Clichy left out of France squad

[Nic83]

I take it you dont then.

He has been ****! He was outstanding at Lyon, but has looked woeful at times for Barca.

He had a poor last couple of months resulting in him actually asking to be dropped. For 3/4 of the season he was the best left back around. Flying down the left hand side, up and down like a yoyo and solid defensively. Great player, unlike Riera who is average.

[Rich]

Clerc He's ****e

[-V-]

I really think Dominech has made some strange choices in central midfield also.

I can understand Ciise getting in upfront based on form but i don't think Anelka should be in ahead of Trez. Not sure about Sidney Govou either, never really proved himself at the highest level and is usually average when i watch him

[The Erectile Banana]

No place for Sagna and Clichy but Bomusong stilll gets a slot.

France definitely produce better full backs than centre backs.

[dww]

Very surprised by that. He's been better than both Abidal and Evra this season.

I'd disagree about Evra actually. I think he has been very good. Partly I guess that is because he is part of a really solid unit at united but the ability to forge part of a unit like that is incredibly valuable in a defender.

Seen bugger all of Abidal but I remember reading or hearing that he said he had problems with the late kick off times in Spain. Which isn't the sort of thing someone having a great season would be saying IMO. Obviously may have been connected to the dip in form Nic talked about though.

However you look at it the fact he isn't there is pretty incredible as he would walk into nearly any international squad in the world as there aren't that many class fullbacks about.

[Parm]

That is shocking. He is a better player than Evra and twice as good as Abidal IMO.

indeed, must be something to do with not getting on with Domenich, same reason as to why Trez has missed out,

[Parm]

oh and Makalele and Thuram make the squad, joke, how old are they and hasnt Makalele been trying to retire fo a few years now?

[dww]

oh and Makalele and Thuram make the squad, joke, how old are they and hasnt Makalele been trying to retire fo a few years now?

Makelele is still a top player though.

Thuram on the other hand - not so much. Read a rumour today that Arsenal might be interested in him which seems a bit odd.

[Parm]

Makelele is still a top player though.

Thuram on the other hand - not so much. Read a rumour today that Arsenal might be interested in him which seems a bit odd.

possibly, but his influence is fading at chelski, esp when they go with essien, lampard and ballack, But I remember Makalele saying he was being treated as a slav o som **** as France would not let him retire,

yes I saw that about Thuram, seems an odd link for arsenal, maybe 10yrs ago, but not now!

[Joe King]

Makelele is still a top player though.

Thuram on the other hand - not so much. Read a rumour today that Arsenal might be interested in him which seems a bit odd.

Makelele's experience is invaluable. I think this is his last tournament. Him and Toulalan against England were amazing.

Thuram's experience is probably why they want him. His leadership skills which Gallas seems to be lacking.

[simey85]

Abidal is a super player as anyone who watches la liga regularly knows and Evra I think is better too so there's no real need for any more than 2 leftbacks so it's not too surprising. Harsh on the kid as there isn't much difference in quality but places are limited.

Trez though, I thought he was gonna be a starter never mind not even in the squad!

Abidal is way behind clichy and evra. He constantly gets caught out of position and is terrible defensively and although he bombs forward i cant remember him once this season making a telling cross or assist. A vastly overrated player! Evra for me would just shade it.

[Guest]

Yes Abidal is not great at crossing the ball and lacks ability at the highest level IMO. He's a solid defender, but Clichy and Evra are both vastly superior to him. They possess speed, agility and a much better all round technical game than Abidal.

Abidal is the more experienced in the international stage though.

[Pablo]

Full squad: Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Mickael Landreau (PSG), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Marseille); Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Lyon), Francois Clerc (Lyon), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), William Gallas (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (Roma), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona), Sebastien Squillaci (Lyon);Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Pete Jenkins (Metz), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan);Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Lyon), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Djibril Cisse (Marseille), Bafetimbi Gomis (St Etienne), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Samir Nasri (Marseille)

That's not his real name surely?

[Shaggy]

HURRAH!

At last someone clocked it!

[Pablo]

What did I win?