Ligue 1 round 6 previews

St Etienne v Montpellier
Lorient v Caen
Valenciennes v Lens
Nancy v Brest
Sochaux v Nice
Monaco v Toulouse
Arles v Marseille
Lille v Auxerre
PSG v Rennes
Bordeaux v Lyon

Suspensions are the name of the game this week in France. After a horror start to life in Ligue 1, Arles find themselves bottom without a point. Their response is to suspend manager Michel Estevan, presumably with the sack to follow any moment. It's hard to see what the board expect. They're a small club who find themselves in the top flight largely on the back of Estevan's work. They're at home to Marseille this week, so it doesn't get any easier for them. At the other end of the table, Toulouse boss Alain Casanova has dropped Daniel Braaten - the Norwegian midfielder who has been filling in as a lone striker - because of his apparent lackadaisical attitude. "I want eleven warriors, not ten", said Casanova ahead of this week's trip to Monaco. That's fine, but where are the goals coming from now? It smacks of cutting off his nose to spite his face.

There's an early return to Bordeaux for Yoan Gourcuff as his new side, Lyon, are in town. It'll be interesting to see the reaction the home fans give him as, for all he was really good for them, it didn't end so well. The other unexpected strugglers, Auxerre, go seeking their first win of the season at Lille.

Up at the top, Rennes are in Paris and St Etienne are at home to Montpellier. Caen have just gone off the boil after a great start and take on Lorient this week. Sochaux host Nice and struggling Lens go to Valenciennes.

Bundesliga round 4 previews

Eintracht v Freiburg
Bayern v Cologne
Bremen v Mainz
Stuttgart v Monchengladbach
Wolfsburg v Hannover
Kaiserslautern v Hoffenheim
St Pauli v Hamburg
Schalke v Dortmund
Leverkusen v Nurnberg

Derby time in Germany this week. The big one sees in-form Dortmund go to Schalke whose season got even worse during the week with a Champions League defeat to Lyon, a game in which Benedikt Howedes put through his own net for the only goal of the game (since credited, generously, to Michel Bastos) and was sent off for kicking Jimmy Briand in the heart. Raul cut an isolated figure last week, but if the pressure is on Felix Magath, he's not showing it. Dortmund looked pretty handy in beating Wolfsburg last week and should enjoy their day out in Gelsenkirchen.

It's derby day in Hamburg as well, St Pauli the hosts for the still unbeaten Hamburg. After a win on opening day, St Pauli have lost their last two while Hamburg remain third despite not being all that convincing while doing it. Wolfsburg, bottom and winless, are at home to Hannover in a Lower Saxony derby. If they're going to get a win anywhere, it really should be here. They need to start defending if they're going to progress though. Hoffenheim continue to lead the way with echoes of the football they played in storming the first half of the 2008/9 season and they face local rivals Lautern this week where another win should be quite straightforward.

Mainz, in second, face Bremen who looked in equal parts awful and brilliant in their Champions League draw with Spurs in midweek. Bayern got a much-needed win in midweek against Roma and need to replicate that form in the league before they find themselves adrift of the leaders. They're at home to Cologne this week and that shouldn't be a problem, even if they are missing Arjen Robben and involved in a seemingly intractable tussle with the KNVB about whose fault it is. Frieburg have had a decent start and go to Frankfurt to face Eintracht who got their first win last week. Stuttgart, at the bottom and playing miserable football, take on Gladbach while Leverkusen - sans the injured Michael Ballack - are at home to Nurnberg.

