Group C Chat Thread

[gzagee]

MvB made some bold decisions. He brought on two strikers when they were 1-0 up and every other manager would've brought on defenders just to hang on to the 1-0 lead.
Talk about clairvoyancy. That was some decision!

Good point! I think he knew the Dutch defence was a bit dodgy, so sitting on a 1-0 would be quite dangerous. A lesson there for Arsene, perhaps?

What we must remember is that all the teams that have impressed i.e Portugal, Spain, Holland with the possible exception of Croatia (i could stand corrected as i didn't the live game v germania?) have shown more than a few moments of vulnerability. But what sets the Dutch apart FOR ME, is that they've only conceded ONE against both teams who contested the last WC final. Spain looked well dodgy against Russia, Portugal would've been undone by Czechs if they had a striker.
So let's not be too harsh against the Dutch defence. We're all expecting them to implode at some stage and that's their achilles heel, but so far MvB seems to have maintained harmony. SO FAR!!! And long may it continue i say!!!!

[arseman]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008 ... 008groupc2

Raymond Domenech's warm smile in the wake of France's heaviest defeat in generations proved that, even if his managerial skills may be questioned, his acting talent remains admirable.

Domenech was not, however, about to play the role of culprit. Although he refused to name names, and insisted that "we win as a team and lose as a team", the manager made it clear that the fault for this defeat lay with his players.

He implicitly pointed his finger at the rickety central-defensive partnership of Lilian Thuram and William Gallas, who seemed to be at fault for at least two of the Dutch goals. "Our strength became our weakness," he said. "We are usually so solid but tonight, well, we accumulated a lot of little mistakes. That was the first time that sort of thing has ever happened to us."

He did not spare the forwards. "We created a lot more chances than against Romania but we were not clinical. Holland, by contrast, showed their quality - their finishing was much better."

When French journalists expressed surprise that the manager had not chosen to chase the game by introducing the Lyon striking sensation Karim Benzema from the bench, he explained: "I put on Bafétimbi Gomis because I wanted a real centre-forward, someone who would stay up there and serve as a pivot and shake things up." To many that sounded like a description that could better be applied to Benzema than Gomis.

Asked if he would overhaul his team for the final group match against Italy, which France must win to have any chance of progressing, Domenech replied: "I have to recover from this before even thinking about that."

He did, however, admit that with Holland safely into the quarter-finals as group winners and Romania currently ahead of both France and Italy by a point he feared his side would be eliminated even if they beat the world champions on Tuesday. "Holland are already through so they will probably rest some players and certainly won't play with as much energy as they did against us and Italy," he said. "The proof of a top-level team is how they recover from low points and that's what we will endeavour to do against Italy. But it's very difficult to imagine Holland beating Romania now."

Marco van Basten believed his team's performance in the 3-0 win over Italy was more impressive. "We played better against Italy than we did against France," he said. "We started well in the first half but then we got into problems. We needed more players to stretch France and in bringing on Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben for the second half we had more chances to go deep and that helped us and gave us more space. We are very happy to beat Italy, the world champions, and then France, the former world champions."

The France forward Thierry Henry remains upbeat despite this crushing defeat. "I have not had many matches like this in my career," he said, "when you play well and then you go home after a defeat. Now we have to beat Italy. That's what we have to do. It's still possible."

[gzagee]

Don't care that Gallas was on the French team, as for Henry? Oh well. Didn't see Nasri...
The Dutch.... Wow! Just... Wow!!
Cruyff MUST be eating his words. Well done MvB for going for the jugular. And well done RvP.

You didn't see Nasri because he didn't play.
Dumbenech brought on Anelka instead who did bugger all.
If Nasri doesn't play in the next France game then all we'll have seen of him this tournament is the few touches he had v Romania and they were very uneventful indeed.

I agree Cruyff is starting to look like a total nob-end.
MvB made some bold decisions. He brought on two strikers when they were 1-0 up and every other manager would've brought on defenders just to hang on to the 1-0 lead.
Talk about clairvoyancy. That was some decision!

It kind of clears up the difference between Holland and France in a way.
Holland have 4 World class strikers they can call on in RVP, Robben, R V Nippleroy and Sneijder.
France have Henry and Anelka and a couple of geezers no-one has heard of.
Ribery was fantastic but he can't do it on his own.

