French Squad for Ireland game

Big Nelly

Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Nantes); Jean-Alain Boumsong (Newcastle), William Gallas (Chelsea), Gael Givet (Monaco), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Sebastien Squillaci (Monaco), Lilian Thuram (Juventus), Jonathan Zebina (Juventus); Vikash Dhorasoo (Paris St Germain), Alou Diarra (Lens), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jerome Rothen (Paris St Germain), Patrick Vieira (Juventus), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid); Djibril Cisse (Liverpool), Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Florent Malouda (Lyon), Sylvain Wiltord (Lyon).

Still no Pires but very strong squad!!

jubbly

France call in Pelous to prepare for Lansdowne roar
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DION FANNING

FRENCH football conquered the world over the past eight years, but they are looking for assistance as they attempt to defeat Ireland in ten days.

France may feel the return of Zinedine Zidane, Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram allows them to prepare perfectly for the game in Dublin, but coach Raymond Domenech is not finished. When the French squad meet up in Clairefontaine, their base just outside Paris, this week, they will listen to the words of a man who knows what it's like to face down a baying Lansdowne Road crowd.

Domenech has called the French rugby captain, Fabien Pelous, and asked him to speak to the squad and enlighten them as to what is required to win in Dublin. "Domenech has heard a lot about the Dublin crowd and he wants his players to be aware of what they will face," one insider said. "Pelous has much experience and he will tell the players about Lansdowne Road, the difficulties of playing in the stadium and in the city."

The French players have experience of most eventualities in world football, having won every honour in the game between them, but Domenech, who has been viewed sceptically by some of the more successful members of the squad, clearly feels they need to be prepared for the crowd as much as the opposition.

"Pelous knows the ground well, knows the pitch and he has won there so Domenech wants him to speak," said the source. France's coach is unconcerned that Pelous plays a different game and with a different crowd, the rugby captain will meet Zidane, Henry and the rest this week and brief them.

If the result does not go France's way, Domenech may be out of work as defeat will make his job of qualifying extremely difficult. Currently, Domenech is enjoying his most assured time in the job since he took over after last summer's European Championships.

The return of the greats, Zidane in particular, has been a boost to the squad and the coach, who again left Robert Pires out of his squad for the games against the Faroe Islands next Saturday in Lens and Ireland in Dublin the following Wednesday, following a dispute with the Arsenal player, may feel he is finally respected by his superstars.

But Domenech is not only concerned with the Irish game. He refused to discuss it last week until after the Faroes game, admitting that it would be a "disaster" if his globetrotting side could not beat the island team.

Domenech's concern is based on the struggle the French had to beat them the first time round in Torshavn, which ended his extremely brief honeymoon in the job.

Makelele, who had been persuaded not to retire after the European Championships and continue until the World Cup, quit after that game, only to return 12 months later.

At that time France had also drawn at home with Israel - Domenech was struggling to have a rapport with his players (a difficulty Brian Kerr may relate to) and he flew to London to speak with the powerful Arsenal contingent. Pires is now gone, but Henry and Vieira remain, the latter denying he is disillusioned after Zidane was handed the captaincy upon returning.

All will play against the Faroes on Saturday, with only Thuram, who came off injured during the friendly against the Ivory Coast, likely to be rested in preparation for the encounter in Dublin.

Domenech will look to correct the tactical imbalances he's encountered with the return of the old guard against the Faroes and then hope that his side can finally start scoring some goals.

In games against the three sides above them in the group, France have only scored once (away in Tel Aviv) and Zidane's return will be expected to provide Henry and David Trezeguet with the service they have yet to enjoy in the big matches.

Domenech has brought Ludovic Giuly back instead of the Lyon striker Sidney Govou for this match and his pace will be a concern for Ireland if he features at Lansdowne Road.

He, like the rest of the French squad, will now know what to expect when they arrive in Dublin. http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1458407&issue_id=12928

Sounds like the french reckon landsdowne road is a very hard place to play in. maybe they havent been to the ground too often
I hope that french rugby dude doesnt give too much help.

KdjaCL

Im terrified about this game


Not looking forward to it at all.


kdjac

jubbly

Were going to hammer the french. They are in bits IMO

Vokes

Johnny Giles made a good point there yesterday on RTE - a year ago, France were no great shakes WITH Zidane et al.

Would like to see our lads have a real go at them - none of this 4-3-3 malarky.

4-4-2 all the way:

---

Given

Finnan - O'Brien - Cunningham - O'Shea

--A. Reid - Keane - Kilbane - Duff

---

Keane - Morrison

1-0 Ireland

jank

Henry vs O'Brein


Ill be there in person to cheer on the lads but I really fear for this game.

I think this will be the game where Brain Kerr (who I dont rate at all) will be viewed as a good youth manager but nowhere near international level by the majority.

Guy:Incognito

jank wrote:

Henry vs O'Brein .

