FRANCE - Summer 2012 thread

Anelka replace Benzema for 2nd half

Goal of Henry
Good assist of Govou

Goal of Anelka

The Arsenal factor

Serbia get 1 back.

FT France 2 Serbia 1

Seems Benzema hasn't really got his international career going yet. Still really young, but any ideas why he hasn't settled yet?

Calidad wrote:Seems Benzema hasn't really got his international career going yet. Still really young, but any ideas why he hasn't settled yet?

Maybe, he could be better as a lone striker. His partnership with Henry is average.

Napoléon wrote:

Calidad wrote:Seems Benzema hasn't really got his international career going yet. Still really young, but any ideas why he hasn't settled yet?

Maybe, he could be better as a lone striker. His partnership with Henry is average.

Way too similar and yes he'd be suited to a lone role or at least someone ha can play off.

Gourcuff - What a player!

MOTM

He has just played himself into the French squad, can't see Domenech leaving him out.

Evra has got a lot of work to do to displace Clichy after that performance

The Professor wrote:. Their inability to defend set pieces remind me of Arsenal and Domenech is of course to blame for that coz he sees practising set plays as a waste of time. When will he learn though that set plays have become an important part of the game? think of the goals they conceded in the world cup final, the one V scotland in the qualifiers or Holland at the euros....

Another goal conceded from a corner

When will Domenech learn?

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Does Henry ever stop complaining?

Yeah, when he plays well in big games No.

Haha doesn't do it in big games he?

To some of u here,

Never write off a Legend!

Nice to hear that Gourcuff played a good game. I wonder whether Milan will give him a chance.

This team still won't cut it when it really matters though.

I always thought Gourcuff was wasted at Milan. should have come to Arsenal when he had the chance.

The Professor wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Does Henry ever stop complaining?

Yeah, when he plays well in big games No.

Haha doesn't do it in big games he?

To some of u here,

Never write off a Legend!

I was gonna say "you call that a big game" but then Thierry once listed winning The Confederations Cup as one of his great achievements so it doesn't suprise me

My rating :
Mandanda 5,5 - 1 good save and nothing else to do
Gallas 5,5
Abidal 6,5
Sagna 5,5
Clichy 6 - his first 5 minutes were terrible but then he made a very good first appearance
Toulalan 5,5
Diarra 6
Govou 6 - poor first half, good 2nd with a good assist on the first goal
Gourcuff 8 - MOTM
Benzema 4 (Anelka 7)
Henry 5,5

Are the French always really harsh with their ratings?

So Gourcuff started then? So Nasri & Evra dropped?

As was Mexes

Ray Parlour wrote:Are the French always really harsh with their ratings?

it's because you are too lenient with your players.
I suppose Walcott will get a 10/10.....

The English media dictate everything. After tonight's performance anyone would be unlucky to get below a 6 at least

Did Nasri come on in the end by the way?

Ray Parlour wrote:As was Mexes

Abidal as well!

What did Gourcuff do that was so good? Kept possession, creative etc?

Calidad wrote:So Gourcuff started then? So Nasri & Evra dropped?

Nasri injured.

Evra and Mexes dropped.

The Professor wrote:

Calidad wrote:So Gourcuff started then? So Nasri & Evra dropped?

Nasri injured.

Evra and Mexes dropped.

Here we go again

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

The Professor wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Does Henry ever stop complaining?

Yeah, when he plays well in big games No.

Haha doesn't do it in big games he?

To some of u here,

Never write off a Legend!

I was gonna say "you call that a big game" but then Thierry once listed winning The Confederations Cup as one of his great achievements so it doesn't suprise me

take your pick Pierre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-JlYmyombo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0f_mNztdsM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKuIny86fRU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIJiEtEdnv8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouowA4dWnOo

Gourcuff played really well which is surprise. I'm glad Clichy had his chance and did quite well. Hope Sagna and Clichy play regularly.

The team is likely to be like that for the next games:

----------------Mandanda-------------------
Sagna-------Gallllas-Abidal----------Clichy
-----------Toulalan---- Diarra--------------
----Gourcuff--------Ribery---------------
--------?--------------?

Sould play with one striker instead two and put someone like Valbuena up front.

Nasri, Mexes, Benzema have been disappointing.

How did Henry do honestly?

I don't believe Abidal is good enough at positioning to be a CB, but if there aren't any alternatives...

My ratings :

Mandanda 5 - I found him very shaky through out, especially on set pieces (did he actually come out and help his defence during one?), but did make a brilliant save.

Gallas 6 - A decent performance

Abidal 7 - Atoned for that disastrous Italy performance with a very solid, calm display.

Sagna 6,5 - Good input going forward. Has to be first choice RB now, ahead of Clerc and Reveillere

Clichy 6,5 - Very good going forward, shame he got owned by Jankovic and Kacah two or three times in the first half. Was excellent second half

Toulalan 5,5 - Toulalan seems to get worse with time, he really needs to cut out that unnecessary agression. His once brilliant passing seems also to have completely gone.

Diarra 5,5 - Did very well stifling the opposition, but I'd like a little more attacking play.

Govou 6,5 - Cr@p first half, a much better second half, but still isn't good enough to play at this level.

Gourcuff 7 - Brilliant passing, but seemed to come in and out of the game. Nice to see someone unafraid to take a shot however, could have scored two or three times.

Benzema 3.5 - One scuffed shot, and that's it. Very, very poor. The blame for our poor first half can be laid squarely at his feet. Still too inexperienced to be a starter imo.

Henry 7,5 - He stood up when needed. An okayish first half, a brilliant second, great goal, nd a very good understanding with Anelka

Subs:

Anelka 8 - MOTM - He played only one half, but what a half. Dangerous shot after dangerous shot, sublime dribbling, he tore Serbia's back line to shreds. There was a 20 minute period before their goal where we looked unbeatable, and Anelka was the reason for it.

The Professor wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

The Professor wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Does Henry ever stop complaining?

Yeah, when he plays well in big games No.

Haha doesn't do it in big games he?

To some of u here,

Never write off a Legend!

I was gonna say "you call that a big game" but then Thierry once listed winning The Confederations Cup as one of his great achievements so it doesn't suprise me

take your pick Pierre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-JlYmyombo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0f_mNztdsM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKuIny86fRU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIJiEtEdnv8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouowA4dWnOo

The 2nd goal is a fitting epitaph for his career.

A dreadful 1st touch followed by "a piece of skill" which doesn't involve actually touching the ball only for it to be lauded as genius.

That "piece of skill" is something Chevaton can only dream of.

Anyway, that isn't the subject of discussion, where those goals scored in big games?