Tag Archives: France

Scout Report | Bernardo Silva: AS Monaco and Portugal’s Young Attacking Midfielder

“Portugal has for some time now looked at itself as a country that competes far above its weight class in international football. It has produced three World Footballers of The Year. Its best result at a World Cup was third-place in 1966. And it lost a European Championship Final on their home soil just a decade ago. The so-called ‘Golden Generation’ that emerged in the early 2000s lifted many Portuguese fans spirits after several dark decades. However, this talented group of players that included Luis Figo failed to deliver the elusive senior title. But currently, there is a new generation of talented youngsters that could finally propel the modest European nation into the elite of global football.” Outside of the Boot

AFCON 2015 Qualifying – 10 Best African Youngsters to Watch

“Who are the best African youngsters to keep an eye out for in Africa Cup of Nations 2015 qualifying? Matt Carter runs down 10 of Africa’s finest young players….” Just Football

Five things we learned from Ligue 1 this week

“Sagnol’s Bordeaux make it three wins out of three. It appears that a complete turnaround is on the cards at Girondins de Bordeaux, thanks to the changes ex-France under-21 coach Willy Sagnol has brought to the club since his appointment. The 2013-2014 season was at times completely dismal for the six-time French league champions, with the club winning just over a third of their matches and suffering the most embarrassing of Coupe de France exits when they went out on penalties against CFA 2 (French football’s fifth tier) side FB Île-Rousse on penalties after a stalemate.” backpagefootball

PSG’s weakness: Ligue 1 champions have a thin squad & lack of options

“After the dismal draw at Reims, the Cavani-Ibrahimovic debate rages on. Cavani’s somewhat quiet performance adds further evidence to the debate, can PSG really fit two of World football’s heavyweights into their team? With Blanc’s 4-3-3 formation one of the superstars has had to budge out to the wing. The real question is whether Edison Cavani can produce his best form on the wing rather than through the centre. His performances seem to show this, likewise his goal tallies too- 16 goals last season on the wing for PSG; compared to a staggering 38 in his last season in Naples.” Outside of the Boot

Defenders becoming scarcer, costlier

“Because it was David Luiz, everybody laughed. Because it was Paris Saint-Germain, everybody sneered, just a little. And because it was Jose Mourinho, everybody had to stand back and admire, too, watching in wonderment at his alchemist’s touch, turning the basest of materials into wads and wads of notes. These were all understandable reactions to the fact someone had decided to spend 50 million pounds on a central defender as clearly and as abundantly flawed as David Luiz, to make the Brazilian the costliest defensive player in history ostensibly as part of a master-plan designed to win the Champions League. It was funny, and it was crazy.” ESPN

Analysis: Why Marseille have reason to be hopeful under Bielsa’s tactics

“Olympique de Marseille had a very underwhelming season last time out. They finished the league in sixth position and without European football to offer in the next edition. It was almost strange that their sub-par campaign was well, so sub-par. They started the season extremely well, with six wins on the trot. They finished the season decently; their last six results read WWWWLD. It was the bad run in the middle, which constituted alternative losses and wins on too many occasions that eventually cost a good Marseille team, a European berth.” Outside of the Boot

Is Ligue 1 Ready For Prime Time?

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“The French league has gotten some good P.R. of late (thanks to a certain player on a certain club), but it’s still a long way from Europe’s elite. If some segments of the soccer press are to be believed, Paris Saint-Germain, with its record transfer fees, big-name stars, and Zlatan-mania, is leading French football into a new, vibrant era. Despite the club’s undeniable glamour, though, Ligue 1 is still not ready to crack Europe’s big four: the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A.” Fusion

Franck Ribéry’s Race against Time

“While a nation rejoiced in the city of Berlin as Die Nationalmannschaft returned home with the coveted World Cup for the first time since reunification, a calming aura was captured in the heart of Munich: Franck Ribéry completed his first training session with FC Bayern since an unfortunate back injury ruled him out of participating in Brazil. The moment Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Pokal final, a colorless Ribéry first began to trudge into his own abyss of doom. A man once known for his bombastic celebrations (he attempted to lightheartedly escape with the DFB trophy after winning it in 2010), Ribéry was uncharacteristically reserved throughout this celebratory night. Caught in two minds, his aloofness may have stemmed from a physically damaged state and an overwhelmed psychology.” Bundesliga Fanatic

Another flood of exciting European talent arrives in the Premier League

“Every summer, the internet is set ablaze with speculation, rumours and counter-rumours of potential transfers once the window opens in July. Of course, with all the ‘on the verge’ and ‘set to’ headlines, the only stories that truly matter are the completed transfers. This summer has been no different in ushering in another breed of exciting young Europeans that will surely help keep the drama of the Premier League alive. Despite having only been officially open for a couple of weeks, some Premier League clubs have wasted no time in getting ahead of their rivals as manager’s study scouting reports from every corner of Europe before setting about strengthening the squad. Alan Pardew is eager to improve on last season’s 10th placed finish and has signalled his intentions of furthering the French revolution on Tyneside with the double acquisition of Remy Cabella from Montpellier and Emmanuel Riviere from Monaco.” backpagefootball

