gonna be so heartbreaking for whoever has to go home how many times haven't i heard this one tho: "it's heartbreaking for England" by english commentators
What I keep on saying for some years now....NOT Le Sommer as CF/ lone striker ever again...She doesn't possess the qualities or physicality required, too short not strong enough can't hold the ball, Eugenie is having an horrible Euro...like many strikers...we need to find a way to use her notorious abilities which are mainly technical better. Le Sommer is one of the very best in the world in tiny space thanks to notable agility, dribbling accuracy, shooting technique, ball control and burst speed on a short distance. Against England I will opt for a 4-3-3 formation with Bouhaddi- Houara, Georges, Mbock, Karchaoui - Abily, Henry, Geyoro - Le Sommer, Diani, Lavogez. England is in superb shape but they can't keep the ball, Sampson knows they never beat us, it will not take risks and settle deep his team letting us attack to free space on counter attack for Taylor and co. They will play as they did against Spain this time with more aggressiveness....they want this victory more than us for many reasons...What France have to do is keep the ball, not rushing plays...you should NEVER play high tempo against them....keeping the ball will frustate them forcing them to make foul/mistakes. Their left defensive side ,Bright-Stokes, is their weakest point...plus White is a striker she help less than Nobbs...our attack should be concentrated on that side of the pitch... It will be a very close game but we can do it. Changing rhythm and ball circulation is what England football men and women don't like and we know that.
If Echouafni has balls he will play Tounkara and M'Bock together. Georges will struggle against Kirby and Taylor for pace. England are favourites on current form but IF our girls can play at their normal level and the coach find the right tactic, it will be ok.
some un kind words are being tossed around by both coaches http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40748567 despite players missing due to cards & injuries, I'm favoring France, since Sampson left out way too many talented players for his final Euro squad; Aluko, Carter, Chapman, Daly, Davsion, Dowie, Galton, Lawley, Mead, Spence, Welch all didn't make the cut
Tough game but if the French play the high line they have been attempting during spells of this tournament Kirby and Taylor will get good opportunities. This England team struggle against teams that are compact but can be productive on the counter. I can't say I'm very confident of England coming back from a goal down. The French have at points moved the ball quicker with purpose than any team in the tournament imo but they do give it away during those spells. So it's set up for a very intriguing encounter.
England were very efficient against us and they have some good finishers so they'll always have a chance. But I was rather shocked at their inability to keep the ball in our game. I know they setup defensively but I saw a lot of misplaced passes, poor touches, and some sloppy play. I don't think that was in the game plan.
I can say now like with Norway I have prepared a country specific "mood song" for each side. I mean for the case they happen to be the ones who have to go home. May the better team win!
Wendie is one of the best five European players at the moment...the other four are Marozsan, Henry, Bronze and Little....so of course her missing is massive but in defense France has players who could do a very nice job in her absence, Georges, Mbock, Tounkara are not that far from her in terms of defensive abilites, the problem is leadership..Renard and Henry are the true leader of our team, their presence reassure their teammates, specially in a defense where despite being very talented Mbock and Karchaoui are still very young and Bouhaddi...well is Bouhaddi....For set pieces, yes her being 190 cm is always a plus for France and OL but she doesn't score score that much header anymore because after awhile teams have learnt how to defend on her. So I say we will miss more her leadership than her header. True Aissatou/Griedge is a better combination than with Laura, Tounkara is our fastest CB so ideal for opposing counter-attackin teams....but I just prefer Georges because she's tougher, I mean Laura is a rock, and it will be a bloody battle against England.
Jodie Taylor says she will be sitting in her hotel room tonight reviewing video clips of France goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi over a cup of her favourite coffee. Some quotes - Taylor has also done her homework. “I’ve been studying the goalies,” she says. “I like to watch a lot of footage of them in one-to-one situations. When we played Spain, I knew their goalie flies off her line. For my goal against them she went down early, so I knew to dink it over her. Watching her definitely helped. “I also do visualisation. It helps with defenders. You watch five or six video clips and you start to see people’s tendencies and are able to visualise what they’ll do in games. “Then I replay goals in my mind and visualise scenarios that might happen. Half the time it’s irrelevant but sometimes it means you’re ready for that one chance.” https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...l-women-england-france-jodie-taylor-euro-2017
I root from them since the beginning, but they have to raise up their game and get past injuries and disciplinary absences.
I think France have the better players, not that it has anything to say but lol i like England best as the football island with no senior titles for 60 years??
French FA have put the suspended Perriset in their team by mistake Houara-D'Hommeaux starts in that position.
Do you think England will sit back like they did against us? A dangerous tactic to employ I think since France is much better than we are.
I don't think that will be the plan. I would expect them to play further up the pitch and pressing the ball in Frances side of the pitch to try and turnover the ball infront of that French defence. Hard to say for certain though as this England team can get stuck in their own half because of their limitations with the ball centrally. I'm off to watch the game so will report back later
I like Diani as a starter over Thiney. Also, it's good that apparently Le Sommer is no more central forward and this role has been given to Delie; chemistry between Le Sommer and Delie has never been very good, but this line-up makes more sense anyway. Echouafni chose Georges over Tounkara to substitute Renard. It could be a risk vs the speed of Jodie Taylor, but going with Georges' experience could be a good call.