France Call-Ups for the June Euro Qualifiers
I’ve been put off writing this because… Well, honestly, it’s because my heart is completely shattered. No Patrice Evra on the list. What’s up with that?
Coach Raymond Domenech apparently prefers Julien Escudé, with his ability to switch-hit between left back and central defense. Okay, yes, I adore Escudé too, and he impressed the heck out of me when he played leftback against Austria. But Raymond? Patrice scored a Champions League goal playing RIGHT back. How’s THAT for switch hitting? (Of course, I could have scored against Roma that day, but let’s not cloud the issue.)
The big news of players not included: No Evra, no David Trézéguet, no Philippe Mexès. Trézéguet’s not a big surprise, alas, but no Mexès? What’s going on there? What did I miss? Mexès was the guy that Lilian Thuram all but annointed as his successor on the NT. I thought he did fine when he played first half against Austria, but then he was subbed out, and now he’s not called up. Granted, central defense is the position I generally don’t notice unless they do something either dramatically great or dramatically awful, but still… Did he have the wrong astrological sign or something? Did Raymond think his lovely blond highlights didn’t look natural? Or maybe he joined the ranks of players who hit on Estelle Denis? Can somebody clue me in here?
There are three goalkeepers called up this time, with Fiorentina’s Sébastien Frey returning from international exile to join Coupet and Landreau.
It looks like Francois Clerc will get the nod to replace the injured Willy Sagnol at rightback as expected. His backup will be Bakary Sagna of Auxerre. (This is totally irrelevant, but does anybody know the background of M. Sagna? When I googled him I came up with three different spellings for his name — Bakary, Bacari, Bacary — which often means that the original language has a phonemic basis, like Arabic. Not that it matters, I’m just always linguistically curious.)
No big surprise in the midfield except for the return of Lyon’s Alou Diarra. Last I heard, wasn’t Alou playing for the Lyon RESERVES? Domenech apparently likes him a whole lot more than Lyon’s Gerard Houllier does. And Abou Diaby and Lassana Diarra got the return nod, but Bordeaux’s Rio Antonia Mavuba didn’t. (I agree with the choice. Mavuba looked a little shaky to me in the last go-round. But good luck next time, Rio.)
And Samir Nasri and my personal favorite young gun Karim Benzema may get the chance to reprise their winning roles from the Austria game. That could be fun.
Nicolas Anelka and Djibril Cissé are again called up. No surprise there, and I expect them to start, with Benzema getting subbed in at some point during at least one of the games. Sidney Govou is also called up, listed as an attaquant, which does surprise me a little. He just hasn’t impressed me the last few times I’ve seen him play.
And our last new player is twenty-one-year-old striker Jimmy Briand of Stade Rennais, a player about whom I know very little. I’ll see if I can’t do some research and come up with a profile and photo before the games.
Complete team list after the jump.
Liste des joueurs sélectionnés
Gardiens de But
23 Grégory COUPET Olympique Lyonnais
16 Sébastien FREY A.C.F. Fiorentina
1 Mickaël LANDREAU Paris SG
Défenseurs
3 Eric ABIDAL Olympique Lyonnais
13 François CLERC Olympique Lyonnais
21 Julien ESCUDE F.C. Seville
5 William GALLAS Arsenal F.C.
12 Bakary SAGNA AJ Auxerrenouveau
17 Sébastien SQUILLACI Olympique Lyonnais
15 Lilian THURAM F.C. Barcelone
Milieux de Terrain
2 Abou DIABY Arsenal F.C.
18 Alou DIARRA Olympique Lyonnais
4 Lassana DIARRA Chelsea F.C.
6 Claude MAKELELE Chelsea F.C.
7 Florent MALOUDA Olympique Lyonnais
11 Samir NASRI Olympique de Marseille
22 Franck RIBERY Olympique de Marseille
8 Jérémy TOULALAN Olympique Lyonnais
Attaquants
39 Nicolas ANELKA Bolton Wanderers
20 Karim BENZEMA Olympique Lyonnais
14 Jimmy BRIAND Stade Rennais nouveau
9 Djibril CISSE Olympique de Marseille
10 Sidney GOVOU Olympique Lyonnais
Related Posts
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share
|
Comments