World Cup 2014: Top five transfer targets – and those already done

“They may not be new to everyone, but Brazil 2014 brought a handful of players to the attention of a wider global audience who sat up and took notice of them. Even more importantly for the players’ agents, it is likely to have sparked the interest of the clubs with the deepest pockets, who may well be about to spend big on their talents. Here, we look at five stand-out transfer targets to emerge from the World Cup finals – and five deals that were done during the tournament.” BBC

World Cup Tactical Analysis : France 0-1 Germany | France get caught out early and Germany’s high line shuts out France

“At the end of a very highly anticipated clash, Germany reached their fourth consecutive World Cup semi-final as Mats Hummels opened the scoring from a set piece in the 12^th minute, scoring what turned out to be the winner. Germany looked dangerous going forward in the early phases, while France tried to exploit the space behind the high defensive line of Löw’s team. The scoreline is a perfect reflection of how close the game was, with both sides having ample opportunities to score goals. Eventually, the game fell in favour of the Germans, who just managed to take their chances on the day.” Outside of the Boot

Germany 1-0 France: Germany get the better of the midfield battle

“Mats Hummels’ early header from a Toni Kroos free-kick was the difference in a peculiarly tame, flat contest. Jogi Low made two significant tactical alterations to his side, moving Philipp Lahm to right-back, and bringing in Miroslav Klose upfront. Didier Deschamps, as expected, returned to a one-striker system with Antoine Griezman replacing Olivier Giroud, and Karim Benzema shifting upfront. Germany dominated the first half with some good midfield play, and then the second half was…almost non-existent, with France barely launching a fightback.” Zonal Marking

Talent Radar: Paul Pogba shackled and Raphael Varane stutters as France bow out of World Cup

“… Paul Pogba. France’s midfield has won many an admiring glance over the course of their World Cup journey and the match-up against Germany saw the clash of the 2 arguably best central midfields. With Cabaye playing in the regista position, both Matuidi and Pogba have been responsible for providing thrust to the French attack using their physicality and embarking on their trademark driving runs. … Raphael Varane. Despite being only 21, Varane was France’s first choice centre-back leaving Koscielny and Sakho to battle it out for the other position. The Real Madrid defender had a decent game but in the end the solitary goal of the game came directly as a result of his error although credit must be given to Mats Hummels too who was excellent on the night aside from his goal.” Outside of the Boot

Impossible Isn’t French: Can France Go All the Way this World Cup?

“In early June, I had an appointment at the French Football Federation (FFF) headquarters, a modern building with lots of glass and light in Paris’ 15th arrondisement. The place hummed with activity and there was a contagious undercurrent of optimism and eager anticipation. My visit occurred just after the last of Les Bleus’ three pre-World Cup tune-up matches (a win vs Norway, 4-0; a draw vs. Paraguay, 1-1; a win vs Jamaica, 8-0), so perhaps those successes fed into the confidence emanating from 87, boulevard de Grenelle. Yet, the atmosphere differed from September, when the air was more heavily perfumed with the “we’ve got hard work to do” odor of determination. This time around, even the French media, often highly critical of Les Bleus, reflected an upbeat sentiment.” New Republic

World Cup From Carrying Water to Stirring a Nation

“For a man once belittled by Eric Cantona as ‘a water carrier,’ Didier Deschamps has certainly made a habit of carrying lots of trophies. French reporters like to ask Deschamps, now the French national team manager, if he was born under a ‘bonne étoile,’ a lucky star. But there is clearly much more than good karma and good timing involved at this stage of the game. He was captain of the French team that won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship and a key player for Marseille and then Juventus when each club won the Champions League.” NY Times

Rio Ferdinand column: Paul Pogba will be world’s best midfielder

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“Young France midfielder Paul Pogba has been one of the stars of this World Cup but I am not surprised by his impressive form in Brazil. Pogba did not play much during his time as a team-mate of mine at Old Trafford, but the things he did in training meant every member of Manchester United’s first-team squad was in no doubt how good he was, and how good he could be. It was a big disappointment when he left to join Juventus in 2012, and it was definitely a mistake by United to let him go.” BBC

France’s Paul Pogba: a complete midfielder worth ‘two Gareth Bales’
“Paul Pogba’s nickname has morphed since he arrived in Brazil. For most of his France team-mates he will still always be La Pioche, literally “The Pickaxe” though, in this context, a kid selflessly going about his business to help the collective. The locals, however, have been seduced by the blend of brute force and sinewy skill delivered in flashes by the youngster. They took one look at that eagerness to dribble, spray a pass or crunch a shot at goal, and awarded him their own moniker. He will take to the field at the Maracanã on Friday as Pogiba.” Guardian

