French squad announced

[paul_oshea]

NOthing too surprising to be honest.

THere midfield isn't that worrying but its the fact that henry could be pushed onto the wings etc and other changes like that, that would worry me.

www.rte.ie/sport/2009/1105/france.html

[Junior]

Goalkeepers: Cedric Carrasso (Girondins Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Aly Cissokho (Olympique Lyon), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Rod Fanni (Stade Rennes), William Gallas (Arsenal), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla).

Midfielders: Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Girondins Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid), Yoann Gourcuff (Girondins Bordeaux), Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon).

Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Loic Remy (Nice).


Thought Cissokho played very well last night for Lyon - Didnt realise he was uncapped tho he is unlikely to feature unless Evra gets crocked.

[Emmet7]

It's not going to be easy but with the right belief, tactics, and if we avoid silly mistakes, it's doable.

People say the Italians have been poor the last couple of years. In my view the French are a worse team than the Italians. If we can do well against the Italians home and away we can do the same against the French. But we need big performances from all the Irish players. There are the dependable players who always give their best. Stephen Hunt we know will give is all. Robbie Keane will give it everything. Lawrence, McGeady and Duff, we know do their best as do our defence and likewise Shay Given, as well as Doyle, everyone really.

The French I feel while talented are tempermental and may be good or may be awful.

[Park_Lane]

no nasri? great news!:)

[Duggie]

im seeing good things from Gourcuff at Bordeaux. could be one to watch in midfield if he plays.

[SuperDave]

Goalkeepers: Cedric Carrasso (Girondins Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Aly Cissokho (Olympique Lyon), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Rod Fanni (Stade Rennes), William Gallas (Arsenal), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla).

Midfielders: Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Girondins Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid), Yoann Gourcuff (Girondins Bordeaux), Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon).

Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Loic Remy (Nice).

Would any of these players get in our starting eleven? I don't think so. BELIEVE!

Btw, I do realise I have failed to highlight ten players, which is effectively saying those ten players would get into our team, but my point is they are not the all conquering superpower they used to be and they are lacking some strength in depth.

[Duggie]

ya but its the one you havent highlighted that we need to worry about.:(

[SuperDave]

ya but its the one you havent highlighted that we need to worry about.:(

yeah i appreciate that and did point it out in my second paragraph but my point is that even one or two injuries / suspensions etc and they are weaker. The replacements aren't as good as they used to be for France. When was the last time a French squad had so many France based players in it? Half of that squad are based in France which is a lot more than in previous years. And it's not like the league has improved massively.

BELIEVE!

[RoversInn]

Would any of these players get in our starting eleven? I don't think so. BELIEVE!

Btw, I do realise I have failed to highlight ten players, which is effectively saying those ten players would get into our team, but my point is they are not the all conquering superpower they used to be and they are lacking some strength in depth.

Malouda, and every midfielder you mentioned there.

[IsMiseSean]

So what starting 11 and formation are we looking at here?
Or is Domenech to unpredictable to predict??

[RoversInn]

So what starting 11 and formation are we looking at here?
Or is Domenech to unpredictable to predict??

I'd say 4-3-3

Lloris

Sagna - Gallas - Abidal - Evra

Diarra - Gourcuff - Toulalan

Henry - Anelka - Malouda

He doesn't seem to start Benzema.

[Stuttgart88]

Am I the only one to have an immature giggle at Fanni Rod?

[paul_oshea]

I think Rod fanni is better ;)

[Junior]

As I said in my initial post I was impressed with Aly Cissokho against Liverpool last night. Bearing in mind our Left Back problems Id say he would definitely get in.

Diaby from Arsenal - (his OG header the other week apart!) I think he's looked decent enough as a central midfielder from what ive seen on MOTD, certainly not inferior to Andrews/Whelan - So again yep hed make it.

I still BELIEVE but not on the basis that half their squad wouldnt get in our first 11 - I cant comment on all the players but Id say that insinuation is wide of the mark.

[wexfordman]

im seeing good things from Gourcuff at Bordeaux. could be one to watch in midfield if he plays.

Yeah Gouruff is what makes this current french team tick if we subdue him and maybe give him a rough ride early on, we may get to him as he is young but gifted.

A Roy keane type tackle like on overmars against the dutch on that glorious day in lansdowne would not go a miss.

He is their playmaker and with ribery out a the majority of the creative burden falls on his young shoulders.

France tend to play a 4-3-3 but they do struggle at times and it resembles more of a 4-5-1.

And although we know henry likes to drift to the left wing he IMO is not as effective when restricted to playing on the wing.

Toulalan and las Diara are good players but like that added guile and spark. Malouda i think is under rated by a lot of people he is quick and gets his fair share of goals as well as been a diving basterd which concerns me:eek:

but like i said if we get stucj in to them they can become disjointed leaving their CF be it Benzema/Anelka/Gigniac isolated.

and id expect the Dunney monster to gobble them up as long as Henry stays away from Dunne a lot of Dunne's poorest games for Man City were as a result of him been cleaned out by Henry.

