Republic of Ireland vs. France WC Playoff Sat/Wed 14/18 November **K/Os 8 PM/9 PM**

ErinGoBrath

Reganovski wrote: »

But fake I'd say

Buzz Killington

IRISHSPORTSGUY

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I can see Lawrence starting too, has much more of a physical presence than McGeady and seems to have a lot of determination and character about him. I really like the guy. I try to block out that video of him spit roasting some teenager when I think of him. Oh no I just thought of it

Liam has good taste in fairness.

Evil_Clown

Headshot wrote: »

the tickets I got are for the Cusack stand lower tier

is that good ?

Really depends on the section if you are in 310 to 303 you should have great seats. the front of the lower tier is not fully covered if it rains so bear that in mind !!!

Headshot

thanks alot Evil_Clown

NaiveMelodies

Headshot wrote: »

the tickets I got are for the Cusack stand lower tier

is that good ?

There grand, not quite as bad as Davin Upper. Cant understand how as block bookers, we had grand seats in Lansdowne and got absolutley shafted in Croker..

BaZmO*

Just pray you're not in 311 or 312. That's were they put the schoolboys. Fights a plenty!

PCros

Evil_Clown wrote: »

Really depends on the section if you are in 310 to 303 you should have great seats. the front of the lower tier is not fully covered if it rains so bear that in mind !!!

Supposed to be clear on Saturday night but a windchill of about 1 degrees or so!

2 pairs of socks and a scarf for me!

villains77

hoping for an entertaining game be great to win by 1 nil in the end

briany

PCros wrote: »

Supposed to be clear on Saturday night but a windchill of about 1 degrees or so!

2 pairs of socks and a scarf for me!

I'd like to think that kind of weather would favour the Irish team but I doubt either team will be too affected one way or the other.

JPA

French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac admits he has a real fondness for Croke Park.

The Toulouse striker, who is in line to start the World Cup qualifying play-off on Saturday, admits he is no stranger to the Dublin venue.

Gignac indeed spent time in Ireland as a youngster and fell in love with Gaelic football - whose home is Croke Park - where France will meet Ireland on Saturday.

"When I was younger, I went to Ireland in summer camp at Fermoy, close to Cork. There, I discovered Gaelic Football," said Gignac.

"Croke Park is a wonderful stadium. It is fantastic to play there for World Cup qualification.

"Indeed, that match is maybe the most important moment of my whole career.

"You don't know what the future will be. World Cup qualification is an opportunity you could have just once in your whole career.

"When I am in French team, I am learning every day and from everyone. During training sessions, I am watching Thierry Henry work very closely."
Abidal

Eric Abidal is also looking forward to the game, and he knows that Ireland may try their best to upset France.

"They try to tickle your ankles, but that's part of football," he said.

"It will require a lot of self-control from our part.

"We must make sure we hold our nerve in order not to hamper the team."

.

BaZmO*

"They try to tickle your ankles"

briany

Love for gaelic football? Maybe he thought it was cool or something as a curiousity. It reminds me of when I came across footage of Spainiards playing GAA in Madrid ,I think it was, on youtube.

mayordenis

Getting pretty ****ing excited now.

NaiveMelodies

briany wrote: »

Love for gaelic football? Maybe he thought it was cool or something as a curiousity. It reminds me of when I came across footage of Spainiards playing GAA in Madrid ,I think it was, on youtube.

Link?? Thats class!



ALso, Gignac seems like one of the more sane members of the french squad, I have a gut feeling he'll score a late winner, a header, on saturday.

briany

only1stevo wrote: »

Link?? Thats class!



ALso, Gignac seems like one of the more sane members of the french squad, I have a gut feeling he'll score a late winner, a header, on saturday.

A spanish guy with the unusual name of Michael Donaldson speaks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsiBuJqpvZ8

Evil_Clown

only1stevo wrote: »

ALso, Gignac seems like one of the more sane members of the french squad, I have a gut feeling he'll score a late winner, a header, on saturday.

Well your gut feeling can GGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTT OOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUTTTTTTTT :P

briany

Maybe we can have a sparkling positivity thread and a seething negativity thread for this game as well.:D

Tom65

What is weird is that most of my French friends seem to think Ireland actually have a decent chance. Domenech seems to be their Stan.

