Re : Re: Euro 2008
I still wonder if Domenech is the problem. France always starts lethargic, but this time, they seemed so...clueless as well. No urgency, no determination, no drive forward. Did Domenech even look at the table, at the opposition in this group? Three points are worth a risk.
This performance was as exciting as watching paint dry. Less so. At least with paint you know the end result will look good.
I want him to dump Makélélé and Anelka. (Maybe he should've brought Trezeguet after all...). Oh, and he should've brought Mexès too. And dump the 4-4-2. Back to 4-2-3-1, suits this selection better I think.
And darn the Scots for showing the world that France can't crack open a 7-2-1 formation. The Rumanians are excellent students.
But those are all incidental problems. The real problem is the lack of a playmaker. No Platini, no Zidane = rubbish French. Clueless, lethargic. No vision.
82, 84, 86 were fantastic. Then after Platini quit, it took French football ages to recover. We didn't even qualify for 1990 and 1994.
Similarly, 98 and 2000 were divine. Then in 2002, Zidane didn't recover in time. He missed the first two games. The rest of the team was completely lost because of it. As rubbish as yesterday.
In 2006, the older players took over from Domenech in the tournament after the first dismal matches, when France looked set for another disaster. The place in the final was only the result of Zidane's willpower. Just like his and the other older players return saved the qualification campaign earlier.
But who must do it this time? Normally, a coach should inspire a team to greatness. But Domenech isn't going to do it. He can't energize a team. Ribéry is a winger, not a player who should direct a team. He's still young too. Benzema only just turned twenty as well. Henry, if he isn't past his prime in the first place, will be busy recovering from his injury. Viera and Thuram can maybe do it, but they are 74 and 82 respectively.
On the upside, there'll be more space against the Dutch. And maybe les Bleus will have woken up. There's too much quality in this team for more dismal performances like yesterday's. Plus les Bleus are at their best when it is almost too late.
Predictions:
Sure Bet: France - Netherlands 2-2
Sure Bet: Romania - Italy 3-0
Sure Bet: France - Italy 5-1
Sure Bet: Netherlands - Romania 1-0
58th minute. Materazzi substituted. Priceless look on his face. Beer bottle hurled at television in euphoria.Originally Posted by Andres
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