French Debate: Who Will Be Better, Nasri Or Gourcuff?

Though Samir Nasri and Yoann Gourcuff (pictured right) have been simmering away in the melting pot of world football for a couple of years, both have suddenly achieved star status this season. In many ways, the players have gone about their ascendancy in completely different ways.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Stars

Nasri, a 21 year-old attacking midfielder, made the move from Olympique Marseille to Arsenal in the summer for a fee reportedly worth €16 million. Under the intense spotlight of the English Premier League, the talented youngster took only four minutes to open his account for the Gunners, scoring against West Brom on the opening day of the season.

Injuries have since hampered the gifted passer’s progress a little, but, as the testing festive period looms, the Marseille-born prodigy continues to lend a key hand to Arsenal. Awarded the Arsenal.com Player of the Month accolade for September, Nasri endeared himself further to the north-London faithful with a prize double that helped them on their way to a 2-1 victory over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

Almost exactly a year older, Yoann Gourcuff has effectively had to take a step back in his development to make a great leap forwards. When he signed for Bordeaux on a year-long loan deal in the summer, it seemed that his career at AC Milan was effectively over.

After joining the Italian giants from local club, Stade Rennais, in the summer of 2006, the former French under-21 international slowly began to flourish, establishing himself in the first-team of the Rossoneri. But a slight dip in form the following season saw the young Frenchman frozen on the bench for a significant period; a situation that was not to his liking.

Being back in his native country certainly seems to suit Gourcuff, who is revelling in being a go-to player in his domestic side while also impressing as a key facet to France’s attack in recent internationals. A stunning equalising goal against Romania in a World Cup qualifier that appeared to be lost to les Bleus propelled the 22-year-old into the consciousness of the French public and has helped make the €15 million purchase option in his loan deal look increasingly like a great piece of business by the Bordeaux board.

These two players are destined to grow together on the international stage, probably complementing each other for long passages of their international careers. With Hatem Ben Arfa also continuing to flourish as a player, ironically as Nasri’s replacement at Marseille, the future looks very bright indeed for France’s attack over the coming decade.

The Brightest Star

Aside from country of birth, incredible eye for a pass and playing position, both Nasri and Gourcuff have been compared to the great Zinedine Zidane, although both have been quick to distance themselves from such resemblances. Neither will, of course, become a Zidane – he was a unique footballer in his own right, as both of the fresh-faced youngsters deserve to be considered – but which of the exceptional duo has the potential to become the better player?

The brilliant Breton may have got the jump on the prodigy from Provence by moving to a European heavyweight earlier in his career, but it has taken a step down a level for Gourcuff to thrive. On the other hand, Nasri continues to thrill on an almost weekly basis in England.

Brains or Brawn?

Big game temperament is a major measuring stick of a player’s calibre at the very top level. Nasri’s brace against Manchester United could not have come at a more opportune moment for Arsène Wenger’s struggling Gunners; nor could it have come on a bigger domestic stage.

When faced with the French equivalent last weekend, Gourcuff could not inspire Bordeaux to an equally unlikely success over Olympique Lyon. He passionately wanted to, but things just would not work out. A superb early pass released left-winger Wendel but the Brazilian’s finish was meek, while a neat turn and shot on the edge of the area forced a decent save from Vercoutre.

Things would go downhill after that for the five-time capped international, who, to his credit, was always available for a pass but, when in possession, too often took the wrong option.

This was not the first time this season that Gourcuff struggled on the big stage. With a weight of expectation on his shoulders going into Bordeaux’s opening Champions League match at Stamford Bridge, where Laurent Blanc’s side would play Chelsea, the young Frenchman was always eager for possession but was surprisingly wasteful.

If his big game temperament could be questioned, his all-around abilities are certainly greater than Nasri’s. Blessed with a strong, tall frame, Gourcuff has ability in the air that the Arsenal midfielder will simply never possess. But do not underestimate the former Marseille man’s ability to mix things physically; he showed he was resilient enough to bounce back after a rash Joey Barton challenge and then take a swipe at the Newcastle ‘hard-man’ himself moments later.

The Finishing Touches

In front of goal, Nasri is a more one-dimensional talent, generally having to rely on his team-mates’ astute passing to unlock defences before finishing neatly from around the box. Gourcuff can score all kind of goals, beating a player with a brilliant piece of skill before lashing home (see his goal against Toulouse) or simply through sheer brut force (his strike against Romania a perfect example).

It is this inherent ability to turn a game in a number of different ways, with an incisive pass or a thunderbolt shot, which gives Gourcuff the potential to become a more influential player for les Bleus than Nasri, who is probably more suited to a wing role due to his speed and relatively lightweight build. Unless the Breton can develop a big game mentality, something it is clear he is trying to do, then Nasri will likely remain one step ahead despite being, arguably, a more limited player.

Ultimately, both men will become mainstays in the French national side and, along with Hatem Ben Arfa and Karim Benzema, both of whom are also in their early 20s, should form half of an attacking quartet that will be one of the most revered in world football.

Robin Bairner