Let me tell you summink. IF Dumbenech knew what the hell he was doing France would still be a force to be reckoned with!
The attackers at his disposal are some of the best in this competition and would stand up against the Dutch forwards in terms of ability. Henry can still do it, Anelka though losing his way still suffers from the rare moment of brilliance, Govou is a good auxillary forward and showed nice touches last night and, the whole world and his granny wants Benzema. Okay, Gomis IS a nobody and looks totally out of his depth (Go Newcastle!). Then there's Ribery and Nasri...

Dumbenech's the problem not the forwards.

[absolutely_fabregas]

gallas had a poor game against holland, then he went in the huff with the rest of the squad and did training on his own


its worrying considering this guy is our captain, yet is mentally unstable it seems, strops at birmingham now with his national team

[Andreys_Does_Simples]

gallas had a poor game against holland, then he went in the huff with the rest of the squad and did training on his own


its worrying considering this guy is our captain, yet is mentally unstable it seems, strops at birmingham now with his national team

When he got made captain mate I was dead against it. For a guy who had been with us a season to get it over Toure, Gilberto and even Lehman worried me. I still say it should be handed over to Cesc, build the team around the lad and we're sorted.

Gallas went well downwards in my estimations after his show at brum, I think this just proves he ain't the right man to be our captain.

[corkeosaurus]

gallas had a poor game against holland, then he went in the huff with the rest of the squad and did training on his own


its worrying considering this guy is our captain, yet is mentally unstable it seems, strops at birmingham now with his national team

When he got made captain mate I was dead against it. For a guy who had been with us a season to get it over Toure, Gilberto and even Lehman worried me. I still say it should be handed over to Cesc, build the team around the lad and we're sorted.

Gallas went well downwards in my estimations after his show at brum, I think this just proves he ain't the right man to be our captain.

Yea i agree. Cesc for captain build the team round him. He will definatly stay then. Hes want arsenal need, plays for the shirt like toure, who should be vice (which i think he is anyway if im right?)

[SE13]

Tonight:

France Vs Italy

Holland Vs Romania

[Andreys_Does_Simples]

Come on the vampires!! I still have a really good feeling Romania'll go through. Took Tamas and Mutu to score at anytime.

The Pers is starting for Holland 2nite.

[arseman]

Which game you all going to be watching? I'm gunna be with France-Italy, only a win will do for either team unless Romania suffer a thrashing, so hopefully both teams try attacking. Hope to see Nasri in action as well.

[arseman]

Netherlands v Romania
Netherlands: Stekelenburg, Boulahrouz, Heitinga, Bouma, De Cler, De Zeeuw, Engelaar, Afellay, Van Persie, Robben, Huntelaar.
Subs: Van der Sar, Timmer, Ooijer, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst, van Nistelrooy, Sneijder, Melchiot, De Jong, Kuyt, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Van der Vaart.

Romania: Lobont, Contra, Tamas, Ghionea, Rat, Cocis, Codrea, Chivu, Nicolita, Marius Niculae, Mutu.
Subs: Popa, Stancioiu, Petre, Marica, Sapunaru, Moti, Cristea, Dica, Daniel Niculae, Radu.


France v Italy
France: Coupet, Clerc, Gallas, Abidal, Evra, Govou, Toulalan, Makelele, Ribery, Benzema, Henry.
Subs: Mandanda, Frey, Boumsong, Vieira, Malouda, Anelka, Nasri, Thuram, Squillaci, Gomis, Sagnol, Diarra.

Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, Pirlo, De Rossi, Gattuso, Toni, Perrotta, Cassano.
Subs: Amelia, De Sanctis, Gamberini, Barzagli, Del Piero, Di Natale, Borriello, Ambrosini, Quagliarella, Camoranesi, Aquilani, Materazzi.

[Andreys_Does_Simples]

Which game you all going to be watching? I'm gunna be with France-Italy, only a win will do for either team unless Romania suffer a thrashing, so hopefully both teams try attacking. Hope to see Nasri in action as well.

I'm watching both of them. I brought up the tv from my bedroom, got the Italy game on mute.

[arseman]

Ribery injured, Nasri warming up.....

[arseman]

Well here comes Nasri...

[SE13]

Errrr.... Where exactly is the Holland game?

I'm on BBC and they are showing France - Italy

[Andreys_Does_Simples]

Errrr.... Where exactly is the Holland game?

I'm on BBC and they are showing France - Italy

BBC 3 mate