Vive Le Foot!

Abou Diaby: Serbia attack's most dangerous weapon?

This upcoming weekend will be filled with World Qualifiers up until Tuesday so I will not comment much on Le Championnat from last weekend that saw a very disappointing 0 – 0 between Marseille and Bordeaux, a very convincing 3 - 0 win by PSG against Lille, St Etienne’s first 3 points versus a sad Grenoble and more Lyon magic thanks to Lisandro Lopez (ARG), Gomis (FRA) and Bastos (BRA)…Bordeaux, PSG and Lyon are at the top of the table with 10 pts followed by unbeaten newly promoted Montpellier “playing Hull”…

Les Bleus are playing 2 crucial games in the next 5 days and the mandate is simple: 6 points, in order to finish top of the group. Problem is France is on a streak of unconvincing 1 – 0 wins against lesser teams and even a defeat in a friendly against Nigeria.

One has to wonder why and how the French coach cannot make such a stellar cast play together, considering most players simply play for the best teams in the world:

Barcelona (Henry, Abidal), Real (L. Diarra, Benzema), Man United (Evra), Arsenal (Clichy, Gallas, Sagna, Diaby, Nasri), Chelsea (Anelka, Malouda) and…Bayern (Ribery)

This week Jean-Pierre Escalettes (FFF President), the very man who supported Raymond Domenech after the disastrous Euro 2008 distanced himself from the coach… Rod Fanni, the young French defender from Rennes caught that quickly commenting “while the president’s getting worried, the players are getting the job done”…barely…

The Serbs are talking a big game and they will want to win in front of their public but they will get nailed by Malouda on the break assisting Gignac while Gourcuff will score on a free kick. As for Romania, Ribery and Benzema save the day and Domenech becomes the best coach France has ever seen…until we tie Austria in Paris in October…

Saturday: France – Romania 2 - 0

Tuesday: Serbia - France 1 – 2

Henry and Ribery are not 100% while Benzema will come off the bench if goals are needed so the expected starting line up is:

Lloris (Lyon)

Sagna (Arsenal) – Escude (Sevilla) - Gallas (Arsenal) – Evra (Man U)

Toulalan (Lyon) – Lass Diarra (Real)

Anelka (Chelsea) – Gourcuff (Bordeaux) – Malouda (Chelsea)

Gignac (Toulouse)

Not bad, but two defensive midfielders seem a bit much when you need goals…Diaby for Toulalan anyone?

-The Frenchman