France successfully navigate first day back in international season - defeat defending Euro champs

Feels like the World Cup finals were yesterday...and we are already back in the swing of the international football schedule. France and Spain headlined a decent roster of matches including Argentina v Germany and Italy v Holland. While the match ups, on paper, were mouth watering, the resulting games were, as expected, were a tad drab. So what to make of France's 1-0 win over Spain?

The Good:

• France continue their positive rebuilding. After falling 1-0 to the eventual World Cup Champions Germany at the 1/4 stage of the World Cup, France got back on the winning track. France will be hosting the Euros in 2 years. Due to this automatic qualification, France will not have real competitive games for the next two years. Match ups against the likes of Spain go a long way to keeping France's development on track.
• Pogba growing into the role as the boss of the midfield...and team. The Juventus midfielder has already captained the French U20 side to the U20 World Cup victory a few years back. He also became an integral part of DD's set up at the World Cup - even chipping in a crucial goal against Nigeria in the knock out stage. He is putting his stamp on the midfield as the box-to-box midfielder Les Bleus have been seeking since Vieira retired. M'Vila was seen as that player, but his career has taken a side step. Although with M'Vila back from exile in the East it might be an interesting combination if he rediscovers his form.
• Le Petit Velo - Valbuena - remains the metronome for Les Bleus. He is the creative fulcrum for France. It was his vision and play that was at the center of the goal from Remy. With Ribery's

  

  Remy benefits from Valbuena's creativity

  retirement from international football, the only truly creative player France have is Valbuena. Players of the likes of Cabella offer that creativity as well, but he is still a few games away from elevating his game to the international level. France's success over the next 2 years and how well they do at home in the Euros will hinge on how well Valbuena's creative play drives the midfield. Which calls into question why he was taken off the field in the 1/4 finals against Germany when France was chasing the game late on...
• Sissoko playing out on the right. The Newcastle man is more of a traditional box-to-box or deep lying midfielder. However since he was put out on the the right by DD in World Cup qualifiers...away to Spain...he seems to have found a role with the national team. He is not a traditional right winger like a Menez or even a Remy, but his power and pace bring something the French national team have not had out on that side. He also seems more willing to stay out on the right allowing for Les Bleus to keep their shape. Since he is more of a deep lying player, he doesn't shy away from his responsibilities to back track defensively. 

The Bad:

• For once the left side looked a little dodgy. Griezmann had a rather pedestrian game on the left side. This was a bit disappointing after his good showing at the World Cup. Of course one cannot judge the player from 60 minutes. Long term I am not concerned about the left side with regards to Griezmann. But there will clearly be some growing pains for the French left side after the international retirement from Ribery. It is to be expected when you lose a world class player like Ribery.
• I am a little concerned with the fact that some of DD's main cogs are not full time starters on their club sides - in particular Sakho and Varane. Neither has maintained regular starting roles for Liverpool and Real Madrid. Something to watch for in their club play. Reality is not sure what DD's other options at center backs since the likes of Mangala, Zouma and Yanga-Mbiwa are not regular starters for their clubs either. The one regular starter is Kos...and even his role looked a little tenuous with the start of Chambers recently for Arsenal! Something to watch for moving forward.

 The Ugly:

• Speaking of the left side - I think seeing Evra continue might get a tad ugly. Unlike the Gooner who is clearly "anti-Evra," I am not entirely negative on the Juventus left back. But I do

  

  Has his time passed?

  recognize that he is well past his prime. And that will not get any better in 2 years time. While the player doesn't seem to want to retire from international play, I question what DD gets from continuing to play him on French left. France have some options out on the left - Digne being first in line. There is also Kurzawa from AS Monaco as well as Mathieu from Barcelona who are options for that left side. I will be shocked if Evra is the starting left back in 2 years time for France...having said that, it might be time for Deschamps to start integrating a new starting left back now. Allow the new left back to integrate with the likes of Griezmann.

One cannot take too much from this game, granted the win was nice. Deschamps started out in a 4-2-3-1 but it was really more of a 4-3-2-1 with Sissoko on the right but more in line with Pogba and Matuidi, Valbuena given more free reign with Griezmann and Benzema as the high line striker. Similar to the World Cup, this is Deschamps' best formation - allowing him to put as many of his best midfielders on the pitch. It will be interesting to watch how this evolves especially when it comes to Cabaye and how he fits in the midfield. He has had a difficult time securing regular first team action with PSG (wonder if he wishes he was still at Newcastle...or maybe Arsenal) but he was a vital part of DD's set up in Brazil. Moving forward will he regain this role with France? Or become a super sub? Not necessarily a bad problem for DD to have - but probably not the role Cabaye desires.

