Trezeguet out

Big Nelly

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=international_feed/04/10/04/SOCCER_Fra-National_Team_Trezeguet.html

France striker David Trezeguet has admitted he feels "cursed" after picking up an injury which is likely to keep him out of Les Bleus' next two World Cup qualifiers.

France play the Republic of Ireland on Saturday and then meet Cyprus on October 13, but the Juventus striker is expected to miss both games after injuring his shoulder in his club side's 1-0 win at Udinese in Serie A on Sunday.

Trezeguet missed France's last two qualifiers against Israel and the Faroe Islands with a thigh problem, and has not played for his country since the Euro 2004 quarter-final defeat against Greece in June.

The striker, who has 55 caps and 29 goals for his country, is yet to play for new coach Raymond Domenech.

"I think that my chances to play in the two World Cup qualifiers are now dead," he told l'Equipe.

"I am cursed. I performed a good start to the season and I felt fine. I wanted to be back with France and now I am injured again.

"After two difficult matches, especially against Israel, I wanted to be present and help them out.

"That's football and I must accept it. On the other hand I will use the next two weeks to rest and make the best decision."

Trezeguet could now be forced to undergo surgery to solve the problem, but both his club and country will be eager to avoid him being sidelined for a long period.

"On Thursday or Friday I will go and see a shoulder specialist in Lyon," he added.

"I must find a solution to my problem which has now become recurrent.

"I will make my decision with the specialist, bearing in mind that being operated on will sideline me for three or four months.

"At the moment all the matches are important. There is Serie A, the Champions League and the French national team.

"I would like to avoid surgery like I did for my tendon injury on my knee. Physiotherapy was long but went well in the end."

France coach Raymond Domenech could choose to call up Pegguy Luyindula to replace Trezeguet for the qualifiers.

The French team will gather tomorrow for a training camp in Clairefontaine.

DEG viper

This just gets better and better

Töpher

DEG viper wrote:

This just gets better and better

Ditto!

Big Nelly

Does anyone have a list of the squad and who is available now? tink I heard Wiltord was called back into the squad! so wit him and Henry up front still not bad!!!

Kone

Big Nelly wrote:

Does anyone have a list of the squad and who is available now? tink I heard Wiltord was called back into the squad! so wit him and Henry up front still not bad!!!

Exactly, we should not be getting overconfident!

Boro

Kone wrote:

Exactly, we should not be getting overconfident!

People say that Henry isnt as effective or doesnt get as many goals in internationals or in european games, as compared to the premiership - well for all intents and purposes, Ireland will be playing more like a premiership team than not... Im worried that Henry might find it to his liking. Put Henry in the crystal palace team and he would still score a hatful - even a shaky french team can more than cause us trouble.

pickarooney

Great, that's the entire Juventus strikeforce injured/suspended

DEG viper

here is the squad now

France squad (for World Cup qualifiers v. Rep of Ireland and Cyprus, October 2004):

Goalkeepers: Barthez (Marseilles), Coupet (Olympique Lyonnais).

Defenders: Boumsong (Rangers), Evra (Monaco), Gallas (Chelsea), Givet (AS Monaco), Silvestre (Manchester United), Squillaci (AS Monaco), Zebina (Juventus).

Midfielders: Dacourt (Roma), Diarra (Lens), Mavuba (Bordeaux), Vieira (Arsenal), Pires (Arsenal), Giuly (Barcelona).

Forwards: Henry (Arsenal), Cisse (Liverpool), Govou (Olympique Lyonnais), Wiltord (Olympique Lyonnais).



they will have to add another striker in to replace trezeguet

eirebhoy

Wiltord was called up as a midfielder as I'm sure Domenech didn't just bring 5 midfielders for the Ireland game.

Big Ears

Can anyone else see it being Cisse and Henry in attack ?
Even though they are the 2 strongest forwards(individually) , I don't think they would be that great a threat .

Infact Govou and Luyindula would probably be the partnership that would hurt us the most .

vorbis

are you nuts, Henry is going to start. Also I don't think Trezeguet missing will hurt them. For all the complaints about Henry not reproducing club form at international level, Trezeguet is even worse! At Euro 2004 he was close to being the worst forward from any team there.

eirebhoy

I think its similar to Keane-Connolly that when partnered together they both never perform. 29 goals in 55 caps is superb though. I don't think Domenech would have played Trez and Henry together after Euro 2004 but Trez can do some damage from the bench with a point to prove. He scored 2 against Celtic off the bench.

/edit, The game has sold out BTW. The first time it has sold out for a qualifier in years and double the attendance of the Israel match.

Big Ears

vorbis wrote:

are you nuts,

maybe .I think Henry will start too , I just beleive that Govou would do more damage .If Cunningham has a good game and however is partnered with him (O'Brien) doesn't have any **** ups , then I wont be too worried , as I feel Cunningham will mark Henry , and he is well capable of keeping him very quiet(see: birmingham game , towards end of last season) .

