Match 34|France vs. South Africa|22-06-10|Pre-match discussion

You guys may think im crazy...but this is the match i believe SA will play their best. They like playing against big names (i think the SA players are very weird regarding this...they like the shine or something) - South Africa has this tendancy to play better against better opposition instead of smaller opposition - they lift their games against tougher opponents. I earnestly believe we can beat France...

 

You never know t.b.h. With France it's either all good (W.C 1998, 2006) or all bad (2002). In 2006 the team struggled during the group stage so everyone wrote them off, but after they found their form. This time, there won't be any time to settle.... and all three game should be tight.

 

I don't know wether Charles Nzogbia can play for France, but i would at least have him in the France squad...even if he is on the bench...He totally outplayed liverpool yesterday...

 

From a realistic point of view I do not believe S.A. stands a chance, to be honest even though they are the local team they are inexperienced and are open to attack and need more time to be ready for the WC stage... But best of luck to all remember this is just my opinion... The true answer we will see in June.

 

this is probably my first choice match of all the matches in the first round...

 

Les Bleus, Les Cheaters the French I do not and I REITERATE I do not want France to win this game against South Africa, if anything if there is any poetic justice in the world that the South Africans beat the French since the French cheated their way into South Africa by beating Ireland. If anything Ireland deserve to be in this 2010 FIFA World Cup and not France, and Ireland deserve to be in this group facing off with South Africa and not France.

For me I have lost all the respect I ever had for France after they cheated their way here to South Africa, the French are forever tarnished in my eyes

If there is any poetic justice, South Africa beats France 2-0, I really hope really really really hope and pray that this is the case, because I hate Les Bleus with a passion

 

Hi from France, i don't know much about RSA but i think they have their chance given the fact they play home and France is often awful in Group games.

Wish you all the luck and a fair game

 

Oh yes, i agree. This one was a real shame. We don't like cheaters and this kind of players shouldn't have the right to wear the blue shirt.

But we would have to kick out half of the team because nowadays they are all so passionate with the job of filling their wallet and that's about it.

 

The one team in the World Cup I wouldn't mind if they get cheated by the refs to help the hosts progress is France...

 

People make mistakes and i believe fifa made the correct decision in making France still go through. You don't want to lose too much of the drama and human element to the game. It's what makes things so interesting...

A 'penalty not given' is just as bad as what Henry did...or when someone "looks/similates" for a penalty, what makes that less frowned upon than to what Henry did?

 

hypocrisy! first henry do a hand ball ok but every soccer players had one day do a hand ball so all players are cheaters?
It's just a referee like many others.

Secondly it was 1-0 0-1 so even if the goal was not allowed nobody can say that Ireland will have qualify instead of France.

Lastly British/Irish media are just the most efficient to manipulate media when the referee do a bad call against them.

All team have bad referee call against them , and true champion's are strong enough to win even with that.

I was very sad because I was thinking were not "little girl crying" like english when they loose.

You loose , you had bad luck with referee ok sorry for you but be proud and stop crying ! Work and say : next time we will be strong enough to not loose our match at home.

 

Cheating is cheating is cheating is cheating. Doesn't matter if a hundred people do it, or if Ireland did it with Georgia, or whomever. France got to the world cup through a cheating play, and while we don't know and can't know if things had been fairly played if France or Ireland would go through, we do know with certainty that it was through a cheating play that France got through.

Whether 0-1 and 1-0 and Ireland or France go through on extra time or penalty kicks is irrelevent, the facts are the facts. Therefore, I hope France loses all of its matches, although not through being cheated by the refs but just being manhandled and beaten and made to go home in shame.

 

I agree cheating is cheating. But what would you say to a team that got an undeserved red card, resulting in the long run to lose the match?
Or...Lets say a tackle from behind missed by the ref caused a free kick which lead to a pass which lead to a corner, and then a goal? Surely that initial free kick is still the result? Or is there some grace period for recovery of undeserved calls by the reffs?

Hard to draw the line. I think the thing that confuses refs most these days, are simulation...they need to sort out that mess and be much stricter on it....

 

Khune just made Domenech a very happy man. Good luck trying to win the third match without him.

 

The best of keepers makes mistakes...

Khune is very good at certain things...and erratically very good. Not consistent enough and lacks experience. He does well for his age though. Best distribution in the world as a goalie in my opinion. But collecting crosses? He sucks at that....

Maybe Moneeb Josephs will be a blessing in disguise. He can be brilliant at times, but also unfortunately also as erratic as Khune. Someone like Vonk and Baloyi is more consistent, but does not have the extreme skills and agility of either Khune or Josephs. They are better in the air though at collecting balls.

 

Neither team can afford to just win, both have to win, and win big to have any hope of advancing. I would hope for a crazy wide open game as a result.

 

South Africa will win or the game will end 0-0.

 

Well, I don't see a 0-0, both teams they need to win by at least two, if not 3, 4, 5, or 6 given the fact I'd be shocked if Uruguay and Mexico try very hard to score. Though avoiding Argentina might be a strong enough motivation to risk losing by 2, especially given the kind of weak bracket on that side (Winner A, C, 2nd B, D) especially if the USA is still in with a shot to win Group C.

 

I imagine there will be a lot of scoreboard watching in the Mexico-Uruguay game. I dont think either team will be too adventurous for the first 60 minutes... if France-South Africa is even or close, you may see Mexico take more chances. If one team is really blowing the other out, Mexico may just take 2nd place and not take any chances. But Uruguay is fine with a tie, it puts them as the group winners. Its all about how much Mexico is willing to risk to win the group.

 

Denied

 

-----------Lloris
Sagna-Squillaci-Abidal-Clichy
-------Gourcuff-Diaby
Ribéry--------------Malouda
--------Cissé-Henry


Franck, the fun is over. Now you stay on your wing and you just push the ball and center and you try NOTHING ELSE !

Titi, this is your jubilee. Thank you for everything.

Try to score those 5 goals-- just try. And then holidays for everybody, and then bye-bye Pat, William, Nico.