France will not embark on a number of friendlies as they act as the 6th team in Group I - they will play a schedule as if they were in the qualification process but obviously the results will not count for either France or the team they play. I think this is one of the smarter ideas from UEFA - guarantees the host some games, and pits them against a qualification group guaranteeing they get matches against top nations such as Portugal.

What to watch moving forward:

• Who asserts themselves as the left fullback for Les Bleus?
• Is there a viable back up to Benzema up front?
• Will Griezmann put his stamp on the left winger role?
• How will DD manage his apparent log jam in the midfield, especially if someone of the likes of M'Vila regains his form?

Should make for an interesting 2 years of preparation for the Euros.
Allez les Bleus!

Les Bleus - pump the brakes a bit after great showing against Switzerland

Group E

#	Country	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	France	2	2	0	0	8	2	6	6
2	Ecuador	2	1	0	1	3	3	0	3
3	Switzerland	2	1	0	1	4	6	-2	3
4	Honduras	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0

These are the standings of Group E after day #2 of the group matches. The euphoria of the majestic 5-2 win for Les Bleus over Switzerland is still palpable. Some press are even putting France into the category of potential winners. I am not ready to go there.

France are not even qualified for the knock out round. Every team in Group E are mathematically still alive for the knock out rounds. However for France to make it would take a monumental collapse that not even the Red Sox of French football team could find a way of making happen. France would have to lose to Ecuador and the Swiss would have to make up the 8 goal differential. A monumental collapse no doubt.

So let us assume the France go through and most likely in first place. Meaning they will miss facing the Argentinians in the next round. But France and DD face some interesting questions with regards to how they should approach Ecuador. In the World Cup you need to keep an eye on the knock out stages at this point. Deschamps has two players on yellow cards - Pogba and Evra. Neither of which DD would want to lose for the knock out rounds. But there is a wrinkle to that, more on that later.

DD also has to deal with a Sakho that might not be 100% fit. As well as Cabaye that is not able to play in the game - that might not be a bad thing since he will start the knock outs yellow card free.

Deschamps should look at the Ecuador match as a half World Cup half friendly, I realize that might sound arrogant but France need to think about the next rounds. They need a win or draw against Ecuador to ensure they get through, but as I stated even a loss allows them through as long as the 8 goal differential isn't overturned. Here are some thoughts:

Ready to start in place of Cabaye?

• Keep the trio of Benzema, Giroud and Valbuena in the starting line up. It has been a pleasant surprise the two times it has been rolled out. An 8-0 and 5-2 wins against Jamaica and Switzerland. I certainly do not expect such a goal deluge each time this line up rolls out there, but it seems to have some real teeth to it. The question becomes will it have success if and when it faces the metal of international football? Now is the time to get it some time.
• Look for Mavuba in the place of Cabaye. That seems to be DD's choice of like for like substitution. The Lille captain will be a solid replacement for the PSG midfielder. I am not sure that Mavuba can replicate the passing accuracy of Cabaye. But he can certainly more than replicate the defensive efforts.
• Kos or Mangala to shoulder Varane? Based on the substitution patterns it would appear the Arsenal man will get the nod. Even if Sakho is healthy enough to play I might not want to risk further injury if it can be avoided. Some have pointed out that the second Swiss goal came off the back of Kos, but if Debuchy had done his job the play would have been off side and no harm would have been suffered. I think Kos is more than capable of playing along side Varane in the back.
• What to do with the yellow carded players? As I mentioned both Pogba and Evra are on a yellow. In a way, I bet deep down inside DD might have hoped that both had picked up yellows yesterday. Against Ecuador I am not sure Deschamps would have been too nervous having to start Digne at left back and not having Pogba available. I am not so sure he feels the same if he has to start Digne against say Bosnia or....Germany. How might that happen you ask? Let's say Evra plays against Ecuador and does not get a yellow, he will still be sitting on his yellow from the Honduras game in the first round of knock outs. Imagine France plays Bosnia, which is a physical team to play. A game where cards might be flying fast and furious. As a defender he has a strong likelihood of potentially getting another card...he would then miss, assuming France get through, the 1/4 finals. Which could very well be against...Germany. Who have Gotze and Ozil as wide players. You see the potential danger! I might be over thinking this, but DD needs to think and look ahead.
• With this in mind, even if Evra plays, I would expect Digne to get in a good 30

  

  Would be very different against the senior squad

  minutes of time on the field - as long as the game allows it. Get the PSG left back some game time at the World Cup, in case he is needed later due to the yellow cards. A player like Schneiderlin might also get some run to provide cover for a Pogba and the other midfielders.

