Over the next few weeks on French Football Weekly, Andrew, Jonathan and myself will be selecting the squads we think will be suitable for France’s next European journey at Poland & Ukraine 2012. We will each select a squad of 23 players, giving our reasons for each choice. Each selection will be reviewed and altered closer to the competition, this is simply how we see things at the moment.
Personally, I feel that that the top tier in France has plenty of players who have already had a chance in the national side or players who deserve a chance in the national side. With this being said, I have tried to select players who still play in France first and foremost and padded the selection out with players who I believe are too valuable to be left out. I also favour versatility in a number of areas. If a player can cover more than one position or role, then this has been an advantage for them in this selection. Some of the omissions may be controversial on the surface but these are the 23 players I think could do a job for les bleus in next year’s tournament.
Goalkeepers
Hugo LLORIS (Olympique Lyonnais) – Lloris is and deserves to be France’s number one. Lloris has now captained the national side on a number of occasions and continues to put in class performances for Lyon on a weekly basis.
Steve MANDANDA (Olympique de Marseille) – Even though Marseille may not have had the best of seasons, their captain adds healthy competition to the ranks of the national side and is most likely to threaten Lloris’ position as number one.
Stéphane RUFFIER (St Etienne) – Bordeaux’s Cédric Carrasso is normally called up as third choice but I feel that, despite Ruffier’s nervous performance in his only game in a France shirt, that he deserves another shot. Even if he is called up as third choice, his performances so far for St Etienne would justify this.
Defenders
Éric ABIDAL (Barcelona) – The veteran defender recovered from cancer earlier in the year and has the versatility to cover either the left side or the centre of defence.
Mathieu DEBUCHY (Lille) – Debuchy’s performances for Lille so far this season merit a call-up in my opinion. He has made my squad in the place of Lyon’s Anthony Reveillere. The right-back is always eager to help out in attack.
Julien ESCUDE (Sevilla) – Escude has not been mentioned in the same breath as the France squad since the controversial playoff against Ireland in 2009. The 32 year-old may only have 13 caps for his country but can be a decent backup option.
Patrice EVRA (Manchester United) – This may seem like a controversial selection given his performance on and off the field as French captain at the 2010 world cup but his experience of playing in high-profile, high-intensity games means he brings important experience to the table.
Adil RAMI (Valencia) – Rami is an asset to the national side and has been an important player since his first appearance in 2010.
Bacary SAGNA (Arsenal) – Of all the defenders, Sagna was the one I was tempted to omit from my selection, mainly due to his recent injury. However, his eagerness to roam forward and general speed in attack mean that he has made the squad.
Mamadou SAKHO (Paris Saint-Germain) – This 21 year-old defender is a fantastic young talent. The PSG centre-back is a player who will be featuring in France squads for years to come.
Midfielders
Yohan CABAYE (Newcastle United) – I am a big fan of Cabaye and what he brings to the game. He can cover a variety of set piece duties and is a leader and professional. He has performed very well for Newcastle United so far since his summer move.
Yoann GOURCUFF (Olympique Lyonnais) – Gourcuff was not on my original list but has looked decent since his return from injury. He is a solid option when at the top of his game, even though this may not be as often as in the past.
Florent MALOUDA (Chelsea) – The former Lyon winger seems a mainstay now in the national side and I cannot see that changing within the next few months.
Marvin MARTIN (Sochaux) – Martin had a fantastic season with Sochaux last year and had an excellent national team debut in which he bagged two goals and helped out with another in a 4-1 win over Ukraine. This has alerted big clubs and he may not be at Sochaux much longer.
Yann M’VILA (Stade Rennais) – The Rennes midfielder is one of the brightest young midfielders in Europe. He has good presence in midfield and an impressive range of passing and is one who will feature in a number of France squads in the near future.
Samir NASRI (Manchester City) – Nasri is an important player for France. His performances for both club and country have been impressive and the former Arsenal winger will be an important player for France next summer.
Franck RIBERY (Bayern Munich) – Ribéry is a player who seems to divide opinion at times but can be tricky for defences to deal with. He may not be as important to the national side as he once was but is still an option which needs to be considered.
Franck TABANOU (Toulouse) – This is my wildcard entry to the squad. The uncapped Toulouse player has the versatility to play anywhere down the left and has made a decent start to the Ligue 1 campaign. He may not be in Laurent Blanc’s squad come the summer but I feel that he has the potential to do a job for France.
Mathieu VALBUENA (Olympique de Marseille) – The little Marseille man has an explosive turn of pace on him and has the versatility to perform in a number of roles for the national side. He has his critics but I believe he is a good enough option for France.
Forwards
Karim BENZEMA (Real Madrid) – When fit, he cannot be left out of the squad. He is France’s main goalscoring outlet and I cannot see this changing with next summer in mind. In my opinion, this selection does not need to be justified!
Kévin GAMEIRO (Paris Saint-Germain) – I am a fan of Gameiro and what he can bring to the table for France. He is the current top-goalscorer in Ligue 1 and fans of the national side will be hoping this translates into goals by the time Euro 2012 comes along.
Jérémy MENEZ (Paris Saint-Germain) – Menez seems to be playing with confidence since his return to France. He is a versatile option who can provide assists when called upon.
Loic REMY (Olympique de Marseille) – This is someone who, when he hits form, is a great asset to the side. His pace and presence are two valuable assets to the national side.
I had contemplated the idea of calling up a number of other players, obviously at the expense of those above. Players like Anthony Reveillere, who may not have a huge amount of caps but is regularly called up, narrowly missed out. His Lyon team-mate Bafétimbi Gomis also missed out, even though he has scored a few goals as Lyon’s main striker due to Lisandro’s injury. Similarly, Montpellier’s in-form striker Olivier Giroud was initially called up as a wildcard choice but missed out in the final selection. I believe the midfield speaks for itself though there are, undoubtedly, a variety of options available in a variety of positions.
As stated, each of these choices will be reviewed and altered later in the season as the competition approaches. Form rather than reputation may be a more important aspect of the second selection when it comes around.
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