France’s Hard Men: Rami and Mvila

September 10th, 2010 | by: jeff |

www.reuters.com

Following the 2-0 victory away to Bosnia, France football supporters are happy about a future with Rami (4) and Mvila (17).

Their performances have rendered their subsequent selection a “No-Brainer.”

This photo, which I think was actually from the Belarus loss, shows Mvila explaining his core principle: “No bull shit.”

Rami’s response appears to be, “You’re preaching to the choir.”

In the Bosnia match, they gave their opponents no quarter.

On this site, Yann M’Vila was given man-of-the-match billing after this writer called for him to be the first name on the team sheet and challenged someone to disagree. No one disagreed.

The guy is a beast. Very strong close control. Peak physical condition. Arsene Wenger has absolutely bottled this one because this kid is now more likely to be bound to Barcelona or Real Madrid. He looks close to the finished article.

And Rami makes it look all too easy. Why was Gallas being selected ahead of Rami?

I hope Mvila settles on a number for Les Bleus because I want to get his jersey. 17 is fine, but if he’s going to change it (he should wear 8), he should do it soon.

Jeff

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AlexT

Gourcuff is 8…. this should not change
pierrot

as i mentioned on a previous thread, couldn't agree more with the glowing reviews of mvila in all of the NT's 3 previous matches – tremendous talent, and a cool head. i would add lloris to your “hard core” – i'm assuming the thread title is a reference to blanc's remark that he didn't know who the “hard core” of the team was, when he took over. not only is lloris clearly top handful in the world at his position, but he also has a calm head, and is becoming more of a vocal leader for both club and country. i would have added toulalan when he returns (appears to be returning to DM for lyon), but i fear mvila may have taken his place in the starting XI! and hopefully gourcuff will emerge – “re-emerge” ? – as the “hard man” in the attacking third.

as for number, 8's a winger or AM in my book, and it's gourcuff's number as alext notes. i'd vote for viera's old 4, as mvila looks to me like a shorter viera on the pitch, but that's really a central defender's number, and as we see above, rami's wearing it currently. what about 5 or 6?
Wai

Ouch, please ! Read Madrid, Barcelona or Arsene Wenger please hand off and stay away from M'Villa.

**** off !
Aditya

haha, article Jeff.

I hope the Lyon's & OM's get their hands on him somehow. I want big French clubs to be huge European clubs as well.
Adrian

Yeah he has the possibility to wear no. 8 shirt.
Gourcuff is best to wear no. 10 shirt (heir to Zidane)
Benzema should be wearing no. 9 or no. 11 (both are his jersey numbers in Real), not no. 10 (the previous number he wore at Lyon)
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

Looking at what was available from the other night, because Rami was wearing the 4, 6 was available. That would work too.
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

I wasn't thinking of Blanc's comment about finding a hard core of players he could trust, but his approach right now is working brilliantly, several players appear to be in contention for the hard core. I just want to see players picked on form, and for guys like Mvila and Rami to play the next match if they were really good in the previous one, rather than being dropped because someone who was once in form several years ago is temporarily uninjured.
Michel-Olivier

menez 11
gourcuff 10
benzema 9
toulalan 8
malouda 7
Anicho

Sorry, off topic: Trezeguet recently said on an interview, “My goal is already to play games with Alicante. We'll see what happens after. I also know there are quality youth team called in France. But Laurent Blanc can count on me, of course. If they need me …”

On L'Equipe Today (12/09/2010)
Anicho

Also, Yann is suspected of beating a motorist at the beginning of the year in Rennes, according to SudOuest -> L'Equipe