France NT News, Formations & Results

Well... Benz-Giroud looked good Hard to really take a lot out of a game like this though. But i have a feeling that DD will give it a go against Honduras.

And i'll be quite honest... Sissoko is a BEAST with NT. I almost want him to start over Pogba. Actually, i think he deserves it. Maybe he does.

BL, just consider the whole of Domenech's tenure. Qualification for WC 2006 was likely to be a failure until Zidane and company came back and bailed him out at the last minute. Qualification for Euro 2008 was poor and they just edged very unlucky Scotland to make it. Qualification for WC 2010 was even worse and Henry had to use his hand to help them into the tournament at the expense of Ireland. In Euro 2008 they finished last in their group. In WC 2010 not only did they finish last in their group but they shamed themselves in front of the entire world with their conduct. Yet in WC 2006 they reached the final and almost won the trophy. Does all this seem to be the work of one person? Quite clearly in WC 2006 the team was being run by a different individual - Zinedine Zidane.

Zidane called Domenech crap in the media from the moment he was hired too  Only reason he came back to NT in 2006 for the last WCQ game and then the WC, was that the French public begged him.  Remember that France needed to win that last WCQ game to make the WC.  

Complete disaster in every way Domenech which is why nobody has hired him since 2010.

Ok, here are some plane pics:

Just so people are clear about what our shape looks like:

The setup is really a diamond midfield with 2 strikers that can also change into a 433. Giroud-Benz will be the 2 strikers to start. But even when Remy or Griezmann played on the left, it was the same way. Valbuena played behind the two strikers and everyone roamed around.


Lloris
Debuchy - Varane - Sakkho - Evra
Cabaye
Pogba Matuidi
Valbuena
Giroud - Benzema

Someone on twitter is trying to tell me Sissoko will start over Griezmann and play LW. Doubt there is any truth to that, sports pls confirm.

No truth at all.  Sissoko has never played a second on the left at NT He's always been on the right and that's Pogba-Valbuena.

sportsczy, I agree completely. Domenech has easily been one of the most good for nothing managers ever seen at a football world cup.

His being retained beyond Euro 2008 up to WC 2010 remains an unbelievable decision. Somehow he had the right political backing. Major figures such as Platini publicly supported him for reasons I do not know. Once again let me say thank fate that he is not listed as a world cup winner. His name is enough to disgrace the entire institution.

There's a very firm "Old Boys" network in France with the DTN (Direction Technique National).  These guys used to have a huge influence on manager hires for NT.  The good thing that came out of the Domenech fiasco is that the DTN influence got pushed waay down...  the 98 WC winning players have a ton of influence and they've asserted themselves.  

Jacquet, who became the main figure at the DTN after WC98, chose the next managers for a while... and it was disastrous.  Lemerre, Santini and then Domenech.

When Escalette got fired along with Domenech, it marked the end of the DTN's power hold of France NT.

Is Valbuena fighting for a spot right now? Or is he guaranteed.

His attitude on the pitch yesterday was poor.

Guaranteed.  Valbuena is the heart and soul of this team.  He had 2 fantastic games before last night and i thought he was ok last night too... just didn't want to get injured.

What do you mean his attitude was poor???  i saw the game and i must have completely missed it.  If you mean that he was disappointed that he completely missed the ball from 6m out all alone...  i think he was embarrassed.  It wasn't a bad attitude.

sportsczy wrote:There's a very firm "Old Boys" network in France with the DTN (Direction Technique National).  These guys used to have a huge influence on manager hires for NT.  The good thing that came out of the Domenech fiasco is that the DTN influence got pushed waay down...  the 98 WC winning players have a ton of influence and they've asserted themselves.  

Jacquet, who became the main figure at the DTN after WC98, chose the next managers for a while... and it was disastrous.  Lemerre, Santini and then Domenech.

When Escalette got fired along with Domenech, it marked the end of the DTN's power hold of France NT.

Very educational but was Lemerre that bad. He won Euro 2000 and at WC 2002 injuries such as Zidane's hit him.

@sports

So are Varane and Sakho the starting CBs now?

Varane has been the starter for a while now if I'm not mistaken.

Also Greaseman should start imo, the kid is fantastic.

Giroud has outperformed Griezmann in the 3 prep games and by quite a bit.  Griezmann will be a supersub.

Varane is always a starter if he's healthy.  It's not even a question anymore.

messixaviesta wrote:

sportsczy wrote:There's a very firm "Old Boys" network in France with the DTN (Direction Technique National).  These guys used to have a huge influence on manager hires for NT.  The good thing that came out of the Domenech fiasco is that the DTN influence got pushed waay down...  the 98 WC winning players have a ton of influence and they've asserted themselves.  

Jacquet, who became the main figure at the DTN after WC98, chose the next managers for a while... and it was disastrous.  Lemerre, Santini and then Domenech.

When Escalette got fired along with Domenech, it marked the end of the DTN's power hold of France NT.

Very educational but was Lemerre that bad. He won Euro 2000 and at WC 2002 injuries such as Zidane's hit him.

The players ran themselves.  He was the lapdog for Jacquet before becoming the manager  When he got named, everyone was like wtf.  His hadn't even managed a Ligue 1 side before. it was all ligue 2 and lower.

After 1998 and until 2006, the players basically ran themselves.  The choices were all such a joke that they didn't have a choice.

I must admit I haven't watched the friendlies but I'm confident that Greaseman is generally speaking a better player than Giroud is.

However good form is one hell of a drug for strikers so Giroud might preform at a high level.

now to the more important question, anyone know what kind of watch is valbuena wearing in the last picture?

It does make the team more balanced Z.  For one, it allows Benz to roam around and play just around Giroud, which is what he does best.  Second, it adds a physical dimension to the attack.  If Giroud is on form, i think it's better.  BUT, I don't think France loses anything with Griezmann.  It just makes the tactics different is all.

Since France has gone with a diamond or 443 towards the end of last summer, the offense has exploded.  Only poor result was the first leg against Ukraine (where Varane didn't play btw).

Belarussia 4-2 W
Australia 6-0 W
Finland 3-0 W
Ukraine 2-0 L
Ukraine 3-0 W
Holland 2-0 W
Norway 4-0 W
Paraguay 1-1 (missed like 10 great chances) D
Jamaica 8-0 W

You know the nordic and east european teams park the bus and defend like champs.  Other than the Holland game, those have impressed me the most.  Played Holland without Ribery too.

che wrote:now to the more important question, anyone know what kind of watch is valbuena wearing in the last picture?

lol. I've never seen anything like that in my life.

Btw, you think Valencia will pay up and get him? My OM dropping the ball yet again... but i remain positive with Bielsa.

che wrote:now to the more important question, anyone know what kind of watch is valbuena wearing in the last picture?

Can't tell, but I'm not really a fan of the revolver look.

sportsczy wrote:
Btw, you think Valencia will pay up and get him? My OM dropping the ball yet again... but i remain positive with Bielsa.

bielsa is apparently crazy about banega, so they could work something out...

Sportz, so do the last few preparation matches mean Sakho starts over Kos in the WC?

Yeah... Sakho-Varane are the starters going into WC. He's earned a first look.