Domenech has originally selected 24 players to be reduced to 23 on the 1st of June depending on Gallas’ calf injury. However Lassana Diarra was  ruled out of the World Cup because of a blood disorder on Sunday. There are therefore now 23 players in the training camp in les Alpes but the  manager has indicated that a change would be still be possible.

GOALKEEPERS : Cédric Carrasso (Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

DEFENDERS : Eric Abidal (Barcelone), Gaël Clichy (Arsenal), Marc Planus (Bordeaux), Anthony Réveillère (Lyon), Patrice Evra (Manchester United),  William Gallas (Arsenal), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Sébastien Squillaci (FC Séville).

MIDFIELDERS : Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Franck  Ribéry (Bayern Munich), Jérémy Toulalan (Lyon).

FORWARDS : Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), André-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse), Thierry Henry (FC Barcelone), Djibril Cissé (Panathinaïkos), Mathieu Valbuena  (Marseille).

The message from the selection of Domenech is clear: France has no Ronaldo, Rooney or Messi and will only do well with an irreprochable team  spirit. All the players that have previously displayed difficult personalities are out no matter their talent: as a case in point Real Madrid’s  Benzema, will be watching from the sidelines, as will Nasri and Ben Arfa. In fact, perhaps a damning indication of the younger generation there is  not a single player from the winning squad of the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 championship. Most players selected were born berween 1979 and 1986.  Following a recent argument with Gallas during an Arsenal training session, Nasri declared a football team is not 11 friends on a pitch. Clearly  Domenech thinks differently.

The selection suggests tactical changes from the laborious qualification campaign played with a 4-2-3-1 formation.Domenech is taking to South Africa 4 centre forwards with little versatility: Henry, Anelka, Gignac and Cisse. For only one position in the team?  That would seem to be the most unlikely scenario. In days past Henry could play on the left but his recent performances showed he might not have  the engine for the position anymore. There is therefore a real chance to see France play with two upfront with another forward alongside Henry.Another possible change is the position of Ribery.  He played the entire qualification campaign as a right midfielder but the final list also  includes Govou and Valbuena who can play nowhere else. With Malouda in excellent form on the left of midfield it would mean Ribery in the center at the expense of Gourcuff unless he plays in a more defensive position. This could be the biggest, almost revolutionary, change of all.  Ribery at the top of a diamond midfield 4-4-2 formation or Gourcuff as a linking midfielder in a triangle midfield of the 4-3-3 type favoured  by Spain would mean only one defensive midfielder when history has shown that France reached the final of two of the last three world cups and  played all of their qualification games with at least two players in that position. As ever, all possibities are open with Raymond.

In any case however, changes are needed. More than the difficult qualification campain punctuated by Henrys’ handball in the playoff against  Ireland, the two defeats in friendly games against world cup favourites Spain and Argentina has left the French team and their fans in disarray.  Not only were they beaten but outclassed too. Only 16% of the French population thinks their team can win the world cup come July. Nevertheless,  les Bleus have always done better in the world cup as outsiders than favorites, from the senior players recent declarations it seems the two  friendly defeats could be salutary wake up calls, and a close look at the above list of names, with some of the best players in the world in their  position (Lloris, Evra, Malouda, Ribery, Anelka…), leaves some comfort that anything is possible with enough daring and togetherness.   Arnaud Lamotte