Robert Pires won the World Cup with France in 1998. He was part of the squad that followed that success with glory at Euro 2000 and he played in the France team that beat England 2-1 at Euro 2004. The winger also won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups as an Arsenal player. And he has lush hair.
He knows a few things about football in France and England – which is why he’s the perfect man to select a combined France/England team ahead of Monday night’s clash between the two cross-Channel rivals. While his inclusion of John Terry and Samir Nasri makes Arseblog News retch, the fact Bobby overlooks picks Gael Clichy over Ashley Cole and dismisses Scott Parker’s qualities raises a wry smile.
So here is the Robert Pires Frangland XI:
Goalkeeper: Joe Hart
He was a champion in England this season and has had a great campaign. He’s been very solid; he just has the edge over Hugo Lloris because of the campaign he has had at City, where he has been outstanding. He’s a decisive goalkeeper, he has won his team some big points with major performances. Lloris is a very sound goalkeeper too but Hart is first pick in my team. 1-0 to the Englishmen.
Right-back: Mathieu Debuchy
There’s no hesitation here, I’d pick Mathieu over Glen Johnson. He’s energetic, and defensively he is very strong. He is a hard tackler but technically very good too; a fine passer of the ball, he gets forward a lot and puts in quality crosses. He’s got a decent shot on him as well.
Left-back: Gael Clichy
This was the toughest decision in the whole team. I’ve played with both Ashley Cole and Gael for Arsenal, and they’re two of the best in the business. Indeed, Gael learned a lot from being Ashley’s understudy at Arsenal. I’m hesitating between the two but I will go for Clichy, because I just think he’s still on an upward curve, and for me he brings more to the team going forward.
Centre-backs: John Terry / Philippe Mexes
The problem with these guys is that there is no left-footer in there. But Terry is a guy you can count on. He’s been there and done it and has experience of top-level football. He’ll give everything for the team. Philippe is quicker then he looks and is rarely beaten in a one-on-one: he’s also the kind of centre-back that midfielders like to have in their side with you, because you know he’s not going to just bang it forward, he’s going to bring the midfield into the game.
Centre midfield: Yann M’Vila
This was another tough choice between Scott Parker and M’Vila, and it took me a while to separate them. Parker has that pugnacious quality that’s so appreciated in the Premier League, but he doesn’t have a great deal of international experience. I will go for M’Vila because he’s impressed me so much. He’s technically better, more skilled than Parker. I like his passing, and in spite of his age he never panics.
Centre midfield: Yohan Cabaye
I will pick Cabaye over Frank Lampard, who has been a fantastic player for Chelsea in the Premier League but I will go for freshness. If I’m picking this team, I want vitality. I think Cabaye has had a fantastic first season in England. He’s very confident on the ball and he’s a great worker. Physically he’s impressive and I think he’s the complete package, an old-fashioned number eight.
Right Midfield: Samir Nasri
Samir has had a good season with Manchester City even though he didn’t play every game. He gets the nod over Steven Gerrrard for me. Samir is always calm on the ball, he sees solutions, he can always pick out a team-mate with the right pass.
Left Midfield: Franck Ribery
I hesitated because Ashley Young is a player I appreciate but I will go for Ribery. He’s had a good season for Bayern Munich, perhaps the most consistent period since he first moved to Germany. What I like about him – and I do know a little bit about this position – is that you have to be unpredictable and Franck is certainly that. He brings you that element of surprise, he loves to dribble, to provoke, and he never holds back. You need the wingers to be on form if your team is going to shine.
Centre-forward: Wayne Rooney
You can’t leave him out of a Frangland team! We’ve known about Rooney for years but I think he has made huge progress technically. He’s a really important player for Manchester United and England but has all the qualities that us French like in the English: he’s a battler, he has character but also he has the skill and he scores goals. There’s nothing not to like. To be honest with you, I’m really pleased he’s not playing against us on June 11. If you take Rooney out of the England team, then obviously that team is severely weakened.
Centre-forward: Karim Benzema
Karim brings you different elements to Rooney and I think they would be very complementary together, they’d be a great strike pairing. Karim is quality: he’s had an enormous season with Real Madrid. Karim is on top of his game. He has that extra confidence about him now: it’s the sign of great players. Those two together is a hot partnership. Hot!