The Eternal Cult of Zinedine Zidane

“This story first appeared in Eight by Eight magazine’s World Cup issue. ICON (also ikon) 1. A devotional painting of Christ or another holy figure, typically executed on wood and used ceremonially in the Byzantine and other Eastern Churches. 2. A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration: ‘this iron-jawed icon of American manhood.’ So says the Oxford English Dictionary. ‘Zinedine Zidane’ would be a tempting addition: ‘regarded … as worthy of veneration’—yes, certainly. When your face is beamed on the Arc de Triomphe on the night of France’s greatest-ever sporting exploit, of which you’ve been the undoubted hero, how could you not be? To acknowledge Zidane’s iconic status does not necessarily mean, however, that it was bestowed on him by a nation united in gratitude, as I was recently reminded in a Paris cab.” New Republic

World Cup: France sees off Nigeria to reach last eight

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“Redemption is not easy to attain. Four years on and the scars still remain. When France’s footballers left for Brazil, they were under no illusions — it cannot happen again. At South Africa 2010, ‘Les Bleus’ became a laughing stock as players and coaches clashed, strikes were threatened and results embarrassed a nation. Players were suspended, the entire country waged war on a group which had imploded and exited at the group stage after failing to win a single game. Four years ago the picture was grim.” CNN

France 2-0 Nigeria: France prosper when returning to a one-striker system
“France took a while to show their best football, but dominated the final half hour. Didier Deschamps’ big decision was whether to start striker Olivier Giroud or left-winger Antoine Griezmann, with Karim Benzema’s position dependent upon that choice. Giroud got the nod. Stephen Keshi was without Michael Babatunde through injury, and his latest attempt to solve the problem at number ten was playing Victor Moses there, behind Emannuel Emenike. Nigeria started strongly and dominated the first quarter of the game, but France slowly showed their quality.” Zonal Marking

Exit Happiness: Nigeria’s World Cup Run Comes to an End
“’I haven’t heard the halftime yet,’ said Obie, one of the many Nigeria supporters on hand for the Super Eagles’ watch party at the Nigerian comfort food spot Buka. He motioned toward a projection of the currently level France-Nigeria match and the broadcasters breaking it down at halftime, albeit inaudibly. ‘We’re so loud.’ Noise is a good thing to keep in mind when thinking about Nigeria’s presence in the round of 16 — noisy in appearance because of its lime green jerseys, noisy because of Africa’s waning presence in the World Cup and the rallying cries joining the Eagles, noisy because of the atrocities happening in the northern part of their home country.” Grantland

World Cup Players to Know: France’s Midfield General, Paul Pogba
“… But the brief on Pogba is thus: grew up outside of Paris, joined Manchester United at 16 under allegations that the club had, in effect, bribed his parents, played three games for the Red Devils in three years, refused to pen a new contract in 2012 because, he says, Sir Alex Ferguson “didn’t show me enough that he wanted me in his squad,” joined Juventus on a free transfer, was painted in the press by his former coach as a bigger problem than he was worth, and then promptly became one of the best midfielders on the planet.” Grantland

World Cup Tactical Analysis | France 2-0 Nigeria: Super Eagles’ impressive possession game not enough
“Paul Pogba lead a determined France through to the quarter finals against a Nigerian team that wasn’t going to give up that easily with Enyeama between the sticks. An own goal at the end however, killed the dreams of the African country that was never afraid to dream.” Outside of the Boot

World Cup 2014: A Tie Sends France Through and Ecuador Out

“The goals came so easy, and so often, for France in its first two games at the World Cup that one could be forgiven for assuming it might never end. Three against Honduras. Five against Switzerland. When the well went dry in a scoreless tie against Ecuador on Wednesday, there were bound to be questions. Just do not bring them to France’s coach, Didier Deschamps. Unbeaten and safely in the second round as the first-place team in his group, he was not really interested in hearing them.” NY Times

Ramadan Poses Test to Muslim Players at World Cup
“Down the quiet, tree-lined Rua Gonzaga Bastos, less than half a mile from Estádio do Maracanã, the custodian of this city’s only mosque was preparing for the busiest time of the year. Mohamed Zeinhom Abdien, the custodian, was sitting at a desk opposite messy piles of boxes containing thousands of leaflets about Islam written in Portuguese, English and Arabic. The observance of Ramadan, one of Islam’s five pillars, is a religious obligation in which Muslims fast and forgo any liquids from dawn until dusk over the course of a month. The month begins Saturday night, and Abdien’s usually quiet mosque has been inundated with newcomers.” NY Times

In Tournament Packed With Goals, France Stuffs in Five More

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“It was a gorgeous, ruthless finish from Karim Benzema: a perfectly timed swing of the right leg on the move from the French striker that put the ball into the upper-left corner of the Switzerland goal. The problem was that it did not count, with the referee Bjorn Kuipers indicating that he had blown the final whistle just before Benzema pounced. On a normal night and in a normal World Cup, this could have been pivotal, at the very least a source of heated debate, but at this stage it only produced Gallic shrugs. Everyone — except for Swiss players and fans — had already seen or scored enough goals to feel satisfied. So it has gone all over Brazil, and France’s 5-2 victory on this steamy Friday night was merely the latest indication in this delightful World Cup that defenders no longer rule.” NY Times

World Cup 2014: group stage, day 9. COSTA RICA 1-0 ITALY. FRANCE 5-2 SWITZERLAND. Ecuador 2-1 Honduras.