You know, I think Domenech does have a soft spot for Alou. I remember he made him a starter for the Greece match, despite the fact that he had barely played at that point. Domenech also has a soft spot for Govou, because he clearly sees something the rest of us don’t (and so does Houllier, oddly enough. Maybe we’re missing something?).
I personally wasn’t thrilled to see Sagna. He’s not bad, probably one of Auxerre’s best players, but there are better French RBs than him. Chimbonda for one, though I don’t know how he’s doing at the moment. My theory is that Domenech wanted to pick at least one guy from Auxerre since the match will be there. And since there is no room for Pedretti in midfield or Kaboul in CB, he went with Sagna.
But speaking honestly, I think Reveillere (who’s been capped before) is far better and more experience. Frankly, I think he’s better than Clerc sometimes. But I guess Domenech can’t pick two guys from the same team for the same position.
Also, Briand is great. He’s terrific for the U21s, and I’d happily trade Baros to Rennes for Briand.
BTW, have you noticed that the French NT’s average age has dropped by nearly a decade since the WC?
Posted from
United States




Agreed completely about Evra’s absence, Laurie. And I really don’t get this attachment with Diarra. I just don’t rate him.
Posted from
United States




I feel the youth is looking good, guys like Ribery,Nasri,BenZema (I think that how you spell it) is what FRANCE NEEDED can you imagime with Henry and Anelka, my god that fire power, I really beleive with their full squad available and the new talent they are going to be really though to beat




Salut, this is my first post here, as school’s been tough, but I think you all are doing a terrific job. Anyway, I, too, am none too happy about the non-selection of Trez/Mexès/Evra. Perhaps le Raymond has something against guys who got further in the CL than OL did? (not in Trez’s case, obviously)
Though I do see the “apparent” logic in selecting Bacary (I think it is) Sagna. Such as was the case with L.Diarra/Nasri/Benzema/Diaby, he has a dual nationality, and would have been eligible, I believe, to play for Senegal. Considering that Sagnol is no young pup, and that there isn’t an apparent successor at right back (well, Clerc, perhaps, though I’m certainly not very convinced), Domenech may be trying to ascertain that he’ll have Bacary if he’s needed.
Though I agree with Inara. I would prefer Chimbonda over Sagna. And I also don’t get why Govou is omnipresent on the squad lists. His wearing the #10 jersey against Lithuania made me miss Zidane more than I already do.
And finally, why were both Toulalan and A.Diarra selected when Houllier already picked one over the other at OL? Ah, too many questions, as always.
Though it appears that Shevchenko is out for the Ukraine match.
For those in the States, happy Memorial Day weekend. Great job again on the blog.


Comments are closed
Send Your Tips!
Email tips[at]worldcupblog[dot]org
France Club Football News
- Matchday: Lens-Sochaux (Stade Auguste Bonal)
- Foto: South American Threesome
- Well fought despite loss
- Lyon vs. Liverpool: Battle of the Hospital Patients
More Europe Blogs
France World Cup Blog
782 Articles | 9,764 Comments
Croatia World Cup Blog
191 Articles | 1,816 Comments
Czech Republic World Cup Blog
196 Articles | 320 Comments
England World Cup Team Blog
803 Articles | 2,750 Comments
Germany World Cup Blog Blog
482 Articles | 3,066 Comments
Italy World Cup Blog
562 Articles | 21,452 Comments
Netherlands World Cup Blog
1,995 Articles | 26,002 Comments
Poland World Cup Blog
347 Articles | 4,083 Comments
Portugal World Cup Blog
447 Articles | 6,804 Comments
Serbia World Cup Team Blog
168 Articles | 847 Comments
Spain World Cup Blog
234 Articles | 1,922 Comments
Sweden World Cup Blog
151 Articles | 318 Comments
Switzerland World Cup Blog
217 Articles | 327 Comments
Ukraine World Cup Team Blog
116 Articles | 783 Comments
Greece World Cup Blog
140 Articles | 68 Comments
Russia World Cup Blog
78 Articles | 136 Comments
Scotland World Cup Team Blog
99 Articles | 108 Comments
Ireland World Cup Team Blog
48 Articles | 74 Comments
Norway World Cup Team Blog
9 Articles | 6 Comments
Turkey World Cup Blog
39 Articles | 293 Comments
Romania World Cup Blog
78 Articles | 281 Comments
Austria World Cup Blog
111 Articles | 117 Comments
Denmark World Cup Team Blog
8 Articles | 27 Comments
Albania World Cup Team Blog
4 Articles | 8 Comments
Belgium World Cup Team Blog
49 Articles | 59 Comments
Wales World Cup Team Blog
61 Articles | 17 Comments
Bosnia World Cup Team Blog
28 Articles | 47 Comments
Israel World Cup Team Blog
22 Articles | 18 Comments
Monthly Archives
World 







