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...
  

The Dutch Goal Machine - Ricky van Wolfswinkel

       From Cruyff and Van Basten to Kluivert and Van Nistelrooy, the Netherlands have always produced quality strikers and true to form they have produced yet another in Ricky van Wolfswinkel. The Utrecht striker has had a lightening start to the season which has included 9 goals in 9 appearances in the Eredivisie and 6 goals in 9 appearances in the Europa League, including a hat trick against Celtic. Van Wolfswinkel started his career at Vitesse where he made his first team debut on the 25th April 2008 against Sparta Rotterdam. After 33 appearances for the Arnhem club Van Wolfswinkel moved for around €5 million to his hometown club FC Utrecht after rejecting a host of big name clubs. His prolific goalscoring this season earned him a call up to the national team for the friendly against the Ukraine in August and has also attracted even bigger names such as Liverpool, Tottenham and Napoli to pursue Van Wolfswinkel. It is undoubtably only a matter of time before the Dutch striker applies his trade in a bigger league.

Unai the Great?

       La Liga has been dominated over the last 7 seasons by the Spanish super powers Barcelona and Real Madrid but this year a thorn in the side of the top two is debt ridden Valencia who, after 6 rounds of matches, lie at the top of the league with 16 points. With debts estimated to be around €400 million, a half built new stadium and having to sell two of the brightest lights of Spanish football in David Villa and David Silva this many had little hope for Valencia this season. One asset they do have though is manager Unai Emery.

     Having taken over from Ronald Koeman in 2008 Emery led Valencia to 6th place in his first season in charge and Europa League qualification. A year later Emery delivered once more by getting Valencia to 3rd in La Liga, securing Champions League qualification, and reaching the quarter finals of both the Europa League and the Copa del Rey. This season, however, is by far his biggest task. The sale of David Villa, Valencia's top goalscorer for the last 5 seasons, to Barcelona left a massive hole in the squad that many thought he would be unable to fill however he seems to have consummately filled that with the signings of Roberto Soldado and Artiz Aduriz. The latter in particular seems to be a masterstroke of a signing having scored 3 goals in 5 appearances after his £3,870,000 (€4,300,000) from RCD Mallorca in the summer. Aduriz's form for his new club earned him his first call up for the Spanish national team in the 3-1 home win against Lithuania.

      This Saturday will be Valencia's biggest test so far this season and the first chance for Emery to show that his side have the true strength to contend for this year's La Liga when they visit the Camp Nou to play Barcelona. Although it's still early in the season this game could be pretty pivotal in the title race for Unai and his men.





Rubin Kazan, Champions League dark horses?

         Russian football has never been represented greatly on Europe's biggest stage, although Zenit St Petersburg won the UEFA cup in 2008, no Russian club has ever truly shown their full potential in the Champions League. Rubin Kazan, however, may buckle this trend this year. Kazan, the sixth biggest city in Russia, lies on the Volga river and is the home of local side Rubin Kazan who, over the last few years, have been transformed from a little known team from the Republic of Tatarstan to Russian Champions. Having gained promotion to the Russian Premier League for the first time ever in 2003, Rubin quickly became established in the Russian Premier League before becoming consecutive champions in 2008 and 2009.

      They competed in the Champions League for the first time in the 2009/2010 season but were drawn in a tough group with 2008/2009 champions Barcelona, the eventual winners Inter Milan and gritty Ukranian side Dynamo Kyiv  Finishing a respectable 3rd in the group Rubin still caused many surprises by beating Barcelona away at the Camp Nou and getting 2 draws at home against Inter and Barca.
      When you think of big spenders in international football you think of Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid but last summer (July & August 2010) Rubin were 5th biggest spenders in the world, not what you'd expect from an unknown eastern Russian team. Spending £38,970,000 (€43,300,000) Rubin added even more strength to their championship winning team. Big name attacking signings like Obafemi Martins (signed from Wolfsburg for £8million) and Brazillian winger Carlos Eduardo (signed from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for £18million) should replace the goals and creativity lost with the sale of Aleksandr Bukharov (Rubin's top goalscorer last season). Rubin's defence has also ever more steel with the addition of young Italian international Salvatore Brochetti (signed from Genoa for £8.5million).
     In this years Champions League Rubin have been given a relitively easy group, yet again drawn with Barcelona they also have Greek champions Panathinaikos and Danish champions F.C. København for company in Group D. Despite losing 1-0 away in Denmark in their first game, a game in which they dominated, I strongly believe that with their new signings and a favourable group they can progress through to the knockout phase and possibly surprise a few people by progressing further...

A quick mention for Hércules!

      Hércules CF (mentioned 5th September) have already cause quite a stir in La Liga by inflicting a 2-0 defeat to current holders, Barcelona, away at the Camp Nou with two goals from new signing Nelson Valdez. A draw away at Real Zaragoza on the 22nd September has left the Andalucians in 12th place after round 4 of matches.

Sotiris Ninis - The Future of Greek Football

     The talent pool in Greek football has been running relatively dry over the last few year, especially in the attacking department (partially due to the influx of foreign players filtering down into the Greek Super League), however one diamond in the baron wilderness of Greek footballing talent is Panathinaikos attacking midfielder Sotiris Ninis. Making his debut at the age of 16, Ninis sign professional terms on 6th July 2007. His first season didn't really get off to the greatest of starts with a succession injuries and also the fear of then manager José Peseiro that he would get burnt out at such a young age however in the 2008/2009 is where Ninis' career really kicked off under manager Henk ten Cate. League performances in both the 08/09 season and the 09/10 league and cup double winning season helped Ninis gain recognition and a call up to the Greek national team however his chances have been extrememly limited, not due to a lack of talent but the obscenely monotonous defensive tactics of Otto Rehhagel.

     With his speed, crossing ability and a tenacious eye for a through ball Ninis clearly has a big future ahead of him. With an inviting €10 million buy out clause and clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid sniffing around it shouldn't be long before Ninis is gracing football's major leagues.

Hércules CF, the surprise newcomers?

       Based on the Mediterranean coast in the harbour town of Alicante, Hércules Club de Fútbol (a relatively unknown team outside of Spain) gained promotion to La Liga after 13 years in the wilderness of Segunda División and are , in my opinion, a team to really look out for during this seasons La Liga as they may shock many. Quietly going about their business throughout the summer little Hércules have managed to aquire seasoned professionals that any newly promoted side would strive to buy. Adding to Real Madrid academy product, Javier Portillo, Hércules manager Esteban Vigo has brought in prolific French striker David Trezeguez, coming on a free from Juventus, to bolster his goalscoring power as well as the slightly less prolific but even more creative Paraguayan Nelson Valdez from German side Borussia Dortmund. These vastly experienced attackers should provide the well needed goals that every newly promoted side craves.

       Vigo has been even shrewder in suring up his defence against the likes of Messi and Ronaldo with 4 stand out signings. Bull dogesque Colombian defensive midfielder Abel Aguilar, who signed from Udinese in Italy, should patrol in front of new centre back Mohamed 'Momo' Sarr. The former Standard Liège and AC Milan player should be the defensive rock at the heart of the Hércules defence. As well these signings Hércules also signed Premier League veteren Noé Pamarot and young Dutch keeper Piet Velthuizen, who has been tipped by Sky Sports as one of the most promising goalkeepers in Europe, as cover for Hércules regular Juan Calatayud.  
     With these signings little Hércules should provide a few shocks in this seasons La Liga and, even though they suffered an opening 1-0 defeat at home at the hands of Athletic Bilbao,  I would keep a close eye on the men from Alicante.