Coach: Laurent Blanc
Don’t forget to make Laurent my coach of this team. I have to put him in because he’s my friend!
Pires’s Frangland XI: (4132):
Hart
Debuchy, Terry, Mexes, Clichy
M’Vila
Nasri, Cabaye, Ribery
Rooney, Benzema
This is an edited extract from the ebook ‘Best XI Insider: England versus France’, which contains exclusive profiles of Scott Parker, Roy Hodgson, Franck Ribery and Laurent Blanc, and tactical analysis by Michael Cox, and is available to buy here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Insider-England-France-ebook/dp/B0087D8BN0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338446019&sr=8-1
Koscielny > Mexes
I think you mean kos over Terry.. I dont know too much about Mexes, but it’s John ‘the cunt’ Terry
Kos > Mexes > Terry
Koscielny is better than both.
Koscielny is better than both…put together.
Nasri over Gerrard? Interesting choice.
All day. Gerrard’s been pony for two seasons now at least.
Gerrard was immense tonight.
An immense Gerrard wouldn’t have been hanging around the box like a dozy twat while Nasri and the rest of the French mid had about half an hour to line up that second goal.
I can’t for the life of me understand why Mexes will most likely be in the center of the french defense ahead of Koscielny
No doubt in my mind who is better when you compare the two
Is it just me or does the French have a brilliant squad? well mixed with youth and experience. They have abit of everything. Flair,grit,pace,strength,good defence,solid midfield and striker/s who can bang in goals. If Blanc can get the best out of this side, they should be one of the favourites alongside Spain and Germans to win Euro 2012.
sadly they don’t have a creative hub.but i like the balance in this france squad
swoon
Anyone > Terry.
LOL
LOL is better than Terry
Kos over Mexes!!!!!! Picking Nasri? I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt since he’s french too…
Only Joe hart and wayne rooney should be in that squad from england, england players are so average, I wonder why they bother to play international football.
Ox? Wilshire?
Its not that they are average its just they don’t really seem to bond nationally IMHO.
I like watching the Ox and Walcott but hate watching Parker and Terry. Imagine if YOU had to play in a team made up of mostly opposition players from the EPL?
Our national identity is so mixed up, unlike other European countries, it’s like we always end up being cynical and apathetic towards our team. We view the team as a bit crap (year in year out) so they end up being crap.
Beyond all the Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal Ca$hley is better than Clichy. I guess Sagna’s ommitted due to injury, Na$ri is lazy despite moments of brilliants – but mainly he’s just a complete cunt.
Mexes has completely lost it. I’d play fucking Kelly ahead of him, but of course the spot should go to Kosc.
As for Laurent Blanc; well he’s just a rascist cunt of John Terry’s highest order.
Bobby has disappointed.
Goonersaurus> terry
It’s Gunnersaurus. But yeh, good point. He probably wouldn’t fall over as much, even with those tiny arms that must restrict his balance.
Pat rices’ shorts > terry
He has a tail for balance, and for tripping opposition players while looking all innocent and lovable at the referee.
Wenger’s water bottle > john terry (although it’s a close one, both go to ground too easily)
Nah. When we’re talking about the comedy mascot position it’s waaaaayyyyy funnier when Terry falls on his face.
Thus, in that position, Terry > Gunnersaurus.
Would you swap them? I’d far rather keep Gunnersaurus and send Terry to amuse King Penguins in their natural environment.
this is all well and good, but unless M’Vila actually signs for us I couldn’t really give a hoot about him or about international football. God I hate the summer.
Hurry up and try to sign him already…I just hope it won’t be a repeat of last year.
So Pires has also retired from watching football?
OK I guess. Given Sagna’s absence due to injury.
You know Rooney, Hart, Ribery, Benzema being the big names would make the list. I disagree with the chinless donkey cunt and old racist cunt being included. M’Vila is the best DM choice. I think I’d take Glen Johnson over Debuchy though.
Everyone calling for us to sign Marvin Martin, why isn’t he in the starting 11?
Just saying.
Cunt > na$ri
They cancel each other out. 10 men it is.
