10 reasons to be optimistic

[Murfinator]

1) Raymond Domenech
2) Their best player has only one game of fitness under his belt.
3) Their second best player is out injured.
4) One of their centre backs is a natural full back and awkward in that position.
5) Over the past 30 years the Ireland v France records are dead even. 2 draws and a win each.
6) Our fans are notoriously comfortable and familiar with the Stade de France and will travel in their droves, most the players have played their before eliminating any possible hostile atmosphere.
7) We have a relatively injury and suspension free side. Bar long term absences Trap will have all available starting options at his disposal.
8) We haven't lost a competitive game in 2 years, France have.
9) The french side has low morale and confidence, if things go against them their fans won't help them in the slightest and will happily take the opportunity to boo Domenech.
10) Our record against big sides is impressive, we've only lost 3 out of 12 encounters with France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Portugal and Spain this decade.

[paul_oshea]

10 reasons to be pessimistic:
Henry
Anelka
Benzema
Kilbane
Glenn Whelan v anyone in their midfield
Keith Andrews v anyone in their midfield
We haven't beaten a major side (any side above us)competitively since 2001
2nd leg is away
Any injury to or suspension to given, dunne, oshea, keane, doyle, duff and we are in serious bother
Ill let you add the last one.

[thischarmingman]

I dreamt we won the first leg 1-0 last night.

Stephen Ireland scored the goal, before anyone gets their hopes up.

[Murfinator]

I actually wouldn't worry too much about Whlean/Andrews against the French with the way they line up. If they had a Kaka or Sneijder or someone like that I'd be terrified but the french with Toulalan and Lass just sit back and play it out wide.

We'll be doing well to keep a clean sheet with Sledge and Kilbane in our back 4 though.

But still Evra gets caught out of position all the time, Abidal is incredibly error prone at CB and Mexes is going through the worst run of form I've ever seen so it works both ways.

[Murfinator]

10 reasons to be pessimistic:
Henry
Anelka
Benzema
Kilbane
Glenn Whelan v anyone in their midfield
Keith Andrews v anyone in their midfield
We haven't beaten a major side (any side above us)competitively since 2001
2nd leg is away
Any injury to or suspension to given, dunne, oshea, keane, doyle, duff and we are in serious bother
Ill let you add the last one.

Also why are so many people pinpointing Anelka as a threat. He's not a starter.

[Duggie]

10 reasons to be pessimistic:
Henry
Anelka
Benzema
Kilbane
Glenn Whelan v anyone in their midfield
Keith Andrews v anyone in their midfield
We haven't beaten a major side (any side above us)competitively since 2001
2nd leg is away
Any injury to or suspension to given, dunne, oshea, keane, doyle, duff and we are in serious bother
Ill let you add the last one.

i see no problems with whelan no matter who's in the oppositions midfield.

[Ciaran W]

11.we want it much much more

[Larks]

Also why are so many people pinpointing Anelka as a threat. He's not a starter.

I know he is unlikely to start, but he might, and are u tellin me you're not gonna be worried when he comes on with 20 minutes to go!

[TerryPhelan]

10 reasons to be pessimistic:
Henry
Anelka
Benzema
Kilbane
Glenn Whelan v anyone in their midfield
Keith Andrews v anyone in their midfield
We haven't beaten a major side (any side above us)competitively since 2001
2nd leg is away
Any injury to or suspension to given, dunne, oshea, keane, doyle, duff and we are in serious bother
Ill let you add the last one.

I don't know why this point is being trotted out so much. We don't need to beat France in either match to qualify. We are the masters of the 1-1 victory and scored in all but one of our matches away from home in this campaign. Two draws can see us through to South Africa. As aware as we are of this team's limitations, nobody who has watched us in the last two years could realistically say we're not capable of (a) two draws against a big side, and (b) scoring away against a higher-ranked side. It's not a massive leap from that to say we're capable of getting a 0-0 at home and a 1-1 away, or whatever it takes.

