Olivier Giroud Earns First Call-Up for France Ahead of November Friendlies

Twenty-four-year-old Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud, currently joint-top scorer in Ligue 1 alongside Paris Saint-Germain's Kevin Gameiro with eight goals through 11 matches, earned his first senior call-up to the French national side ahead of two November friendlies—Nov. 11 and 15 against the USA and Belgium, respectively.

Both friendlies will be at the Stade de France, the site of France's World Cup 1998 triumph, situated just outside Paris in the suburb of Saint-Denis.

Giroud, the former Tours man (2008-10) has also provided two goals (one in each) in Montpellier's two cup campaigns (Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France) appears to have assumed the spot vacated by Lyon target man Bafetimi Gomis. Gomis, despite impressing early-on in Ligue 1 play, failed to impress in a starting role for Laurent Blanc's side during last month's European qualifier against Albania, and has been dropped from the side.

Gomis was starved of possession in that Albania match, and often looked unable to integrate the play.

Described by Blanc as an "atypical player," the former Saint-Etienne man is a true post striker, a notable departure from the more mobile playing style of Blanc's stable of French forwards, which includes Kevin Gameiro, Karim Benzema, Loic Remy and Djibril Cisse.

That facility with possession is an essential byproduct of Blanc's 4-2-3-1 system, which emphasizes free-flowing passing and movement among the three attackers farthest up the pitch.

TFL journalist Frédéric Calenge, in attendance at Blanc's post-selection press conference, reported on his Twitter feed that the former Bordeaux manager explained his reasoning for taking Giroud as a chance to "watch a player we have followed for some time" in the environs of a friendly.

Blanc noted that this will be the "last time before the European Championships" that he will be able to do truly experiment within the side.

Expounding upon this principle, Blanc reasoned that he did not elect to call up Marseille winger Mathieu Valbuena, Lazio striker Djibril Cisse, or Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul (the latter two were in last month's squad) as he "already knows them and how they play."

It is Giroud, however—the scourge of Dijon in a 5-3 Montpellier come-from-behind win, where the striker earned a hat-trick—who will be the most closely scrutinized in this upcoming run of friendlies.

He has been impressive against some of Ligue 1's top clubs this season (including an incredible acrobatic goal against PSG that was disallowed), and has displayed a technical acumen and mobility as a striker that must have captured Blanc's attention.

Giroud cuts a closer fit to Benzema's playing style than Gomis—and in a French side that places an emphasis upon ball movement and passing, the Montpellier hit-man's industry could play a big role come Nov. 11.

Other notable absences from the squad include Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, who misses the upcoming friendlies due to "a family drama."

Yoann Gourcuff, yet to feature for France since last spring, also failed to reintegrate the side despite recently resurfacing from a long-term ankle knock.

Blanc, Gourcuff's former manager at Bordeaux, claimed that Gourcuff is "better mentally now, and is progressing."

Gourcuff's form had dipped precipitously last spring amid rampant criticism of his on-field and off-field comportment—the most stinging coming from AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini. He is back playing with Lyon now, though, and scored against rivals Saint-Etienne over the weekend.

Blanc bandied about the idea of a list of 35 players who are in the fold for the eventual 23-man list that will be unveiled before next summer's championships. There is little doubt that Gourcuff's name has recently been added to that collection of names.