Players Called Up For International Duty
By: Inara | August 17th, 2007Naturally any announcement dealing with the France National Team is of concern to Lyon. But not as much as it used to.
Unlike last season, when Lyon players made up half of Rayray’s squad, the number has whittled down to five, despite the fact that 35 playerrs were called up. Representing Lyon are Sebastien Squillaci, Francois Clerc, Anthony Reveillere, Jeremy Toulalan, and Karim Benzema.
Lyon’s other three France internationals - Gregory Coupet, Sidney Govou, and Sylvain Wiltord - are either injured or in in a state of limbo with his club. Hatem Ben Arfa is still with the U-21s while Mathieu Bodmer hasn’t proved himself yet. And of course, Eric Abidal, Florent Malouda, and Alou Diarra are now at other clubs.
Lyon still contribute the most players, but the hemorrhage of France NT players must surely be bothering Aulas, who, unlike the majority of club officials, likes having his players represent their countries. He takes a perverse amount of pride in having the club empty during international week (though it pissed the hell out of Gerard Houllier and will now undoubtedly annoy Alain Perrin).
Lyon will also be without Milan Baros (Czech Republic), Patrick Muller (Switzerland), Nadir Belhadj (Algeria), Kim Kallstrom (Sweden), and Kader Keita (Ivory Coast). Fabio Grosso will find out tomorrow if he will make the Italy squad. Fred is out injured while Tiago has left for Juventus.
Match dates:
Slovakia - France, August 21 and 22, in Slovakia.
Switzerland - Netherlands, August 22 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Brazil - Algeria, August 22 in Montpellier, France.
Sweden - USA, August 22 in Goteborg, Sweden.
Austia - Czech Republic, August 22 in Austria.
Ivory Coast - Egypt, August 22 in Paris, France.
Hungary - Italy, August 22 in Budapest, Hungary.
Italy - France [U-21s] - August 21 in Spezia, Italy.
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Comments
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Is Rayray an actual nickname? I’ve just been using it because it sounds childlike and somewhat demeaning.
Posted from
United States
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LOLZ LYon is teh pwned!!!!!!11
I love international weekends, JMA always has a hissy fit.Posted from
Canada -
Chris: Rayray is one of his nicknames used at various soccer forums. Raymundo is another, though I myself prefer Rayray (every since WC, that’s how I think of him).
Sam: I sometimes wish they had reality TV involving club bosses like Aulas, Del Nido, Calderon, Moratti, Abramovich, etc. Think how fun that would be?!
Posted from
United States -
Funny to see that We will have two matchs(Brazil-Algeria)/(Ivory Coast-Egypt) in France but none with French team.
Posted from
France -
I know I’m redundant when it comes to this but how come you pick Jeremy Matthieu and not pick Patthieu Bodmer. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. Are you telling me Johnathan Zebina is better than him?
Posted from
United States -
Oh and by the way, his most commonly used nickname is “Raymond La Science” becasue he sees himself as a know-it-all.
Posted from
United States -
hey Inara where can we watch tomorrow’s game streamed live online?
Posted from
United States -
Add Grosso to the list.
I’m convinced Bodmer has slept with Mrs. Ray Ray. It’s the only explanation for him not to have a cap or be in this 850 man roster.
And let go of Tiago already, would ya?
Posted from
United States -
Lorient just scored…quite a nice scissor kick actually. You can stream it here: http://www.myp2p.eu/Matches/Match6.htm
Under St Etienne - Bordeaux
They are broadcasting Lorient - Lyon instead.Posted from
United States -
Ouch…
Posted from
France -
I’m sad for the players, tonight…
There was no team spirit. I cannot explain that, except maybe because of the injuries of our best players.Posted from
France -
I blame Fred.
Posted from
United States -
CHRIS - At this point, Bodmer must be the Baby’s daddy to deserve this cold shoulder he’s been receiving these years. I mean, let’s be serious now, Jeremy matthieu?
Posted from
United States -
Mathieu is an excellent player and fully deserves his spot.
However, Bodmer should have been a regular on the NT about two years ago.
But don’t blame Mathieu, he deserves to be there. A lot of guys are selected though and should be nowhere near the NT (Zebina is just an example).Posted from
United States -
I was not saying that Jeremy Mathieu took Bodmer’s spot or anything. I know he’s out of the team when Sagnol comes back. But I’m just saying the guy is so random with his choices. Like Abou Dhaby, Lassana Diarra and people who weren’t even proven at the european stage are included in the french team. I bet if Bodmer accepted ManU’s offer two summers ago, he’d be included in the team. And now they call Zoumana Camara. When Bodmer who is better than ABYONE (and I include Toulalan who’s a bitch to me) at his post in France.
Posted from
United States -
If Sagna and Zebina are there, Mathieu definitely deserves his spot. I just don’t understand the continued exclusions of Bodmer and Gourcuff. Domenech already called up 35 players. What’s the big deal if he adds two more? Especially considering the fact that he has only one creative mid on his roster right now.
I don’t see how Bodmer will ever get on the national team. Given Domenech’s continued hard on for defensive midfielders (he called up seven for Slovakia), even a talent like Gourcuff probably won’t be wearing blue until after Euro 2008.
Massaer, you don’t like Toulalan? He seems like such an inoffensive player.