Eredivisie round 6 previews

De Graafschap v Heerenveen
Groningen v Excelsior
Vitesse v NAC
Willem II v ADO
Feyenoord v Ajax
NEC v AZ
Roda JC v PSV
Utrecht v VVV Venlo
Heracles v Twente

It's derby time in Holland with the first Klassieker of the season as Ajax - sans fans - go to De Kuip to face Feyenoord. And the timing couldn't be better for the Amsterdammers as Feyenoord are struggling. In front of goal, they're really missing Jon Dahl Tomasson who is still out with the leg injury picked up at the World Cup and they've few other sources of goals. While Roy Makaay retired at the end of last season, the money simply isn't there to replace him. Ajax have goals galore in them, but with both sides a bit iffy at the back, this should be entertaining. The other derby sees Twente take the short trip to Almelo to face struggling Heracles. After a decent showing on their Champions League debut, this should be straightforward for the champions. PSV will look to take advantage of any slip-ups with a trip to Kerkrade to face Roda JC.

The weekend kicks off on Friday night with De Graafschap hosting Heerenveen. That should be pretty straightforward for the visitors, though De Graafschap finally got some goals under their belts last week. Struggling AZ go to NEC and you'd think an away win is unlikely. Rock bottom Willem II face ADO and if the Tilburgers are ever going to get out of it, then they have to start here. Excelsior have been good lately, confounding this pundit and more than a few others, but a trip to Groningen looks a step too far for them this week. Vitesse slipped to second bottom last week and are at home to NAC Breda where another more points look remote. After a great start, Utrecht have lost their last two and have dropped to eleventh. They need to get back on the horse and a home game against VVV Venlo gives them a great opportunity to do just that.

Big spenders floundering: Bundesliga reviews

Hoffenheim 2-0 Schalke
Dortmund 2-0 Wolfsburg
Hamburg 1-1 Nurnberg
Monchengladbach 0-4 Eintracht
Freiburg 2-1 Stuttgart
Hannover 2-2 Leverkusen
Bayern 0-0 Bremen
Mainz 2-1 Kaiserslautern
Cologne 1-0 St Pauli

Money can't buy you love, so some cheeky sixties popsters sang, and it can't buy you Bundesliga points either. Many have tried, but few succeed. Ask Schalke, Bayern and Wolfsburg. Schalke new boy Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was on show, but his new team were overwhelmed by a hard-working Hoffenheim side, a side who have rediscovered their mojo, on Friday night. Huntelaar's strike partner Raul looked like he'd rather be anywhere other than the outskirts of Sindheim and cut a disconsolate and disinterested figure. Hoffenheim weren't about to show much in the way of sympathy and a short corner late in the first half saw the Schalke defence opened up like a well-cooked mussel for Isaac Vorsah to head in unopposed. The second, which came in the last minute, goes down as a Manuel Neuer own goal. Sedad Salihovic hit a lovely free-kick which left the German number one rooted. The ball struck the post, struck Neuer and bobbled in. Bayern were held to a goalless draw by Bremen for whom Torsten Frings out van Bommelled Mark van Bommel and Marko Marin provided much of the thrust. Bayern looked becalmed. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, are 0-for-3 and already the pressure is on Steve McClaren. Where Die Wolfe were lethargic, Dortmund were effervescent and, after a goalless first 45, got their reward five minutes after the break when Nuri Sahin cracked in a long-range shot right into the top corner which left Diego Benaglio flailing. Quarter of an hour later, Andrea Barzagli and Simon Kjaer were pulled apart far too easily to allow Shinji Kagawa through on goal and he finished with ease.

Hoffenheim remain top then, level on points with the only other 100% side in the league, Mainz. They beat Lautern, back down to earth after the win over Bayern, despite going behind to Srdan Lakic's 20th minute goal after the offside trap was sprung wide open. Mainz were level with 20 minutes left, a long range shot pinballing around the box before Niko Bungert tapped it in from five yards. The winner followed moments later, a wonderful effort from Andre Schurrle which drifted gently through the air as it sailed past the flapping keeper. Hamburg and Hannover both drop points for the first time this season as both were held. Hamburg were ahead against Nurnberg when Joris Mathijsen turned in Eljero Elia's deep corner on the hour, but Nurnberg rescued a point a few minutes from time thanks to Javier Pinola's emphatic penalty. Hannover will feel hard done by to lose a two-goal lead to Leverkusen for whom Patrick Helmes rescued a point in second half stoppage time. Didier Ya Konan put Hannover in front after 20 minutes with a really intelligent finish, opening his body out to create the angle for the shot, and they were two up early in the second half through Mohammed Abdellaoue despite having lost Emmanuel Pogatetz to a second yellow card in the interim. Leverkusen had lost Michael Ballack to a micro-fracture of the shin early in the game, but Eren Derdiyok got them back into it on the hour with a volley from 18 yards. The equaliser had to come and so it did, Helmes rattling a low free-kick in from just outside the box.