People need to move on from Nasri. It’s just small.
what, his penis?
or his chin?
Exactly he is small and we need to remind him that every goddamn day.
Nasri is a cunt. There.
We have moved on from Nasri.
It’s the overtly cunty cuntishness that’s still with him.
Well you know what’s big. His cunt.
I dunno why people give oxygen to Nasri. He left us. He’s a young hot headed guy. Who cares, really. If he was smashing it at City I would care but every time I see some obligatory “Nasri is a cunny” comment it actually looks like bitterness to me, and it just gives him life. I’d rather see him not mentioned.
He keeps popping up in interviews repeating his claim that he moved for footballing reasons and has been proven right. He truly sounds like he is struggling to convince himself of that. Wish he’d just go away and enjoy his gift * rather than keep on and on about it. * I mean the Premiership medal his teammates gave to him. Did you see how he listed all the great players in the City team and said that that is what inspired him to go there? Of course it was, he knew he could stay lazy and still win something.… Read more »
There’s about three interviews. Also, they’re interviews: They phone him, not the other way around.
And what are the odds he would have even opened his mouth if it weren’t for Arsenal supporters calling him everything under the sun before he’d even left the club?
To me, Marvin Martin/Ben Arfa should be ahead of Nasri. He has a slightly below par season but Nasri has had a below par season as well. Bobby seems to pick all the big name players this past season. That back 4 should have been Debuchy-Cahill-Kos-Clichy. I have no idea why Mexes is in there and Terry despite the fact he is also a racist wife shagging cunt, starting to look like he is starting to lose it as a defender as well.
Eboue > Terry
My dead gramdma > Terry
You> brain.
What about me? I’m better than Terry too, right guys?
ermm… yeh, sure. If you like.
I’m finding it hard to figure who’s the bigger cunt, John Terry or UEFA. The two seem cut from the same cloth. John Terry conveniently gets his racism trial delayed till after Euro so he can play and UEFA don’t see any reason to investigate Hollands players being racially abused during their first training.
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/no-uefa-probe-into-alleged-racist-chants/news/anzeigen_92906.html
Holy shit! A Squillaci sighting!
Fuck you all cunty bollocks.
how very eloquent you are.
Who let Mr. Tourettes out of his box?
Clichy offers more going forward???
I’m having a laugh at that one. Sorry. I like Clichy, to be honest, but his offensive skills were never there and he’d often get caught too far up the field which left us exposed to counter attacks.
Gotta be
__________________________Hart________________________
__Debuchy______Koscielny___________Terry__________Cole__
________________M’Vila_____________Cabaye______________
___Martin_________________Rooney_______________Ribery___
________________________Benzema______________________
Terry is a cunt.Get with the times.
Nah, gotta be:
_______________Couldn’t_______________________
_Give_______A__________Flying_____________Fuck_
_About_____International____Football_______Because_
____________It’s__________Shit__________________
I strongly disagree with your offensive choice. It should be:
_______________Couldn’t_______________________
_Give_______A__________Flying_____________Fuck_
_About_____International____Football_______Because_
____________It’s__________Bollocks_______________
yeh, it was a toss up between Shit and Bollocks I have to admit. They’re both very strong contenders.
It is bollocks, but don’t tell me you won’t be watching on Monday! 😉
Neither of you know anything about the game. It should be:
_______________Couldn’t_______________________
_Give_______A__________Flying_____________Fuck_
_______________International_____________________
_Because________Football______________About_____
____________It’s__________Shit__________________
International is a clear DM and since when has Because played on the left? Sort it out!
[…] and a technically gifted player with an excellent work-rate, M’Vila is not only skilled, but extraordinarily calm in and out of possession, he has been the subject of a lot of transfer speculation this summer, […]
Sell Andre u are joking,wenger just play him in is proper positon. Think we need a keeper
Pires- legend, hate the way he ended his arsenal career he was one of the best
I told you guys about arshavins’ nice sublime through passes and he just did it again. Russia_2 czech_0
On the down side, rosicky is flying the arsenal flag not so high. Wake up tr7!!!!!!!.
It wasn’t just Rosicky. I don’t think the Czechs managed a single successful final ball to anybody through the entire game.