“… The highest-scoring game of the tournament so far – France were 5-0 up thanks to some brilliant counter-attacking, before switching off late on. France counter-attack into wide areas. This was a comfortable win, and much like Colombia’s victory over Ivory Coast yesterday, it followed a rather simple pattern. The defeated side determinedly pushed their full-backs high up the pitch to overlap and get crosses in, but this left the defence exposed to rapid counter-attacking into the gaps they left behind. This is becoming something of a theme at this World Cup.” Zonal Marking

World Cup Tactical Analysis: France 3-0 Honduras

“France came into the World Cup with a lack of expectations in terms of success, but lots of expectations in correcting the tainted image of French football after the horror show an and off the pitch four years earlier. Qualification was a struggle, led by a hard-fought performance against Ukraine, but they’ll count their blessings at getting a somewhat easy group. Easy primarily because of their first opponents, Honduras. The North American side consisted of players not playing at the top of World football, while their type of football was also one befitting of minnows with the emphasis on the defence. Nevertheless, they were a good physical side and over-looking any team at a World Cup can have monumental repercussions.” Outside of the Boot

Mature France performance sees Honduras off
“Didier Deschamps’ France side got their FIFA World Cup Group E campaign underway on Sunday with a comfortable 3-0 win over minnows Honduras in Porto Alegre. After three scoreless opening matches since 1998’s 3-0 win over South Africa in Marseille, Les Bleus finally put that unwanted record to bed with a mature performance at Estadio Beira-Rio. Karim Benzema was the key man for the French. He scored twice, played a big role in the other goal — the World Cup’s first to be decided by goal-line technology — and finally looks ready to deliver on the biggest stage for his country.” ESPN

France vs. Honduras in GIFs
“Les Blues takes care of business in its opener. France were heavy favorites against Central American opponent Honduras. Not only did they have the edge in terms of talent, they were still angry about 2010. Well, not really, but they did win easily, 3–0 in Porto Alegre. Check out our favorite GIFs.” Fusion (Video)

France World Cup play-off win helped cause Ukraine crisis, says Domenech

“The former France coach Raymond Domenech has said the current Les Bleus side is ‘partially responsible’ for the bloodshed in Ukraine. France beat Ukraine 3-0 in the second leg of the World Cup play-off in November last year to pull off a thrilling 3-2 aggregate victory and qualify for the World Cup in Brazil. According to Domenech, the turnaround was such a shock to the Ukrainian people that it paved the way for the crisis situation currently engulfing the country.” Guardian

‘The other French team’: Soccer and independence in Algeria

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Fans of Algeria’s soccer team celebrate World Cup qualification in Algiers on Nov. 19, 2013. Twelve people died in the celebrations.
“Today we continue our series on politics, political science and the World Cup (here are posts 1, 2, and 3) with a look at identity, politics, and football in Algeria and France. First up is Tony Ross, who examines how soccer got tied up in Algeria’s struggle for independence but now exemplifies the country’s continued ties to France.” Washington Post

World Cup 2014 Tactics: Analysing France’s tactical approach, formation, and set up

“If there’s a man who has a more illustrious career than the entire French cirque that has descended upon Brazil this summer, it is the man at the helm of Les Blues, Didier Deschamps. European honors with Juventus and Marseille, along with a European Championship and World Cup medal are credentials enough to convince any Les Blues fan worth his salt that the former Nantes man is good enough to lead France towards a memorable tournament this year. Rewind back to the night in Ukraine, in a scenario where France have failed to over turned the two goal deficit and this could have been an entirely different story altogether. Failure to qualify for the finals would have ensured that Deschamps would never be remembered in the history of French football alongside greats like Platini, Zidane, Henry, (and the usual suspects).” Outside of the Boot

World Cup 2014: Top 5 real dark horses of the tournament

“If you’ve followed the International football scene for the past few months leading up to the World Cup, you would have learnt how certain experts & pundits have touted Belgium as the real dark horses of the tournament; many have stated how this current crop of players is the golden generation of Belgian football, and we agree. As the months went on, many caught on to the Belgium dark-horses bandwagon, so much so that nearly every football enthusiast now thinks Belgium are the dark-horses for the tournament. Let’s go back a little.” Outside of the Boot

Fascism & Football: The political history of Spanish football

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“Spain had been a notable absentee from the 1938 World Cup. The country was being torn apart by Leftist Republicans and a coalition of Nationalist Forces led by General Francisco Franco. The Spanish Civil War was instrumental in bringing three most powerful Fascist leaders together. In 1937, Mussolini sent a considerable number of men to support his Fascist ally. German involvement in the War began immediately as Adolf Hitler immediately sent powerful air and armoured units to assist Franco and his Nationalist forces along with considerable economic loans. By 1939, Franco was successful in curbing the last outbursts of his Republican resistance, including and importantly, the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona. In one week alone in the last year of struggle, 10,000 members of the anti-Franco brigade were executed in Barcelona. A further 25,000 were shot after the ceasefire in the city.” Outside of the Boot

Fascism and Football: How Italy won the 1934 and 1938 World Cup
Outside of the Boot

