Domenech may ring changes
Related Articles
Tuesday November 17 2009
FRANCE COACH Raymond Domenech could make more than one change to his team for tomorrow's World Cup battle in Paris with Sidney Gouvou a possible starter. Domenech has to make at least one switch as defender Eric Abidal is injured, so there is a battle between Julien Escudé and Sebastian Squillachi to replace Barcelona man Abidal in the side.
Escudé had been in the running to win a place in the squad, but French media reports today suggested that Seville man Squillachi is now more likely to start in defence.
However there could be a change to France's all-star attack with reports here in Paris today suggesting that Lyon star Gouvou, who has scored a handy ten goals in his 41 appearances for the national team, is in the frame to start.
SACRIFICED
André-Pierre Gignac started the game in Croke Park as the leading striker, with a three-man team of Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry and Yoann Gourcuff, but now it's felt that Gignac didn't do enough to keep his place in the side and he could be sacrificed, allowing Anelka to take his position as the leading striker and then play Gouvou with Henry and Gourcuff as support.
The French squad trained at their Clairefontaine base last night and will have their final training session there tonight, around the same time as Ireland begin their training session at the Stade de France - according to tradition, France do not train in the match stadium on the eve of the game but instead use the French FA headquarters in Clairefontaine.
- Aidan Fitzmaurice
