France World cup 2010 Thread. *SPOILERS*

[vaudevillian]

so guys just six days left. What do you think are the chances for France. What tactics/lineups will the employ?
P.s. Any on here have updates about Gallas?

[Round]

Personally, I think France can pass the first round, 4-3 - 3 is perhaps not the best solutions, the attacks in front of goal is unrealistic, we could not see it against China. But maybe that France can surprise us during the world in all cases, this can not be worse than in 2002.

[Slow Graffiti]

The two defensive midfielder setup worked so well in 2006 because Zidane was great, and Makelele and Vieira were great. A great playmaker in front of two of the best enforcers. They just closed down until they could force the ball to Zidane. Obviously it helps that Vieira could run forward too.

This year, there is no Zidane, Thuram, Makelele, or Vieira. We have to play less conservatively - more players on attack, force teams back.

I think we've got to get Diaby back on the bench. Diaby was his usual clumsy, frustrating self - dribbling too long into traffic, spinning around and shoving off a couple of defenders until he's trapped.

It's not that he was terrible, though. It's that he's just not what the team needs. There has to be someone alongside Gourcuff offering similar qualities - attacking threat - so he's not so easily shutout.

The other thing is that Anelka must pass the ball, or sit on the bench. We're not going to get far with him ignoring everyone else.

If it were up to me, Malouda starts in place of Diaby, Gignac starts in place of Govou, Henry starts for Anelka. Apparently Henry will still start on the bench, but I'm still hopeful for the other two swaps.

I actually think a 442 would be a good response...Gignac or Henry up top, Malouda wide left, Gourcuff/Toulalan alone in the middle.

[Whoah10115]

Diaby was fantastic against Uruguay. If half of the other players played half as well as he did France would have won.

[Murkurial]

^

He was good in the first half going forward, but his dribbles between a few Uruguayan players didn't amount to anything. And I feel like Gourcuff could play that Zidane roll (albeit not as well as the man himself...yet) if Anelka isn't on the field ignorning the shit out of him. And the Malouda/Gourcuff w/ the DM behind them seemed to add a new dimension to the team. Hopefully they make that change for the game against Mexico.

I've seen him boss the middle before and for whatever reason he's not doing what he's capable of in this tournament so far.

I'll repeat though, Anelka needs to get the fuck out and he, Ribery, and whoever else was complaining about Govou and Gourcuff (if true) need to get over it and stop fucking up the teams chances by trying their best to not play w/ them during the games.

[Murkurial]

Looks like Gourcuff is out of the team for the match against Mexico:

Gourcuff s'est entrâiné avec les remplaçants

A la veille du match France-Mexique, Raymond Domenech a choisi de faire jouer Malouda et Diaby à gauche, Ribéry dans l'axe et de maintenir Anelka en pointe et Govou à droite. Et comme les Bleus ne vont pas jouer à 12, la victime de ce jeu de chaise musical s'appelle Yoann Gourcuff. Le Breton "mal aimé" n'aurait plus les faveurs du sélectionneur et paie ses performances moyennes lors des derniers matchs. Sera-ce suffisant pour mettre à mal la défense mexicaine?

And a little bit more about this supposed feud (an excerpt):

...But his poor form has persisted and his problems have been compounded by the suspicion that he has become a peripheral member of the France squad, ignored by the team's leaders and senior stars.

In French sport daily L'Equipe on Friday, France captain Patrice Evra confirmed in just a few words that Gourcuff is something of an outcast.

"Yo (Gourcuff), I never hear him," Evra said.

"To speak to Gourcuff, you have to talk to (Jeremy) Toulalan. It's with him that I see him having a laugh."

There is even speculation in the French media that Gourcuff is being ignored by his teammates on the pitch, with Nicolas Anelka and Franck Ribery allegedly guilty of deliberately failing to pass to him against Uruguay.

In training and particularly during warm-ups at France's plush World Cup base, the malaise is noticeable.

Gourcuff often trains alone or goes through his warm-up routine with either his Bordeaux team-mates - Alou Diarra, Cedric Carrasso and Marc Planus - or Toulalan, his only allies in the French set-up.

Is Gourcuff a victim of jealousy provoked by his golden boy status or is he simply too fragile psychologically?

Writing in L'Equipe on Sunday, former France left-back Bixente Lizarazu said Gourcuff was "too self-effacing, too nice and probably too well-brought up".

"Today he needs to start baring his teeth and sharpening his elbows."

Gourcuff's current struggles come as a surprise to Patrick Rampillon, his coach at Rennes during his formative years.

"I'm surprised," Rampillon told AFP. "With the young players, everyone was in agreement about him. There were no flaws in his character and no warning signs. "Looking at the match against Uruguay and saying there was a problem with Gourcuff is a bit strong."

It cannot be denied, however, that Gourcuff seems a shadow of the player he was in 2009. [+]

If there is anyone that I can see destroying a team, it's one of Ribery or Anelka. I mean, we'll see what happens but when your players clearly won't pass you the fucking ball, how can you do anything?

[talk2smc]

Evra. how people support him i dont know.

i know Nic is a jerk as well. but he won me over with his team play at CFC. never heard of anyone having any problems with him at CFC or his actions. Evra on the other hand...well.


everything just falling apart it seems. shame

[Neillomac]

Originally Posted by talk2smc

Evra. how people support him i dont know.

i know Nic is a jerk as well. but he won me over with his team play at CFC. never heard of anyone having any problems with him at CFC or his actions. Evra on the other hand...well.


everything just falling apart it seems. shame

Yet you support the mighty J.T the role model for all.

And you try and diss Evra but yet stick up for "Le Sulk"

Originally posted by Lady Arsenal

Evra is not actually very good at football. He is basically a great athlete - strong and fast. Ferguson uses him because he adds pace to attacks with his overlapping runs, and he is a pretty solid defender. But when it comes to first touch, passing etc he is laughable. Liza would be turning in his football grave.

What? Evra isn't very good at football? Aye your spot on about Fergie too, thats exactly why he uses him...

That pic of Fabregas in your avatar is one of the gayest pictures I have ever seen.

Also I like Blanc hope he does well.

[Lady Arsenal]

Originally Posted by Neillomac

What? Evra isn't very good at football? Aye your spot on about Fergie too, thats exactly why he uses him...

That pic of Fabregas in your avatar is one of the gayest pictures I have ever seen.

Also I like Blanc hope he does well.

Evra's first touch is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. Uglier than Cesc's mullet which he brought over with him from the 3rd world when he joined. Uglier even than Luke Chadwick.