Fascism & Football: When Germany were the inferior team
Outside of the Boot

Mussolini’s Football
Soccer Politics

League Focus: Ligue 1 2013/14 Review

“As Paris Saint-Germain closed their season in typical style with a 4-0 win over Montpellier, it seemed like an eternity since the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season, when La Paillade had held Laurent Blanc’s side to a draw at the Stade de la Mosson. It was also an extraordinary feeling to consider that Montpellier were the last team to deprive PSG of the Ligue 1 title, in 2012. There will be no repeat in the near future, with the prospect of even getting into the table’s upper reaches severely compromised by the imminent exit of Rémy Cabella, the left midfielder in WhoScored’s Best Xi of the season.” whoscored

PSG’s dramatic rise to European giants

“Paris Saint-Germain’s success in winning the French football league for the second year in a row represents a dramatic transformation over the last three years in the club’s fortunes. This season they have also won the French League Cup and, as in 2013, once again reached the quarter-finals of the Champions’ League. For the first time Parisians are beginning to feel they may have a team to shout about. In the beginning there was a little club from Paris called Paris FC and another little club from the suburbs called Stade Saint-Germain. In 1970 they got together and became Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).” BBC

Football and the Internet

“Hovering just above, using satellite view, on Google maps there appears to be little remarkable about the modest football ground on the Southern edge of Caen: a small clubhouse, a white rail around the perimeter and two dugouts. It is no different from hundreds of thousands of others across France, across Europe. For a few short years however, it was this ground which was the scene of an experiment (dubbed l’adventure’ by those involved) which had the potential to transform not only the way in which football cubs are governed, but more importantly to create radically new relationship between fans and club.” In Bed With Maradona

Champions League: Real Madrid strikes, holds firm in win over Bayer

“Fabio Coentrao was excellent at left back, keeping Arjen Robben relatively quiet and getting forward well to link with Cristiano Ronaldo. Right back Daniel Carvajal dealt superbly with Franck Ribery, and Karim Benzema led the line with great intelligence, but for Real Madrid this was a victory rooted in defensive discipline. As ever Xabi Alonso was a mode of calm, sitting just in front of the back four, but the key for Madrid was Modric.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Team Focus: A Good Season for PSG and Blanc – But Where Next?

“When Thiago Silva lifted the Coupe de la Ligue trophy, high in the main stand of the Stade de France just after 11pm on Saturday night, the Paris Saint-Germain captain and his teammates celebrated with gusto. There was no tokenism, no sense that this was a mere trinket of consolation – just roars of joy. It was, evidently, a moment that PSG needed after the challenging spell that has followed their Champions League exit to Chelsea. The defeat at Stamford Bridge hit to the heart. It was a night on which, after André Schürrle’s opening goal for the hosts, the swagger drained out of Laurent Blanc’s side alarmingly quickly. The team with the third highest average proportion of possession in this season’s Champions League retreated into their shells to such a point that they ended up with just 48% in the match that they had bossed in the opening 20 minutes.” Who Scored

PSG 3-1 Chelsea: Tactical Analysis

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“One of the most evenly balanced of all the quarter final games, PSG and Chelsea both came into the match trying to build each other up as favourites. The Parc Des Princes, the venue that hosted the first ever European Cup final, was decked up and full of noisy and expectant fans. The two teams come from very different leagues, and have had good seasons, but are in different positions. While PSG have been dominant and conquered all that has been put in front of them, Chelsea have stuttered at times, losing their advantage in the league. The clash between Laurent Blanc and Mourinho also promised to be a very interesting battle tactically, as some of the top players in Europe clashed.” Outside of the Boot

André Schürrle withdrawal allows PSG’s potent trio to dominate Chelsea

“The general consensus was that José Mourinho had erred on playing André Schürrle as a false nine on Wednesday night, yet it was after he had gone off to be replaced by Fernando Torres that Paris Saint-Germain scored twice. That’s a simplistic way of looking at things, and Torres had barely been on the field when David Luiz conceded a needless free-kick and then put through his own goal to give PSG the lead, but it does tally with Mourinho’s post-match claim that Chelsea had ‘controlled’ the game until Torres came on because of the way Schürrle kept ‘dropping deep’.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson (Video)

Soccer Players You Should Know Before the World Cup: Antoine Griezmann

“France makes national football teams like it makes wine: generally older, kind of snooty about it, sometimes great, but often overhyped. And sometimes, like at the 2010 World Cup, you get one that’s gone extremely bad. Except maybe not this year. This year, France could be the wildcard. Increasingly in the lead-up to this summer, the country is breaking in a group of young, exciting players, and perhaps shifting its identity. Nobody exemplifies that more than Antoine Griezmann.” Grantland

Messi nears his peak to lift Barcelona, PSG rolls to CL quarterfinals

“There was controversy in Barcelona, but it made little difference to the outcome as the hosts beat Manchester City 2-1 to go through to the Champions League quarterfinals by a 4-1 aggregate. In Paris, meanwhile, PSG eased through, with a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen completing a 6-1 aggregate margin.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Working-Class Ballet

