Les Nouveux Bleus

          It was obvious for all to see that the French national team was in crisis at the World Cup in South Africa. With training ground bust-ups, players being sent home and an inquisition by the French government it was obvious to all that the French team needed a bit of a shake up. The figurehead of this 'French Revolution' is Laurent Blanc who left his post at Bordeaux to take up managing Les Bleus in the wake of France's World Cup embarrassment. Naturally with a new manager and the need for a complete overhaul of the team, new players have been selected to play for Les Tricolores. Here are a couple of players that have particularily caught my eye...

        Dimitri Payet - Originally from the French colony of Réunion, the 23 year old Saint-Étienne attacking midfielder was called up for the French national team for their Euro 2012 qualifiers against Romania and Luxembourg. Making his debut as a substitute for Karim Benzema in the 86th minute of the Romania game, Payet made an impact immediately by dribbling to the byline before neatly pulling it back for Yoann Gourcuff to slot home from the penalty spot. This wasn't beginners luck, Payet assisted Gourcuff yet again in his second cap against Luxembourg. His rich form is hardly  surprising as he has frequently set Ligue 1 on fire this season with his mazey runs that have pulled Saint-Étienne up to third in the table and have also seen Payet reach the top of the goalscorers chart with 8 already this season.

     

  Yann M'Vila - At only 20 years of age M'Vila was called up for Les Bleus for the first of his 4 caps so far in Laurent Blanc's first game in charge against Norway. Despite losing the game 2-1 M'Vila was highly praised by the French media who widely regarded him as France's best player. His decision making, positioning and distribution has not only helped him keep his place in the French team but has also catapulted his club side Rennes to the top of the league. With big clubs sniffing around M'Vila and having already expressed his desire to play for a big club abroad it won't be too long before Yann M'Vila is snapped up by one the the bigger European names.

       With this new look French side and their already successful fledgling international careers it his highly likely that Dimitri Payet and Yann M'Vila will be in many of Blanc's selections to come. One player yet to make his Tricolores debut but who will most definitely be considered for France's next game against England in a friendly at Wembley is M'Vila's Rennes team mate Yacine Brahimi. Despite a dark year for French football the future is bright for Les Bleus...