France and Deschamps can go into the Ecuador match a little more at ease than might have been hoped 2 weeks ago. Of course they cannot take anything for granted, but even with a number of bench players in the starting line up France should be more than competitive against Ecuador. I certainly do not expect 5 goals, but a result is well within reach.

Keep an eye on the Sakho injury this week as well as how Deschamps manages his yellow card players.

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 fall to Espana...but not all is lost

A loss is a loss, whether done with fighting with honor or by just giving up. France did the latter when they lost to Spain in the Euros 2-0, they did so with the former on Tuesday. Unfortunately in both cases, France lost. At least in this situation not all is over for Les Bleus.

The Good:

• France fought hard and created some chances that they could have done better with.  I realize that this and $4 gets you a venti coffee at Starbucks. But I am focused on the good aspect, France showed some fight. France didn't just sit back and let the Spanish attack. They took chances when it made sense and had some legitimate opportunities.
• Valbuena has become the new "patron" for the French offense. The OM midfielder proved once again that he is the lynchpin of the attack. Right from the get go he demonstrated his willingness to take offensive chances: attempting an audacious bicycle kick from 20 meters out. Le Petit Velo was all over the pitch, not really holding his right side, but created havoc whenever he could. It was his cheeky long ball that sprung Ribery for a 1v1 against Valdes that the Barcelona keeper did well to keep out of his goal. Les Bleus have been struggling to find who could assume the role of the

  

  Outplayed his counterpart - Alonso

  #10...it would appear that Valbuena might be that player.
• The youngsters - Varane and Pogba. I realize the Juventus midfielder picked up 2 yellow cards within minutes of one another for a subsequent red. That not withstanding, it appeared that both were not overwhelmed by the moment. Varane played a solid game and almost had the equalizer late. While Pogba was an absolute beast. He was strong in his tackles, even allowed himself to take the ball past three Spanish players in the first half. Dare I say he looked like Pat Vieira on that play? Yes the second booking was harsh and maybe he should have been more aware of the situation. But he (hopefully) will learn from this experience as will Varane. The future for these two youngsters is bright, France might have some solid options right down the spine. Hey when M'Vila comes back (assuming he is still on form!) France could have a powerful midfield duo of Pogba and M'Vila.

The Bad:

• French finishing...again. France didn't score because they didn't create chances...it was because they could not FINISH. Jallet made a fabulous run, from a Valbuena feed, in the first half. The PSG back laid off a perfect pass to an on rushing Benzema, who had position on his defender. Rather than taking a touch, one timed it...into Row ZZ. Ribery, on another wonderful Valbuena pass, finds himself 1v1, his first touch alludes him and rather than finishing what he would do 9 out of 10 times, he sees Valdes save his attempt. Matuidi had a clean look from within the 18 and tried to guide it into the net. Evra gets on the end of a free kick but cannot put pace on it. Varane has the 1-1 ball drop to his feet but cannot get his shot off fast enough. Les Bleus needed

  

  A bit harsh...good example of Spanish diving as well

  to finish one of these chances...
• Pogba's red card. The second yellow card, in my mind, was harsh. I think that Xavi "sold" the severity of the foul. I guess that if you really scrutinize the play, Pogba did go in studs "high." But it felt like a harsh call by the official. Of course Pogba needs to also be aware that he was on a yellow card...be more savvier with your challenges.
• Jallet's defensive error. I would give the PSG right back a decent rating for the game. He defended well overall and was very active pushing up the pitch to support the attack. Something he had to do to ensure the right flank wasn't ignored - because no surprise, Valbuena roamed freely away from the right. However, on the goal it was Jallet's poor angle that allowed the play to break down. Rather than play the space he attempted to play the ball which was played just over the top, this mistake forced Varane to come over and shut down Monreal who was able to cross and find Pedro streaking in. Had Jallet taken a better route, he could have checked Monreal's run and who knows...

