gameiro showed me something, an ability to turn what appears to be a lost cause near the 18 yard box and turn it into a goal scoring threat. His goal was a great example of a goal poachers goal - he latched onto a loose ball and, without hesitation, struck a thunderbolt into the Ukrainian goal. He had done the same end of the first half, turning what appeared to be a lost ball and forced a strong save from the Ukrainian keeper.
• Ribery is starting to look like his old self. He was devastating on the left flank when he entered the game, every time the ball game to him he had the chance to spring the Ukraine defense. The last France goal was a direct result of Ribery's high pressure causing the Ukrainian turn over. Let us hope that Der Kaiser has been humbled after last year's world cup and plays the way he did rather than spend time his time being a pain in the team's collect side!
• 4 Goals...can never complain when you can post 4 goals in any game.

The Bad:

• The goal against Mandanda was not good....one would think the shot would have been deflected, but on replay it was a simple pile-driver shot that Mandanda misread. Granted the ball did have some nasty movement, but when you are an international keeper you must make that save. Seems like French keepers have problems playing away to the Ukraine...remember Frey's gaff a few years back?
• Too Bad Les Bleus did not play like this last Friday! It was bad that France found its scoring touch during a friendly and not when the games counted. 

The Ugly:

• By no means a perfect match, but cannot really identify any truly ugly showing. I might come up with something over the next few days.

After defeating any team 4-1 you cannot leave unhappy.  Blanc will look toward Thursday's game again Poland to close out the season on another upside. I would expect to see the remaining players who have not showcased during the past 2 games - N'Zogbia, Hourau, Valbuena and Carrasso. I have a feeling Blanc will leverage a similar line up as against Ukraine. I do think he will go back to a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-4-2, with Martin pulling the stings, N'Zogbia on the left and either two strikers - Gameiro and Hourau, or the PSG striker alone up front. Valbuena should see time on the right side in either formation.

Will be interesting to see, I hope for another four goal game!

Allez les Bleus.

Zidane back for France!!!

Zidane back with Les Bleus - training under the eyes for other 98ers

Zidane is back for Les Bleus!!! Okay okay it was just a visit from the French legend to Clairefontaine to train with the squad as they prepare for the start of Euro qualifiers. His presence was a morale boost to the players and a chance for many of them to be on the pitch with one of the all time greatest footballers. What is encouraging to me is the fact that Blanc is not afraid to have someone of Zizou's stature come to his training. Granted, they were team mates and won trophies together. But other managers might not be comfortable enough to allow this to happen 48 hours before they start qualifiers. I highly doubt Domenech would have ever even considered let alone permitted this to occur.

From the sounds of it, the presence of another World Cup champion did nothing but give the team an added morale boost and motivation as they prepare for Belarus. Good for them, good for Blanc and happy to see Zizou wearing the blue strip again...even if it is only the practice kit.

On another note, Cabaye had to declare forfeit and was replaced by Saint-Etienne midfielder Matuidi. After the forfeit of LDiarra, Blanc has shown his pecking order for the holding midfielder slot, does this push Toulalan as I had written in an earlier post, even further into international Siberia?

The Gunners getting thinner

So now Toure is joining Adebayour in the city of Manchester, and Wenger keeps saying that he is not rushing out acquire anyone else. Ugh. The main problem remains, is there anyone out there for Wenger to sign, if he so decides he wants to?

Ribery? Not sure he is going anywhere and Arsenal do not have the funds. Vieira? Um I am a huge fan of Pat, but his best days are well behind him. Gignac? Maybe but sounds as if Lyon is also hot on his trail and not sure he would fit in at Arsenal. Love? Again, maybe, but would be adding another smallish in stature player when Arsenal really need some metal down the spine of the team. Losing Melo to Juventus was damaging to next season's prospects. And there did not nor does not appear to be a plan B. There is a rumor, although quiet that Wenger will pursue Matuidi from St Eteinne. The French U20 defensive midfielder would be a good addition to Arsenal, but will he be enough? How about Sessegnon from PSG? The Benin midfielder was alway in Wenger's cross hairs, and based on his performance last season for the capital club he is the real deal. He can play higher on the pitch or drop back as a holding midfielder. Just not sure Paris will want to sell him after one season and after a season they came close to glory.

I fear that Wenger will sit idly by, continue to speak about developing players, training hard, and will scrape by to find a way to finish 4th in the Premier League. Sigh. With the last of the "Invincibles" leaving Arsenal, the days when Arsenal would contend for silverware seem very far away.