2010 WC Qualifying - Ireland vs. France (11/14/2009) [R]

[bwiorly]

Well, let's start early with the pre-game discussion... Ireland it is, and it is probably the toughest of all possible draws.

1st leg in Dublin on Saturday November 14, second leg at the SdF on Wednesday November 18.

I really hope Domenech doesn't play for the 0-0 tie in Ireland. Get the scoreless draw there and you might think you're in the driver's seat, but if you concede an early one at home, then you're in real trouble...

Ireland's strategy should be fairly predictable: stay back, play the counter-attack, and go all out on set pieces with long (and high) balls into the box. In recent memory, we haven't done well at all against teams who have played that way, and we're going to be particularly vulnerable on free kicks and corners. Yes, I'm nervous already...

I'll keep my optimistic hat on though, and say we win 2-1 in Dublin and 2-0 at the SdF for a 4-1 aggregate score.

Last piece of (bad) news for us: according to people in the know, both legs of the match-up will be on Setanta Premium in the US (NOT the regular Setanta USA channel), which means extremely limited availability outside of the major urban centers. TV5 should carry the return leg though, making it a little easier to watch for some of us.

[Catel]

Better bringing Vincent Clerc to Croke Park, he knows what to do.

[soji22]

I say we go for a win in Dublin. It would be nice to score a goal or two in the Irish capital. On current form, I don't see why we can't. Then we can hope for an easier game in Paris.

I see no reason to fear Ireland. They should be respected but not feared. At this stage of qualifying, all the games are tough. A draw with any of the other three teams would have been just as tricky to negotiate.

[vonni]

I'm an Aussie but I have a soft spot for France since my father had immigrated to France back in the 70s and majority of my father's family still live in France. Anyways, Australia played Ireland in a friendly not too long ago and I must say, this SHOULD be a walk in the park for the Les Bleus.

Despite qualifying for the WC going undefeated, our actual football has been very average. However our friendly against the Irish saw us playing the best football I've seen us play for quite some time and we didn't even have our full line up against them. I personally put it down to playing a high tempo direct game against them, Ireland just couldn't handle it and if you contain Robbie Keane then you have one up against them. And btw, we played this Irish side on their home turf and we carved out a 3-0 win. So if Domenech takes the initiative (please do!) the French will be able to get the win and qualify with real ease.

Looking at the other teams if could have been, I am much more relieved lining up against Ireland because I know for sure Ireland are very vulnerable in key areas.

Good luck!

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Trust me guys Ray will not ask the guys to play for a draw in Ireland. There would be no point to it.

[Buddha]

Trust me guys Ray will not ask the guys to play for a draw in Ireland. There would be no point to it.

So that means only three DMs instead of four?;)

[AfrcnHrbMan]

haha, I have to admit I literally LOL when I read that.

[bwiorly]

According to L'Equipe (http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2009/20091021_201415_ribery-manquera-les-barrages.html), Ribéry will miss both playoff legs due to severe tendinitis on his left knee.

Curse or blessing? Sure, we could have used his speed and dribbling skills to penetrate the Irish defense, but he's not as indispensable to the team when he has to play in less than full form (see his poor performances as a sub against Romania and Serbia) and at least now we don't have to worry about a potential mess with both Henry and Ribéry laying claim over the same position--sure, I think eventually, Ribéry would have "sacrificed" himself for the common good and moved to the right, but at least now things are clear: Henry will play on the left and he doesn't have to deal with the unwanted competition.

Now the real question is, who's going to play on the right in a 4-2-3-1 (or even 4-4-2) formation--Govou? Anelka? Someone else? That's the number 1 issue Raymond has to address over the next 3 weeks.

[StarrMatthieu]

According to L'Equipe (http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2009/20091021_201415_ribery-manquera-les-barrages.html), Ribéry will miss both playoff legs due to severe tendinitis on his left knee.

Curse or blessing? Sure, we could have used his speed and dribbling skills to penetrate the Irish defense, but he's not as indispensable to the team when he has to play in less than full form (see his poor performances as a sub against Romania and Serbia) and at least now we don't have to worry about a potential mess with both Henry and Ribéry laying claim over the same position--sure, I think eventually, Ribéry would have "sacrificed" himself for the common good and moved to the right, but at least now things are clear: Henry will play on the left and he doesn't have to deal with the unwanted competition.