The Ugly:

• What is wrong with Benzema?? His goalless streak for France is getting slightly ridiculous. He worked hard during the match, had some nice actions but he clearly is pressing. The "one timer" he launched from a tasty pass from Jallet exemplified this...an in form Benzema might have taken a touch and opened up his angles. France need to get their striker in form and soon. Otherwise this will get super ugly.
• Deschamps' substitution...or lack thereof. The first substitution made sense and was aggressive - bringing on Menez for Cabaye, adding some width and offensive punch. But after that...what was DD doing? I realize his substitution strategy was thrown off with Pogba's red card. But you are down a goal!! Taking off Benzema for Sissoko? Your striker for a defensive minded midfielder? When you had the likes of Remy, Giroud and Gomis on your bench! Finally...Giroud finally comes on with...injury time left. What??? Difficult to comprehend when France was chasing the equalizer. 
• Spanish flopping, diving and embellishing....Okay I realize that I might be bitter and annoyed. But watching the likes of Xavi, Pedro et al flop all over the place is getting tired. Even Cesc gets into the game and starts with the antics. So annoying.

So France drop to second place in the group, 1 point behind La Roja. With 3 games to go, France are close to guaranteed to qualify for the home/away playoff...likely opponents could be - Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary or Albania. All sides that France should be able to handle, although I would not be happy to have to face Croatia in a home and away series. Of course if Spain drop any points, France could sneak back into first place. But this is unlikely, Les Bleus have two road matches and finish at home against Finland. While Spain will be at home for 2 of their last 3 matches. The likely hood that France win their last three games and Spain draws one of their last three is unlikely.

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Spain	5	3	2	0	8	2	11
France	5	3	1	1	8	4	10
Georgia	5	1	1	3	3	7	4
Belarus	4	1	0	3	3	8	3
Finland	3	0	2	1	2	3	2

 
Yet going into these qualifiers, most pundits expected France to finish second. The fact that Les Bleus have the possibility of finishing first in this group, this late, is a positive.

Les Bleus need to focus on their next game. Find victories. Hope that some how Spain slips.

Allez les Bleus.

France have a very successful day - now all eyes are on Tuesday's game versus Spain

Les Bleus emerge from today's match up again Georgia with the full compliment of points and a pleasant surprise - a Spain draw at home against Finland. This places France alone atop the group heading into the match up with the defending World Cup champions. France will enter Tuesday's match up 2 points up on Spain. This will give Deschamps some options when it comes to what strategy he looks to leverage against the Spanish. More on that later, but first some thoughts on the game against Georgia:

The Good:

First cap - will they earn #2 on Tuesday?

• 3 points from the victory..okay I realize that is stating the obvious. But heading into the match I was nervous that a)Georgia would just park the bus in front of their goal b)could threaten on the counter c)France might be looking ahead to the Spain rematch. Les Bleus started very fast and I thought looked like they would open up the scoring early - Ribery had a wonderful offensive display end on the wood work. And probably should have had an opening goal had Giroud not made hash out of a 1v1 in the 29th minute where he ballooned an attempted chip. Of course the Arsenal man did break through right before the half on a lovely little free kick from Valbuena that Giroud buried for a 1-0 lead. The second half saw France build upon their score line to finish with a relatively comfortable 3-1 victory. End of day - 3 points.
• The rookies - Varane and Pogba - both received their first starts and caps. A lot of noise was made when the Real Madrid and Juventus players were selected by Deschamps. Even more noise built up this week as it appeared that one if not both could be starting. Both players did more than just take up a spot on the field. Granted Varane was never really placed under threat, although Georgia did show some offensive spunk. However Pogba really impressed me. He clearly has the technique and power to control the midfield and do much of the dirty work. He offers a nice contrast with Matuidi in the midfield. It would be interesting had M'Vila not been an idiot and were still part of the senior squad this season. Pogba even contributed to the offense showing off his big leg with a nice strike from distance in the first half. The future looks bright for these two players. It will be interesting to see if one or both start against Spain.
• The veteran wingers - Ribery and Valbuena - both looked energized, had bags of pace, tricks and offensively minded. The both created major headaches for Georgia. Add to this both scoring goals and the game was good for the former and current OM players. They will need that level of activity and success on Tuesday when they face Spain.
• Jallet was impressive on the right flank. He was always available to jump into the offense, provided some solid crosses and tracked back well when he had to. France tends to lean to the left on attack - where Ribery likes to set up shop. To have a player like Jallet who can push the game on the right side gives the team some much needed balance. As the game wore on his crosses were not as effective, but overall was a real presence in the French game.
• Finally how can one overlook the captain Lloris? The Tottenham keeper showed how important it can be to have a world class back stopper. He made 2 huge saves early on - off a free header and made a strong save on a vicious shot. If he does not make these two saves who knows what happens. He was not able to keep a clean sheet, but not due to his error.

