[grodada]

my lineup against Romania:

Coupet

sagnol-thuram-gallas/boumsong-evra

toulalan----makélélé

ribéry--------------------malouda

benzema----------henry

IMO the only uncertainty is gallas who hasn't played enough to be fully fit; abidal is too defensive to start in this game
toulalan should play a little higher than makélélé who should cover his left flank when evra is on offense
henry should be playing more as a relay for benzema

[Tetsuo]

France seems to have a very strong line-up. i'm afraid of Benzema most of all. he is a natural striker who had a great season at Lyon.
However, i hope that Romania can pull out a draw in this match, maybe even a victory.

As a prediction i say 1-1. Hai Romania!

[exeprime]

Hm... It's hard to predict the Romanian team for the game. I think Piturca will go for a defensive lineup, but my ideal Romanian team would look something like...

Lobonţ
Contra - Tamaş - Goian - Raţ
Codrea - Chivu
Fl. Petre - Dică - Mutu
M. Niculae

I think it'll all come down to who scores first (if at all) - I wouldn't be surprised for the game to end in a blank draw, since both France and Romania have rather sturdy defenses. But then again, France have plenty of players that can decide the whole game with an individual play, and even some of our players might do that... Mutu is pure class, and Dica or Marica (should he play) can both make a difference on a good day. Plus Goian and his excellent skill in heading set pieces, any corner is dangerous with him on the pitch...
Overall, an impossible game to call. I'd guess 0-0 would be the most likely result in my book.

Other than that... go Romania!

[AFCA]

I'm pretty psyched about this game as well. Should be very exciting.

[FNU]

Mutu is going to have a good game I feel. France needs to get going on offense because Romania isn't goal shy.

[Tetsuo]

Originally Posted by FNU

Mutu is going to have a good game I feel. France needs to get going on offense because Romania isn't goal shy.

well everybody expects Mutu to be our main goalscorer, the newspapers, tha fans, the oponents, but i think Domenech, Donadoni and Van Basten also know how dangerous Mutu is and therefore certainly thought of how to stop him.

our chance in my opinion is to surprise the oposition with something else. maybe if Mutu can draw the atention of 2 defenders towards him, somebody like Dica, Cristea or Marica will have more spaces to attack.

[FNU]

Domenech is too arrogant to double team a player unless there's a physical advantage such as height i.e. Luca Toni. Mutu will be man marked, but I don't expect him to be crowded. He'll get room to work at least against France.

[Tetsuo]

Originally Posted by FNU

Domenech is too arrogant to double team a player unless there's a physical advantage such as height i.e. Luca Toni. Mutu will be man marked, but I don't expect him to be crowded. He'll get room to work at least against France.

maybe you're right, but i was trying to say is that Romania shouldn't put all hopes in Mutu. he can decide a match, that's true, but he can also have bad days and the oposition can stop him (see for example Fiorentina - Glasgow Rangers, where the scots anihilated him for 120 minutes).
i hope we'll have a good team play on the attack phase of the game.

other than that i have big hopes from this game and i predict a draw or a victory.

[grodada]

Originally Posted by Tetsuo

maybe you're right, but i was trying to say is that Romania shouldn't put all hopes in Mutu. he can decide a match, that's true, but he can also have bad days and the oposition can stop him (see for example Fiorentina - Glasgow Rangers, where the scots anihilated him for 120 minutes).
i hope we'll have a good team play on the attack phase of the game.

other than that i have big hopes from this game and i predict a draw or a victory.

I have high hopes as well and I predict a win for France of course

[Dutch Treat]

I just have this feeling that the French will underestimate Romania at the beginning of the match, while Romania is going at it from the start, pressuring the French. This will lead to a quick 1-0 for Romania, France will get their act together and score 1-1 right after the break. Romania to score another just before the final whistle, in a very contested 2nd half.

2-1 Romania.