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Bill Shankly
“Let me try and explain why football is so important to me, and why it becomes more rather than less important to me as I get older. My family is from Liverpool in the northwest of England and my father used to train at Liverpool Football Club’s training ground in the early 1950s until an ankle injury curtailed his career. Dodgy ankles meant he had to wear Chelsea boots for the rest of his life, although he looked kind of stylish in them. My mum tells me that I could kick a ball before I could walk and the main plank in my somewhat tempestuous relationship with my dad was football. Until he died late in 1994—indeed during the final weeks of his illness—it was the only thing we talked about sensibly at any length. When we discussed politics, we would always end up shouting at each other. As a kid, I remember long car journeys to and from games where we would analyze every facet of the game in anticipation (on the way there) and reflection (on the way back) with scientific, almost forensic, detail.” ROADS & KINGDOMS

Working Class Ballet (2009)
“In Working Class Ballet, the young Latvian director Roberts Vinovskis takes viewers deep into the thrilling world of international football. See why fans the world over, from Philosophers to drunken hooligans, love the world’s greatest sport with so much vigour and passion. If you’re new to soccer, or have been wondering what all of the buzz is about, don’t miss this chance to see an artistic and intelligent look at this incredible sport.” Eurochannel

YouTube: Working Class Ballet trailer – Documentary film by Roberts Vinovskis

Football Quotes
Working Class Ballet

Happier, humbler Zlatan leading PSG on all fronts

“For once, Zlatan Ibrahimovic played it down with modesty. … To be fair, the Swede could have offered this retort Sunday because the stats would have demonstrated his point: 37 goals in 35 games with PSG this season, the best in Europe. Fourteen goals since the start of 2014; nobody tops that. Forty-six goals in 43 matches for club and country (nine for Sweden in nine games this season); ‎nobody has done more. And 10 goals in the Champions League this season!” ESPN

Champions League Team of the Week

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“The first set of Champions League fixtures this week all went according to script as far as the results were concerned, with all four away sides taking large strides toward the quarterfinals with wins. Not only that, but none of the home teams were even able to register on the score sheet, and three of them had men sent off to make their improbable tasks near impossible.” ESPN

Football violence: a view from around the world

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Spartak Moscow fans displaying a Nazi flag during a game at Shinnik Yaroslavl.
“Brazil: violence around games on the rise. Brazil ends 2013 with a record in football violence deaths. It was a miracle that nobody died in the festival of thuggery that took place on 8 December at the Atlético Paranaense v Vasco de Gama match in Joinville, during the last round of the Campeonato Brasileiro, whose shocking images were beamed all around the world. That, however, did not prevent Brazilian football finishing its 2013 season with the saddest of milestones: the 30 deaths in football-related incidents this year is the highest number in the history of the game in the country. What’s more worrying is that fatal cases have been rising steadily in the past few years. …” Guardian

World Cup – and outbreak of supporter violence – link Brazil and Russia
“In six months’ time the World Cup will land in the home of joga bonito clad in a Fifa-approved wrapping of sun, sea and samba. But the dark side of the beautiful game in Brazil was in evidence earlier this month, when images of running battles between fans of Atlético Paranaense and Vasco da Gama shocked the watching world. The game was being held at a neutral ground in Joinville due to previous clashes between fans of the two clubs, but within 10 minutes Globo was broadcasting close-up footage of supporters repeatedly stamping on the heads of their rivals and chasing one another around the stadium bowl. Following a long interregnum, the fighting was eventually broken up by armed security firing rubber bullets into the crowds and an army helicopter landing on the pitch, but not before several fans were seriously injured.” Guardian

The pursuit of Blaise Matuidi and Jeremy Menez is already underway

“Jeremy Menez and Blaise Matuidi have plenty in common. Current French internationals, they were born within a month of each other in the spring of 1987 and both brought up in the suburbs of Paris. They were both first selected for Les Blues for a friendly against Norway in August 2010 and both signed for Paris Saint-Germain, flush with the noveaux riches of Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s Qatar Investment Authority, on 25th July 2011 and frequent their midfield. As it stands, they also both also look set to leave the club when their contracts expire in the summer, making them the most sought-after free agents in the game.” World Soccer

Nelson Oliveira: Scout Report

“When Edison Cavani made a move to PSG, and Falcao to Monaco, many assumed that the league’s top scorers will perpetually be the two newbies alongside a certain Swedish teammate of Cavani. However, 12 games in, the French league is benefiting from the exploits of other men too, namely Riviere, Cvitanich, Djordjevic and a certain Benfica loanee to Rennes- Nelson Oliveira.” Outside of the Boot

Thiago Motta thriving as an elite player at PSG

“It sounds ridiculous to suggest a player with two European Cup winners’ medals should regard the competition as unfinished business — but Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian midfielder Thiago Motta will be desperate to triumph in the competition for a third time. After all, while Motta has a variety of hard-earned medals — he’s won titles in three different countries — his European successes must feel rather hollow.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Ronaldo-Ibrahimovic, Croatia-Iceland headline UEFA World Cup qualifying playoffs

“Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimović will command the spotlight they crave in next month’s European World Cup qualifying playoffs as Portugal and Sweden face off in the most intriguing of the four two-leg matchups. UEFA conducted the draw for the final phase of qualifying early Monday in Zurich. The big winner was Croatia, which will be heavily favored to defeat surprising Iceland. Portugal, the highest-ranked (14th) of the eight participating teams (all runners-up from the group phase), can breathe a sigh of relief that it avoided France. But Sweden is no slouch and gave powerhouse Germany all it could handle during group play. Monday’s draw ensures that at least one quality team, and one big-name player, will miss out on Brazil.” SI

The month Senegal were better than France — Remembering Metsu

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“As World Cups go, the 2002 edition was not a classic. A combination of stifling heat and a draining European club season combined to leave the best players woefully out of form, with joint favourites France and Argentina both departing at the group stage. There’s nothing wrong with successful underdogs, of course — but there was a feeling that the quality throughout the competition was particularly low. Turkey and South Korea both reached the semifinals, a genuinely remarkable achievement for both — but neither side will be remembered particularly fondly by neutrals.” ESPN – Michael Cox

World Cup qualifiers: Romelu Lukaku sends Belgium to Brazil

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“Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Belgium beat Croatia 2-1 to secure their place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Striker Lukaku, on loan at Everton from Premier League rivals Chelsea, scored twice in the first half, with Niko Kranjcar grabbing a late consolation. Belgium were joined by Germany and Switzerland in qualifying for next year’s tournament. Germany defeated the Republic of Ireland 3-0, while Switzerland won 2-1 in Albania.” BBC

Analysis – Borussia Dortmund dominate Olympique Marseille

“While Jürgen Klopp watched from a Westfalenstadion skybox – bundled up like a holiday shopper – Borussia Dortmund (BVB) sought out Champions League (UCL) revenge against the traditional French power, Olympic Marseille (OM), to avenge a UCL sweep at the Frenchmen’s hands two year ago (2-6 aggregate). It succeeded. And looked its hipster best while winning. Dortmund won 3-0 against the seven-time French champions in convincing fashion. The result never really seemed in doubt, as BVB always created more dangerous chances and created a stranglehold on the match when it opened the scoring at 19′. The vaunted play-making abilities of OM’s supreme central midfielder, Matthieu Valbuena, never materialized as BVB organized an efficient defensive effort as well as a dangerous attack to dominate this match. A win like this quickly buries the disappointment of the 2-1 loss at Napoli, as Klopp’s squad travels to Arsenal next. On the other hand, OM is winless in Group F.” Bundesliga Fanatic

Make or break for World Cup hopefuls

“Scheduling pressure on international football from disgruntled clubs has one big positive for fans; the increasing presence of exciting and meaningful double-headers in the space of five days. This week’s raft of World Cup qualification doubles will go some way to deciding the line-up for Brazil next summer, with some new names on the brink of a first participation and some established ones facing the hour where it’s put up or shut up. Here are some of the major plot lines to look out for over the coming days.” ESPN (Video)

Can Neymar and Messi co-exist? and four other things to look out for this season

“Every one of Europe’s top five leagues has the potential to have a thrilling title race this season. Sam Thompson, of TTTFootball, takes a closer look at who will be challenging at the top in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France…” Think Football

Tactical Analysis: Can Ibrahimovic and Cavani work together in the same PSG starting line-up?

“Two summers, two transfer windows, two world class strikers. After the capture of Swedish marksman Zlatan Ibrahimović sent shock waves through world football in July 2012, Paris saint-Germain have gone onto secure yet another centre forward feared throughout Europe in the form of Uruguayan Edinson Cavani. This £54 million transaction provides new manager Laurent Blanc with a wealth of talent in the striking department, in spite of the departure of Frenchman Kévin Gameiro to Sevilla. However, it also begs the question: is this club big enough for the two of them?” Think Football

Lavezzi’s energy picks its spots on the pitch

“Barcelona’s narrow away-goals victory over PSG was a fantastic tie, the type of contest European Cup football is all about. There were a variety of subplots: Zlatan Ibrahimovic against his former side, David Beckham’s surprise start in Paris, Lionel Messi’s fitness in the second leg. Barca emerged victorious, but the French league leaders enhanced their reputation and strengthened Carlo Ancelotti’s chances of remaining in his job next season.” ESPN

Barcelona 1-1 PSG: Ancelotti replicates first leg tactics, but Messi fit enough to have an impact

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“PSG were elimintated on the away goals rule following a good counter-attacking display. Tito Vilanova named Lionel Messi on the bench, with Cesc Fabregas deployed upfront after his weekend hattrick. Adriano played alongside Gerard Pique at the back. Carlo Ancelotti was without the suspended Blaise Matudi, so used Marco Verratti alongside Thiago Motta, with David Beckham on the bench. This was similar to the first leg – both sides used broadly the same strategy, and while Barcelona dominated possession, PSG threatened on the break.” Zonal Marking

Barcelona, Bayern complete Champions League semifinals
“The two favorites may have progressed into the Champions League semifinals, but it was not easy for either team. Barcelona came from a goal down against Paris Saint-Germain to draw 1-1 to get through on away goals, while Bayern Munich needed to weather some early Juventus pressure before winning 2-0 in Italy. Here is the breakdown …” SI