[nechayev]

i actually see the 1st leg at home as a slight ADVANTAGE.... here's why:

we go there first & the garlic munchers whip our ass (3:0 say), come here and put 11 behind the ball in a dead rubber in front of a miserable grumbling ****ed-off negative home crowd, where they get a break away goal & a 0:1 victory to make sure of their qualification.... don't tell me you couldn't see that?

however: 1st leg in a cold damp dublin with 70k+ tanked up fiana screaming support for the EPL "b" side and i'm not sure les bleus'll be too sure what to do AND if (as i assume) the match is still live going into the 2nd leg then ALL the pressure goes onto a team whose character & moral strength has to be questioned - 0:0 & 1:1, anybody?

people say: nechayev, are you an optimist?
i reply: well, i like to think so! (thanks to bill bailey)

ps: remember - never sit down at a pavement table in a paris bar!

[nechayev]

WHAT THE....? looks up....

you can't say "pi$$ed" on foot.ie?

holy geraniums! you delicate flowers, you!

[paul_oshea]

I lIke this guy nechayev.

[Ciaran W]

Did france not sell out there away section for saturday ? because i heard on the radio that there is 1000 tickets in hill 16 goin on sale to the irish from tomorrow ?

[Emmet7]

1. We have Trapattoni
2. They have Domenech

Ok it's only two reasons, that's the best I could come up with.

[Fergie's Son]

We have spirit and vigor. They have heaps of talent. Hard to see us prevailing over the two legs to be honest. That said, we've come so far why not just cross that last bridge and leave the French in our wake.

[carloz]

I think one reason to be quite optomistic about Saturday anyway is France's away record in this campaign. They won two games out of five away from home, both 1-0. They beat the Faroes and Lithuania(who in turn lost to the Faroes). This is hardly form to scare the **** out of us.
Serbia won their group. While a very good team with quality, they are not among Europes best.
Austria....yes, Austria, beat them.
Maybe there is a bit of over confidence here but there is absolutly nothing to fear here whatsoever. A much poorer Scottish team than us could beat them home and away recently, whats to say we cant.




Believe

[Supreme feet]

Just thought I'd put up some observations from the Guardian's matchtracker of their Euro 2008 game against Romania...

Hmmmm, not much to report from that half except France had plenty of possession but didn't seem too bothered about creating anything in the way of shots, excitement or decent football.

The view from France. Or at least the view from someone with a French name: "Romania have discovered, like the Scots, that the best thing to do against les Bleus is sit back in your own half." Or give it to Malouda. France pass it from side-to-side as the Romanians press them. In the end, Ribery inevitable loses the ball and Romania clear.

90+2 That's it, France did a little less than nothing and didn't really seem to be too bothered about it.

France have no chance if they continue to play like that, not only was there a complete lack of creativity, there was almost no competitive spirit in the team. It should be emphasised that France were terrible in the early stages of the last World Cup – drawing with Korea and Switzerland. Unfortunately for Les Bleus they only needed to beat Togo to rescue their campaign. Now they have to take on the Dutch and Italy.

[kkdub]

If we can keep a clean sheet on Saturday, we're over half way there, and all that is needed to achieve this is basic concentration, not better skill or fitness. We have fallen down to Turkey and Belgium in past playoffs simply because we conceded just one goal at home. We don't have a playoff problem. We have a problem conceding crucial goals at home. A 0-0 draw at home and a 1-1 draw away is very achieveable.

[SilkCut]

1) Raymond Domenech
2) Their best player has only one game of fitness under his belt.
3) Their second best player is out injured.
4) One of their centre backs is a natural full back and awkward in that position.
5) Over the past 30 years the Ireland v France records are dead even. 2 draws and a win each.
6) Our fans are notoriously comfortable and familiar with the Stade de France and will travel in their droves, most the players have played their before eliminating any possible hostile atmosphere.
7) We have a relatively injury and suspension free side. Bar long term absences Trap will have all available starting options at his disposal.
8) We haven't lost a competitive game in 2 years, France have.
9) The french side has low morale and confidence, if things go against them their fans won't help them in the slightest and will happily take the opportunity to boo Domenech.
10) Our record against big sides is impressive, we've only lost 3 out of 12 encounters with France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Portugal and Spain this decade.

At last Murfinator, something we can agree on. Can we put Liam Miller being injured on the list??????

[tricky_colour]

I dreamt we won the first leg 1-0 last night.

Stephen Ireland scored the goal, before anyone gets their hopes up.

Had you been eating cheese?