Joining Wolfsburg and Schalke on no points at the bottom of the table are Stuttgart, beaten by Freiburg despite going ahead through Pavel Pogrebnyak, the big Russian heading in from close range in the 27th minute. Papiss Demba Cisse levelled it up on the hour, stealing in at the back post to tap in a deep cross. The winner came quarter of an hour later, the ball laid off to Julian Schuster who curled in a beauty from 20 yards. Cologne picked up a vital three points with a 1-0 win over St Pauli for whom the bubble appears to have burst. A thunderous shot from 35 yards came crashing back off the bar and Taner Yalcin was alive to it and poked it home. Eintracht were the big winners of the weekend, sticking four past Gladbach. Benjamin Kohler got the first, getting above the keeper to head in from close range before Theofanis Gekas got the first of his double, Alex Meier teeing him up for a tap-in. Patrick Ochs got number three with a chipped finish before Gekas completed the rout, Halil Altintop playing the diminutive Greek through an increasingly ragged defence.

French bookies in a lather: Ligue 1 reviews

Auxerre 1-1 Caen
Lyon 1-1 Valenciennes
Montpellier 1-2 Nancy
PSG 4-0 Arles
Rennes 2-1 Sochaux
Toulouse 0-1 St Etienne
Lens 1-4 Lille
Brest 0-0 Lorient
Nice 2-1 Bordeaux
Marseille 2-2 Monaco

You would have thought that after five rounds of fixtures that the big clubs in Ligue 1 would, if not have asserted themselves at the top, at least looked like moving in an upward direction. Not so. Still the bookmaker's pre-season favourites languish in the bottom half after another week where none of them won. Measure the heart rate of a French bookie and stand back in amazement. If this continues, they're going to take a bath on this season. Neither does it bode well for any of the French sides in the Champions League. The group stage begins this week with the three representatives in stinking rotten form. Auxerre have yet to get a league win under their belts yet, drawing for the fourth time this season at the weekend. The one bright spot for AJA has been skipper Benoit Pedretti and he opened the scoring against Caen in the 20th minute, some great footwork starting the move and finishing with a low, left-footed drive. Youssef El Arabi had gone close in the first half, but rescued a point three minutes into stoppage time, a low cross coming off his shin and past Olivier Sorin. A similar story for Lyon who were in front against Valenciennes through Jeremy Pied, but conceded an equaliser midway through the second half, a bullet header from Gaetan Bong whose late run into the box at a corner simply wasn't picked up. Marseille had to equalise twice to save a point against Monaco. Daniel Niculae had the Monagasques in front with a finish from an impossibly tight angle quarter of an hour in, but the sides went into half-time level after Mathieu Valbuena slammed in a shot from 15 yards following a spell of sustained OM pressure. With eleven minutes to go, Park Chu-Young capitalised on a defensive mix-up to restore Monaco's lead, but within a minute, Adriano put through his own net, turning a low cross in from point blank range.

