France Squad Announced

By: Corey | January 31st, 2008

So Ray Ray Domenech looked at the stars and checked the back of the Enquirer to figure out some horoscopes and came up with a team list for the matches in Malaga, Spain next week. I say matches because the A-team will take on DR Congo while the full squad plays Spain. So thats why their are so many players called up. Being a Spain fan as well as France fan my arms are tied behind my back as to who will win, but I am impressed with the players Domenech did call up.

Goalkeepers:

Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Mickael Landreau (Paris St Germain), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille).

Defenders:

Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong, Francois Clerc and Sebastien Squillaci (all Olympique Lyon), Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Bakary Sagna (all Arsenal), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Gael Givet (Olympique Marseille), Philippe Mexes (AS Roma), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona).

Midfielders:

Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Girondins Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Samir Nasri (Olympique Marseille), Jerome Rothen (Paris St Germain), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan).

Forwards:

Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Benzema and Sidney Govou (all Olympique Lyon), Jimmy Briand (Stade Rennes), Djibril Cisse (Olympique Marseille), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Jeremy Menez (Monaco), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich).

A couple of these guys got here on merit, mainly Malouda, Coupet, Govou, Viera, Makelele, L Diarra and Thuram. Not that they are not good players, but they either have just returned from injury (Govou,Coupet, Viera) or havent played very much or very well. The same could be said in my opinion about Sagnol, who I dont know what all the fuss is about, because Sagna and Clerc are much better players in my opinion.

Alright, so lets start with the keepers. Coupet just got back from a injury and although he has played a few games for Lyon, I expect Landreau to start in goal with Frey his backup. Its cruel on Manadana, but it seems logical to have COupet play the A-team friendly to get some more match pace. But Manadana may get a shot, he has been solid all season.

Defensively, Mexes is a welcome relief. Everyone in the world knows he is a great defender, why he does not get called up more is beyond me. But the paring of Toto Squillaci and William Gallas looks to good right now. Givet, Thuram and Boumsong round out the center backs, lets hope Boumsong doesnt make it on the pitch, likewise with Givet who I think is rather error prone too. Abidal and Sagna will round out the starting line, meaning Clerc, Sagnol, Evra and Clichy will probably start on the bench but get minutes for the A-team. Which ones, I can not be certain, well maybe Clichy, but you never really know with Domenech. Also, Puygrenier misses out which is a pity because he is having another great year and probably should have been considered over Boumsong.

To Honor The A-team:

Did I ever mention Boumsong looked a little likeMr. T as B.A. Baracus? Well he does…

Midfield to me is missing one thing. A creative yet strong central midfielder. We have more then a couple defensive midfielder, and Diaby can be considered creative and strong, he will come off the bench no doubt. But other players come to mind to balance the squad a bit. Benoit Pedretti probably never will be recalled, Gourcuff doesnt play enough, Bodmer neither. Mathieu Coutadeur is some way off a call up, while somelike like Etienne Didot or Blaise Matiudi doesnt seem to me in Domenech’s mind. I do not know how ready Viera is for this game, so expect Makelele in the center or Toulalan? I say Jeremy, and probably Viera because Domenech doesnt try new things in the center. Govou or Ribery on the right? Probably Ribery, Govou is just coming back to form, and Rothen, what can I say, I have never been a fan. So Nasri or Malouda or Ben Arfa on the left? I really dont know, Malouda isnt playing that well, Ben Arfa is, but Nasri is best in the center.

Striking wise, Benzema is in form as is Henry. Anelka, Cisse and Briand all look good right now too. I would hope Briand gets his first cap here, but the A-team surely beckons. A Henry-Benzema partnership is likely unless Anelka gets the nod in head of Karim. Either way, we are not lacking in firepower. Nasri could be used in a diamon midfield shape or as the secondary striker behind say Benzema. Where does Menez fit into all of this? Not sure yet, he is sort of a winger sort of a striker. A 4-3-3 like Lyon or Barca plays would seem logical when you look at the talent, but a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield is plausable. My dream lineup with this squad is this:

—————Coupet————–
Clerc—–Gallas—–Mexes—–Abidal
—-Viera—-Toualalan—-Nasri—–
Ribery———————Ben Arfa
————Benzema————-

I know, I know, Nasri so deep? Well know, he has the liberty to push forward, the wonders Viera and Toulalan can do in the center of the pitch. I like Toto Squillaci, he is the skill and positioning to Cris’s brute force, but Mexes is more of what Toto is. So Toto is definately and impact sub if needed. Clerc over Sagna? Little stronger defensively, with Ribery never being much a defender. Govou and Ribery can easily swap spots though, although I have seen RIbery on the left alot for Bayern…hmmm. Likewise, Ben Arfa is in form and Malouda is a easy swap.

You could always push Gallas to left back to accomidate a different central defender, but such is Abidal’s lack of attacking ambition that like Clerc, he is a safer bet. Benzema up front is a no brainer, as Henry has proven that he is best with a side kick, whether big or small, to play with. Benzema, Briand and Anelka are all adept at playing on their own. Accomidating Henry means droping one of Nasri, Ben Arfa or RIbery, which just doesnt seem right. But if a 4-4-2 was to be used Henry could very easily partner Benzema at Ben Arfa’s expense.

I want to see Menez and Briand in this game. Clichy I am not so sure, he is good but if he doesnt play, ehh oh well. Anyways, theres what I think, whats your lineup?