Les Bleuets [R]

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Well, they're defensive midfielders. Digard we actually came close to signing (he would definitely have helped us in midfield), but he chose Paris because he's from there. He is quite good, he was one of the best players in L2 before coming to PSG. Chantôme is a PSG homegrown guy, and by all stretches he's improved a lot because not many thought highly of him early on. He is pretty decent, but in my opinion, as well as almost everyone else's, Digard is the better of the two.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Alright, a quick update. Lloris is out injured :(, Kaboul's health is questionable, and Ben Arfa's been, well, promoted to the senior team. Hence there are 3 guys who've been called up to provide a bit of depth. Stéphane Ruffier of ASM gets backup duties behind now starter Geoffrey Jourdren, Sochaux's Maxime Josse is an addition to the bench, and his teammate Julien Quercia will replace Ben Arfa.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Lineups are out.

Onze de départ:

Dia (Nancy)
Payet (Saint-Etienne) - Ménez (Monaco) - Gouffran (Caen)
Marveaux (Rennes)
Cabaye (Lille)
N'Zogbia (Newcastle) - Bellaid (Strasbourg) - Digard (PSG) - Dabo (Saint-Etienne)
Jourdren (Montpellier)

[Bosanac]

fuuuuuuck you scored lol

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Yeah, though at that moment your team technically only had 10 players. This is a pretty strong U-21 team, though France definitely should not underestimate their opponents.

[Bosanac]

Yeah, our U21 team never tends to be strong because we seem to find out about the talents past that age. The scouting is not good, there isn't the money, and as I said, over 1mil people were displaced from the war, so players are all over Europe.

But yeah, you just have to look at the clubs those French players play for to see that they are on another level.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

It was a good game for France, though you get the feeling that red card (which was deserved, I thought) turned the match. Even though the score was 1-0 at that point, Bosnia had come out well in the second half, but after that, it was all France, who went on to win 4-0.

Issiar Dia of Nancy, Sylvain Marveaux of Rennes and Serge Gakpé of Monaco were arguably main stars of this game, though as a whole the team did well. The defense did nothing wrong, the midfield decent, and the speed of the attack was outstanding. Everyone who started today for France - Ménez, Dia, Payet, Gouffran and Marveaux - are outstandingly quick, and Gakpé was another speed merchant entering the game. The ability to attack on the flanks and then cross for guys running down the middle was often the motif of many of the attacks.

[Inara]

I'm surprised that Gourcuff wasn't called up for Espoirs. Is he injured?

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

No, René Girard, who's the U-21 sélectionneur, explained that he was worried that Gourcuff hasn't played much at all this season (which is accurate), that he opted instead to field guys who are starters at their clubs.

Yesterday's lineup was very strong, though, and had Gourcuff been on the team, one likely would have seen him instead of Marveaux in attacking midfield, yet Marveaux arguably had the best performance of anybody yesterday.

Out of the players on the team who are available, I think the strongest lineup (not including Nasri, Benzema, Ben Arfa who are already with the senior team) would look like this.

Dia - Gouffran
Ménez - Gourcuff - Gakpé
Matuidi
N'Zogbia - Kaboul - Digard - Dabo
Costil/Riou/Lloris

Kaboul was injured yesterday and as for both Costil and Riou, they have been excluded considering they haven't started enough games at club level.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Here is the selection of Espoirs for their upcoming qualifiers.

Gardiens de but
Geoffrey Jourdren (javascript:cvespoirs(338687);) (Montpellier HSC)
Stéphane Ruffier (javascript:cvespoirs(392955);) (AS Monaco)
Benoît Costil (javascript:cvespoirs(406396);) (SM Caen)

Défenseurs
Habib Bellaid (javascript:cvespoirs(338689);) (RC Strasbourg)
Mouhamadou Dabo (javascript:cvespoirs('366699')) (AS Saint-Etienne)
Maxime Josse (javascript:cvespoirs(338701);) (FC Sochaux)
Younes Kaboul (javascript:cvespoirs(316372);) (Tottenham Hotspur FC)
Yassin Moutaouakil (javascript:cvespoirs(356692);) (Charlton)
Vincent Muratori (javascript:cvespoirs(390147);) (AS Monaco)
Charles N'Zogbia (javascript:cvespoirs(303464);) (Newcastle United)

