Yoann Gourcuff grabs his chance in his first start for France in a 2-1 victory, and who is that new player on the left? I like the look of him.

I agree with the whole Gourcuff thing, he filled the void and created the connection between
the forwards and the two dm surprisingly well.

And i almost didnt recognize Anelka cuz he wasnt wearing a #39 jersey lol
i was like, whose this guy, i kinda recognize him. his goal butterfly celebration gave it away tho

now we need to stop conceding goals!!

I’m so used to Henry wearing 14 when he played for Arsenal that Anelka looked a lot like Henry to me in the 14 for France.

Yeah, it was good to see the butterfly. He didn’t do it in one recent game I was watching, and I really missed it.

It was a good win for us. I could only imagine how dismayed everyone would have been if we would have lost. I think Gourcuff stole the show. It would have been a harder game for us if he wasn’t there. So I will give credit to Domenech for letting him play. Also correct me if I’m wrong but did we start in a 4-3-3 formation. If so I feel that was a great change. We need more offense in our playing. I felt though that the goal scored on us was just a break down in defense. We can’t let those in. I mean for years we have done poorly in defending set pieces or just plain crosses. Well at least Flamini got to play…for 2 Seconds! Maybe he will start to see more play time like Gourcuff. Now for the important question: Was this a good enough win for Domenech to keep his job or will he get the boot?

Eric, I’ve read both 4-3-3 and 4-5-1, which may be just semantics. Whatever it was, Titi was the lone striker and Gourcuff the playmaker, and that’s what really worked, IMO. I’m curious to see how Titi holds up through the season as his body starts to tire.

I don’t know that this was enough to help Raymond keep his job through 2010, but it definitely kept it for him through Romania…

Also, Goal.com says that it was Govou who was supposed to be marking Ivanović rather than Abidal. I couldn’t see the play well enough to make a determination.

Although the game got a little tight in the end, there were about 10-15 after going up 2-0 where we looked happy and were having fun. Does Toulalan want that first goal or what? He shot one wide to the left of the goal post and all that was missing was a smile (which he didn’t). I missed seeing the guys rally around something positive on the pitch and watch it carry over into the following actions. I’m still buzzing myself about Gourcuff’s game. It’s been over two years since we’ve seen someone in that slot do something worthwhile. He looked like he’d been playing for years on the international level. Wonder if TV5 or Setanta have a Bordeaux league pass or something.

The formation, for me, was clearly the old 4-2-3-1. When France went to defense, Henry would take up the spot just to the left of Gourcuff.

you may have won the battle but not the war. i know domenech is going to drop gourcuff an clichy for the next friendly/qualifier.
come 2010 ill be the one having the last laugh.
adieu

Well how would u guys fit in Nasri and Ribery into the squad who would ya take out? and i really think that Mandanda has taken the role of being Frances no1 well he made that good save when the defenders were no where! my team would be
Mandanda.
Sagna Gallas Abidal Clichy
Toulalan
Ribery Nasri
Gourcuff
Benzema Henry

Pierre – That’s a nice, attacking line-up. I’d love to see it. It’s unlikely, I’d say, because France just about always play with two defensive-type midfielders. If it’s possible to have a line-up/formation that’s too attacking, yours might be it, although maybe Ribery and Nasri can tackle and break up play as well as L. Diarra, and it would work brilliantly.

What’s more likely, I’d think, would be the formation we saw against Serbia, with Ribery in for Govou, and Nasri left out:

Mandanda
Sagna Gallas Abidal Clichy
L. Diarra Toulalan
Ribery Gourcuff Henry
Benzema

Although, by the time the next game comes around, one or more of these players will probably be injured, and there will be several changes.

Just as long as there are no more dull, lifeless performances – I like the stuff from yesterday so much more.

Wow … now that was the French NT of my dreams!

I loved their collective effort, lots of pace, lots of crisp passing, almost always going forward (at least until the last 15 minutes).

Gourcuff!! What a delight!! Let’s have more of him, please!! Did everyone catch how excited his teammates were for him when he came off late in the game!

Well done, Nico … that was a wonderful goal!

And Henry, you are the man! This is definitely your team, now. Continue to make us proud.

If Gourcuff starts the next game is it a straight up either/or situation regarding Nasri? Or can they both play in the midfield?

I like Jeff’s proposed lineup above, but if there is to be a lone striker, maybe Domenech should start Anelka for Romania in place of Benzema. Anelka has said that’s the role he needs in order to shine, and he did last night.

Let’s stick with Sagna/Clichy—those guys are great!

Three things, though (and forgive me if they seem obvious):

It might have gone differently had Mandanda not made that fabulous save.

France has to do something about set pieces if all this is not to go to waste.

And is Abidal an adequate solution at centre back? (Or are we likely to see Mexes again for Romania?) That was definitely Govou on the Serbian who scored–I thought Abidal looked pretty good overall.

All respect to Domenech …

… that was a different team out there last night. And it worked.

Thanks everyone, I very much enjoyed reading all your post-game comments!

Lord, Jeff, of course you’re right. The formation was 4-2-3-1, with BENZEMA as the lone striker and Henry on the left. My brain is so used to writing “Henry as the lone striker” after WC 2006 that my fingers refused to type anything else.

Did anyone notice how many empty seats there were last night? It looked to be the whole upper third of the stadium. Apparently the crowd chanted “Domenech resign” on several occasions.