Bordeaux fared even worse, going down to a 2-1 defeat in Nice. Eric Mouloungui put Nice in front ten minutes from half time, cutting in from the left and finishing right-footed. Habib Bamogo made the game safe in the last minute, a delicate finish over the keeper, but Bordeaux did get one back in stoppages, Anthony Modeste with a penalty. Bordeaux remain in the bottom three. Below them are Lens, beaten heavily in the derby against Lille after having two men sent off. Gervinho put Lille ahead midway through the first half before Lens were reduced to ten when Sebastien Roudet was sent off. Early in the second half, Issam Jemaa followed after a second booking, but Lens were level on the hour Abdoulrazak Boukari with a powerful header. It couldn't and didn't last. Pierre-Alain Frau got two in two minutes, the first after Lens keeper Vedran Runje could only palm Yohan Cabaye's long range shot onto the bar. The second was rather more routine, turning in a headed cross from five yards. Gervinho wrapped it up late on with a firm header as the nine men crumbled. Arles remain rooted to bottom with no points and another four goals against, this time with none coming back the other way. PSG overwhelmed them from the off and Arles sat so deep, it was just a matter of time. The entire defence running away to leave Guillaume Hoarau on his own, onside, ten yards from goal certainly isn't good for your chances of winning games, but that's what they did twenty minutes in. He scored, of course. Ten minutes later, a deep corner was met on the slide by Mamadou Sakho for 2-0. After the break which saw the traditional Parc des Princes half-time entertainment of home fans scuffling with each other, Nene floated in a beautiful free kick for 3-0 and the brazilian added a fourth a few minutes later, a nice little dink over the advancing keeper. Arles, sad to say, stink.

Toulouse remain top despite a loss, their first of the season, to St Etienne who consolidate their third place. Just the one goal, Laurent Batlles getting in front of his marker to head in. Rennes remain second after a late winner against Sochaux. Rennes led after five minutes, Kevin Theophile-Catherine heading in from a corner, but the sides went in level after Damien Perquis got a slight brush of his head on a free-kick a few minutes from half-time. And so it looked likely to remain until Kader Mangane stole in at the back post to poke home a driven cross. Brest and Lorient battled to a goalless draw while Montpellier slip to fifth after defeat to ten man Nancy, Joel Sami picking up his second yellow three minutes into the second half. Nancy were already two up by then, Djamel Bakar quickest to react as the MHSC keeper spilled a long range shot and Bakaye Traore - no French side is complete without a Traore - with a neat finish on the turn. Marco Estrada curled the free-kick in after Sami's dismissal, but they couldn't find a way past the resolute ten men.

Willem II pay the penalty: Eredivisie reviews

VVV Venlo 1-2 Twente
Ajax 2-0 Willem II
PSV 3-1 NEC
Heerenveen 2-1 Vitesse
Excelsior 2-1 Heracles
AZ 1-2 Roda JC
NAC 2-0 Feyenoord
ADO 2-2 De Graafschap
Groningen 1-0 Utrecht

It was never going to be easy for Willem II. In 36 previous attempts at beating Ajax in Amsterdam previous to this weekend, they'd failed 36 times, conceding 136 while scoring just 20. Only four of those 36 games were draws and the two clubs occupied diametrically opposite positions on the league ladder. Given all that, what you don't want to do is give Luis Suarez any excuse to go down in the box, but a stupid lunge from Arjan Swinkels saw the gravitationally challenged Uruguayan take a tumble and the referee point to the spot. Swinkels saw yellow, Suarez tucked the spot kick away. That was ten minutes before the break. Fast forward to ten minutes after it, and Niek Vossebelt's tap on the back of Suarez's legs saw the great man go flying once again and again he stepped up to put the penalty away. Same side, but too good for the keeper who guessed correctly this time.