Posted from
United States -
You see sometimes you don’t understand how some players become so big. Toulalan has never impressed me. He’s one of those players you don’t see but who’s always overrated. Like Rozenhal when he was playing for Paris or Guti his whole career. You don’t see the guy and everybody says “it’s because he does his job well.” .
So I don’t really want to hate on such a nice guy but so many people should be considered before him. But he is an inoffensive and polite classy family man.Posted from
United States -
It’s true Jeremy is no Mahamadou Diarra, but there are few DMs out there as impressive as Diarra. Toulalan has yet to make the same impact, but he’s done better than I expected last year. I thought he would be Alou Diarra’s backup, tbh. And like all OL players, he does have a considerable degree of hype. But all things considered, it wouldn’t be unfair to say he’s one of the top five DMs in France based on top level experience and performance.
I personally think Makoun is the best DM in France. I REALLY wish Lyon had signed him. He is such a destroyer.
Posted from
United States -
Yeah Makoun is insane. The only mistake Lyon did was acting like he didn’t have a choice but to sign with them.
I’d actually rather have someone like Toulalan than Alou Diarra. Alou Diarra feels he should be starting in the french NT so his head is a little too big.
Toulalan is a good DM, but Clément from Paris is better, Kallstrom and Bodmer from his own team are better. Benoit Cheyrou was better last year.
I think Toulalan is on the level of Cabaye from Lille. That means he can play with the best of them and even be good in CL but he won’t bring you that extra special thing Essien and Djila were giving you guys.Posted from
United States -
Lyon let two good midfielders go that year - Clement, Pedretti. Pedretti wasn’t a beast but he has such sweet passes. And it’s no wonder Lyon tried to resign Clement last winter. As for Kallstrom and Bodmer, neither of them are pure DMs, as both are more attacking and don’t hang back unless they can avoid it, so I hesitate in comparing them with Toulalan. For example, I would feel very insecure to have Bodmer and Kallstrom holding up the midfield during a CL game without a third DM in there.
Essien and Djila were one in a million. And now Chelsea and RM are reaping the rewards. It depresses me to no end.
Posted from
United States -
“It depresses me to no end.”
I feel you.Posted from
United States -
Same here!
Clement was great for the 6months he was at Rangers and hes becoming one of PSG best players!!
But i like Toulalan and i think that Bodmer could do a job DM.
Does anyone know of any Midfeilders we have been linked with?
I know the CB and the SC’s but ive never heard anything about wingers/AM since reyes!!
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Wow, wow, wow!
What are you people saying about Toulalan?
Man I’m hardly a Lyon fan, but this guy is soooooooo underrated in these comments it’s incredible? Cabaye??? Nowhere near Diarra and Essien???? Jérémy CLEMENT (as a PSG supporter I can’t believe this)????
WHAT?
Toulalan not only breaks half the opposition’s attacks (yes check these stats), but he’s also extremely important in the building of Lyon’s counter attacks and possession game.
Watch ANY game. Toulalan saves the day once or twice defensively EACH game and is at the root of at least 1 or 2 big opportunities to score EACH game.
No matter how you overrate Essien and Diarra, but they hardly had more of an impact defensively. Offensively, Essien would have more impact (and is more versatile), and Diarra would only shine offensively through his long passes.
But Toulalan is better than each of them defensively.Makelele is rated as one of the best DMs in the game, and indeed defensively, he’s like Toulalan : HUGE.
However he doesn’t have Toulalan’s passing (or shooting)ability.One other thing. When you watch a Lyon game, focus on Toulalan’s positionning and focus on challenges.
Toulalan RARELY loses challenges. When he was in Nantes, someone made a statistical category of the number of challenges Toulalan won. In some games, he was finishing with a perfect 100%. That means that each time he was going one on one for the ball with an opponent, he was coming away with it.
Diarra and Essien could never do that.I love Bodmer, but he can’t do that. Kallstrom neither (and not even close, he’s more of an AM). Juninho neither. That’s why Toulalan has to start whatever the team. He’s the most important Lyon player after Coupet (and possibly Cris).
What Lyon needs to do in a 4-4-2 is play Toulalan next to a CM like Bodmer or Juni, play Keita and Kallstrom on the wings (maybe Ben Arfa too) and Fred and Benzema up front.Posted from
France -
Evilo, I agree with you on almost everything you just wrote, as I think Toulalan is very important to Lyon’s game and rarely lets them down. In fact, he’s one of my favorite players. But while I’m glad Lyon have him, I feel like he isn’t as aggressive as Essien and Diarra (though I do feel Toulalan is a better all around player). Of course he’s great with challenges and duels and all that, but he lacks the fear factor the other two had and so doesn’t have their commanding presence.
But then again, he just finished his first year at Lyon, and he has a lot of room to improve. I’ve noticed he’s become more verbal on the pitch, and the fact that he has received the captain’s armband on a few occasions will undoubtedly encourage him to speak up more.
I think by the end of this year, Toulalan will have proven that a midfield beast does not have to be African!
Also, I’ve noticed that Toulalan has a great shot - he just can never seem to actually score. To my knowledge, he’s only scored on league goal in his life, a few years ago with Nantes. He deserves it though.
Posted from
United States
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