The Bad:

Haven't seen this in a long time.

• The struggles of Benzema are becoming a real issue. He has not scored for France in what seems like years...oh wait I think it has been! Last time he score was June 5th 2012...okay maybe not years...but feels that way. Especially for a striker of his raw talent. The weight of this streak is clearly impacting the Real Madrid striker. He had some clean looks at goal, getting two 1v1 opportunities and both times being too timid with his efforts. He continued to work hard all game. If he continues to do that the goals will come...but it is becoming a bad part of these games for France.

The Ugly:

• Following on Benzema's troubles is an overall ugliness when it comes to French finishing. Yes Giroud had a goal, but he butchered an early effort when he found himself alone against the keeper and chipped into row Z. Benzema had some weak attempts when he found himself in excellent scoring positions. Too often Les Bleus tried to be too cute, rather than just putting the ball on goal. Yes France scored 3 goals, but it should have been 4 or even 5. Against a side like Spain if France does not take advantage of their opportunities they might come out with a positive result.

Overall a positive result. In addition none of the players on a yellow picked up another card - in particular Matuidi. The fact that Spain was held to a draw at home was the final positive that came out of today. Of course none of that will mean too much if France lose to Spain on Tuesday. The other positive - France are close to guaranteed to at least qualify for the play offs if they do not finish first in the group.

I will be curious to see how Deschamps approaches the game on Tuesday. Does he stick with his 4-4-2? Or might he go back to a 4-2-3-1 and look to add to his midfield to counter the Spanish midfield? This weekend will be interesting with regards to how Deschamps gets his troops together. Finally will the youngsters Varane and Pogba get another start? I think the Juventus midfielder has the best chance to finding himself in the starting line up of the two.

Allez les Blues. 

Deschamps back to the 4-2-3-1 with some surprises

DD will head into tomorrow's match against Germany with an "old fashion" 4-2-3-1. According to reports look for the Arsenal right back Sagna back on the starting sheet as well as Newcastle midfielder Sissoko lining up for a start. Interesting.

Lloris
Sagna, Koscielny, Sakho, Evra
Cabaye, Matuidi
Sissoko, Valbuena, Ribery
Benzema

Can he run the midfield?

I am a little surprised that we are not seeing a more "muscular" midfield, as I had suggested in my blog post.  Much will be expected of Cabaye and Matuidi to check Ozil in particular. Much like what France did in Spain, look for the PSG midfielder to be asked to do the yeoman's work in the midfield and try to shut down any creativity from the Mannschaft. Cabaye will be the link, but will need to ensure he keeps his defensive responsibilities top of mind. Three things to look for:

• Can Valbuena handle the #10 role? I am not sure he is disciplined enough to hold that spot and with Ribery on the left will he fight his urge to roam a bit on the pitch? Valbuena's showing against Italy was top shelf and he deserves getting the start, but not sure if in the middle of the midfield is best.
• How will the right side function? With Sagna back in the starting line up and Sissoko getting a start...on the right...not really where I envision him long term. Deschamps will be looking at a brand new right side of his formation. How will this work? With Menez and Debuchy sitting on the bench, it will be interesting to see if DD goes to those two if things are stale on the right.
• Is Dechamps settling on Kos-Sakho as his central defense pairing? At the beginning of his tenure, DD leaned on Yanga-Mbiwa/Sakho defensive pairing, which showed much promise. Due to circumstances, DD inserted the Arsenal defender in the back. Without Yanga-Mbiwa on the initial list from Deschamps, is the Kos-Sakho pairing becoming cemented as the #1 choice pairing? Let us see how this works out tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see how France answers these three questions. Of course a fourth question is - can Benzema find his scoring touch for France??

We will know tomorrow!

Allez les Bleus!!