Despite the win, Ajax are bumped off the top of the table by one goal as PSV beat NEC after going behind late in the first half to a John Goossens free-kick from way downtown. Danny Koevermans levelled seconds after the break, getting on the end of a sweeping move to tap in at the near post and two quickfire goals midway through the second period settled matters. Ibrahim Afellay turned his would-be marker inside out before firing in from 18 yards and Ola Toivonen headed a third to send PSV top. The Twente defence was breached for the first time this season, but the champions did get their third straight win. They went in front on the half hour with Bryan Ruiz's first of the campaign, the Costa Rican exchanging passes on the edge of the box before driving it past a well-beaten keeper. A clumsy challenge by Nacer Chadli on Michael Timisela gave VVV the opportunity to level from the penalty spot, Patrick Paauwe sending Nikolay Mihaylov the wrong way. VVV keeper Dennis Gentenaar was keeping his side in with a shout of a point with a string of excellent saves, none better than a flying effort to divert a curling Ruiz effort that looked destined for the top corner. He was beaten 20 minutes from time as a long range shot from Roberto Rosales took a nick off a defender, wrong-footing Gentenaar and creeping in the bottom corner. The other unbeaten side are Groningen. For all we keep saying Groningen are physical - they are - they can also play some football and this was an open encounter with some flowing football. Chances came at both ends, but the deadlock was only broken five minutes from time after Michael Silberbauer upended Tim Matavz in the box and Andreas Granqvist put his foot right through the resulting penalty. Pick that one out.

Heerenveen left it very late to get past Vitesse who were in front midway through the second half through Davy Propper's long range shot which bounced unkindly just in front of the keeper. Just two minutes remained when Filip Djuricic was upended in the box and Roy Beerens stuck the penalty away. Oussama Assaidi won it with the last kick of the game, picked out six yards from goal and he threaded it inside the back post. Excelsior won on home 'turf' again, coming from behind this time after Mark Jan Fledderus had Heracles ahead on the half hour. Roland Bergkamp levelled it on 60 minutes and Leen van Steensel won it fifteen minutes later. Excelsior are up to sixth. AZ went down to Roda, Willem Janssen with the winner early in the second half after Rasmus Elm had got the Alkmaarders back level in response to Laurent Delorge's early opener. Feyenoord paid for their inability to convert chances in going down to NAC. Robbert Schilder got both goals late on, the first a nice drive which beat Rob van Dijk at his near post. The second was a free-kick deep in stoppage time which came when Bruno Martins Indi pulled down Matthew Amoah and, as last man back, was sent off. From an inch outside the box, it's often said there's not space to get it up and back down again, so Schilder bent it round the wall instead. Nice. Hugo Bargas struck twice to rescue a point for De Graafschap after ADO had built up a 2-0 lead. Dmitri Bulykin put ADO in front after ten minutes, prodding it in from close range as De Graafschap failed to clear, and Kevin Visser doubled the lead with twenty minutes left, found unmarked in the box 10 yards out for a simple tap-in. Bargas pulled one back almost instantly, showing great control with head and left foot to take it round the defence to open up space for the shot, and he levelled things up two minutes from time with a spectacular overhead volley from 15 yards.

Ligue 1 round 5 previews

Montpellier v Nancy
Toulouse v St Etienne
PSG v Arles
Rennes v Sochaux
Lyon v Valenciennes
Auxerre v Caen
Lens v Lille
Nice v Bordeaux
Brest v Lorient
Marseille v Monaco

With the national side back to winning ways in midweek, there's an almost an air of positivity around the hexagon as we get back to league action. Toulouse lead the way by an impressive five points and they've managed it without any strikers. Rather, Daniel Braaten is operating on his own up front and Etienne Didot is chipping in from midfield. It's working, but you wonder for how much longer. St Etienne have also started well and are a lot higher up in the standings than has been the norm over the last few years. This will be a decent test of both sides credentials. Clever money says a TFC win though. Rennes and Montpellier lead the chase with Sochaux tucked in behind - it's all a bit odd at the moment. Rennes begin life after Asamoah Gyan against Sochaux in an unlikely top-of-the-table clash while Montpellier are at home to Nancy. Caen lost for the first time two weeks ago and take on Auxerre who have been struggling domestically despite making it to the Champions League group stages.

There's a big derby between Lens and Lille which should be a lively affair. Lille have drawn all four games so far this season and need to get a wriggle on if they're going to make an impact this season. Brest got a win last time out and face Lorient this week while Arles' search for their first points goes on in the capital. They're already four points adrift at the bottom and it looks like being a very long season for the Avignon faithful.

