World

Europe

France

The List for France’s WC Qualifiers

August 28th, 2008 | By: Laurie | 23 Comments »

Here’s the list for our World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Austria. These games make me nervous. After watching Austria in Euros, I’m thinking that they especially are underrated and could deliver a shock. (Like they did in that friendly with Italy last week. As my co-blogger Chris said, they scored four goals! Fortunately for Italy, though, two of them were in their own net.)

No huge surprises on our list. Eric Abidal is back, but Gaël Clichy and Patrice Evra are there too. Abidal will still be suspended for the Serbia game, but will be available for Austria. And then Raymond’s test will begin. (I’m considering creating a “Cap Clichy” movement. Anybody want to join me?)

Rod Fanni is again the heir apparent at rightback, with Bakary Sagna the expected starter. And it looks like our starting centerbacks will be Philippe Mexes and William Gallas, with Sébastien Squillaci (and, of course, Abidal) on the bench.

Sébastien Frey was not called up, and neither was Claude Makelele. Yet another instance of Raymond merely marking his territory?

At central midfield we have, again, JérémyToulalan, the two Diarras, and Mathieu Flamini.

But it’s our attaquants that most make me salivate. ALL the youngsters: Benzema, Ben Arfa, Nasri, and Gourcuff. Plust the old-timers Henry, Anelka, Malouda and Govou. (Who probably cemented his place in WC 2010 with those two goals last time out.)

I’m hoping that everybody learned their lessons on generational difficulties at Euros and everything runs smoothly from here on out.

C’mon, boys, we’re all adults here. (Even if some of us are very rich and pampered adults, we still have the same goals. Right?)

Liste des joueurs sélectionnés

Gardiens de But
Hugo LLORIS Olympique Lyonnais
Stève MANDANDA Olympique de Marseille

Défenseurs
Eric ABIDAL FC Barcelone
Gaël CLICHY Arsenal F.C.
Patrice EVRA Manchester United
Rod FANNI Stade Rennais F.C.
William GALLAS Arsenal F.C.
Philippe MEXES AS Rome
Bakary SAGNA Arsenal F.C.
Sébastien SQUILLACI FC Séville

Milieux de Terrain

Alou DIARRA Girondins de Bordeaux
Lassana DIARRA FC Portsmouth
Mathieu FLAMINI AC Milan
Jérémy TOULALAN Olympique Lyonnais

Attaquants
Nicolas ANELKA Chelsea F.C.
Hatem BEN-ARFA Olympique de Marseille
Karim BENZEMA Olympique Lyonnais
Yoann GOURCUFF Girondins de Bordeaux
Sidney GOVOU Olympique Lyonnais
Thierry HENRY FC Barcelone
Florent MALOUDA Chelsea F.C.
Samir NASRI Arsenal F.C.

Tags: Euro 2008

France World Cup RSS Feed

del.icio.us:The List for France's WC Qualifiers

digg:The List for France's WC Qualifiers

newsvine:The List for France's WC Qualifiers

reddit:The List for France's WC Qualifiers

fark:The List for France's WC Qualifiers

stumbleupon:The List for France's WC Qualifiers

Comments

By metamoralia | August 28th, 2008 at 1:14 pm

Laurie, I agree with you about Austria. They didn’t look awful against Germany last June-—nothing like the reputation that preceded them …

Domenech has been denying in the press that he has to take at least 5 pts. from the first three games …or he’s gone. Two of those three games are away, including the third one against Romania … I don’t know, I think 5 pts. sounds about right.

Posted from Canada

By Jean Pierre | August 28th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

O wow, exciting! I’m going to watch this match at ma grandma’s place, because she got TV5 Monde. I asked mum and dad whether they wud like to install TV5 Monde at home too, but they didn’t liked that, but oh well im not talking about les bleus but Im really looking forwards this match:D

The 2 Diarras sounds boring, but its nice to see that he has called up our young talents; Nasri, Benzema, Gourcuff which I all want to see. Too bad Ribéry still not recovered yet. I think it isnt a surprising list, but It’s not thàt bad, only the 2 diarras are a bit much in the midfield

Posted from Netherlands

By Jean Pierre | August 28th, 2008 at 1:36 pm

Where is Flamini?

Posted from Netherlands

By Laurie | August 28th, 2008 at 1:45 pm

He’s there, Jean Pierre, on the midfield list. I think he’s the one who got the callup instead of Makelele.

Posted from United States

By Michel-Olivier | August 28th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

Menez sign for roma, he just flush his French NT career down the toilet.
two words, domenech and italy.

Posted from United States

By Jean Pierre | August 28th, 2008 at 2:15 pm

Ow lol pheww:D I didnt saw him

Posted from Netherlands

By Benjamin | August 28th, 2008 at 6:55 pm

there are too many diarra’s in this squad!
laurie i would love to join your cap clichy movement.
its gonna be interesting who gets into the XI for the WC qualifiers.
do u guys have any visions or preferences?

By Michel-Olivier | August 28th, 2008 at 7:22 pm

@ ben
100% sure
——-madnada—–
sagna–gallas-mexes–evra
—l. diara-toulalan–
govu————-malouda
—-benzema-henry—-

Posted from United States

By outa control | August 28th, 2008 at 11:37 pm

Guys can someone give me the game times in local times(i live in the dc area) and dates for qualifiers hopefully justin.tv will stream it.