Milieux de terrain
Yohan Cabaye (javascript:cvespoirs(316380);) (Lille OSC)
Mathieu Coutadeur (javascript:cvespoirs(338709);) (Le Mans)
Vassiriky Diaby (javascript:cvespoirs(286812);) (Arsenal FC)
Didier Digard (javascript:cvespoirs(356687);) (Paris-SG)
Yoan Gouffran (javascript:cvespoirs(303461);) (SM Caen)
Yoann Gourcuff (javascript:cvespoirs(303460);) (Milan AC)
Sylvain Marveaux (javascript:cvespoirs(338710);) (Stade Rennais)
Blaise Matuidi (javascript:cvespoirs(316402);) (AS Saint-Etienne)

Attaquants
Issiar Dia (javascript:cvespoirs(326400);) (AS Nancy L.)
Serge Gakpe (javascript:cvespoirs(390152);) (AS Monaco)
Dimitri Payet (javascript:cvespoirs(356709);) (AS Saint-Etienne)
Julien Quercia (javascript:cvespoirs(338713);) (FC Sochaux) To answer the obvious question, "where is Jérémy Ménez?" the answer is he's coming back from an injury, even though he should be fit this weekend. Other than that, it's interesting to see Diaby back in Espoirs, that could be an indication that Abou likely won't head to the Euro. Costil is included again. :)

Gourcuff is back as well, and Kaboul is back from injury. The defense, however, does look the weakest area of this team, although the defensive midfielders, Diaby and Matuidi, let's say, should be more than good enough in helping the back line. A very attacking lineup, as the team has to win, could look like this:

Gouffran
Payet - Gourcuff - Gakpé
Diaby
Matuidi
N'Zogbia - Kaboul - Digard - Dabo
Costil

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Loïc Rémy of OL has been called up into the squad to replace the injured Gakpé, but I don't think Rémy has played much at all at OL this season. Nevertheless, he is not without his qualities, and considering that Diaby, as well as Gourcuff, were called into the squad, perhaps the manager wants to give all 3 some match experience at a higher level than CFA/reserve Serie A matches.

[Inara]

Loïc Rémy of OL has been called up into the squad to replace the injured Gakpé, but I don't think Rémy has played much at all at OL this season. Nevertheless, he is not without his qualities, and considering that Diaby, as well as Gourcuff, were called into the squad, perhaps the manager wants to give all 3 some match experience at a higher level than CFA/reserve Serie A matches.

Loic Remy did play a few L1 games last season, featured prominently in Lyon's Peace Cup games, and had a very good showing in the Tournoi de Toulan. He's been called to the bench a few times this year at OL, but given the players who are already on Lyon's bench, he hasn't gotten any minutes. He's not without talent though, and maybe this U21 recall will encourage Perrin to give him some minutes this season.

[Inara]

Also, I get depressed anytime I read Gourcuff's interviews. It's all about how he's gotten used to being on the bench, etc. I wish someone could go rescue him, but so far, only French clubs have shown interest in him, except Gourcuff doesn't want to return to any club in France except Lyon, who have no room or need for him.

I can't blame him though. It's hard to win the Champions League with Kaka and then return to L1. But he might have to if he wants to revive his career.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

You know what, screw Gourcuff. If looking pretty on Milan's bench is more important to him than developing as a player, then by all means enjoy yourself. I don't want to care more about his career than he does.

[guignol]

You know what, screw Gourcuff. If looking pretty on Milan's bench is more important to him than developing as a player, then by all means enjoy yourself. I don't want to care more about his career than he does.you have to admit it's a beautiful uniform!

http://www.linternaute.com/sport/dossier/football/07/meilleurs-souvenirs-coupe-europe/image/papin.jpg http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1540000/images/_1544720_ngotty300.jpg

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Thought I would update Les Espoirs drew against Armenia in a friendly at Colmar. The one significant note was that Loïc Rémy scored his first goal for the team. Like the senior team, many of the starters were on the bench because of the qualifier in the coming week.

[guignol]

yes, i saw that... great thing for loïc!

[N. Platini]

Les Espoirs are in action tonight in Wales , it's on tv here (England) so I can take a real look at our future potential .

[AfrcnHrbMan]

can you give us a little synopsis on how the game went?

[N. Platini]

Well it's 1-0 to Wales in HT , they scored just before half time . One big blunder from Bellaid with a weak pass to his goalkeeper .

Wasn't a bad half from France but that big error messed up everything. Remy has looked dangerous (had two shots with both almost went in) as with Marveaux but our defending doesn't look convincing at all .

This is the team that Girard went with : Jourdren - Dabo, Kaboul (cap.), Bellaïd, NZogbia - Coutadeur, Digard - Dia, Marveaux, Rémy - Gouffran

Of course we're dominating possesion but we need to make more chances .