I do not share their optimism.

Dont be at yourself

Yeah, most of the French lads in the office are worried. The French press has been bigging up the Croke Park factor, apparently.

mayordenis

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

Yeah, most of the French lads in the office are worried. The French press has been bigging up the Croke Park factor, apparently.

Aye I swear I gave a few choice words to the dickwads around me at the Italy game who were all complaining all game and not getting involved in a single chant.

This is the biggest game is so long, bigger than the other qualifying games over the years because really it marks the end of using Croke Park as a competitive venue, a historical ground, it's against (along with Brazil and Italy) the biggest international side of the last 20 odd years, it's a huge scalp if we can do it. We've had a major tournament drought for 8 years, for me that's a long section of my life, anyway my point is take out your balls and tea bag anyone who isn't signing.

Reganio 2

mayordenis wrote: »

Aye I swear I gave a few choice words to the dickwads around me at the Italy game who were all complaining all game and not getting involved in a single chant.

This is the biggest game is so long, bigger than the other qualifying games over the years because really it marks the end of using Croke Park as a competitive venue, a historical ground, it's against (along with Brazil and Italy) the biggest international side of the last 20 odd years, it's a huge scalp if we can do it. We've had a major tournament drought for 8 years, for me that's a long section of my life, anyway my point is take out your balls and tea bag anyone who isn't signing.

Well expect to be shouting at even more people this time as its going to be full of suits and big wigs, even more than usual.

mayordenis

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Well expect to be shouting at even more people this time as its going to be full of suits and big wigs, even more than usual.

Ahh sure I know,
I always give the fanbase the benefit of the doubt before the game - I just can't fathom there being the usual ****e at this.

newballsplease

RTE and French TV still have not come to an agreement over the rights to wednesdays game....
Imagine not seeing the boys in green beating the frogs on their own turf!!

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/rte-struggle-to-agree-rights-deal-for-paris-showdown-1940312.html

briany

McGeady is looking for his first international goal it seems and it would be a great time to get it. Also turns out those people jeering the French national team in training were in fact themselves French. They were raising a comedy protest against Domenech it seems or maybe just having a general laugh. Actually I think the paper said something about them working for Canal + so maybe they were like a French "Chaser's war on everything" or something.

callaway92

Ireland 1 France 0 is my prediction

venividivici

Rep. of Ireland 8 - 2 France -Believe-

mayordenis

I had a dream we won 3-0 so I'll go with that.

venividivici

mayordenis wrote: »

I had a dream we won 3-0 so I'll go with that.

I like your dreams!! what's the success rate of such dreams?!

briany

I had a dream that we beat the Swiss four nil to qualify in the rain away from but I couldn't find any live coverage of the game and had to keep checking live scores! Don't know why it was Switzerland. Maybe some lingering bitterness about their previous dashing of qualification hopes?

Reganio 2

venividivici wrote: »

I like your dreams!! what's the success rate of such dreams?!

He has had many a romp with Angelina Jolie so I like our chances.

OPENROAD

Tom65 wrote: »

What is weird is that most of my French friends seem to think Ireland actually have a decent chance. Domenech seems to be their Stan.

I do not share their optimism.

In fairness I can see where your friends are coming from, France have lots of injuries, Ireland will not get a better chance to beat them, that said I see France winning both legs.

Idbatterim

i reckon the game over 2 legs is slightly in Frances favour but not by much! this is the same France team that lost 3-1 to Austria! either way neither team are going to run away with it! Is Caleb Folan injured?

paddy978

Any radio stations giving away tickets?

heavyballs

went in to boylesports and put €400 on France at 6/4 to win the first,i think it's a ridiculous price,i don't think we're going to see a typical lazy France performance,they'll win 2-0 with Lass Diarra in the middle of the park puling the strings and our two boys in the middle made to look like the goons that they are

Bubs101

newballsplease wrote: »

RTE and French TV still have not come to an agreement over the rights to wednesdays game....
Imagine not seeing the boys in green beating the frogs on their own turf!!

