FRANCE - Summer 2012 thread

We look solid in the middle, and in the right. Ribery-Gourcuff showed some telepathic exchange, but Ribery's return pass (after 1-2) is little ahead of Gourcuff's reach.

Nice to hear the crowd booing the team.

France - Argentina tomorrow in Marseille.

French players :
GARDIENS : Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Cédric Carrasso (Toulouse)

DÉFENSEURS : Eric Abidal (FC Barcelone/ESP), Gaël Clichy (Arsenal/ANG), Julien Escudé (FC Séville/ESP), Rod Fanni (Rennes), William Gallas (Arsenal/ANG), Philippe Mexès (AS Roma/ITA), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal/ANG), Sébastien Squillaci (FC Séville/ESP).

MILIEUX DE TERRAIN : Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid/ESP), Jérémy Toulalan (Lyon).

ATTAQUANTS : Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea/ANG), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Jimmy Briand (Rennes), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Thierry Henry (Barcelone/ESP), Samir Nasri (Arsenal/ANG), Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich/ALL).

My team :

Lloris
Sagna - Gallas - Mexes - Evra
Toulalan, L.Diarra
Ribery Gourcuff Henry
Benzema

Evra is not there.

-----------Mandanda
Sagna - Gallas - Mexes - Abidal
-------Toulalan - L.Diarra
----Ribery Gourcuff Nasri
-------------Henry

Benzema to come on for last 30 minutes.

wtf why is ribey not on the left side

i hope the coach will not do the same mistake

The trio will swap and interchange. I don't think you can play static attacking midfielders any more.

Btw that's the way domenech would play. Against Tunisia, Ribery played on the right, and combined well with Gourcuff and Fanni, forming the ever-so-cliched triangle. Henry stuck to left. Benzema played the lone forward. It worked a bit. I'd stick to earlier lineup as my prediction for the game...

But...against Argentina, you can't play both Toulalan and Diarra (Alou or Lassana..take your pick) I don't think he has the cojones to play 4-1-3-2 which he SHOULD:

-------------Mandanda-------
Sagna--William--Mexes-Abidal
-----------Toulalan-------------
----Ribery---Gourcuff-----Nasri-
--------Benzema----Henry--------

That would a great formation, however I can't see this kunt of Domenech try this formation. He will probably add Toulalan and Lass.

I would definitively start Gourcuff and Ribery.. not too sure about Nasri though.

Not sure about Benzema too.. Nasri and Benzema haven't been that good for NT...

William.

Very good team on paper, but I agree with Alive and Kicking that Diarra will probably start in place of Nasri and France will go with a 4-4-2 with Ribery cutting in from the left.

With Sagnol now retired is Sagna now the undisputed choice at right-back?

Gallas...Billy...Gilly f-ing Giles..

Sagna is defensively solid. Had an occasionally good cross in him.. Attacking wise, France don't rely on overlapping FBs anyway.. At least under c**t domenech.. Clerc and Fanni would be the back-ups.

Any predictions ?

I predict 1-1 : Ribery, Maxi Rodriguez

France 0-1 Argentina.

Hope that's not the case though.

France will have to take the game to Argentina and someone like Gourcuff should be put on Mascherano or Cambiasso.

Cambiasso is not in the squad

We all know what's going to happen. Playing Toulalan and Diarra won't work, just like Makelele-Toulalan didn't work. We need Vieira back, he's the only one who can link attack and defence.

Anything could happen in this game like us getting our ass kicked or winning this game. If our defense doesn't fuck up we have our chances...but it looks shaky... We miss the likes of Thuram, Dessailly and Blanc. I'm looking forward seeing Ribery & Gourcuff. I hope they can do well.

It's a tricky tie. I don't know how both teams are going to play. But with Messi, Argentina got an edge. Let's face it...

Last time out it finished 0-0 right? I remember seeing brief highlights after the England - Spain game.

I'll go for 1-1 (Ribery pen + Tevez)

was 1-0, Saviola scored.

Yes that's right it was 1-0 in France. It might be the same score tonight. Argentina are a fabulous formation anything can happen with them.

Teams :
FRANCE : Mandanda - Sagna, Gallas, Mexès, Abidal - L. Diarra, Toulalan - Ribéry, Gourcuff, Henry (cap.) - Anelka.
ARGENTINE : Carrizo - J. Zanetti, Demichelis, Heinze, Papa - Mascherano (cap.), Gago - Maxi Rodriguez, Gutierrez - Messi, Agüero.

Anelka

Crap line-up. Anelka? Gimme a f-ing break!!! I might as well watch the England match...

Why play Carrizo over Romero? Romero has barely let any goals in this season whereas Carrizo has recently been dropped by Lazio...

The France team is the one I expected except for Anelka over Benzema

No Benzema.

When will Argentina give Romero a shot in goal? He has been one of the reasons why AZ are eleven points ahead in the Eredivisie.

Cesc Soler wrote:No Benzema.

When will Argentina give Romero a shot in goal? He has been one of the reasons why AZ are eleven points ahead in the Eredivisie.

To be fair he will get his chances. He was the keeper at both the U20's WC and the recent Olympic successes. But he should currently be first choice.

Heinze

any links for the game please?

what i expected from argentina, but when will argentina learn that kun and messi will never work.