Euro 2016 - Group A - Cuisine de France vs The Home of Dracula

A Dub in Glasgo

Goal of the tournament.. will take some beating

vidor

Did he really say "off goes Coman"?

mansize

What's the ref waiting for??

Peist2007

Have the sort of players that could grow into a tournament but the lads at the back are too ropey. They will be beaten by any of the other contenders.

Sanity_Saviour

Someone needs to tell Payet he plays for West Ham, he is outrageously good

Drexel

Great first game. Let's hope it continues.

Romania were better than I thought and made a proper game of it

Johner

Romania unlucky not to get a point there, France will probably get found out against the better teams with the likes of Evra in defence.

Nerdlingr

Great goal to win it but felt Romania deserved something from that. They were excellent throughout. Great game to start with.

BoJack Horseman

Romania were committed and pretty good.... fancy them to progress if they play as well against Switzerland and Albania
France were dominant though and were probably worthy of the win.

Good game to open the tournament.

LuckyGent88

Enjoyable game and what a way to win it. Hopefully more games like that to come.

~Rebel~

Paully D wrote: »

Do you think you'll hold on to him this summer mate?

Even if they don't, they're in great shape to charge a few arms and legs for him now.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Sanity_Saviour wrote: »

Someone needs to tell Payet he plays for West Ham, he is outrageously good

He seems like the kind of player that thrives being the main man.Fair play to him I say too many players take the easy option and settle for a bit part role with a bigger club rather than push themselves a bit more to lead a team.

Andre 3000

That's a decent start. I like seeing France do well, they've a few cracking players that deserve to do well.

awec

Payet is class.

cj maxx

R00ster wrote: »

Well deserved, the best player for France tonight by some distance. Gonna be hard to top that for goal of the tournament.

Fecks sake ! I watch the whole match , then sneak a smoke and that happens !!!!

namloc1980

Good game. Important I think for France to get off to a good start for the tournament as a whole. Bring it on tomorrow!

Hammer Archer

Paully D wrote: »

Do you think you'll hold on to him this summer mate?

It'll take a ridiculous offer for us to even consider selling him. Bilic seems to be building the team around him. When he was injured for 3 months, we looked like a mediocre team.
Also, he really seems to enjoy being adored at West Ham.

Arghus

Quick summation of the game: Payet is class.

Andre 3000

Hammer Archer wrote: »

It'll take a ridiculous offer for us to even consider selling him. Bilic seems to be building the team around him. When he was injured for 3 months, we looked like a mediocre team.
Also, he really seems to enjoy being adored at West Ham.

Who wouldn't enjoy West Ham when you've a chant like his blared out every weekend.

Johner

Hammer Archer wrote: »

It'll take a ridiculous offer for us to even consider selling him. Bilic seems to be building the team around him. When he was injured for 3 months, we looked like a mediocre team.
Also, he really seems to enjoy being adored at West Ham.

I didn't realise he was 29, would be hard for him to refuse an offer from the likes of Real Madrid at this stage if they were to come in for him.

Pyjamarama

Hammer Archer wrote: »

It'll take a ridiculous offer for us to even consider selling him. Bilic seems to be building the team around him. When he was injured for 3 months, we looked like a mediocre team.
Also, he really seems to enjoy being adored at West Ham.

If Real shift James they could make a run for him. I don't think he'd look out of place either.

~Rebel~

Bilic on the ITV panel, interesting to hear what he has to say.

I imagine they'll probably be soft on him, with regards to questioning his value and his movement prospects.

Hammer Archer

Andre 3000 wrote: »

Who wouldn't enjoy West Ham when you've a chant like his blared out every weekend.

I think people are beginning to understand....

Irish_rat

Payet is such a class act but France have alot of problems over the pitch. First game is always tough though.

Andre 3000

Johner wrote: »

I didn't realise he was 29, would be hard for him to refuse an offer from the likes of Real Madrid at this stage if they were to come in for him.

French & West Ham winger going to Madrid...anyone remember that absolute fraud Julian Faubert. One of the most puzzling moves in recent memory.

mansize

Last Leg time. Laters

Harry Angstrom

Irish_rat wrote: »

Payet is such a class act but France have alot of problems over the pitch. First game is always tough though.

First competitive match in two years though. They can play as many friendlies as they like, but they don't compare to proper games.

DubDani

Not easy to spot for the Ref, but just saw a Super Slow motion, and there was a clear foul from Giroud where he scored his Goal. He pushed away the keepers arm with his elbow.

Arghus

If Payet performs like he did tonight for the rest of the tournament, West Ham are going to have to put up a fight to keep him. But it is only one game, anything is possible yet.

Felt a bit for Romania. They were well organised and gave it a real go, but they looked a limited enough side lacking real quality. France deserved it in the end. I'm happy they did, because it was such a fantastic goal to win the game.

Hammer Archer

Andre 3000 wrote: »

French & West Ham winger going to Madrid...anyone remember that absolute fraud Julian Faubert. One of the most puzzling moves in recent memory.

Di Stefano agrees.

Johner

Andre 3000 wrote: »

French & West Ham winger going to Madrid...anyone remember that absolute fraud Julian Faubert. One of the most puzzling moves in recent memory.

Remember he fell asleep on the bench as well, he has a goal every game he played for France too! :pac:

Andre 3000

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Di Stefano agrees.

Faubert looks proper ashamed and all. Brilliant photo.

Paully D

Hammer Archer wrote: »

It'll take a ridiculous offer for us to even consider selling him. Bilic seems to be building the team around him. When he was injured for 3 months, we looked like a mediocre team.
Also, he really seems to enjoy being adored at West Ham.

