French Debate: Ligue 1 Team Of 2008/09 - The First Half

Christmas is a time for giving and so Goal.com will not shy away from awarding praise to those players who have excelled in Ligue 1 during the first part of season 2008/09. Robin Bairner picks his Team of the Season so far.

Dec 25, 2008 10:16:47 PM

Lyon's star striker, Karim Benzema, in action against Nancy. The youngster scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win for his side.

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Lyon's star striker, Karim Benzema, in action against Nancy. The youngster scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win for his side.

Teams

Goalkeeper

Largely overlooked due to the number of bright young French goalkeepers, Nicolas Douchez has excelled in the early part of the season. Having settled quickly after a summer move from Toulouse, the 28 year-old stopper appears to be coming into his prime, conceding only 13 goals in the first half of the season, four of which came against Olympique de Marseille in the opening game of the term.

Honourable mentions: Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyonnais), Yohann Pelé (Le Mans), Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille)

Left-back

An injury crisis has not been allowed to badly hamper the progress of Lorient this season as many of their first team players have stepped forward to take extra responsibility. Arguably none of their side have done so as impressively as Jérémy Morel, who has filled in anywhere down the left side with great effect. Generally used as a left-back, the 23 year-old already has three goals and two assists for the season and is slowly catching the eye of some of the biggest clubs.

Honourable mentions: Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyonnais), Sylvain Armand (Paris Saint-Germain)

Right-back

Despite the continued emergence of Rod Fanni at Stade Rennais, the outstanding right-back in Ligue 1 during the early part of the season has been Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian, Ceara. Not only has he played a key role in helping les Parisien achieve a formidable defensive record (17 goals conceded in 19 games), but he has provided an important attacking outlet when required and has three assists to his name.

Honourable mention: Rod Fanni (Stade Rennais)

Centre-backs

Generally Ligue 1 is renowned as a defensively tight league, specialising in well organised defence. This has not been so true this season, although talk of Olympique Lyonnais’ crumbling rearguard appears premature. Les Gones boast the best defensive record in Le Championnat and, although Cris’ form is certainly not what it used to be, they still possess a remarkably solid defence. The Brazilian is returning to his best after a long-term injury and is still a more solid defender than the vast majority of players in the league.

Another defensively resolute side are Toulouse, who have been lead by impressive Argentine Mauro Cetto from the centre of defence. A rugged centre-back, the 26 year-old is a major reason why Alain Casanova’s side boast such a tight defensive record. He has played in all but one of their games this season, helping them to an unlikely seventh spot.

Honourable mentions: Jean-Alain Boumsong (Olympique Lyonnais), Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco), Soulemanye Diawara (Girondins de Bordeaux), Milan Bisevac (Valenciennes), Petter Hansson (Stade Rennais), Cédric Kanté (OGC Nice)

Defensive Midfielder

French legend Claude Makélélé may have returned to Ligue 1, however, his mantle as the best holding midfielder in the country has been lost to current incumbent in the international side, Jérémy Toulalan. An all-action defensive midfielder, Toulalan always seems to pop up when there is danger, making a well timed tackled or a necessary foul. Olympique Lyonnais’ anchor rarely has a bad game, although he needs to buy a pair of shooting boots.

Honourable mentions: Claude Makélélé (Paris Saint-Germain), Blaise Matuidi (Saint-Étienne), Alou Diarra (Girondins de Bordeaux), Mathieu Coutadeur (Le Mans), Rio Mavuba (Lille OSC), Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse), Lorik Cana (Olympique de Marseille)

Attacking Midfielder

There is only one person that this award can possible go to: Yoann Gourcuff. The on-loan AC Milan midfielder has been the man to inspire his Bordeaux team-mates this season and, although his form may have fallen off the superb heights it was reaching in the early part of the year, he has still enjoyed a season comfortably above his peers. The only player to get near him in the early part of the season has been Juninho of Olympique Lyonnais, although there are a number of players a level down from these two who have impressed.

Honourable mentions: Juninho (Olympique Lyonnais), Yohan Cabaye (Lille OSC), Mickaël Pagis (Stade Rennais), Gervinho (Le Mans), Fabrice Abriel (Lorient)

Left Midfielder

Like the attacking midfield role, there is only one outstanding contender for the spot on the left, Lille’s Brazilian winger Michel Bastos. Having scored more free-kicks than Juninho so far this season (four), the 25 year-old has been suddenly touted for a move onto bigger things. And no wonder. He has nine goals in total in addition to five assists, which includes a hand in nine of Lille’s last ten goals. Bastos is a real player to watch in the coming months; don’t be surprised to see him quickly snapped up by one of Europe’s big teams soon.

Honourable mention: Hatem Ben Arfa (Olympique de Marseille)

Right Midfielder

When Ludovic Giuly made the jump from AS Roma to Paris Saint-Germain this summer there were some eyebrows raised regarding the former French international at the age of 32. The naysayers were quickly silenced as a series of superb early-season performances down the right wing set a platform for what was to follow. Although an injury meant Giuly missed around a month and was shunted into an offensive role as a result, the veteran has continued to flourish as his partnership with Guillaume Hoarau has proven to be very effective indeed. Playing on the right of the PSG midfield at present is Stéphane Sessegnon, whose contribution also deserves recognised after a series of fine showings in the run-up to Christmas.

Honourable mentions: Fahid Ben Khalfallah (SM Caen), Étienne Didot (Toulouse), Stéphane Sessegnon (Paris Saint-Germain), Julien Quercia (AJ Auxerre), Ludovic Obraniak (Lille OSC)

Forwards

€100 million man Karim Benzema (pictured) rather predictably fills on of the offensive spots. With ten goals this season, he is two strikes off the pace of top scorer André-Pierre Gignac, however, this does not tell the whole story as the Olympique Lyonnais forward has frequently been asked to play out of position on the left-wing. His contribution to Lyon’s cause is only truly noticed when he is not playing as the slump in the side’s form can be alarming.

Several other strikers have enjoyed terrific starts to the season and, for this reason, it is very difficult to pick out the final member of this elite eleven. Perhaps the man who deserves most credit is Steve Savidan, who may have slowed down in the last few weeks but deserves praise for a phenomenal start to the season. With seven goals and four assists, he is an absolutely key man in a distinctly average side. The 30 year-old Caen striker capped a tremendous few months by being capped by Raymond Domenech.

Honourable mentions: André-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse), Guillaume Hoarau (Paris Saint-Germain), Kévin Gameiro (Lorient), Daniel Moreira (Grenoble), Mamadou Niang (Olympique de Marseille), Baki Koné (Olympique de Marseille), Loïc Rémy (OGC Nice), Mevlut Erding (Sochaux), Fernando Cavenaghi (Girondins de Bordeaux)

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