PSG 2-2 Barcelona: Ancelotti justified in using a brave starting line-up

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“Barcelona twice took the lead, PSG twice equalised. Carlo Ancelotti surprisingly named David Beckham as part of a midfield two, with four outright attacking players used in a 4-4-1-1 system. Tito Vilanova played Alexis Sanchez, rather than Cristian Tello, as part of his front three. Barcelona dominated in terms of possession and territory, and there was an element of fortune for both PSG’s goals – but overall Ancelotti’s side defended solidly and counter-attacked effectively.” Zonal Marking

Messi expected to return soon, but Mascherano loss leaves Barca weak
” They say that the secret to great comedy is great timing, so it was hard not to giggle when just after 1pm on Wednesday FC Barcelona announced the launch of a new App called “Barcelona fitness.” Not that Barcelona’s fans would have seen the funny side of course. Not while they anxiously awaited news of Lionel Messi’s injury. Minor scare or total disaster? Muscle tear or muscle pull? Three weeks? Six? Or just ten days? And nor is it just Leo Messi. Soon after he departed, so did Javier Mascherano, the latest victim of a defensive injury crisis. A fitness app? Oh, the irony.” SI

The Question: How is interpretation of the playmaker role changing?

“Perhaps no position is undergoing such evolution so rapidly as the playmaker – or, as it is probably more accurate to call him in his present guise, the creative midfielder. This week, the Champions League quarter-finals seemed almost to showcase the changing interpretations of the position – albeit in the most modern case in unfortunately truncated form.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

France 0-1 Spain: both sides use one wide player for ball retention and the other for direct attacks

“Spain recorded a narrow victory, and go one point clear of France at the top of Group I. Didier Deschamps used Patrice Evra rather than Gael Clichy at left-back, and the late withdrawal of Mamadou Sakho saw Laurent Koscielny start at centre-back. But the key change was higher up – from the side that defeated Georgia 3-1, Olivier Giroud was dropped, with Yohan Cabaye coming into the centre of midfield, turning a 4-4-2 into a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3.” Zonal Marking

Valdés steps up in Casillas’ absence, backstops Spain past France

” The camera kept focusing on Iker Casillas, but his replacement took center stage. High in the stands at Saint-Denis, Spain’s captain sat watching his countrymen play France, a broken finger having denied him the chance to make his 144th appearance; down on the pitch, Víctor Valdés was the man chosen in goal instead. Like Casillas, he was about to prove decisive. For some he was about to prove a discovery — at the age of 31. Spain traveled to Paris knowing that if it did not win it risked not making it to Brazil in 2014; the world champions, unable to defend their crown.” SI

The Blood of the Impure

“The French national anthem, La Marseillaise, is, if you think about it, a pretty nasty song. It dreams, in one of its more memorable verses, that the ‘blood of the impure’ will ‘irrigate our fields.’ It’s a rousing anthem, to be sure, and I myself can frequently be heard humming it to myself in advance of a match being played by Les Bleus, or as I ride my bike or do the dishes. I’ve found that it’s sometimes hard to find a French person (at least if you hang out, as I do, with too many intellectuals), who can actually sing it without irony. And yet, over the past 26 years, the question of whether a particular subset of French men – those who play on the national football team – sing the Marseillaise under certain conditions has been a rather unhealthy obsession in France (we’ve blogged about it before, when Kinshasa-born flanker Yannick Nyanga sobbed uncontrollably during the anthem ahead of a rugby match vs Australia last year).” Soccer Politics (Video)

Valbuena has earned his chance with France

“France doesn’t share Argentina, Brazil or even Italy’s relentless obsession with the number 10, but having boasted the most celebrated creative midfielder of recent times, Zinedine Zidane, the number has since taken on extra importance. Since Zidane’s theatrical retirement in 2006, France’s No. 10s have hardly fit the mould. Sidney Govou, the speedy winger who never fulfilled his vast potential, wore it at Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 while striker Karim Benzema inherited it for last summer’s European Championships. In all three tournaments, France disappointed: two group stage exits and a quarterfinal elimination. Perhaps they need a proper No. 10. And that’s where Mathieu Valbuena comes in.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Reunions, stars clashing lead Champions League quarterfinal draw

“The Champions League quarterfinal draw took place Friday morning in Nyon, Switzerland, with the competition harder than ever to call. If Bayern Munich was the dominant side after its round of 16 first-leg win at Arsenal, the performances of Barcelona and Real Madrid in their second legs reminded everyone of the talent of the La Liga sides. Here is the rundown of the draw for the last eight …” SI

Manuel Pellegrini and Fatih Terim back where they belong

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“By common consent, five of the eight remaining sides in the Champions League have a good chance of lifting the European Cup at Wembley in May. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Juventus — current league champions, imminent league champions or, in Juve’s case, both. The dark horse? Paris St Germain have performed well in Europe under Champions League specialist Carlo Ancelotti, and following their recruitment of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi, their presence is no great surprise.” ESPN – Michael Cox