France’s Squad List for World Cup Qualifier against Faroe Islands on Wednesday, August 12th

I was actually looking forward to seeing this squad. Blah, same faces. Really proud of Sissoko making the squad. He deserves it. Also, you guys should focus on all the French national teams, including the women, who are getting ready for the EUROs.

Too many defensive midfielders. Ribery won’t be fit for those qualifiers so, no point including him. Toulalan has never impressed me to be honest and the same applies with Alou Diarra. Maybe tryout Jeremy Menez and ask Higuain to play for France over Argentina. Maradona hasn’t called him up for some odd reason. He would be France’s main goal threat if he chose to play for France

No major surprises for the squad. Not sure about calling up Higuain…although worth a shot! He has only played for the Olympic team and therefore not for the official A side. There are rumors he is keeping the door open to Les Bleus, but I fear that is just to stir up Maradona to select him for Argentina. He had a chance to play for Les Bleus but turned it down, saying he always wanted to play for the Albicelestes, so would be hard for him to back track. However stranger things have happened!

I actually think that being consistent is going to be crucial for the rest of the qualifiers and…cross fingers….for the world cup. This is not time to experiment with the core, the fringe players yes, but all the ones Domenech has called up deserve to stay in favor with the French team – Gignac, Remy, etc. Then again this game should not be a real test…but the upcoming games will be. Should be interesting.

Read more about the squad – http://tinyurl.com/nsf7lf

Higuain shouldn’t be allowed in the french team…he refused Domenech when he had the chance and only wants now in order to get international play in order to increase his stock. Selfish players like that won’t play hard for you.

I’d rather see a player play for les bleus that actually wants to play for the love of his home country, the guy can’t even speak a word of french (his father had to write the letter to Domenech for him to decline him the last time)

@ Julien
“the guy can’t even speak a word of french”
so what, Mandanda is not even french and his playing for france.

I have issues with Mandanda as well, one of his brothers chose to play congo so i guess they can pick and choose. But at least he lived in France the majority of his life and is more likely more comfortable living in Marseille than Congo now. He has much more of a right to wear the jersey than higuain.

a fair amount of talent and technical ability in this group, as well as the usual suspects left off the list — flamini etc — but does this group really inspire a lot of confidence for 2010? alas, not for me, and i doubt very much that spain, argentina, brazil, the dutch, germans, or even english are quaking in their boots at the thought of facing this les bleus squad in the knockout stages.
france has been a dominant power in world football during 2 eras — the platini years of the early/mid 80s, and of course the zidane years. in between the 2, a lot of talent, 3 of the most feared attacking players of the day in papin, cantona and ginola, but a mediocre team at best. does france need a dominant attacking AM who controls matches through their superb close control, power (zidane), vision, and pin-point passing (more platini), in order to flourish on the world stage? if not, what can this group do to become a serious threat to win the tournament, absent the classic french midfield general? if so, can gourcuff, or ribery, or a combination of the 2 fill the platini/zidane roll next year?
sound off.

Does Spain not have a brazilian in there squad forgot his name but he plays for villareal, does england not thinking of making the spanish goalie that plays for Arsenal part of their squad, what about the player for juventus amauri, he is born in brazil and wants to play for italy,what about the USA did we not have FRENCH player in our squad 2 world cups ago, he had married a usa citizen,so either accept that these things happend or we make new rules………..you be the judge

First off, how about a permanent moratorium on responses to posts from Michel-Olivier and his ilk ? Their argument, or lack thereof, is tiresome, and the less read about it the better.

So, Pierrot … I agree that right now this squad doesn’t instil too much fear. But there’s still time to gather coherence and consistency, enough to draw at least level on any given day with the teams you mention. The attacking midfield — Ribery, Gourcuff, maybe Henry and even Malouda — has got to rank at least close to world class. In fact, Gourcuff could surface as among the world’s best in the next 10 months. How Ribery works with him, and not the other way around, could be key. You can argue with the tactics, but I like the Toulalan and L. Diarra pairing going into South Africa. They are tough, smart and skilled. Sissoko could also play a part, and do it very well.

And while Henry and Anelka are past their primes, they are still smart, agile footballers who can score. Benzema (of whom I’m not enamored), too, could yet reach his potential with Les Bleus. Evra, Clichy, Abidal? No question mark there. And Sagna, while uneven in the Prem last term, is not far off. That leaves the central defense. As GFC notes on his Beantown blog, that’s the team’s spine, and Mexes should be in the mix (By the by, has the squad ever been without a player in Serie A?). That leaves me worried, as does the keeper spot, at least long term.

For now, the squad needs only to win five to qualify up front. And that’s doable for this team, even away to Serbia. Right now it’s all potential, but if they pull it together I can see them reaching the semis, where anything can happen.

