French Squad vs Englands squad

Think the French are missing a trick by not playing Saliba, the lad has been sensational for Arsenal. I’d start him over Varane
 
TeaCider said:
Yeah, for all the talk of England conceding chances last night, Poland had plenty against France and Poland have struggled to attack throughout the tournament.
Click to expand...
I agree, we'll definitely create chances against France, they are not impenetrable.

I think Poland's performance was more to do with the stage of the competition. They'd kind of defended their way out of the group but had to go for it yesterday, particularly when France went one up.

I really do think it could be a high scoring encounter on Saturday, but I still think I'd fancy France to score more than we do.
 
Nano said:
We're not miles away. They clearly have the stronger team but we're close enough we can beat them without it being a big upset.
Click to expand...
they're world champions, pre-tournament favourites, with possibly the bets player in the world in their side. So it would certainly be an upset, not a cataclysmic one, but certainly a decent upset
 
Diego said:
Kane better than Giroud. Would have our wide players other Dembele. Mbappe is the stand out as you say. Would say we have the best midfielder in Bellingham. Defence similar standard really. Pickford and Lloris similar standard but I personally prefer Pickford.

I’d say we have the better squad overall but the sheer brilliance of Mbappe makes them slight favourites imo.
Click to expand...
Kane might be better than Giroud but Giroud is still good ennough to cause us problems, same with just about any other position on the pitch.
 
BoroMart said:
they're world champions, pre-tournament favourites, with possibly the bets player in the world in their side. So it would certainly be an upset, not a cataclysmic one, but certainly a decent upset
Click to expand...
Bookies (Bet 365) have it at France 4/6 and England 6/5 to qualify so it's very close. It would only be an upset in the terms of the least expected team won but in no way would it be unexpected. It would be like Spurs beating Man City.
 
Nano said:
Bookies (Bet 365) have it at France 4/6 and England 6/5 to qualify so it's very close. It would only be an upset in the terms of the least expected team won but in no way would it be unexpected. It would be like Spurs beating Man City.
Click to expand...
Bet365 is an English bookies, with a predominant English user base that will skew those figures. France would be moderate favourites globally.
 
BoroMart said:
Bet365 is an English bookies, with a predominant English user base that will skew those figures. France would be moderate favourites globally.
Click to expand...
That doesn't really happen these days. There would be too much arbitrage opportunity. Betfair is 1.76 vs 2.28 and that's an exchange so no protection of bookies losses built in. It's a close call with an edge to France.
 
I wouldn't swap our squad for theirs, but they definitely have the best player in Mbappe.

I think it will be very close.

Walker will without doubt start to counteract Mbappe's pace, however I'm unsure if Southgate will go to a back 5 and lose a midfielder or stick with 4-3-3.

Either way, we need Walker to have the game of his life in any hope of keeping Mbappe quiet. Do that and I think we're more than half way there.

Remember, this French team have yet to keep a clean sheet....we've kept 3 in a row.

And we're the top scorers in this World Cup - with our main striker only scoring 1 goal!

We have goals literally all over the pitch and we've not even been our 'dangerous' self from set pieces yet!

I think France are worrying about us just as much as we're worrying about them.
 
Marvanelli said:
Walker will without doubt start to counteract Mbappe's pace, however I'm unsure if Southgate will go to a back 5 and lose a midfielder or stick with 4-3-3.
Click to expand...
I wouldnt go to a back 5, 3 people marking 1 CF in Giroud? then our wingbacks will get sucked backwords to monitor Mbappe and Dembele, it'll be a back 5 and we won't get up the pitch
 
I would stick with 4 at the back but have Henderson and Saka work like Trojans in that right channel to help out Walker. If we stop the supply to Mbappe and make use of of our attacks we have a chance. Come on England
 
VestasBoro said:
It wasn't Sarr i was on about, forget the lads name but for this lad who is all pace, he couldnt get by some lad i've never heard of yet the commentators were going on and on about it. If it was that big a deal and Southgate saw Walker as the key, wouldn't he have been 1 of the 5 players taken off last night? We can swap 50% of our outfield and Southgate didnt feel the need to take care of Walker so not sure what to think of that.

100% i agree here, his pace gets him in the fight v wingers and then he just seems to barge his way into challenges, which is fine if he's winning the ball and stopping attacks but if he does that in the box too often its dangerous

I like the idea of 442, Rice and Hendo midfield, Rashford and Kane upfront cos Kane is struggling on his own, 1 goal and spends most the time on his backside i think he needs help up there. 2 wingers from Saka, Sterling, Grealish but thats leaving out Foden and Bellingham who are probably our 2 best players? Its a hard one to call
Click to expand...
You don’t win World Cups by changing your team for one player and leaving your best players on the bench.
 
