Finally, I know I have a collection of Gouffran photos for a reason. 

So Gouffran finally scores for Bordeaux, against Châteauroux to beat them 2-1 (he scored the winner).

The semis are drawn for the Coupe de la Ligue and Bordeaux is facing PSG (again). Les Girondins will go to the Parc des Princes on either Feb 3 or 4. 

Also just to note that after that 4-0 win over PSG earlier last week, a fight broke out between supporters (more like hooligans, I guess) between both clubs in what seem to be an organized fight. The police had to take care of them, and they are charged with posession and violence against authority. Three PSG supporters are sentenced to a month in prison and five Bordeaux supporters 15 days.

(In other news, I’m heading into finals week and I apologize for not posting as much. I have 5 exams next week and might be heading to Montréal between those exams. I’ll be posting more in February )

^L’Equipe’s team of the year. Bordeaux’s only one two players off from Lyon!

Biggest Flop: Diego Placente 
Free transfer or not, I think this one is unanimous. It’s like buying another CFA player except much older and not as talented. 

Biggest Diappointment: Mathieu Jérémy
It’s too bad he did not sign. He would have been a great replacement for Jurietti. Bordeaux still shows interest in him since he is not extending with Toulouse, but my guess is that he is leaving for the Premiership.

AND

Yoan Gouffran
Surprise? No, not really. His performance was really disappointing. I prefer not to speak more.

Biggest Promise: Gabriel Obertan
Gaby has all the makings of a star (in the strict non-womanizing, non-Drama Queen, excellent footballer way). A loan away will allow him he the experience he needs to excel. FC Nantes really wants him now, too. Not surprising.

Biggest Invention: GirondinsTV/GirondinsMag
Uhhh, when can I get my hands on those?

Biggest Injury: Ulrich Ramé
We couldn’t fix him in time, it certainly cost a few, albeit important, games.

Also there’s Wendel..more of a mental thing, but he’s back and I’m glad for it.

Biggest Performer: Yoann Gourcuff
This one’s been expected by everyone. Raking in pageviews everywhere, who can beat that?! *Cue naked jokes….or banana hammock*
(I also like to acknowledge the consistent, solid services of Diarra and Diawara. Without you we’d be even shittier than we think we are.)

Biggest Break: Kevin Olimpa
It’s not like a really impressive start, but definitely a shocker that Valverde would break a few games after Ramé breaks. I think he’ll become a great keeper if he’s given the chance, unlike Valverde, who scares the living shit out of me.

Biggest Matchup: Lyon – Bordeaux
This has been the best match up this season. The games have been pretty exciting so far, and I hope the next one will be just a good (and hopefully we’ll win one that actually counts).

Biggest Influence: Fernando Cavenaghi
I’m a big fan of this guy. I’m a even bigger fan of his finishing and the charisma he has on the field. This is one player who can change the course of a game even as a sub.

Biggest Loss: Roma 2-0 Bordeaux
It’s been a long time coming huh…it was terrible to watch, even worse than that Chelsea game. Well there’s next year..and UEFA Cup

Biggest Moment: Beating Lyon
This blog started off with a bang! That was such an intense game. Moar moar moar!

Biggest Hope: SIGN YOANN “MONEY” GOURCUFF
Self explanatory.

So, what are your biggest(s) this season? Don’t say something dirty.
 

I am angry. Very very very angry. So if you’re having a really great day, please don’t read this. If you’re a Roma fan, again. Or if you’re a Blanc fan, please don’t.

Okay, I understand that this group is a very difficult group to do well in, and for Bordeaux to be so close in points going into the last leg was a very pleasant surprise. But all that aside, an opportunity is an opportunity. You do not go into the match thinking that you had a great time in Champions League and that it was nice to be here. You go in there knowing that you have to win this because you want to get further than just the group stage.

Well today, Bordeaux did not play Roma thinking that. Blanc’s formation (4-3-2-1) was obviously too defensive for a game that is either win or die. I understand that you want to keep a clean sheet, but a draw will not get Bordeaux anything. I’m sure Blanc knew that Roma’s defense would be hard to break down. But what did he do? Add some defensive midfielders to the mix of course. Because Roma are SURELY not going to score with our (shitty) defense. (I’m not pertaining to Diarra, of course).

Second. Why did Blanc start Gouffran? If you read this blog you’ll know that I’ve had problems with this problem since time immemorial. I’ve always sort of ignored it, but this obviously impacted the game today. No, Gouffran is NOT of the caliber to take on Champions League games yet. He’s too unexperienced and frankly ineffective. Now if he was the ONLY FUCKING PLAYER left on the bench that can fill the role, sure. But a player like Fernando Cavenaghi should not be the SUBSTITUTE coming on for GOUFFRAN. Cavé may not be a winger, but with him on the pitch for longer than just 34 minutes would have greatly changed the outcome of the game. I mean, just how do you keep the team’s top scorer and (almost) top scorer of the league on the bench? I’l be shocked if he doesn’t pick Tottenham when the time comes.