Now the real question is, who's going to play on the right in a 4-2-3-1 (or even 4-4-2) formation--Govou? Anelka? Someone else? That's the number 1 issue Raymond has to address over the next 3 weeks.

knowing Mr Raymond its going to be Samir Nasri

ps this isn't a bad thing if nasri comes on i hope he does

[N. Platini]

bwiorly , it's not fair to say Ribéry was poor , he isn't at 100% which is why he was sub in both them games .

Is it me or Ribéry seems to be very injury prone now ? :(

[AfrcnHrbMan]

i don't know about Sami Nasri. If he plays on the weekend for the gunners, he still would have less than a month of competitive football since he broke his leg in the summer. I'd be surprised if he gets called up, as he's not really a 'fixture' on the national team yet.


I'm not sure about Ribery's injury problems, just doesn't seem like he's properly recovering from one. He just needs to shut it down completely for a while, and I'm sure he'lll get better.

[bwiorly]

bwiorly , it's not fair to say Ribéry was poor , he isn't at 100% which is why he was sub in both them games .

I'm sorry but Ribéry did play poorly vs. Romania (in for Gignac, 57th min.) and Serbia (in for Henry, 77th min.). Watch the games again and see for yourself... Worse, against Romania he was instructed to play on the right when he came in, and the first thing he did was to go up to Henry and demanded to take his place on the left. Henry refused, and the team looked fairly disorganized from that point on. That's just not acceptable.

Don't get me wrong, I'll start a healthy Ribéry willing to play on the right any time, but he's clearly not as decisive when injured, and as long as Henry is around, he must give up his aspirations to play on the left. Right now, we don't need divas on this team, we need all the players to pull together as a group.

[N. Platini]

The whole team was poor against Romania , so again it's unfair .

Against Serbia , we were down to 10 , while we were in control of that match we hardly threaten their goal . This was happening before Ribéry came in . The only players I can say who did well were Gallas , Gourcuff and Henry .

[Inara]

I hope Govou is called up, he's been amazing recently.

[zlz_deutschland_zlz]

france will draw or win 1-0 in ireland,then beat ireland at home 1-0 is enough,i believe france will qualify but i feel bad for irish fans,i was hope for france play bosnia or slovenia though!

[Suyuntuy]

Our last team was:

-----------------Lloris/Mandanda/Carrasso-----------------
Sagna/Fanni---Gallas/Squillaci---Abidal/Escudé---Evra/Clichy
--------------------------Lassana/A. Diarra----------------
------------Toulalan/Sissoko-----------------Malouda/Diaby
Govou/Anelka----------------------------------------------
------------------Henry/Gignac--------Benzema/Gomis------

It has worked well, with much more fluidity. And... without Ribéry, Nasri or Gourcuff.

Now, who is in doubt? To me, Fanni, Sissoko and Gomis are iffy.

Gourcuff may be back in place of Sissoko. Since Hoarau is injured until next year, my guess is that Rémy could get a cap instead of Gomis. Chalmé or Réveillère would be my choices to cover that second right back spot, but chances are Ray will call someone else, if he doesn't keep Fanni. Probably Clerc.

The last other change I'd like to see is Flamini in place of Alou Diarra. Again, I think that's very unlikely.

[Inara]

Chalmé or Réveillère would be my choices to cover that second right back spot, but chances are Ray will call someone else, if he doesn't keep Fanni. Probably Clerc.

Definitely not Clerc, who's only played a handful of games since the start of the season. But you're right, Domenech won't call up Reveillere or Chalme. It's too bad because Reveillere has been really good and definitely merits a call up. He's been doing better than Fanni at the very least, imo.

[Nanbawan]

All I can say is that both games will likely be painful to watch ! :eek:

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Samir Nasri looked brillant against Pool yesterday in his first real game back from injury. He could very well do something for us if he gets called up. He is sooo good on the ball it's frightening. He's just the type of creative player we'll need to unlock the Irish defense.


Also that walking turd Tommy Smyth and Shaka Hislop both picked us to lose this tie and not go to the cup...so maybe we are the underdogs now and will prevail with that never say die mentality :D

[Suyuntuy]

Also that walking turd Tommy Smyth and Shaka Hislop both picked us to lose this tie and not go to the cup...
Well, Smyth is Irish so of course... :)

If Nasri comes in, then I guess Anelka would take the 4th striker position over Gomis/Rémy and it'll be Nasri on the right (I prefer him on the left TBH) with Govou as his second.

Malouda did too well last time around to keep him out of the starting 11 IMO.