nice … perhaps an in-form Anelka should start up front, he’s looked pretty good for Chelsea, hasn’t he? Maybe we’ll see the first-half-Benzema, second-half-Anelka scheme used in the Serbia game….

Mandanda
Sagna Mexes Abidal Clichy
Toulalan Vieira
Ribery Gourcuff Henry
Anelka

Aside from the defensive aspect Doume touched on, Vieira has always provided that link between defense and offense, a la Deschamps, which was so badly missed at the Euro. While he might not be able to put in the full 90, he could, over 60 minutes or so, be the catalyst. Give him the armband. While Henry and Ribery don’t prefer the left and right wing, respectively, they can wreak havoc with their runs, passing and vision from those spots. They’ll mix it up. To not start Gourcuff would be absurd. Finally, Benzema hasn’t yet shown he can play well with others. Plant him on the bench for this one and give him and Ben Arfa a good run against Tunisia. A quick score, albeit not the Bleus’ strength, could deflate a flailing Romania. So, just for fun: 3-0, Ribery, Vieira, Henry, all in the first hour.

i agree with that meta-prediction, although maybe domenech wont and wont let gourcuff play. i really hope gourcuff scores and get a fixed position

so ben arfa nasri gallas flamini Ldiarra (sagnol) r out? wow that is half of a full ine up

Gerard Houllier is the latest rumoured to replace Domenech. The job of the Romania coach, Victor Piturca, may also be on the line.

The Romanians were awful in their first two games, against Lithuania and the Faroes (whom they barely managed to defeat). Although they have Chivu & Mutu back, they look weaker defensively than when France last played them, in June.

Prediction: Romania 1 (Mutu) France 2 (Benzema, Gourcuff)

Wild guess: anything less than a complete France humilitation of Romania will cause Escalettes to throw Domenech to the wolves in the period before his own “re-election.”

Some musings from Robert Pires:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1075591/Put-class-act-Wenger-charge-French-team-urges-Pires.html

Here’s the list from l’Equipe

GARDIENS : Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Hugo Lloris (Lyon).

DÉFENSEURS : Jean-Alain Boumsong (Lyon), Eric Abidal (FC Barcelone/ESP), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal/ANG), William Gallas (Arsenal/ANG), Patrice Evra (Manchester United/ANG), Philippe Mexès (AS Rome/ITA), Gaël Clichy (Arsenal/ANG), Sébastien Squillaci (FC Séville/ESP), Rod Fanni (Rennes)

MILIEUX : Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan/ITA), Jérémy Toulalan (Lyon), Florent Malouda (Chelsea/ANG), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich/ALL), Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille)

ATTAQUANTS : Thierry Henry (Barcelone/ESP), Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea/ANG), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Florent Sinama-Pongolle (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Jimmy Briand (Rennes)

What strikes me about this list is that we don’t have a true right sided mid now that Govou is out. Ribery will probably be on the right but he has said that he doesn’t like to play there.

I am wondering if Benzema gets a start in the Romania game. If so, I’d like to see him leading the line with Henry on the left in a 4-5-1.

http://www.football365.fr/coupe_confederation/groupe_a/article_268979_Bleus-Domenech-veut-rappeler-Flamini.shtml

I’m not sure if this Vieira move is only coming from Domenech at this stage of things; I would guess he had the advice or suggestion from others too. Other than experience and leadership, the only reason I see is to address the cruel lack of defense on corner-kicks and free-kicks that allowed Austria to get ahead in the score. He is tall. It is safe to say, if it was he instead of Flo Malouda covering Kuyt in that corner kick, Holland would not have scored this one. Offensively also, he could be a credible threat on corner kicks. Other than that, I’m not sure about his shape, and is it fair to other players? As long as La Toule is there, well who knows?