Ouch! I wonder if there’s anything to this. Whatever if was, I’m sure these guys really care about the team, and that it might have helped lift their game last night:

http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/09/10/World-Cup-Henry-on-France/?facets/sport-space/football/great-britain-locale/

I was disappointed by the crowd as well. Although I have to say that when I was there for the Scotland game last year (at Parc des Princes, not Stade de France), the entire upper deck was filled with Scotland fans. SdF is bigger, and I’m guessing fewer Serbia fans traveled, so this size crowd might have been expected. For some reason Parisians don’t always support the team the way other countries and other areas of France do.

But you’re right. Parisian crowds can be…unyielding in expressing their displeasure.

Their loss. That was the best game the team has played in ages.

I think I also read a headline somewhere that said that there were issues with the main subway train line from Paris to Stade de France, which is in St. Denis, a suburb. Since that’s basically the only way people get to games from Paris, that could have been an issue as well? Maybe?

And I also have to say that when I was at Stade de France for the France-England game in March, the stadium was packed and the atmosphere was great, so it doesn’t happen all the time.

Also, interesting link about the Henry-Gallas “rift.” I’m still wondering who it was who gave the interview(s) at the end of ‘06 saying Titi was insufferable and had a “melon énorme.”

LAurie- No one went to the game because september is the month for strikes.
Do you think people will waste their time at a france game, when they can be
planning out what time to go on strike the next day??? thats asking too much from us

i think we have a problem in adding gourcuff into the lineup.
im totally down with not selecting diarra for an extra attacking player!

If Domenech had his way he would prob put 5 dm in the team! We need a proper number 10 in the team and Gourcuff showed that he could be that man to spark life into the team. If he leaves him out for a dm that would be criminal! I suppose he would think that Ribery could be the inspiration for the team but he is more of a wide player and 1 of the best out there, but we need a driving force in the center of the park to pull the strings so we will just have to see how he plans on selecting the team. If he drops him im sure there will be a public out cry cause he was the best player on the pitch but if he does play 2 dm’s then i would rather see Flamini instead of Diarra cause he is more of an attacking force!

A good win for France. Several things surprised me about this match:

1) Domenech finally put on a true attacking mid (Gourcuff) in the center of the pitch. In the 4-4-2, France was getting absolutely nothing from the center and they were painful to watch going forward, especially after opponents figured out how to shut down the wings. This move seems to have balanced the team’s attacking pattern, enabling them to play both on the wing and in the center. BTW, Gourcuff really surprised me. I was one of those who thought he hadn’t done enough to merit a call up but obviously he had a great game. The Serbs were probably wondering “who the hell is this guy?”

2) Domenech actually made a good substitution! Bringing on Anelka for Benzema was obviously a good move. Nobody could have predicted that Nico was going to play as well as he did but Benzema was definitely having a very bad game. I was shocked that it only took Raymond one half to figure this out. Usually he brings on Anelka at 85th minute and plays him on the left wing. This time he put him in the center and Nico rewarded him with a very inspired performance. Then of course, Dom had to ruin it by bringing on Alou Diarra…Anyways, the FFF should probably tell Raymond that from now on, he will be up for review after every match. Being under pressure seems to bring out the best in him.

3) Serbia played a much more open game than I expected them to. You would have thought that they would imitate Austria and play 10 behind the ball but instead they really tried to go forward. I was shocked at how much space Gourcuff was getting.

I can’t wait until Ribery comes back. I think Dom may have stumbled upon a solid team. The only downside is that I think Govou is probably the one who is going to be on the bench once Ribery returns from injury. I like Govou: he may not be the most talented player out there but he works hard for the team, and France didn’t have enough players like that before. Clichy and Gourcuff were good additions not only because of their talent but also because they really leave it out there. Clichy said in an interview that the coach had chosen to start the players who worked the hardest during practice.

Link to the inteview:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2008/20080911_094727_clichy-23-ans-que-j-attendais_Dev.html

Clichy said in an interview that the coach had chosen to start the players who worked the hardest during practice.

About freakin’ time.

I also agree with everything you say in #2. Raymond has always been so hesitant to use his subs. He seems to pick his favorite players and then just think, “Oh, he’ll start playing well soon.” If he ain’t playing well after a half, get him off the field!! (And of course I am not minding that Anelka happened to be the beneficiary of this decision, or that he made the most of it.)

I also agree that Govou will make way for Ribery. It’s really the only choice, isn’t it? He’s not going to take off Gourcuff for at least a few more games, and he’s wedded to two DMs and Henry, so that’s about the only choice, isn’t it? (The only other option I see would be putting Ribery on the left and taking Benzema/Anelka off the field for Henry, but I think he’d choose to take off Govou before he’d do that.)

I do feel bad that just as Sidney is starting to shine he loses his spot to others who shine just a bit brighter.

Govou was actually the one who directly won this game for France. I don’t think he was better than Gourcuff or Anelka, but he’s the one who dribbled trough the entire Serbian defense and gave a lovely ball for Henry to score. The goal from Anelka was a little bit lucky, a deflection of Krstajić directly to his legs, and it came at a time when Serbia really tried to open up and go forward. And while I still don’t understand how did he manage to pass trough the back-line made of good and experienced defenders, Govou did a really fine job for France and I believe it would be unfair to drop him after such a good run of games.

About the crowd, there were about 4.500 Serbian fans, and while I don’t believe many people actually came from Serbia to see the game, there are many Serbs living in France that were more than happy to go and support their national team. You could actually hear them singing in many parts of the game, and I couldn’t believe that I could hear ‘Serbia, Sebia’ and ‘We want victory’, sang in Serbian, of course, at Stade de France! Trust me that we don’t recieve such a support even in our home games!

What a great showing by Gourcuff. Not that I’m amazed that he can play so well. If from what I know of Domenech’s character…he’ll drop Gourcuff like a hot rock as soon as the more important games roll along (not that this isn’t important, but I mean like, bigger games)