Have Les Bleus turned a corner? Come from behind to beat the Italians 2-1

Okay so I was not able to watch the game today...and even ESPN 3 did not offer the ability to see the replay. But I was able to find the high lights -


From the video, two fantastic goals from Les Bleus. Great way to end the international season for France. Let us hope they can continue to build on this success.

Deschamps mum about starters...except for one

With 24 hours to go, it appears that Deschamps has been mum with regards to who will walk out for France to face their trans-alpine neighbors. One things appears to be, possible - Valbuena might be in the starting line up for Les Bleus. But in what role...not sure. Add to this the apparent knocks pick up by both Cabaye and Menez, and we have a thinning roster from which DD can select.

Here is what I think France will do tomorrow. Deschamps will continue to lean on his 4-3-3.

Lloris
Debuchy, Mbiwa, Sakho, Evra

I think the defense will be what Deschamps will look to lean on as much as possible during qualifiers, giving them more time together will be valuable.

The midfield and up front is where things will get interesting:

Only player we know will start...or will he???

I think Deschamps will line up these three in the middle - Gonalons, Gourcuff and Matuidi.  I look for Matuidi and Gonalons to be called on to do the dirty work in the midfield, the PSG midfielder deserves another start after his fantastic showing against Spain. Gourcuff will be allowed to play deeper, a role that actually suits him and allows him greater visibility of the field.

Up front I will look for Ribery back on the left, Giroud as the central attacker and Valbuena on the right. With Menez out, this is a chance to see Le Petit Velo out on the right flank.

I expect to see Payet get some time on one of the wings at some point in the match. Finally I hope that Tremoulinas gets some time on the field. After getting a late call up to replace Clichy, it would be interesting to see the Bordeaux left back, who is very offensive minded, to get some run. I think that he, if given the chance, has a card to play with Les Bleus.

France get the victory, but let's not get ahead of ourselves

Well at least I got the score right...just the wrong victors. Les Bleus get a famous 2-1 victory over Die Mannschaft in Bremen last night. Goals from Giroud and Malouda. France will head into the Euro preparation matches on a high note having defeated one of the tournament favorites. Of course, I am sure that the German supporters will point out that Germany were missing some key players...but so were the French. So what to make of the match?

1st Half - France were fortunate to not being down 2 or 3 goals. Ozil and his band of merry midfielders punished some sloppy French passing leading to quick counters. Were it not for Lloris, Les Bleus would have found themselves on the wrong end of the score sheet.
2nd Half - France seemed comfortable sitting back and hitting back at Germany on the counter and exposed some weakness on the German back line. Les Bleus could themselves, have scored a few more goals.

Let's dive in deeper:

The Good:

• A win,  a victory is a victory, just ask Mitt Romney. France showed that they could go into a hostile environment and win a game that at times they looked like they were going to let slip away. I was a little frustrated that they were not able to kill the game when they had a two goal advantage, but that is not uncommon these days.
• Who should be the new right back for France: Debuchy. The Lille right back was a surprise inclusion against the United States, but clearly has a little something extra the likes of Sagna and Reveilliere have failed to bring to the table - a regular offensive punch to the right side. Debuchy was incredible active all game making deep runs down the right channel and provided the assist on both French goals. He even had a cannon of a shot from distance forcing the German keeper to punch the ball to safety. France have been looking for a right back that can bring greater width and crossing to the game - ever since Sagnol retired. In my opinion Debuchy has not only punched his ticket to go to the Euros, but should be the starting right back for France.
• Giroud was inserted in the starting line up and also did well enough to earn his ticket to the Euros. The leading scorer for Ligue 1 was very active on the offensive side and actually did his fair share defensively as well, at times he seemed to be sweeping rather than Mexes. His goal was a pure striker goal, no wasted motion, nothing fancy - take a cross and simply touch it past the keeper. This does not put him above Benzema or Remy, but it gives Blanc peace of mind that he has some decent depth up front.
• France could have been down 2-0 were it not for the exploits of Lloris. He made some huge saves to bail out his defense who decided to turn over the ball for much of the first half. Saves on Klose from point blank as well as reflect save on a deflected Klose volley in addition to his command of the aerial game were more proof points of why his one of the world's best keepers. Blanc announced the Lloris would be the French captain this summer and he demonstrated why his coach had so much faith in him.
• Seeing Mexes and Rami back together at the center of the defense. Both players seemed at ease with the other which is vital for central defensive pairings. Mexes is allowed to be more free - roaming, more or a sweeper while Rami is the pit bull that sits back to defend. Assuming both stay healthy and do not punch anyone, this should be a strength for Les Bleus.
• Le Petit Velo - Valbuena - showed me something last night. He was the most dangerous and hard working attacking midfielder for Les Bleus. He could have and should have scored on two occasions for Les Bleus, had he done so I would have rated him higher. Overall I think he made a strong case for being the right midfielder for France something that he should have been allowed to do 2 years ago rather than Govou! He did pop up on the opposite flank and in the center from time to time, something that might be of service if the likes of Debuchy are behind him, this would give the Lille right back more space to run into and create some real defensive problems for France's opponents.

