It's France

[Murfinator]

Benzema is overrated and off form, Ribery doesn't click for France like he does for Bayern. The rest of their midfield is relatively tame in an attacking sense although different to break down. Domenech is always liable to get his tactics wrong and having evra getting caught out of position at left back all the time while Abidal is not a natural central defender, he'll probably have a token unknown player who's total garbage somewhere on the field too, he always does. Plus there's the fact that he's chased Frey and Trezeguet into international retirement. There's not a lot I would fear there.

But Henry terrifies me. He'll be the most skillful player on the pitch by a mile and he most certainly gives a damn about his country. We outplayed France twice under Kerr but a single strike by him was what undid us, and it could be the same again I fear.

[Wolfie]

But Henry terrifies me. He'll be the most skillful player on the pitch by a mile and he most certainly gives a damn about his country. We outplayed France twice under Kerr but a single strike by him was what undid us, and it could be the same again I fear.

Absolutely - he could easily do it to us again as well.

Preparation and tactics will get you so far but you can't completely prevent an isolated moment of brilliance.

[peadar1987]

We should turn up in our droves with Tarot cards, milky ways, dolls with pins in them and inflatible planetary globes.

You can't beat a good Yorkie, in my opinion. We should bring them instead

[shaneker]

I can't buy Crunchies over here, could you help me out in Paris?

Thanks.

[as_i_say]

Benzema

Before representing France, Benzema was eligible for Algeria and was called up to the squad by the Fédération Algérienne de Football in December 2006,[57] but turned them down stating, "Algeria is my parents’ country and it is in my heart, but football-wise I will only play for the French national team."[

They are all a crowd of mercenaries as far as i can see. Reckon we have a great chance against them and that France in years to come will no longer be a world power. Agree re: Henry though, he does seem to actually care.

[Noelys Guitar]

I like the look of Domo's new assistant manager/ess

[backstothewall]

He really is an idiot.

If the fans can help the players at all we should really go for it though. Bring St. Georges Cross's to the game. Chanting "Ing-ger-land, Ing-ger-land" and singing God Save the Queen for the 90 minutes.

I think i read that Reid and Finnan should both be available, but Folan will be out. I know Andrews has done well so far but I don't think you can have too much experience in a game like this.

[IsMiseSean]

If England are to go through I think its essential they get a clean sheet in Dublin, which in my opinion makes McGeady a luxury for this leg. I think they also have to take a chance and throw Finnan and Reid straight back in to the mix, moving O'Shea to the left full slot.

My team would be

------------Given-------------
Finnan St. Ledger Dunne O'Shea
Lawrence Reid Whelan Duff
----------Keane Doyle---------

McGeady
Westwood
Kilbane
Hunt
Best
Andrews
O'Dea

I cant see Kilbane being dropped...
I agree with the McGeady being on the bench in the home game, I like the look of that midfield, lets hope Reid is fit!!
I'd take a 0-0 in Croke Park and play the tie over 90mins in Paris... Maybe thats negative but watching Ireland lately gives you that mentality

[weldoninhio]

Given - Lifford
O Shea - Ferrybank
Dunne - Tallaght
Ledger - Grandfather from Carlow
Kilbane - Both parents from Ireland
Duffer - Dublin
Andrews - Dublin
Whelan - Dublin
Hunt - Carrick on Suir
Doyle - Adamstown
Keane - Tallaght

So from our last starting line up, only two weren't born in Ireland, and Kilbanes whole family are Irish, and wont meet as proud an irish man as Kilbane. So only Ledger was in by the grandparent rule.

Its an old storey that does not stand up anymore. I never had a problem with it in the past, but it shows the ignorance of foreigners that they feel they need to throw it our way as some effort of an insult.

In the opposite way, a lot of the French players family back grounds are African or further a field. Look at some of their 1998 world cup winning team.....

Zidane, hailing from Algeria
Vierra born in Senegal
Desailly born in Ghana
Makelele born in Zaire
Thuram born in Gualeluope (west indies region)
Djorkaeff - born in france, Polish father, Armenian mother
Karembeu - New Caledonia - Southwest Pacific
(few other lesser known players to)

Raymond Domenech - From Spanish and Catalan descent...

Houghton - Glasgow
McCarthy - Yorkshire
McGeady - Scotland
Kilbane - England
Townsend - England
Coyle - Scotland
Gibson - Northern Ireland
Cascarino - no irish lineage at all.

Your arguement is ridiculous. You go through the Irish team from the last game, then bring up French players who haven't played in years, even including Djorkaeff, who WAS BORN IN FRANCE!!! Then you have the audacity to say 2 posts later to say you haven't read the article. And Trappatoni is ITALIAN!!