Diego said:
I would stick with 4 at the back but have Henderson and Saka work like Trojans in that right channel to help out Walker. If we stop the supply to Mbappe and make use of of our attacks we have a chance. Come on England
Click to expand...
Me too - I think we need a three in the middle to counteract their midfield 2 + Griezmann too.

The risk with playing a three is where do you play Walker - if he plays RWB Mbappe is past him and onto a (likely) much slower RCB, if he plays at RCB with brief to watch Mbappe he risks being pulled out of position.

We can't overly focus on the right as Dembele, despite not being the best finisher, will still cause problems down the left. In fact in most games so far he's had lots of room (and the ball) for exactly that reason.

Must say I'm amazed they haven't brought Coman into that position yet. His lack of discipline without the ball probably doesn't help but I think he's a bigger threat than Dembele personally.
 
WoodallServices said:
You don’t win World Cups by changing your team for one player and leaving your best players on the bench.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Mbappe is a brilliant footballer but he is still just a footballer. England have a settled back 4 which has kept 3 clean sheets in a row and are top scorers in the competition. There is no reason to change the formation of the team, which I feel has been slowly adapted over 4 games with the France QF in mind.

I think Southgate and the players are supremely confident that we can match France in a tight game but emerge victorious.
 
WilliamMunny said:
Exactly. Mbappe is a brilliant footballer but he is still just a footballer. England have a settled back 4 which has kept 3 clean sheets in a row and are top scorers in the competition. There is no reason to change the formation of the team, which I feel has been slowly adapted over 4 games with the France QF in mind.

I think Southgate and the players are supremely confident that we can match France in a tight game but emerge victorious.
Click to expand...
Agree, the addition of Henderson and Walker to the team was a look forward to the France game and we have been great since they came into the team. 433 is the way to go for the rest of this tournament. We look good
 
Diego said:
He’s decent. No where near Messi and no where near as Messi been this tournament. Wouldn’t get in our side
Click to expand...
I haven't read the rest of the thread so this may already have been called out as the utter rubbish that it is, but in case it hasn't I don't think I've read anything as ridiculous for a long time - Griezmann is probably the player of the tournament so far.

If you were asked to pick a combined France / England XI, the only England players who might be considered are Foden and Bellingham, and after due consideration it would be decided they might get a place on the bench.
 
Malaguena said:
I haven't read the rest of the thread so this may already have been called out as the utter rubbish that it is, but in case it hasn't I don't think I've read anything as ridiculous for a long time - Griezmann is probably the player of the tournament so far.

If you were asked to pick a combined France / England XI, the only England players who might be considered are Foden and Bellingham, and after due consideration it would be decided they might get a place on the bench.
Click to expand...
Nope, no one has called it to be rubbish. As for player of the tournament? Come off it.

You seriously telling me Kane, Foden, Bellingham, Pickford, Walker, Shaw don’t get in that France team?
 
Diego said:
Nope, no one has called it to be rubbish. As for player of the tournament? Come off it.

You seriously telling me Kane, Foden, Bellingham, Pickford, Walker, Shaw don’t get in that France team?
Click to expand...
Pickford is in a team that almost got relegated last season, are 4th bottom this year and is regularly criticised for making major howlers. Lloris isn't the best but there isn't much between them. They are both a long way behind the best goalkeepers in the world.

Walker doesn't get a game for his club any more (our centre back who doesn't get a game at centre back for his own club plays there instead). He wasn't even England's 1st choice last week. France are a bit weak here because they've fallen out with their 1st choice right back Pavard.

Shaw has been nothing more than ordinary for his entire career at Utd and he's only 1st choice because we have nobody else. I don't see him as any better than Hernandez, who again isn't 1st choice but is there due to injuries.

Bellingham is 19 and has so far achieved nothing and England have had to change our formation so he doesn't get over-run by bringing Henderson in behind him. Excellent prospect and playing really well so not dismissing him but I think France's players are being dismissed. We're talking about what he might do next such as sign for Real Madrid but France already have Tchouaméni and Camavinga in their squad that have already done that. Rabiot is being dismissed as well but he's played 350 games for PSG and Juventus whereas Rice plays for West Ham, the 16th placed team in the PL.

Foden is a great player but he wasn't even England's 1st choice last week. His best position is wide left which is where Mbappe plays so that's why he misses out.

Kane is the only definite and even then it's only because France's 1st choice striker, Ballon d'Or winner Benzema, is injured.


Griezmann has been great so far. Not sure about player of the tournament. Mbappe has stepped up and delivered but Griezmann really makes France tick and his passing is great. He sees space and switches the ball really effectively. He's not just the goalscorer he used to be.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top