The Bad:

• The Manchester City playmaker, Nasri, was not fantastic. I would even venture that he was completely invisible the first half. The second half he was at least visible! What is frustrating is the fact he has one good game one off game for Les Bleus. The lack of consistency is maddening. Many of the problems France had in the first half is that their playmaker was not gaining control of the game, unlike his counter part Ozil, who was controlling the pace of the match. Les Bleus need their playmaker to be able to slow the game down or speed it up depending on the situation, Nasri did not do this the first half and it could have cost France dearly. Blanc still has some work to do with regards to who pulls the strings for Les Bleus, could this open the door for Gourcuff? Surprisingly Martin did not make his way onto the pitch to see if he could fare better. Something to watch for.
• Speaking of former Marseilles players - Ribery - wasn't exactly the Kaiser last night for France. After scoring a brace over the weekend for Bayern, he clearly forgot his good boots somewhere in Germany other than Bremen. Granted he picked up a knock early on in the game and did give it his all, but more is expected and needed from the left winger if France is to do more than site see in Ukraine - Poland this summer. He made some decent runs but just did not have the extra punch to really threaten the German goal.
• The German defense. I realize they were missing some key players, but still they allowed some terrible scoring chances and turned the ball over themselves in terrible positions on the pitch. Germany is still a favorite but they better shore up the defense. 

The Ugly:

• The French first half - Les Bleus looked awful in the first half...yes I am aware that they went into the dressing room up 1-0, but were it not for Lloris, a post and some wide shots, Les Bleus would have been down 2 of not 3 to 1 at the half. France cannot expect to go anywhere if they play like that at the Euros. Sloppy passes, silly give aways and poor defending will cost them dearly.   Had Germany been more clinical in front of the goal...it would have been ugly. In the second half Les Bleus seemed to calm down a bit and better control the game, the Germans then became a bit sloppy themselves.

Overall winning away to Germany is nothing to sneeze at, but Les Bleus need to take this in stride and realize that they did not dominate. The game showcased two talented teams, both with flaws. Both teams can cure these flaws, but France's might be more difficult to overcome...but if they can, they have the potential to be a real surprise this summer.

Allez les Bleus!

The rumors were correct - Blanc turns over his starters

5 of his starting 11 will be different this afternoon when France face Romania. Granted, two of the changes are due to players returning from sickness in the case of Sagna or from suspension in the case of Rami. The other 3 are strategic changes made by Le President.

The starting line up:

Le onze français :
Lloris – Sagna, Rami, Abidal, Evra – Cabaye, M’Vila, Martin – Valbuena, Benzema, Ribéry
 
Remplaçants :
Mandanda, Koscielny, Nasri, Réveillère, Malouda, Diarra, Rémy

Not a big surprise in seeing Nasri sit, he has been given his chances but failed to impress, now it is Martin's turn to see he can finally find the maestro Les Bleus have been missing. Question becomes what happens if and when Gourcuff returns to health and form? Or has the train left the station when it comes to the Lyon play maker?

Cabaye with M'Vila is interesting as well, not that the Newcastle midfielder does not warrant a chance in the midfield, but more the fact Blanc starts his former Bordeaux captain - Diarra, and gives him the arm band, and then sits him. One would hope that the player that most readily gets the arm band would also be one of the core players on your roster.

On the right, I am glad to see Blanc giving "Le Petit Velo" his chance again. I feel every time Valbuena has been given a chance for France he has taken full advantage of it. The fact he is a natural right winger doesn't hurt either!

One aspect to watch is without Diarra on the pitch, Blanc has sacrificed some size, this might play a role on set pieces in particular defending them. Something France have not been very good at as of late.