[endabob1]

I'd make sure Folan was on the bench, it might get ugly

[Stuttgart88]

I'd take a 0-0 in Croke Park and play the tie over 90mins in Paris... Maybe thats negative but watching Ireland lately gives you that mentality

Not conceding at home is a decent enough result in my opinion.

[Duggie]

Not conceding at home is a decent enough result in my opinion.

it would be a great result. the fear of an away goal is massive and we will get at least a few chances in paris. id kill for a 0-0 right now at home.

[osarusan]

I'd take a 0-0 in Croke Park and play the tie over 90mins in Paris...

If Ireland are to qualify, I think this is the most likely thing that will happen. I honestly don't see us beating them in either leg (though I pray we will), so we're looking at away goal. Keep it scoreless in Dublin, then we get a goal over there and they can't break us down twice. Not conceding in Dublin is the most important thing of all.

[EastTerracer]

Houghton - Glasgow
McCarthy - Yorkshire
McGeady - Scotland
Kilbane - England
Townsend - England
Coyle - Scotland
Gibson - Northern Ireland
Cascarino - no irish lineage at all.

I can understand you trying to make a point about comparing like with like but you can't seem to stop yourself descending into an equally ridiculous argument.

Are you really willing to say that the adopted children of Irish people have no rights to represent Ireland (Cascarino's mother was adopted by an Irish father so legally and morally he is equally as qualified as others to represent Ireland)?

I won't even engage the broader point about the 2nd generation Irish players who have played for us. That topic has been covered many times on these forums and doesn't need repeating here.

[Torn-Ado]

If Ireland are to qualify, I think this is the most likely thing that will happen. I honestly don't see us beating them in either leg (though I pray we will), so we're looking at away goal. Keep it scoreless in Dublin, then we get a goal over there and they can't break us down twice. Not conceding in Dublin is the most important thing of all.

Thats what I'm banking on. France will be relatively happy to come away with a draw in Dublin. Im sure they reckon we'll be easily turned over in Paris. Who knows, a set piece aimed towards big Dunney will cause havoc for the French.

[SuperDave]

Sepp Blatter being a tosser again

http://www.football365.com/story/0,1...640112,00.html

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted the seedings for the World Cup play-offs could have been handled better.

The decision to seed the draw was widely criticised, with Republic of Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni claiming it was a way of ensuring the more powerful teams, such as France and Portugal, were given an easier chance of reaching next year's tournament in South Africa.

Blatter told Gazzetta dello Sport: "We should have announced it from the start.

"There is something in the rules, but it isn't clear. If we learn, we'll change for 2014, but in 180 minutes anything is possible.

"There are all the best teams (at the World Cup), if someone has missed out it is because they haven't deserved it."

Blatter will stand for re-election in 2011, insisting "I have not yet achieved my mission in football."

The Swiss has held his position since 1998 when he took over from Joao Havelange and despite often being controversial, is currently in his third term.

However, the 73-year-old plans to continue for some time.

"I've not finished my mission in football yet," he said.

"I need more time. I hope that in 2011 the FIFA congress once more has faith in me, otherwise I'll go back to my village.

"Football is my life."

Or maybe cos someone made the rules up as they went along Sepp, eh?

Tosser.

[punkrocket]

Gibson - Northern Ireland

[tetsujin1979]

It's not unreasonable that we could keep a clean sheet at home. We've only conceded more than 1 goal once at home in a competitive game under Trapattoni (VS Italy). France only scored more than one goal away from home once in the qualifiers, a 2-2 draw VS Romania, and they were 2-0 down at one point in that game.
The other games they only scored 1, 3-1 loss away to Austria, 1-0 VS Faroes and Lithuania, 1-1 VS group winners Serbia.

[bwagner]

Houghton - Glasgow
McCarthy - Yorkshire
McGeady - Scotland
Kilbane - England
Townsend - England
Coyle - Scotland
Gibson - Northern Ireland
Cascarino - no irish lineage at all.

Your arguement is ridiculous. You go through the Irish team from the last game, then bring up French players who haven't played in years, even including Djorkaeff, who WAS BORN IN FRANCE!!! Then you have the audacity to say 2 posts later to say you haven't read the article. And Trappatoni is ITALIAN!!

How is it ridiculous ??- If the French manager wants to try and scrutinize the Irish players nationalilty , We hav every right to point out that nearly all the French players are not of direct French heritage.

There new keeper included.

[GM11]

[QUOTE=Polster;1254094]Given - Lifford

Ledger - Grandfather from Carlow

have visited the forum for quite some time but never posted

just on st ledger - i was a couple of years above him at Peterborough many years ago - in training we always played Irish V English in 5 a side - sledge was always on the irish side and when asked he always said he was Irish - has always considered himself to be irish and hated anyone at Posh calling him English. Certainly not one who can be put in the same bracket of certain players who we have had over the years. ie. Townsend