At least Breens not getting a run, be thankfull for that.

Maybe dunne to lean on him a bit?

randomfella

i'd defo have dunne in their despite Kerr's remarks that he is 'tunnel minded'.

Dunne is leading on City well, O Brien is dodgy at the best of times.

I always thought we'd take the french but when u see their squad on paper it is worrying. Are there any more tickets left by the way?

jubbly

jank wrote:

Henry vs O'Brein


Ill be there in person to cheer on the lads but I really fear for this game.

I think this will be the game where Brain Kerr (who I dont rate at all) will be viewed as a good youth manager but nowhere near international level by the majority.

I rate Kerr better than Mc Carthy thats for sure.

Will you still be saying that if Ireland beat the French ?

Rollo Tamasi

I'd defo have Dunne in there to boot Henry around the pitch for the entire match. I doubt it Andy Reid will start the game thou, i have the feeling that Kerr is going to take the softy soft approach and try to play the french at a counter attack game. I expect to see Kilbane and Holland play with Keane alone upfront and Duff playing off him with a packed midfield. Bring on Reid then in the second half and go gung ho!!

I hope i never see Gary Breen in a Green Jersey again, the guy is a muppet. Did anyone see his "clearance" after a minute in the wigan game? Muppet.

Any ideas when the Irish squad is to be named?

---

Given

---

--Carr -- Dunne -- Cunningham -- O Shea--

---

Keane

---

---- Finnan ---Kilbane ---- Holland

---

---

Duff

---

---

Keane

---

Necronomicon

SofaKing wrote:

Johnny Giles made a good point there yesterday on RTE - a year ago, France were no great shakes WITH Zidane et al.

I used that arguement with someone as well. They still underachieved in the Euro championship with their stars.

PHB

Henry can win this game singlehandedly.
Zidane can win it singlehandedly.
Vieira can win it singlehandedly.

But you know what,
Keane can win it singlehandedly aswell.
Keane - MOM we win
Keane not MOM we will draw or lose.

p.s.
I'd take a draw at this stage

jank

Will you still be saying that if Ireland beat the French ?

Ill say it once Ireland qualify. [<-Me planning a months worth of drinking in Deutschland already]

To be fariness do we deserve if we cant beat Israel twice after taking the lead, then again france are kinda in the same boat.

Id be happy with second at this stage and qualify via the playoffs.

So long we get there i dont give a **** if we have to travel to the moon and back in those playoffs.

jubbly

The french team are all hot air. All they can do is try to catch us tatically on the day. I think Kerr will have a few surprises up his sleeve for this game and Domench hasnt.

KdjaCL

Again top 4 noone has beaten each other , to get out of this group someone has to beat a team in the top 4, there only 2 left for us.


So We either have 4 **** international teams with 4 **** managers or a tough group.



kdjac

anthonymcg

Worried about this one myself. After seeing them against the Italians, I don't know if they're sharp enough. True they were trying out a new formation but this is all or nothing time for the French game. Fingers crossed.

eirebhoy

jank wrote:

Henry vs O'Brein

Plenty of people said the same before the game in Paris.

randomfella wrote:

Dunne is leading on City well, O Brien is dodgy at the best of times.

I can't think of one dodgy moment O'Brien has had in his 15 or so games partnering Cunningham. He has been class for us. While Dunne is the better individual player, he has had his fair share of dodgy moments in recent friendlies with Cunningham. If O'Brien was playing at Birmingham he'd be rated as highly as Upson is now as Cunningham really helps his game.

Big Ears

O'Brien and Cunnigham is possibly the best International Partnership there is at the moment , the two seem to play above themselves when side by side .

Id be more worried about Trezeguet than Henry and what do you know he's suspended . Remember Henry in paris ?..........hugged the left touch line and did nothing .

If only McCarthy was in charge . He'd bring back Gary kelly to do a 'man marking job' on Zidane like he did on Overmars .

Big Nelly

Republic: Given (Newcastle), Kenny (Sheff Utd), Colgan (Dundee United), Harte (Levante), Finnan (Liverpool), Cunningham (Birmingham), Carr (Newcastle), O'Brien (Portsmouth), Doherty (Norwich), Dunne (Manchester City), Breen (Sunderland), Holland (Charlton), O'Shea, Roy Keane, Miller (all Manchester United), Kilbane (Everton), Kavanagh (Wigan), A Reid (Tottenham), S Reid (Blackburn), Duff (Chelsea), Robbie Keane (Tottenham), Morrison (Crystal Palace), Elliott (Sunderland).

evilhomer

It's going to be tough for us, but France are under more pressure then us!
If they beat us we will always say "sure it was france"
If we beat them they will be ridiculed at home and you will see Domenech get the sack.

We should do quite well, I hope.
Not too sure if Kerr will play Carr, He has been rubbish for Newcastle so far this season.
Might play Finnan and Steven Reid on the right????

I'm real nervous about this game now.