That leaves us with the big boys, only one of whom is even in the top half. That's Marseille, and then only just. They lie tenth and take on Monaco this weekend who have yet to taste defeat. Lyon take on Valenciennes who have ground out some valuable points already and Bordeaux are at Nice. Wisely tipped as championship front-runners, Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseille surely have too much talent in the ranks to languish in the lower reaches for too much longer, but with Marseille already eight points off the pace, they'd best get a move on.

Bundesliga round 3 previews

Hoffenheim v Schalke
Dortmund v Wolfsburg
Hamburg v Nurnberg
Monchengladbach v Eintracht
Freiburg v Stuttgart
Hannover v Leverkusen
Bayern v Bremen
Mainz v Kaiserslautern
Cologne v St Pauli

In terms of championship placings, the top game this week sees Mainz take on Kaiserslautern. Both are two-for-two and Lautern are coming off the back of beating Bayern. Mainz were, if anything, even more impressive in overturning a 3-0 deficit to beat Wolfsburg. It's hard to think that either will be right up there come seasons end, but for now, at least one of them can enjoy being in the spotlight. Hoffenheim head the standings and they might well be up there after 34 games. They've started really brightly and take on point-less Schalke who will have new boy Klaas-Jan Huntelaar on debut. He bagged five goals for the Netherlands in the last week, so arrives in form. Good job, because the rest of the Schalke squad look anything but. Hamburg and Hannover are the other two that have won their first two matches. Hamburg take on Nurnberg and should surely make it three in a row while Hannover have a much tougher task against Leverkusen.

Dortmund v Wolfsburg would normally be one to savour and may yet turn out that way. Both managers would probably accept a scruffy 1-0 though, especially Steve McClaren whose Wolfsburg side have been hopeless defensively. At least Diego Benaglio looked back to something like form in the international break, but Simon Kjaer hasn't hit the ground running. No Diego either for Die Wolfe this week. Wither Misimovic?

As well as Schalke and Wolfsburg, there are three other sides without a single point yet. Cologne are at home to St Pauli, Eintracht are away to Gladbach and Stuttgart - rock bottom - are in Freiburg. The final game sees Bayern take on Bremen. That should be a cracker.

Eredivisie round 5 previews

VVV Venlo v Twente
Ajax v Willem II
PSV v NEC
Heerenveen v Vitesse
Excelsior v Heracles
AZ v Roda JC
NAC v Feyenoord
ADO v De Graafschap
Groningen v Utrecht

Back from the international break, we're predicting wins for the top five. Ajax lead the way and they take on rock bottom Willem II this week. There's only one outcome there and it's a thumping home win. PSV are dead level with them and are also at home, NEC the visitors. The Nijmegeners are well capable of scoring goals, but PSV are simply better in every department. After a sluggish start, Twente are up and running and are still to concede this season. It's almost inconceivable that their defences will be breached by VVV Venlo on Saturday. Still no Jon-Dahl Tomasson for Feyenoord, but against NAC they ought to be OK without the veteran Dane. Groningen have started strongly and are proving to be hard to break down. A very physical side, they're up against Utrecht this week who are altogether younger and more callow. While Utrecht have plenty of ability, we reckon Groningen will kick them out of their stride.

Excelsior have a home fixture where they've been pretty good so far this season. Heracles are the visitors this week and they've been disappointing so far. That probably won't change on the artificial turf. Like Heracles, AZ have been a bit rubbish, but a game against Roda JC should see them gain their first win of the season. Vitesse go north to Heerenveen - should be a home win - while ADO welcome De Graafschap. That's a lot harder to call. If De Graafschap are going to get away from the bottom places, then this is one they have to win, but ADO look the stronger side.