At the back their fullbacks are good but like to bomb forward leaving space in behind, but we have to limit the time they get on the ball as both sagna and evra are good crossers of the ball.

While Gallas is often the centre of media bashings i rate him v highly but he can be a bit loose but i would fancy Doyle to have the better of him in the aerial and physical stakes and get under his skin a little.

The through weak link IMO is abidal who i think as a full back his better position is very over rated but as a centre half his positioning is v poor and something keane can exploit.

I have not seen lloris play much he was good last night v liverpool from a shot stopping point of view but i cant help but think that he has the look of one of those keepers who is dodgy when dealing with crosses

[ifk101]

NOthing too surprising to be honest.

THere midfield isn't that worrying but its the fact that henry could be pushed onto the wings etc and other changes like that, that would worry me.

www.rte.ie/sport/2009/1105/france.html

Paul_oshea we are due a hammering. Nobody wants us to go to the World Cup more than me but any half decent team that is prepared to have a go at us will open us up and run riot. Trapattoni has done well in covering over the cracks but the World Cup dream is already over.

[Predator]

Paul_oshea we are due a hammering. Nobody wants us to go to the World Cup more than me but any half decent team that is prepared to have a go at us will open us up and run riot. Trapattoni has done well in covering over the cracks but the World Cup dream is already over.
Not for me and not for the lads in the squad. Come on ifk! :)

[elroy]

Gallas is an accident waiting to happen according to the Dunph last night!! And sure hes always right :D

I am def more concerned about their force going forward than at the back. I think we can cause them trouble, particularly as they are known not to be the best at set pieces.

I really really hope Henry isnt fit as the thought of him taking on KK is a major concern.

[elroy]

For the non believers out there, here is a source of inspiration.................by a large the same teams as are there now, yet the Italians won 2-0. Whereas we relatively comfortably got two points from two games against them.

Yes I know the French had a man sent off, lost Ribery through injury but I remember the game well and the Italians were by far the better team. Luca Toni missed some great chances that night. Henry was the only shining light for the French (hence the reason I hope hes misses our games).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/7363384.stm

[amaccann]

French squad announced... hmmm interesting, interesting ... look at all those players ...

... ...
...

BRING 'EM ON.

[jbyrne]

they will be tense and nervous at the outset and we need to get in among them early and take advantage. we have nothing to lose and they are huge favs and thats never a good place to be. every play-off produces a shock result and maybe its our turn this time

any team traveling to the likes of turkey etc would be worried about the hostile atmosphere they would expect to receive. so its up to our 12th man to do its bit and turn CP into an absolute cauldron for the french

[M@ttitude]

Trapattoni has done well in covering over the cracks but the World Cup dream is already over.

Thank God you'll be in Sweden!!!!

[Razors left peg]

If they were unbeatable they would be qualified already.We always raise our game against the bigger nations.Im very confident.
IN TRAP WE TRUST

[ifk101]

Thank God you'll be in Sweden!!!!

Click me to discover the magic of air travel (http://www.sas.se/Default.aspx?vst=true&epslanguage=SV)

[M@ttitude]

Click me to discover the magic of air travel (http://www.sas.se/Default.aspx?vst=true&epslanguage=SV)

Why waste your money?:o

[irishfan86]

I really really hope Henry isnt fit as the thought of him taking on KK is a major concern.

Henry usually plays on the left for France I think, meaning he would be up against O'Shea (open to correction on this!).

[paul_oshea]

no thats right irish fan. in the 4-3-3 he always play on the left side of the 3.

Even though it is oshea and not kilbane, i go against all ive said before about sitting deep and trap, but maybe sitting deep could help against the likes of henry getting in around the back and beating oshea for pace again and again. Having said that though he could just produce that moment of brilliance we have all been going on about for the last few weeks á la landsdowne road. pun intended.

[backstothewall]

Would i be right to assume they normally play Henry on the left, with Ribery on the right and Benzema as a lone striker? Presumably they will do that with Govou replacing Ribery.

They are weakest in central midfield and defence. I reckon we can do it. If we can put Gallas & Abidal/Squilacci under enough long balls they will screw up sooner or later. i hope the weather is horrible at Croke Park

[geysir]

Domenech has revealed a serious absence of 'cop on' diplomacy.

'Domenech revealed he asked Italy boss Marcello Lippi about Ireland’s strengths and weaknesses when the pair met at the San Siro for AC Milan’s Champions League game against Real Madrid this week.

"I asked him about it but he didn’t want to tell me, as he didn’t want Trapattoni to hear him."

Trap, it turned out, was standing just a few metres away from the two men.'

Examiner- french squad announced (http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/domenech-ignores-zidanes-plea-to-recall-fit-again-vieira-for-play-off-104987.html)