Official France vs Japan PRE Match & PBP Thread (6/20) [R]

I hope Japan play like they played against NZ, and beat the French, I had no beef with them, but when they need a ref to win, then they shouldn't deserve to win. Good luck Japan, I will be rooting for you.

 

where is alphonse? i heard the french is gonna change 80% of its starting lineup.

le japon vs. la france: la fin du monde est près de

Hamatachi will silently witness its end

god bless all

 

I believe the winner of this game will win the whole tournament.

 

according to Eurosport.com

France -
Fabien Barthez
Jean Alain Boumsong
William Gallas
Willy Sagnol
Mickaël Silvestre
Jérome Rothen
Ludovic Giuly
Robert Pires
Ousmane Dabo
Steve Marlet
Sidney Govou

Japan -
Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi
Tsuneyasu Miyamoto
Ryuzo Morioka
Santos Alex
Akira Narahashi
Yasuhito Endo
Shunsuke Nakamura
Junichi Inamoto
Hidetoshi Nakata
Naohiro Takahara
Yoshito Okubo

 

Okay, that makes more sense. But Kawaguchi in goal? Not too happy about that. So changes for Japan are:
Gk Narazaki -> Kawaguchi
RB Yamada -> Narahashi
CB Tsuboi -> Morioka

How Japan will line up:

--------------------- 23 Kawaguchi

2 Narahashi -- 17 Miyamoto -- 4 Morioka -- 14 Alex

----------- 5 Inamoto --------- 19 Endo--------------
--- 7 Nakata (C) ------------------10 Nakamura----

------------9 Okubo -----------20 Takahara

 

morioka and miyamoto together? that was no-no under troussier. the defense can get ugly today... alex, miyamoto, morioka, and narahashi. all of them have been shaky recently.

 

Eurosport is not reliable source for the lineup. I don't think that's it. It will be the same from last game.

WTH would Zico mess with the backline and GK when it hasn't conceded a goal in 2 games straight?

 

Don't feeling like loggin him on today?

 

no. i'm gonna feel le extremely strange if i log him on le today.

 

France continues to show the residue of the last world cup. They appear in a rut which has no correction. Pyschologically they are going to be hard pressed to score goals. They will play tight at home and Japan has nothing too lose. This is on paper the most intriguing match-up to date.

I like Japan. France will continue in their funk. How Wiltord and Henry continue to suffer from goal anemia is perplexing. Only Pires played with any spark and creativity. Barthez in goal would be a huge mistake. It would be a digression given how well the other keeper played.

 

It won't be easy still, France will do everything to win, hopefully Japan will come out on top.

 

National anthems right now. Stadium is, naturally, packed. French fans singing in full voice. Nakata with the armband for Japan.

 

That's a complete change.

 

go japan!

 

Video can be found here, if you're lucky: http://www.chejumbc.co.kr/vodskin/vod_aod.asp?stream_value=vod&stream_type=Live_tv

 

Any Matchtracker for this game????

 

damn that was a great chance for japan. almost 1 on 1

 

Yep. Strange to see only 2 members of the
"old guard" in that team, Barthez and Pires.
( not that I would call Henry & co. old,
but you get the idea).

 

come on Japan lets do a 1 - 2 and leave France out. Good luck Japan.

 

Anybody else getting these video "hiccups"? Long pauses every minute or so?

 

a speedy game with good chains of short passing by both side

 

France giving Japan no space in midfield.