A swizz round the Euro qualifiers

No league action this week, but lots and lots of Euro 2012 qualifiers. Poland and Ukraine promise us they'll be ready on time and the long road begins this week with the typical double headers. Let's have a look at how the sides from the leagues we follow are shaping up.

Friday: San Marino v Netherlands
Tuesday: Netherlands v Finland

With Gio van Bronkhorst's retirement after the World Cup, Bert van Marwijk needed a new captain. He didn't have to look far for one, just as far as his daughter's husband. Yes, it's that loveable rogue Mark van Bommel. Robin van Persie is out for both games and more besides, but back comes Ruud van Nistelrooy after a decent start to his Bundesliga season. After winning his first cap in the friendly last month and a thunderous start to the Eredivisie, it's a surprise that there's no place for Ricky van Wolfswinkel, especially in a low-pressure game like the San Marino one. The core of the World Cup squad remains, but the defence looks better for the inclusion of the hard-as-nails Feyenoord skipper Ron Vlaar and the silky Ajax left-back Vurnon Anita. Twente's Theo Janssen and Valencia new-boy Hedwiges Maduro are added to the midfield.

Keepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Piet Velthuizen (Hércules), Michel Vorm (Utrecht)
Defenders: Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Erik Pieters (PSV), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax)
Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV), Mark van Bommel (Bayern), Theo Janssen (Twente), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax)
Forwards: Eljero Elia (Hamburg), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Hamburg)

Friday: Belgium v Germany
Tuesday: Germany v Azerbaijan

Michael Ballack is back for Germany and immediately resumes the captaincy, Phillip Lahm his deputy. The other major sticking point was the goalkeeping spot, but Joachim Löw sticks with Manuel Neuer. The defence is shorn of Jerome Boateng, Serdar Tasci, Dennis Aogo and Arne Friedrich, so Friedrich's club-mate Sascha Riether gets a chance along with Heiko Westermann who was a surprising omission from the World Cup. Elsewhere, it's as you were with the young squad that surprised so many at the World Cup ready to pick up where they left off.

Goalkeepers: René Adler (Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke), Tim Wiese (Bremen)
Defenders: Holger Badstuber (Bayern), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Philipp Lahm (Bayern), Per Mertesacker (Bremen), Sascha Riether (Wolfsburg), Heiko Westermann (Hamburg)
Midfielders: Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern), Marko Marin (Bremen), Thomas Müller (Bayern), Mesut Özil (Real Madrid), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern), Christian Träsch (Stuttgart)
Forwards: Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gómez (Bayern), Miroslav Klose (Bayern), Stefan Kießling (Leverkusen)

Friday: France v Belarus
Tuesday: Bosnia v France

A new chapter in the soap opera that is France begins on Friday in St Denis. Nine of the World Cup squad are in, but chief-mutineer Patrice Evra isn't - he's sitting out the first of five games after his ban from the FFF - prompting the need for a new captain. At time of writing, we don't know who that is. Knowing the hungry hoards who read this stuff, you've mainly come here for some idle speculation, so we'll say that Alou Diarra is your man. Maybe Hugo Lloris. Kevin Gameiro - tipped by better pundits than us for greatness - gets a go in midfield, but Lassana Diarra is out, something which is becoming a bit of a recurring theme. There's strength in the squad, plenty to take care of Belarus, but Bosnia will be a tough examination of a side which still has a few cracks left in it after the summer's antics.

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Cédric Carrasso (Bordeaux)
Defenders: Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Adil Rami (Lille), Philippe Mexès (AS Roma), Mamadou Sakho (PSG), Benoît Trémoulinas (Bordeaux), Gaël Clichy (Arsenal), Anthony Réveillère (Lyon)
Midfielders: Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille), Jérémy Ménez (AS Roma), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Yann M'Vila (Rennes), Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Yohan Cabaye (Lille), Blaise Matuidi (St Etienne)
Forwards: Kévin Gameiro (Lorient), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Loïc Rémy (Marseille), Louis Saha (Everton), Guillaume Hoarau (PSG)