Allez!

Ugh, I was really hoping Ben Arfa would make the squad….I really can’t believe that an injured Ribery is going to be better than Hatem. Domenech is so frustrating, it is almost as though he fears change or pragmatic action (not shocking, the French are rather nihilistic).

I think that the combo Gourcuff – Ribery holds much promise. I agree that France’s glory days were driven first by Platini and second by Zidane. Granted one should not overlook the World Cup in Sweden in 1958. Kopa and Fontaine led Les Bleus to a 3rd place finish, were it not for a certain Pele, who knows, maybe Les Bleus would have won the World Cup.

But back to today, I agree that France is far from being the threat they once were. However the cupboard is hardly bare – Gourcuff, Ribery, Malouda, Benzema, Nasri (when healthy),Anelka, Evra, Sagna, Diarra, etc. The main issue really lies with Domenech, he has been tinkering since the last World Cup and has not settled or developed a core to build around. He must settle on a keeper that can hold the spot down with confidence, he must figure out his central back pairings, and he must figure out the holding midfield pairing (one of the holding players needs to be more offensive minded, similar to Vieira or Petit). I am not sure how much confidence I have in Domenech finding these solutions….

As for Higuain, I agree, he should be told bye bye…he cannot speak french, lived in Brest for less than 6 months!

Oh, let us not forget Italy have a promising striker who was born in … New Jersey.

I tend to agree with the erudite princedesparcs about L. Diarra and Toulalan. Having those two in central midfield sort of reminds me of Deschamps and Petit, at least in the way it sets up the formation.

Hopefully Squillaci and Gallas can settle. Evra and Sagna are usually really good.

Ribery, Gourcuff, and Henry have been playing well for France.

There’s a good base, and if a forward player can turn up, Nico or Benzema, or maybe even Gignac, and play at high level, then I’ll be loving watching Les Bleus again.

I think Mandanda has been shaky, from what I’ve seen, and I’d give someone else a chance in goal.

i agree with everything you said Jeff

ben arfa ….
how could people wait for him as international player !??
he got a chance (pourquoi deja, alors que de très bon joueurs ne l’ont jamais eu). bref
this guy is dumb, selfish, never take the good decision, and hated by at least the half of other players.
first people said he’s too young, he’ll learn …
3-4 years later, he’s kind of worst.
an amasing potential for technic, but no brain
he’ll got a last chance, by making a good season for marseille with deschamps this year (il serait temps)
appelez cheyrou, didot, cabaye, hoareau,
and if you realy need someone as left offensive side, not to use malouda,
so use ribery, henry, even benzema or nasri, they are all better for the team

ben arfa is done as far as getting into the national team, but with a dumb coach anything can happen. unless if he miraculously redeeems himself, which i believe he cant do in a SEASON. he has no chance of coming back. maybe in the euro 2012 he will be ready but who knows, it takes a lot of work to play top football, especially the right mentallity and work-rate. something this kid doesnt have. its not like his supertalented or prodigy either, just a good player with nice techniques nothing more, france has those kind of players. such as flamini, menez, saha who are good, experienced and discipline players.

i would be dissapointed if the coach picked him for the worldcup. just because of a good season, when they are otherplayers who have been working harder to get the attention of the coach

Malouda had a renaissance at the end of the Chelsea season. I’m not sure I’d write him off completely, although he certainly hasn’t clicked for France recently.

I think any win of less that 3 goals against Faroe Islands will show something is wrong with the team’s ability to break through defenses. Which we already all know is the weak spot.

I’m also undecided on Mexes vs. Squillaci to partner Gallas. Squillaci is just so…no drama, no nonsense. I know Mexes is skilled, but I just don’t know if I’ll ever forget the Austria match. (That rugby tackle still kind of defines the guy in my mind.)

malouda was proven player before his decline, at club level and national level during WC and euro qualification. same as anelka. both these players where proven. these players where more like victims of bad coaching. once they are used properly they are unstoppable. but ben arfa never settled ANYWHERE, lyon, OM, NT

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i agree with jeff who agrees with princedesparcs

when i think of les bleus i only think of ribery, gourcuff and toulalan, the rest is a vague inconsistent stopid blur which changes all the time because of the stupid stars which domenech watches or something

I want – no demand grrr- a consistent formation for serious matches, and i hate the fact that domenech messes around with all the players and plays each new player 1x like savidan and sinama pongolle and now sissoko, while flamini, ben arfa and nasri always sit on the benches (ok this time dombie got an excuse because nasri broke his leg)

tru its so annoying and causes inconsistenc with the players. this team also needs strikers. benz arent cutting it for les bluez, anelka is a HIT OR MISS, henry is past it, i see him as an inspirational type of player. govou???? this players is hard to read. thats it no one else