You pay good money and are obviously based in London too which will be a help in keeping him. It'll be interesting to see how things progress with him over the summer. If he's there come the close of the transfer window it would be huge for you.

Ulysses Gaze

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Di Stefano agrees.

Di Stefano has a look that says..."WTF is the President thinking"

Harry Angstrom

That Aidan and Jacqui thing looks a bit shit.

mansize

Andre 3000 wrote: »

Faubert looks proper ashamed and all. Brilliant photo.

Proper ashamed? What's that?

Harry Angstrom

Après Match was fairly short.

The Talking Bread

Irish_rat wrote: »

Payet is such a class act but France have alot of problems over the pitch. First game is always tough though.

People are really overreacting about France here? They weren't bad by any means. Pogba and Griezzman weren't up to their usual standards but still far from liabilities. Even evra as much as he made mistakes made some excellent tackles in the first half. They've a very good all round squad and made plenty of chances against a strong Romanian defence (look at their qualifying campaign, defensively) 2 goals conceded, albeit in what seems to be an easy group.

They were below a standard you would expect potential winners, even finalists to be but they were far from bad and showed great character at the end.

Deserved the win in my opinion. It's international football. The best teams need 'scrappy wins a lot of the times.

The Talking Bread

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

That Aidan and Jacqui thing looks a bit shit.

Aidan Power.....soccer expert ..of all the people to hAve to listen to talking football. Christ. Jacqueline hurley, plays some camomile and now she's a soccer anchorer! You would think they would give Off The Ball a month long contract.

Ol' Donie

mansize wrote: »

Last Leg time. Laters

Cool, I'll get it on +1.

Irish_rat

The Talking Bread wrote: »

People are really overreacting about France here? They weren't bad by any means. Pogba and Griezzman weren't up to their usual standards but still far from liabilities.

Deserved the win in my opinion. It's international football. The best teams need 'scrappy wins a lot of the times.

Pogba and Greizzman are world class

I would be more worried about the Arsenal mindset. Former legend Sagna, Giroud and Koscielny. Not the level you would expect from a team looking to win a European championship.

Evra is still a solid player I've no doubts about that. Also hes a winner which is what you need in the side.

I'll be surprised to see them go past the semi finals. I'll take my hat off tonight however for Payet who was superb, Lloris solid and Kante did very well.

Ol' Donie

Irish_rat wrote: »

Pogba and Greizzman are world class

I would be more worried about the Arsenal mindset. Former legend Sagna, Giroud and Koscielny. Not the level you would expect from a team looking to win a European championship.

Evra is still a solid player I've no doubts about that. Also hes a winner which is what you need in the side.

I'll be surprised to see them go past the semi finals. I'll take my hat off tonight however for Payet who was superb, Lloris solid and Kante did very well.

Love it. Bloody Arsenal mindset. Good solid Evra.

Giroud scores and Evra gives away a peno.

Stupid Arsenal.

Peist2007

Irish_rat wrote: »

Pogba and Greizzman are world class

I would be more worried about the Arsenal mindset. Former legend Sagna, Giroud and Koscielny. Not the level you would expect from a team looking to win a European championship.

Evra is still a solid player I've no doubts about that. Also hes a winner which is what you need in the side.

I'll be surprised to see them go past the semi finals. I'll take my hat off tonight however for Payet who was superb, Lloris solid and Kante did very well.

Have to agree. Sagna, Koscielny, Giroud arent suddenly going to turn into winners now

Francie Barrett

Peist2007 wrote: »

Have to agree. Sagna, Koscielny, Giroud arent suddenly going to turn into winners now

+1

Arsene Wenger is an expert at developing teams who are mentally brittle. It's hard to see how such players are going to be able to overturn habits of a career.

Ol' Donie

Francie Barrett wrote: »

+1

Arsene Wenger is an expert at developing teams who are mentally brittle. It's hard to see how such players are going to be able to overturn habits of a career.

Good point.

That lad Fabregas was utterly useless in the last two Euros.

Typical Wenger influence.

The Talking Bread

Peist2007 wrote: »

Have to agree. Sagna, Koscielny, Giroud arent suddenly going to turn into winners now

Yeah...because Sagna has had an awful career. He would get into the vast majority of the tournament teams. Giroud has always played well for France generally and Koscienly is a much better player than he is depicted as. He is an easy scapegoat for many who target arsenals failings but he generally has been a very good acquisition. He's agressive and good on the ball. He's one of the top ten if not lower defenders in the league

greendom

Peist2007 wrote: »

Have to agree. Sagna, Koscielny, Giroud arent suddenly going to turn into winners now

Sarcasm?

Harry Angstrom

This David Guetta thing is a lot more entertaining than Aidan and Jacqui.

Peist2007

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Yeah...because Sagna has had an awful career. He would get into the vast majority of the tournament teams. Giroud has always played well for France generally and Koscienly is a much better player than he is depicted as. He is an easy scapegoat for many who target arsenals failings but he generally has been a very good acquisition. He's agressive and good on the ball. He's one of the top ten if not lower defenders in the league

More a mental thing. I actually rate Sagna but he has been in too many teams at this stage that haven't done it. And by done it, at Arsenal the aim is to win the title and Sagna's teams have been soft when it counted. At City he's part of a group that looks like it doesnt give a fk. Not the best recipe for turning into a force in winning a Euros. Koscielny is simply crap and so is Giroud. Matches at this level are so tight that Giroud simply doesnt cut the mustard.

Appreciate there are those who will disagree. I really doubt this French team's ability to grind it against some of the better teams they will face. Their belly is soft.

Drexel

Lucky Arsene Wenger isn't managing France