Les Bleus escape Romania with a draw. France have trouble with the Romanians and they will be inaugurating a new stadium as well giving the home team and crowd a huge boost.

France 1 - Romania 1
Benzema scores again for Les Bleus

Allez Les Bleus!

The right wing - why so many problems for France?

Against Albania, Laurent Blanc decided to slot one of his left wingers on the right side. Unlike during the 2006 World Cup where the new kid on the block Ribery was slotted right with Malouda left, Blanc flip flopped these two against Albania. But why? Unlike under Domenech, Blanc has placed natural right wingers on his roster - Valbuena, Menez and Remy. So why do you have to try to force a left winger on the right side?

Valbuena strikes in Wembley

Blanc needs to put the best line up and the best players on the pitch. Is Malouda better than the likes of Menez, Valbuena or Remy on the pitch let alone out on the right side? Not sure. When all three mentioned right wingers have been given time on the pitch they have all shown what they can do - all positive. Is Blanc trying to placate the old guard? Is there a fear of an undertone of rebellion? I hope not. My sense is that Malouda is a professional and if he has to site and watch Ribery on the left then he will be fine. If he is not, then drop him from the squad.

Blanc could even slot a Nari on the right, give the central midfield baton to Martin, might make the Manchester City player more at ease with less "responsibility" of being the French #10. Heading into the Romania match I would like to see the following -

Slot Abidal back to the left, insert Rami back with Kaboul in the center of the defense. M'Vila deserves to start, he is rapidly becoming one of the core players for Blanc. Diarra can shoulder him again, if Blanc decides to continue with his "muscled" midfield. The three attacking midfielders - Ribery on the left, Nasri in the middle (give him another shot at pulling the strings) and Valbuena on the right. I think the "petit velo" should be allowed to run at Romania on the right, with his pace on the right it would be a scary compliment for the pace of Ribery on the left. With Benzema up front and of course Lloris in goal, another 2 key core players for Blanc.

Let's stop trying to tinker with the right wing and just start one of the many true right winger options Blanc has at his disposal!

Allez les Bleus.

Arsenal rumored to be looking at OM winger as potential Nasri replacement...interesting

The latest rumor is that Arsenal sniffing around Marseilles and their French international - Valbuena. Interesting. The Marseilles winger has never been high on Deschamps list of key pieces for OM. I am not sure how the winger would be seen as a replacement for the potential departures of Nasri and Cesc.

Wearing #10, but more of a winger than central midfielder

Cesc and Nasri are closer to the traditional #10, they play in the center of the park can either slot high on the pitch or drop deeper, but always roaming around that middle of the pitch. Granted, Nasri can easily slot out wide as well, but he is at ease pulling the strings in the center. Not sure that Valbuena would be someone at ease in that role. So why is Wenger thinking about adding him to the roster? Unless Arsenal believe they can hold on to Nasri and/or Cesc. Otherwise I fear the void left in the middle of the park will be too much to overcome and having another winger - Valbuena - will be an exercise of deck chair rearrangement on the Titanic. Couple this with the addition of Gervinho and all of sudden you become winger heavy with little depth at the center of the formation.

Les Bleus and Blanc going witha 4-4-2

No surprise,  Blanc will align a 4-4-2, after announcing that Hourau would be a starter I could not really see him lining up as the lone striker. After his match against Ukraine, Gameiro was given another chance to start this time with a strike partner - Hourau.

The midfield is no surprise with Diarra (I am a bit surprised to see the Bordeaux man back in the starting XI but he did not play against Ukraine so makes sense), Martin, Valbuena and N'Zogbia. Look for N'Zogbia to hold the wide flank on the left with Valbuena doing the same on the right. Martin, after his 15 minutes of insanity, will be given an expected start and will be expected to pull the strings in the midfield. This will place some pressure on Diarra since he is the single "guard" in front of the back 4. Speaking of the back 4, no surprises, except for Sakho sitting and Abidal in central defense. How ironic when that is the exact role he did not want to play under Domenech. Granted Abidal has slotted there for Barcelona when Pujol was injured. With Rami suspended against Albania when the qualifiers start up again, and Mexes coming off injury, Blanc is clearly getting ready for having to leverage Abidal and his experience in central defense.
I see this game being another trial run for Blanc in preparation for the Albania match in September.

Prediction: France 3 – Poland 1, goals from Hourau, Valbuena and Gameiro

Allez les Bleus

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

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 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.