Le Squad eh de French

KdjaCL

Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez (Olympique Marseille), Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Nantes).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Olympique Lyon), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Newcastle United), Pascal Chimbonda (Wigan Athletic), William Gallas (Chelsea), Gael Givet (Monaco) Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Mikael Silvestre (Manchester United), Lilian Thuram (Juventus).

Midfielders: Vikash Dhorasoo (Paris St Germain), Alou Diarra (Racing Lens), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Florent Malouda (Olympique Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Juventus), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid).

Strikers: Djibril Cisse (Liverpool), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Franck Ribery (Olympique Marseille), Louis Saha (Manchester United), David Trezeguet (Juventus), Sylvain Wiltord (Olympique Lyon).



Usual my 11 in bold, no Guily Pires or Anelka.

kdjac

arbeitsscheuer

Pires and Anelka weren't really gonna make it anyway, but Giuly being left out is a shock, imo.

Also, I hoped that Mathieu Flamini might get a call-up at some stage given how brilliant for Arsenal he has been at left-back. Thought he might be the perfect versatile defender/midfielder squad player to bring along.

Still, it's a very strong squad all the same.

My XI from that lot:

Coupet

Chimbonda
Gallas
Thuram
Sagnol

Makelele
Malouda
Vieira

Wiltord
Trezeguet
Henry

PHB

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Barthez

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Chimbonda - Thuram - Gallas - Abidal

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Makelele--Vieira

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Ribery

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Zidane

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Trezeguet--Henry

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Kingp35

Im very surprised Guily has been omitted, I thought he had a decent enough season with Barca even if he didnt play as many games as he would have liked.

My starting eleven would be the same as SebtheBum but with Wiltord playing as a sort of advanced winger like he does with Lyon. Malouda has to start for me, he is a cracking player. Zidane can be brought on later in the game when others are tired and he is fresh.

Coupet

Chimbonda
Gallas
Thuram
Sagnol

Malouda
Makelele
Vieira
Wiltord

Trezeguet
Henry

Vokes

The manager has named Barthez as his number 1 and he also stuck with Cisse and Boumsong in the qualifiers, so the line up will almost definitely be (i think) something like this....

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Barthez

---- Sagnol ---- Thuram

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Boumsong

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Gallas

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Viera ---- Makelele

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Malouda/Wiltord

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Zidane

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Cisse

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Henry

Royale with Cheese

SofaKing wrote:

The manager has named Barthez as his number 1 and he also stuck with Cisse and Boumsong in the qualifiers, so the line up will almost definitely be (i think) something like this....

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Barthez

---- Sagnol ---- Thuram

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Boumsong

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Gallas

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Viera ---- Makelele

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Malouda/Wiltord

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Zidane

---

Cisse

---

Henry

How the hell would Cisse be playing ahead of Trezeguet or Saha?

zAbbo

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Barthez

---- Sagnol ---- Thuram

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Gallas

---

Abidal

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Viera ---- Makelele

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Zidane

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Ribery

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Cisse

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Henry

MrJoeSoap

Delighted Ribery is in there, I was very impressed with him against Ireland for the under 21's and then against England again. Good player to have in reserve.

Vokes

Royale with Cheese wrote:

How the hell would Cisse be playing ahead of Trezeguet or Saha?

Because he has done in the qualifiers. And Domenech is still the coach.

Personally, i would pick Saha to play alongside Henry.

zAbbo

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Delighted Ribery is in there, I was very impressed with him against Ireland for the under 21's and then against England again. Good player to have in reserve.

He was immense in both games, he tore us apart at turners cross, and has been doing it all season in Ligue 1. Fantastic player to watch.

Chardee MacDennis

realistically will chimbonda start. he has no caps and was a bit of a shock call up imo.

Rikand

hard to say, but hes an excellent right back, the best they have in the squad imo, he probably should be playing for sure

KdjaCL

Call_me_al wrote:

realistically will chimbonda start. he has no caps and was a bit of a shock call up imo.

As good a chance as anyone there, good player and they are not overflowing with quality full backs.


kdjac

Vokes

Nahhh, as good as he is, i think Gallas/Sagnol are better.

KdjaCL

SofaKing wrote:

Nahhh, as good as he is, i think Gallas/Sagnol are better.

Gallas plays Cb for france, sagnol must be pushing 50 at this stage :d





kdjac

Vokes

You sure? I think Boumsong & Thuram have been playing CB recently with Gallas on the flanks.

Gallas has been playing left back in the qualifiers, except against Ireland when he was at RB (and Givet at LB) to mark his club team mate, Duff.

Sagnol is 29, not too old.

Why is Giuly not in the squad? Is he injured?

Pepe LeFrits

Sagnol is a class act and is only 29. Himself and Gallas are far better defenders than Chimbonda whose form has faded as the season has gone on and will be doing well to be more than a one season wonder as far as i'm concerned.

About time Ribery was selected, he is a terrific player. Overall I'm not very impressed with the squad selection, too many players past their best and too few on the way up. Dunno if the younger players are injured or what mind you.

I'd go with:

....................... Coupet

Sagnol ...... Thuram .... Gallas ..... Abidal

..................... Makelele

....................... Vieira

......... Ribery .... Malouda .... Zidane

....................... Henry

AngelofFire

Im surprised not to see mexes in the squad

evilhomer

I'm suprised that N'Zogbia didn't get a call up given how well he has performed for Newcastle all season.

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Coupet

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Chimbonda - Thuram - Gallas - Sagnol

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Makelele--Vieira

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Wiltord

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Zidane

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Trezeguet--Henry

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Thats the team I would like to see, but for some reason the french coach loves Dhorasoo, so he will probably start. As will Boumsong.

arbeitsscheuer

AngelofFire wrote:

Im surprised not to see mexes in the squad

Recently he's been a non-entity for Roma. Broke his foot last year, and since then has been plagued by other injuries, suspensions and bench-warming.

If Squillaci was fit he probably would've been picked. Also, should've picked Johan Micoud ahead of Ribery, dunno what Domenech is on.

Frankly, based purely on weight of talent and depth of squad, France would ordinarily surely be only just behind Brazil as second-favourites for the cup. As it is, with Domenech seemingly determined on picking Boumsong, leaving out class players like Giuly, and generally acting the nutjob tactically, most would say they haven't got a prayer.

mchurl

cant believe Giuly isnt in there. Micoud also should be in there imo, i have a lot of time for him. France have as good a chance as anyone if they play to their potential, but can Domenech get them to?

My XI is :

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Barthez

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Sagnol - Thuram - Gallas - Abidal

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Makelele----Viera

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Wiltord

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Zidane

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Henry---Trezeguet

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