Match Day 1

[Michel Kane]

TBH, if similar sh*t goes on against South Africa, who's defence is dire. Then boy...Forreal @ Wenger.

[TF S4DK]

Left-back was dire. When he came off they was stronger bar my man falling asleep on the goal. I dont think Mokaena can play that poor again either. Allow playing the hosts, especially when your the underachieving big fish.

[MrJibbles]

Not the only one who properly thinks this but France should revert to 4-2-3-1, at least you got that balance in the 3 of(Right to left)-Ribery-Gourcuff-Malouda-I know this will leave you wondering who goes up top but surely that 3 have enough quality to produce something. At least you would get a better Gourcuff instead of what we saw last night who seem to only appear when a set piece was around or a shot over the bar. The kid is talented but needs to shift this Milan esq form quickly. Is it because of the players around him you can't get the best from him? This is like Ashley Young who a lot of England players raved about and couldn't wait to play with him on the training pitch then what did they see? A player who wasn't like his Villa self, not much of that blistering pace, cutting inside etc. Is this the same with Gourcuff I wonder, or maybe it's just the system and having him in a central midfield 3 doesn't help.Last night they should have attacked the fullbacks BIG time, but decided to keep it narrow and conservative.France have more questions than answers.

[Captain Planet]

Left-back was dire. When he came off they was stronger bar my man falling asleep on the goal. I dont think Mokaena can play that poor again either. Allow playing the hosts, especially when your the underachieving big fish.

I actually beleive Mokoena is a really good cb on a good day, he can offer alot more in defense.

[Michel Kane]

Not the only one who properly thinks this but France should revert to 4-2-3-1, at least you got that balance in the 3 of(Right to left)-Ribery-Gourcuff-Malouda-I know this will leave you wondering who goes up top but surely that 3 have enough quality to produce something. At least you would get a better Gourcuff instead of what we saw last night who seem to only appear when a set piece was around or a shot over the bar. The kid is talented but needs to shift this Milan esq form quickly. Is it because of the players around him you can't get the best from him? This is like Ashley Young who a lot of England players raved about and couldn't wait to play with him on the training pitch then what did they see? A player who wasn't like his Villa self, not much of that blistering pace, cutting inside etc. Is this the same with Gourcuff I wonder, or maybe it's just the system and having him in a central midfield 3 doesn't help.Last night they should have attacked the fullbacks BIG time, but decided to keep it narrow and conservative.France have more questions than answers.

With this squad, yeah, that's the team I'd play, but I'd go with Gignac upfront & tell Gourcuff to play like he does with Bordeaux & hang just behind the striker. Problem with Gourcuff ATM is, it's like you have to play through him to get the best out of him. Riquelme-syndrome. It's just that, the more senior players don't rate him like that.At this point, I'd even play Cisse before Henry & Anelka, because he'll do what's necessary and be a presence in the final 3rd.

[TF S4DK]

Thing is Ribery doesn't look like a goalscorer, and Anelka's link up play isn't good, team would suffer if they played 4-4-2. So Anelka may as well play on the right and I guess Gignac in the centre. I would say Henry centre, but he'd drift to the left and you find Ribery ending up in the middle too much. Ribery's ineffective IMO. Switch him to the right or something, play Malouda with Evra. Cos Ribery negs Evra too much.

[Michel Kane]

Hence me saying this...

Diaby & Toulalan were the only ones who repped in midfield. Wouldn't mind seeing a 4-4-2 with Ribery & Malouda on the flanks with Gignac & Anelka upfront.

However,

But I dunno, Diaby in a 2-man centre midfield...

[darkman]

Not the only one who properly thinks this but France should revert to 4-2-3-1, at least you got that balance in the 3 of(Right to left)-Ribery-Gourcuff-Malouda-I know this will leave you wondering who goes up top but surely that 3 have enough quality to produce something. At least you would get a better Gourcuff instead of what we saw last night who seem to only appear when a set piece was around or a shot over the bar. The kid is talented but needs to shift this Milan esq form quickly. Is it because of the players around him you can't get the best from him? This is like Ashley Young who a lot of England players raved about and couldn't wait to play with him on the training pitch then what did they see? A player who wasn't like his Villa self, not much of that blistering pace, cutting inside etc. Is this the same with Gourcuff I wonder, or maybe it's just the system and having him in a central midfield 3 doesn't help.Last night they should have attacked the fullbacks BIG time, but decided to keep it narrow and conservative.France have more questions than answers.

With this squad, yeah, that's the team I'd play, but I'd go with Gignac upfront & tell Gourcuff to play like he does with Bordeaux & hang just behind the striker. Problem with Gourcuff ATM is, it's like you have to play through him to get the best out of him. Riquelme-syndrome. It's just that, the more senior players don't rate him like that.

Can't really say that, he got a lot of passes yesterday

[Michel Kane]

Nah, he got short, retention passes.Didn't play through him at all IMO.

[TF S4DK]

Nah France cant play 4-4-2, lol.

[anelka]

Nah France cant play 4-4-2, lol.

Why not?/Anelka did all that was asked of him playing as the lone striker, showed for the ball, won flick ons, linked up, he tried 2 do to much at times but mehThe service was poor and they took too long to get up and support the striker, when you play with one upfront u need players prepared to run beyond the main striker..Goucruff needs to win the respect as the main playmaker, then they will trust him more with the ball, but compare his movement to GDS and it was sh*t yesterday, GDS was finding holes but Goucruff looked sluggishFlo has to start the next game

[TF S4DK]

Because the knob Domenech didnt take the midfielders to play 4-4-2.Toulalan yes, If Diarra was fit, yes, which reminds me Shaun Curtis of The Sun should be sacked for putting Diarra in the likely 11 yesterday... But Diaby or Gourcuff, no. They got the other Diarra but meh.

[Michel Kane]

@Anelka, co-sign with Gourcuff winning that 'playmaker' respect first. He just won't do that under this f*ck*ng knob of a coach.@TF, yeah, we haven't got the CM's for a 4-4-2.

[anelka]

Because the knob Domenech didnt take the midfielders to play 4-4-2.Toulalan yes, If Diarra was fit, yes, which reminds me Shaun Curtis of The Sun should be sacked for putting Diarra in the likely 11 yesterday... But Diaby or Gourcuff, no. They got the other Diarra but meh.

2 ball winners (Toulalon & Diarra)Pick any of these to play wide ( Goucruff, Ribery, Flo, Diaby, Govu & Valbuena.. at a push Anelka & Cisse)Of course they can play 4-4-2Their strength is with the forwards who can score goals

[darkman]

Nah, he got short, retention passes.Didn't play through him at all IMO.

You're making excuses for him. He was very poor yesterday and can't blame anyone but himself

[Agony]

384 - Nicolas Anelka has gone 384 minutes without a shot on target in international football. Blaze.7 - Abou Diaby completed the most passes in the final third in the 1st half. Explosive. #worldcup99 - France have only converted 2 of their 99 shots in 2010 (1 v Costa Rica & 1 v Tunisia). Weak. #worldcup20% - Sydney Govou only won 20% of duels against Uruguay (2/10), the lowest total of the France team. Isolated. #worldcup