DISQUS

kkfla737 · 1 year ago

Benzema and Govou are both players to keep an eye on. The standard of French Football these days is more consistently high than any time prior to the mid 1990s and it is exciting to see the French continue to produce outstanding attacking players in their domestic league and out of their national youth academy.

Ivan · 1 year ago

Don't really rate Govou nor do i rate Malouda. Benzema is exceptional, fast, strong, skillful on the ball, finishes well with both feet. Way too much hype surrounding Ben Arfa imo. Not sure if statistically if this is correct but post 2004 euros the French team hasn't scored that many goals. Saying that international football is always very tight so that may not be a problem.

Domenech's method of keeping old heads in the first team could backfire...(makelele is in good form, thuram, viera, abidal, henry not so much though im suggesting they should be left out of the squad) But i have to say i don't agree with his decision to leave Trezeguet out. 2nd top scorer in Italy behind his team mate Del Piero speaks for itself.

Ivan · 1 year ago

correction - though i'm NOT suggesting

BillE Shears · 1 year ago

Bonjour Paul,

I don't think I would classify Ribery, Nasri or Malouda as strikers.

Ivan · 1 year ago

Nor Govou, Ben Arfa..
The squad selection Paul put out is correct though the correct translation attaquants - attackers i presume (or forwards... semantics..)

Paul Bestall · 1 year ago

Bonjour , Of course, I would class those 3 as attacking midfielders myself but thought I was mistaken!

Lonnie · 1 year ago

It's about time Domenech left some of the old legs behind and brought some of the new faces into the national team. Makelele, for example, has wanted to quit playing for the national team for some time now.

As for the term attaquant, it does translate as attacker though in football terms it's more accurate to use the term striker or forward. Ribery, Nasri and Malouda are most definetly in the class of what is commonly referred to as attacking midfielders/wingers. Ben Arfa started his career as a centre forward, but has been used mainly as a left winger under Lyon coach Alain Perrin.

Anyhow, those are just labels and I don't want to get too caught up in them :) Ribery is going to be in the side for certain and I've become a bigger fan of his since he moved to Bayern and I've watched him more. A true world-class player that can use both feet with near equal ability.

I'm also looking for Benzema to really have a good tournament. I've been really impressed with his combination of speed, power and ability.

Some nice clips of him in action here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkvFU6QMrCo

Group C is going to be killer. Italy, Romania, Netherlands or France...who's going home early? That's going to be a tough group to call.