Posted from United States

By Eric Escander | August 28th, 2008 at 11:42 pm

Benjamin I have been saying it for a while. There are just too many Diaras on the list. I 100% agree. Get rid of L. Diara. I hae nothing against the guy but Flamini should be starting instead of him. Why not bring in Bodmer? Would like to see how he would contribute. So has Clerc been replaced by Fanni or is he out due to injury? Clerc and Sagna on the right seems to be the best choice and I think those two would just be great for the team. People I can only hope this is the beginning to something wonderful.

Posted from United States

By Laurie | August 29th, 2008 at 12:03 am

Clerc’s out for several months with a longterm knee injury.

I’m guessing it will be Clerc and Sagna for qualifiers in the longerm, unless Fanni gets a change to prove himself and does spectacularly.

Posted from United States

By Benjamin | August 29th, 2008 at 12:49 am

@ Michel

i know this is what is gonna happen, but what would be your ideal lineup
mine would be

mandana
sagna gallas mexes clichy
(that way you have good communication with arsenal trio, and im a gooner btw)
ben arfa toulalan flamini nasri (give youth a chance, they are exciting)
benzema henry

By John | August 29th, 2008 at 10:14 am

There are too many defensive midfeilders on the team: Toulalan, Flamini, and the two Diarras. Why not drop two and bring in two central midfielders who can get foward, like Bodmer and Diabi?

Posted from Costa Rica

By Jean Pierre | August 29th, 2008 at 10:17 am

@ benjamin

Haa lol thats exactly what I had in mind too
But I wud replace ben arfa by ribery -when hes recovered0

Posted from Netherlands

By Laurie | August 29th, 2008 at 10:33 am

I like Benjamin’s Arsenal + Mexes back line. Although I adore Patrice Evra, I think that added communication and knowledge of each other would be beneficial as they’re learning life as a newer, younger team.

I’d also be curious about that midfield, with Ben Arfa and Nasri. Do they have the maturity to get the job done? I have no idea. But definitely start Ribery as soon as he’s healthy.

And up front I’d like to see Anelka and Benzema, with Henry getting subbed in at about the 60th. (Because we all know my weakness for Anelka. But seriously, I think this could be his year.)

Posted from United States

By Seb | August 29th, 2008 at 11:59 am

Laurie, I actually think Anelka would be ideal coming off the bench. The reason being, I don’t know if anyone has noticed this, but the majority of his goals in Bleu have come in the second half.

The Arsenal backline+Mexès is something that I’m afraid that Domenech doesn’t believe in (he appears to have not that much confidence in both Philippe and Bakary).

Also, I agree with everybody that sorry, Alou Diarra, you may be Patrick Vieira in terms of body similarity or act as a double for the Haitian on Heroes, though right now, you should not have a roster spot in this team.

By Michel-Olivier | August 29th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

to much arsenal players.
arsenal suck, when was the last time arsenal won a trophy.
taulalan and diarras are too similar. france need a petit and a deschamps, not makeleles.
ideal line up should be a 4-4-2
———-lloris——
sagna–gallas—mexes–abidal
benarfa-flamini-toulalan-nasri
—–benzema—–henry——

Posted from United States

By sandrahn | August 29th, 2008 at 3:24 pm

Michael-Olivier’s pearls of wisdom:

“arsenal suck, when was the last time arsenal won a trophy.”

2005

“france need a petit and a deschamps, not makeleles”

Petit played for Arsenal

“ideal line up should be a 4-4-2
———-lloris——
sagna–gallas—mexes–abidal
benarfa-flamini-toulalan-nasri
—–benzema—–henry——”

Three current Arsenal players and two former ones.

Posted from United States

By Benjamin | August 29th, 2008 at 5:22 pm

I think that having inexperienced but fearless/something to prove players like ben arfa and nasri is better than having crappy malouda and govou imo.
how about if domenech played a 4-5-1 with nasri as zizou position
and benzema as lone striker, thats his fav position at lyon.

By Lynn | August 30th, 2008 at 12:06 am

Lloris, Gourcuff, Nasri, Ben Arfa, Benzema *goes into a happy fit* if Domenech actually makes good use of them for qualifiers and WC10, I’d pardon him for all his SINS!

And I’d join the Cap Clichy movement, Laurie (:

Posted from Singapore

By Jamie | August 31st, 2008 at 5:16 pm

just remember everyone, that we are in a very priveledged position to be able to argue like this. I mean, here in England people have relatively few options to look over, and only one shining young talent (Walcott). Domenech needs to know that changes have to happen now, and that a team cannot be in the rebuilding process forever (take note, Wenger!). At least this is not a club side, so players aren’t regularly leaving (well, not too many!). I agree about the midfield - whenever Domenech plays someone like Nasri or Ben arfa, he is almost hesitant, and uses the player as a kind of acessory, in order to make the team look flashier or more exciting. He needs to make the step up, and start beleiving that the young players don’t have to be mere diversions in his team, but that they can be the team. He needs to realise this before the window on this prospect goes again. We have only one tournament with this lineup, and it would be sheer carelessness to waste the talent on offer. Domenech is too sentimental about old players, and probably watches too many old tapes. Makelele will not bring us WC glory, not any one player. He needs to build a team with real spirit, where people know their place, and can believe they have a chance. Right now, it’s closed doors for many. And who cares if young teams don’t always win trophies? Realistically, it is very hard to win the WC, so i would rather have a young exciting team get people talking and interested, rather than an old man hedging his bets with the same old routine, and then crashing out. Or worse, getting close on luck and being ridiculed.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Doumé | September 1st, 2008 at 10:29 am

Jamie,
>we are in a very priveledged position to be able to argue like this.<
Yes, that’s very true. But that’s also a problem. Some combinations with great players are lesser than their sum. And some with lesser players can be greater than their sum. Wow I sound like Domenech don’t I?