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/rte-struggle-to-agree-rights-deal-for-paris-showdown-1940312.html

The French games are normally on TV5 anyway so if you are willing to put up with the frog commentarry you might still be able to watch us beat those surrender monkeys

deisedevil

heavyballs wrote: »

went in to boylesports and put €400 on France at 6/4 to win the first,i think it's a ridiculous price,i don't think we're going to see a typical lazy France performance,they'll win 2-0 with Lass Diarra in the middle of the park puling the strings and our two boys in the middle made to look like the goons that they are

Here's hoping someone looks like a goon for putting a 400 euro bet on france.

CHD

CHD wrote: »

5-0 to Ireland

C'mon Ireland

OPENROAD

heavyballs wrote: »

went in to boylesports and put €400 on France at 6/4 to win the first,i think it's a ridiculous price,i don't think we're going to see a typical lazy France performance,they'll win 2-0 with Lass Diarra in the middle of the park puling the strings and our two boys in the middle made to look like the goons that they are

Think it might be 2-1 or 3-1 France, I can see Ireland scoring though.

greendom

Bubs101 wrote: »

The French games are normally on TV5 anyway so if you are willing to put up with the frog commentarry you might still be able to watch us beat those surrender monkeys

Could do without the lame generalisations tbh

CHD

This France team isn't as good as the Italian team we matched twice and you think we will be beaten 3-1 at home? We are tough to break down. France will be lucky to score 2 let alone one. We are well able to score a couple on their weak defence too at home.

major bill

have a good feeling on this so il go with a very tense 1-0 victory for ireland:cool:

OPENROAD

CHD wrote: »

This France team isn't as good as the Italian team we matched twice and you think we will be beaten 3-1 at home? We are tough to break down. France will be lucky to score 2 let alone one. We are well able to score a couple on their weak defence too at home.

The Italian match counts for nothing now imo,this is a completely different match.

France will win both legs, just have a feeling they might score a couple on Saturaday.

CHD

When did I say it counts? It proves we can match the likes of France.

heavyballs

deisedevil wrote: »

Here's hoping someone looks like a goon for putting a 400 euro bet on france.

if you think we can compete with the frogs you're the goon,let's just wait till the match is over and if i'm wrong i'll call myself a goon

Pighead

OPENROAD wrote: »

The Italian match counts for nothing now imo,this is a completely different match.

France will win both legs, just have a feeling they might score a couple on Saturaday.

Of course it counts for something! It shows Ireland can compete with teams that are roughly at the same level as France.

If you are trying to predict the result of a match of course you are going to use previous results against similar teams as a barometer of how well/badly the team will do.

OPENROAD

Pighead wrote: »

Of course it counts for something! It shows Ireland can compete with teams that are roughly at the same level as France.

If you are trying to predict the result of a match of course you are going to use previous results against similar teams as a barometer of how well/badly the team will do.

Up to a point yes, I still expect France to win 2-1 or 3-1, it was suggested that just because Ireland/Italy match was very close so this one would be also and so hpow could I predict France scoring two or three goals.

Eire-Dearg

Tom65

Slightly OT but quick question: I have a friend over from abroad, and we're going to watch the match in a pub in Dublin city centre. I always either go to the match or watch it at home, so I'm just wondering in anyone knows what the best pubs are in terms of TV screens/atmosphere for internationals?

Stevecw

Reckon 1-1 at home after we go ahead. And then 2-0 to France over there
Hope i am 100% wrong.
But just cant see it!!

Best hope is if we can keep it at 0-0 in Croker. Then all the pressure & expectation is on them in Paris. We could sneak one via a corner or Free kick and that might do it for us!!

I just want us not conceding on Saturday, then we might just have a chance at this!!

redout

Stevecw wrote: »

Reckon 1-1 at home after we go ahead. And then 2-0 to France over there
Hope i am 100% wrong.
But just cant see it!!

Best hope is if we can keep it at 0-0 in Croker. Then all the pressure & expectation is on them in Paris. We could sneak one via a corner or Free kick and that might do it for us!!

I just want us not conceding on Saturday, then we might just have a chance at this!!

If France score more than one at Croker then the tie is over end of.

ALL THE FOLLOWING ARE ACCEPTABLE TO REMAIN IN WITH A SHOUT:

0 - 0
1 - 0 Ireland
0 - 1 France
1 - 1