Source: Daily_Mail
Laurent Blanc's France revolution starts to take shape
Le President: France coach Laurent Blanc[LNB]Across Europe, some of football's superpowers are ripping it up and starting again. [LNB]The Italy team who drew in Belfast on Friday night, for example, was unrecognisable from the one who stank out the World Cup in South Africa, while at Wembley tomorrow Fabio Capello's England continue their own attempt to convince people last summer's shambles didn't really happen. [LNB]Nowhere, though, has the pain of failure been felt so deeply as in France. Last week, new national coach Laurent Blanc took his players to a basketball game in Paris. Designed as a gentle bonding exercise, the trip subsequently made the national TV news when the game's star guests were booed and jeered by the crowd. [LNB]This is the legacy of the last three years of Raymond Domenech's spell in charge, and the mess that Blanc has been charged with sorting out. [LNB]Saturday night in the Stade de France saw Blanc's team beat Romania 2-0. The hosts were cheered from the field and now sit at the top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group. It had been close, though. France didn't score their first goal until the 83rd minute.[LNB] In many ways, French football remains on a knife-edge and Blanc's reign did not start well. A home defeat by Belarus last month loaded pressure on to the shoulders of the man they call 'Le President'. [LNB]At least now a first Stade de France win since October 2009, and the crucial victory in Bosnia that preceded it, have given him the breathing space he needs to build a new team largely from scratch.[LNB]'This was an important victory, even though it was not always easy,' reflected Blanc. 'It is good to bring new players in and see them do well, even though some people think it's a risk.' [LNB] Outstanding: Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri is a key man in the French side[LNB]Blanc had a dilemma when he succeeded Domenech. Did he stick with the talented but self-obsessed band of players that embarrassed the nation in all but refusing to play for their coach in South Africa? Or did he build a new, young team in his own modest, self-effacing image? [LNB]Blanc may have played the 4-2-3-1 system favoured by Domenech but there the similarity ended. Of the 11 players who faced South Africa in Domenech's final game in Bloemfontein on June 22, only two - goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and left back Gael Clichy - played here. [LNB]The new coach has been able to write his signature throughout this new team. Of Saturday's players, five - Clichy, Mathieu Valbuena, Yann M'Vila, Adil Rami and Anthony Reveillere - have only 26 caps between them. [LNB] That seals it: Fans' favourite Yoann Gourcuff scores against Romania[LNB]Game-changing substitutes Dimitri Payet and Loic Remy, who scored the first goal, have played just twice and four times respectively. [LNB]The public continue to clamour for Yoann Gourcuff, who came on to score the second goal in injury-time, but after an indifferent first half on Saturday, Blanc's attacking system began to work. Arsenal's Samir Nasri was perhaps the game's outstanding player. [LNB]At full-time, Blanc and his players looked a little relieved. No wonder. This is a revolution in its early stages.[LNB] Marseille to take legal action against Nigel de Jong over challenge which broke Hatem Ben Arfa's legVilla winger Young dreams of England starting spot against Montenegro Blow for Ireland as injured Doyle is ruled out of clash with Slovakia Rooney doesn't scare us: Montenegro stand firm in face of threat of striker[LNB] Explore more:People: Raymond Domenech, Fabio Capello Places: Paris, Belfast, Bosnia, France, Italy, United Kingdom, South Africa, Romania