Didn’t need Bobby to tell us M’Villa is better than Parker.
Song is better than Parker.
Ramires is better than Parker.
De Jong is better than Parker.
Seriously, how can people rate a centre-midfielder like Parker who has zero assists and zero goals in his repetoire.
He also admits he listen’s to Lional Ritchie before a game to keep himself calm.
He’s never giveup attitude is something so of our players could learn from. We didnt want him remember.
He’s never giveup attitude is something so of our players could learn from. We didnt want him remember. ..talking about parker.
I’m with you FatCunt. Been ages since we’ve seen Arshavin play with this verve, panache, dash, elan, spirit and some words I can’t think of for the Arenal
Ps – for those not in front of a tv – talking about Russia v Czech happenn right now
Arshavin should’ve had four maybe five assists by now – by far the most creative player on the pitch, probably man of the match. If he played like this for the Arse, he’d be a legend !
Arshavin = LANS ?
Yes, but probably not for us 🙁
He lost form initially when Russia screwed up their world cup. He’s playing a bit better because he’s back home. I think he will probably decide to stay there as returning has seen his football improve. Makes me sad that we couldn’t see him at his best (other than when he first arrived and the excitement of a new country and new team hadn’t worn off to be replaced (possibly) by a bit of home-sickness (as well as being played almost exclusively as a winger when a few more games in the centre might have kept him happier). If he… Read more »
I (think) I overdo (brackets) (possibly) (!)(!)(!)
I think its down to him being surrounded by better player albeit unknown ones. Players that know how to shoot & control the ball.
Okay it’s official people, arshavin is back and he is back big time!. Still a tiny winy lazy but I’l take that over bendtners constant trouser mishaps and “insert goal here” gervinho.
Too early to judge?………………no
I always knew he had it.
He’s skinnier, too.
Russians ran the pies off him?
[…] 来源：[Arseblog News] […]
Let yesterday’s game teach be a lesson in importance of sideways passing. If you saw Poland vs Greece, then you’d know how much important it is to make simple passes. If not, the whole team falls apart.
So what are you saying? Bring back Denilson? No thanks.
Nope..what i am saying is not slagging off Rambo..And hollywood type passes are not always the answers..
Ah, yes. Ok. I forgot Rambo was the scapegoat these days. You won’t find me slagging him off. I still think we’ve seen enough from him that he can turn it around. He’s also not bad at the ol’ Hollywood passes on his day either.
very easy to dismiss an observation about rambo’s poor form as scapegoating, would you be wiling to START him week in and week out knowing even if a player underperforms? Whatever criticisms that walcott, denilsons. TGSTEL, song, Djorou, was rightfully getting , Rambo shouldnt be an exception. Im a fan, I want the team to do well, not be a bloody cheerleader which I suspect this blog is sometimes guilty off (being overly understanding).
To be frank, the Czech defence looks terrible. Too early to judge Arshavin yet. Hope he does retrieve back his form & this is just the start. Looks like Zenith loan works wonders on him.
p.s. he did start on the left on the attack just like at Arsenal. So can we officially put this bollocks of him not able to play there behind?
It was Czechs who made him look better than he was. There was so much of space and time and room. If given that he can do that all day. He didn’t even have to run. They just let him through.
One thing is sure Arshavin has lost a yard of pace.
If Arshavin worked as hard for the Arsenal as he does for Russia,I don’t think anyone would have a problem with him…quality player but let’s get rid & get a few quid for him.
Don’t think he worked that hard and if you watched the game you’d agree. He took the no 10 role with such finesse, his job was to sit back, recieve the ball and make things happen for his strikers. In many occasions he was left behind when russia came bombarding forward.
Andrei of 2008 was thicker but quicker but this one’s slender but slower. Ironical much?
Is it just me or does Joe Hart look like a young Russ Abbott ?
Oliver Giroud in??
Oliver Giroud in??
Deal done people…..now get m’villa and that van persie guy a nice looking contract and then we’l be all set for next season.
Omg Al Jazeera just reported that we’ve agreed a fee for Giroud, and now have to just wait for him to sign a contract with us! Al-Jazeera is a highly trustworthy source imo.