Anyone else not very impressed with the French squad ? .

Ronan

Giuly has been ruled out through injury too, It is now looking like if we are ever going to get a result in Paris this is the time to do it.

Kone

Ronan wrote:

Giuly has been ruled out through injury too, It is now looking like if we are ever going to get a result in Paris this is the time to do it.

Jaysus, is there going to be anyone left to play for France :rolleyes:

Ronan

yeah, their midfield is looking weak, Dacourt is no great shakes and Diarra couldn't even get a game at the pool. Mavuba I know nothing about, so I can't really comment (anyone seen him ?) but of course Pires is always a threat. As mentioned before Wiltord could be called back into midfield but I am growing in confidence about this match every day.

Boro

Ah there is a few more of them left yet - nothing a bout of food poisoning wont cure

*tiptoes away from the french hotel cackling madly*

thejollyrodger

It may well be the best opportunity ever to get a result

Kone

thejollyrodger wrote:

It may well be the best opportunity ever to get a result

It should be but let's not get overconfident

Ronan

From SkySports

France have called up Peguy Luyindula to their squad for their forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Luyindula has been given the late call-up after David Trezeguet was forced to pull out through injury.

Anyone know much about this lad ? I see his international record is 1 in 1 and he has scored 2 in 9 games for Marseille this season.

eirebhoy

If they play 4-4-2 the team should be: Coupet; Squilachi, Evra, Givet, Gallas; Pires, Wiltord, Diarra, Dacourt; Henry, Cisse.

I doubt they'll play 4-4-2 though. We'll match them, if not beat them, player for player in midfield and in the sticks. They're better in defence and a lot better up front, player for player that is.

Draupnir

I wouldnt agree that they are better in defence, its a relatively new partnership and I dont think the defenders they have are as experienced as ours.

This is the biggest game of the group for France really, lose to us at home and they are really boned so Id imagine they will feel the pressure somewhat.

Up front is where they have the measure of us and Henry is someone I will fear right up until about 10 minutes after kick off, by then you can tell if he will slaughter us single handedly or sit out on the left touchline as he does sometimes for France (and less so Arsenal).

At this moment in time I will stick with 1-1 and will settle for a draw.

Boro

I wouldnt have thought that they were much better (if better at all) in defense - Gallas would be the best player of that back four. There is a lot of youth there and plenty of opportunity for inexperience to show. Now i know Evra, Givet and Squillachi had very good seasons last season in europe but they havent played much at this level.

On second thoughts, maybe they are better - they certainly played at a higher level than irelands back four last season. Their only (possible) downfall is the (relative) youth lack of experience, Gallas aside. At least our lot have played together on the international stage for quite a while now, not just been thrown together in the last couple of months.

eirebhoy

Draupnir wrote:

I wouldnt agree that they are better in defence, its a relatively new partnership and I dont think the defenders they have are as experienced as ours.

I did say player for player though. Givet, Squillachi and Evra play together every day of the week BTW. Gallas or Evra will play RB and they will at least match Carr. Any left back in the French squad is better than O'Shea. I'd take Gallas and Givet over Cunningham and O'Brien any day.

Boro

eirebhoy wrote:

I did say player for player though. Givet, Squillachi and Evra play together every day of the week BTW. Gallas or Evra will play RB and they will at least match Carr. Any left back in the French squad is better than O'Shea. I'd take Gallas and Givet over Cunningham and O'Brien any day.

Thought Evra was a LB? And i also have the slightly cloudy memory of Squillachi playing as RB? (Blame having to go to pubs to watch european matches last season for that!) Thought Gallas would end up playing central with Givet.

They wont be able to handle the power and pace of teh Robbie Keane! Yeah right

Draupnir

I actually like John O'Shea at left back and he has played well in his last couple of games for Ireland although he is prone to a few cock ups.

Right back is of most importance for us because Henry tends to head out there so Id say Carr will play for his added pace. Finnan has played well enough to deserve a game though and I wouldnt be shocked to see him down the right or even in the center

I have my doubts about the French defense thats all, I reckon Clint will give them a lot more trouble than Robbie will although Id say Robbie might be more likely to score

Kone

Boro wrote:

They wont be able to handle the power and pace of teh Robbie Keane! Yeah right

eirebhoy

Boro wrote:

Thought Evra was a LB? And i also have the slightly cloudy memory of Squillachi playing as RB? (Blame having to go to pubs to watch european matches last season for that!) Thought Gallas would end up playing central with Givet.

Sorry, you're right, Evra's a left back LB. i've got mixed up with that a few times over the last few weeks. The formation against the Faroe's was:

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Coupet

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Gallas - Squillaci - Givet
Pedretti

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Evra

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Giuly --- Vieira

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Pires

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Saha - Henry