Barcelona defender Eric Abidal will not be suiting up. Neither will Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri,ralph lauren femme, Manchester United defender Patrice Evra,ralph lauren, nor Milan center back Philippe Mexès.
Despite not having its entire A team available, however, the when it faces the United States at 3 p.m. Eastern on Friday (ESPN2,Gavin Atkins examines the skills required to succeed in the,chanel, ESPN3.com, Univision) at the Stade de France in Paris.
And well it should be. France’s national team has talent to spare, and world-class players such as Franck Ribéry,ralph lauren,ralph lauren pas cher, Florent Malouda and Hugo Lloris should be available for the game. Moreover, Coach Laurent Blanc has adopted a slow-and-steady approach to transforming the squad that embarrassed itself at the 2010 World Cup, and his tactics are already paying dividends. Despite Blanc’s commitment to using younger players and focusing his efforts on preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil,polo ralph lauren,polo ralph lauren, Les Bleus recently clinched a spot in the 2012 European championships and are generally on the upswing.
The U.S.,ralph lauren, on the other hand,borse gucci, continues to struggle. The team has a long history of poor performances in Europe, having lost its last six matches on the continent. More troublesome, the squad has yet to coalesce under Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, suffering through a 1-3-1 record and scoring only two goals in five games. And when one factors in the absence of so he can focus on the M.L.S. Cup title game nine days later, it does not bode well for the Stars and Stripes.
Could the U.S. ,polo ralph lauren,louis vuitton sito ufficiale polo femme Banks The, and earn a result? Absolutely. And if the Yanks do get a tie or a victory, it will represent a huge step in the right direction for the entire program.
Here is a quick look at some of the potential matchups that could prove decisive on Friday:
Karim Benzema vs. Oguchi Onyewu and/or Michael Orozco Fiscal
With six goals in nine La Liga matches so far this season, is one of the biggest stars on a Real Madrid squad filled with them. A technical wizard with a nose for the net, Benzema poses an extraordinary threat for a U.S. backline that sometimes seems in disarray. While the U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra has the experience and wherewithal to stand up to a striker like Benzema, it is hard to imagine the lead-footed Oguchi Onyewu or the timid Michael Orozco Fiscal faring well in a one-on-one exchange with the 23-year-old Lyon native. If either or both get into the game, expect Benzema to call for the ball as often as possible.
Franck Ribéry vs. Kyle Beckerman
Klinsmann’s devotion to Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman is both profound and public. “If you follow these last couple of games we played, we’ve discovered a player like Kyle Beckerman who is just doing a fantastic job for this team,” Klinsmann told reporters after the U.S. lost,sac longchamp, 1-0, to Ecuador on Oct. 11. “He’s somebody who cleans up,polo homme,ralph lauren pas cher Planet Money collaboration, he’s everywhere,polo ralph lauren pas cher Muck Rack - Sign Up, he’s aggressive and he wins so many balls back. We don’t want to have him out of the team.” While some might argue that Beckerman is a step (or two) too slow for the international game,polo ralph lauren Twitter The Great Debate - Part,ralph lauren, he will certainly have a chance to prove doubters wrong against France and Ribéry. , and can make the best No. 6’s in the world look silly. If Beckerman can neutralize Ribéry and hold down the real estate in front of the central defense,gucci sito ufficiale, Klinsmann will certainly lavish the dreadlocked midfielder with even more praise.
Florent Malouda vs. Steve Cherundolo
When he is at the top of his game, the U.S. right back Steve Cherundolo is one of the unsung heroes of the United States squad the kind of player who makes game-changing plays on both sides of the field. But last month, and given his age, there have been some rumblings that the Hannover captain might be approaching his expiration date. If that is indeed the case,polo ralph lauren,ralph lauren pas cher Muck Rack - Journalists comm,ralph lauren pas cher, expect Chelsea left wing Florent Malouda to have a big game on Friday. Although just one year younger than Cherundolo, the left-footed Malouda is both physically imposing and technically skilled a lethal combination. It should be fun to see these two veterans square off.
Brek Shea vs. Anthony Réveillère or Mathieu Debuchy
Make no mistake about it: Brek Shea does not care if he lines up against Anthony Réveillère, Mathieu Debuchy, Cafu or the 101st Airborne Division. The 21-year-old from College Station, Tex.,borse gucci prezzi, has a wonderfully na?ve fearlessness that has served him well in M.L.S. and might do the same for him . Now that Shea seems to have a lock on the left wing position for the U.S., his he has shown thus far. Can Réveillère,polo ralph lauren, a veteran with Lyon, or Debuchy,polo lacoste, a midfielder/right back hybrid who plays for Lille, clamp down on Shea’s marauding ways? Absolutely. But do not bet on it.
Jozy Altidore vs. Adil Rami
The last time Jozy Altidore, 22, suited up for the United States in a friendly competition in Europe, he found himself isolated against Vincent Kompany, Belgium’s rugged, 6-foot-3 central defender. . Altidore could be in for more of the same on Friday, as he will have to contend with Adil Rami France’s uncompromising central defender, who is also 6-3. When Altidore can outmuscle an opponent, he often thrives. When he feels physically dominated, he sometimes retreats into a shell. It will be interesting to see if Altidore can muster the will to compete for 90 minutes,ralph lauren, and if Klinsmann can provide the striker with the tactical support necessary to threaten French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Will you be watching Friday’s game? Do you think the U.S. has a fighting chance against France? Share your thoughts in the comments.
John Godfrey obsessively tracks the progress of American soccer players and is a regular contributor to the Goal blog. He also comments about soccer constantly .