Third. Jéremy f**king Ménez, I’m coming to get you. And Thumb-sucking Totti, I’m crashing the party. (That’s right. No Totti, NO PARTY.)

Fourth. The typical it’s all the referee’s fault. Some of the fouls were not fouls. Fernando didn’t touch a single hair on Riise’s body and you give them a freekick? Totti’s goal also came off a Ménez-foul-that-ref-didn’t-see moment. 

Finally. UEFA cup. HOW THE F**K AM I GOING TO CATCH THAT? I get Champions League with enough trouble already. Bordeaux had better get their game together, because with this kind of performance, they’re not going to be able to  keep their top players (Gourcuff, Cavenaghi, Diarra, Chamakh) and things will just go down hill. 

(That said, I actually thought that Ducasse, Jurietti, Chalmé and Diarra played very well. And Ramé is just getting old.. Wendel was quiet. Bordeaux just didn’t have a good game like they hoped.)

Ummmm, yeah, that basically sums it up.

“If we win it, it will be an achievement.” – Chamakh

Le groupe : Valverde, Olimpa – Chalmé, Diawara, Jurietti, Placente, Planus, Trémoulinas – Diarra, Fernando, Gourcuff, Wendel, Sertic, Traoré – Bellion, Cavenaghi, Chamakh, Gouffran, Obertan.

I was so excited about Ramé returning to training, but I guess he didn’t pass his physical and cannot participate against Chelsea. If Chelsea can squeeze a 4-0 with Ramé in goal, what will happen tomorrow? Jussiê, Saunier and Paletta are also returning. Obertan and Saivet remain injured.

I think the lineup will be fairly predictable, with Cavenaghi starting from the bench (yet again.) As you know, Cavé is very very upset by this setup. He scores in almost every game even when he does come off the bench and is definitely an asset to the team. He does deserve more time on the European level, but I agree with Blanc that he is more of an asset when he comes off the bench to help with finishing. I think comparing Cavé with Chamakh is comparing such different things. Chamakh doesn’t score, but he assists goals and provides the kind of creative impetus that Bordeaux needs up front, along with Gourcuff.

I would love to see Chamakh and Cavenaghi play together because that would be a formidable duo. However, this obviously does not fit in to Blanc’s usual formation with the lone striker up front. In the comments, Julien mentioned that if Cavé does leave in January, it will help with the bills for Gourcuff a lot. I feel the same way, but I’m also concerned with losing our highest scorer. Yes, Chamakh, Bellion and Jussiê are amazing in terms of striking, but I do feel that they just don’t have the finishing quality that Cavenaghi possesses.

A lot of these decisions are up to Blanc to make, including what I think should be a debate: Gouffran or Obertan. I see his need to consolidate what he thinks is a good purchase (gone bad, if I might add); I see the need to allow younger players (perhaps, I mean Homegrown Youth Players That Didn’t Cost As Much As Gouffran Did) to play. One lesson Bordeaux is starting to take from Lyon’s success is the well established academy. Lyon is obviously well prepared for the departure of this generation (Benzema, and already ben Arfa) with the new generation (Tafer, Grenier, etc.). I think Bordeaux’s progress in this step is already evident with players of quality like Saivet, Obertan and Saunier. An alternative to actually buying Gourcuff at this inflated price (when he will leave again in another 2 years, for maybe 5m more) is in two parts: 1. Beg for a loan extension, 2. Invest in (quality) youth players and in the youth system.  But as I’ve mentioned before, most of this is up to Blanc, who may or may not leave for greener pastures at the end of the season. No extension deal just yet.

While I’m at it, I might as well throw a few names out there that Bordeaux are following:
-Dănuţ Coman, Goal (Rapid Bucharest): Bordeaux are (rumoured to be) in talks with this young Romanian keeper
-Yoann Pelé, Goal (Le Mans) Linked to Bordeaux for the next season
-Yohan Cabaye, midfield (Lille OSC): Another one of those young French talents coming out of Lille. He claims to have a preference to Bordeaux (questionable), but also won’t mind joining his old coach at Lyon. Fitting in the Lille-on trend, perhaps.

Wow, this post has nothing to do with Chelsea at all <font size=”1″>and I also just keep talking and talking…</font> Really, a win will be a miracle.

Good news is that Gouffran found his mark against Malta with France Espoirs. Bad news is that he was later expelled for kicking the Maltan captain Clayton Failla.

As well, you might already have noticed, but I won’t be quite as active now, since school started ):
At least until about March, I’ll be busy with scholarships & university applications, and school in general, so don’t expect too much from me! There might be only one to two posts a week, depending on my workload, so don’t freak out