re: Domenech
For someone so reviled throughout most of his career as coach of les Bleus (I don’t think you could find anyone in France who was supporting him by the start of the World Cup last year), he’s done pretty well for himself, I think, though he may have outlived his usefulness at this point. Being a lightning rod has its good points, but there comes a time when it becomes too much of a distraction for the rest of the team.

Point taken these guys have performed in the past. It was only a suggestion and I did not intend to offend anyone. If I did I apologise.

Our rugby team has a few players born in southern hemisphere countries who often been considered lacking in passion so I thought I would suggest it here.

For what it’s worth I think France should drop either Makelele or Viera and play a more attacking formation. These two players in my opinion are too similar and cannot control a game and attack like Zidane used to(not than many players can) but surely you must have a decent young attacking midfielder that could spark your team on.

Not too sure about your coach, I mean someone who uses the excuse “the ball boy didn’t return the ball quick enough” surely has no place in international football.

Sorry for responding so late——I hope I haven’t missed you. Thanks for getting where I was coming from (and for ignoring the crack about Arsenal, whom I actually enjoy watching ).
I guess what I meant is that the debate between beauty and efficiency has always been there, and is always going to be there. Negativity is always easier to achieve than creativity, c’est la vie. The great teams are the ones who can overcome the former without abandoning the latter. As a France fan, I expect nothing less from them. If they win, it validates their greatness. If not, it means they are not great enough, but then there is no shame in the failure.

Oh dear, Domenech said that? Well, his players have always been the ones to take the lead, which works sometimes (when you have the right players doing it) and sometimes doesn’t. I do take some measure of relief from the fact that we’ve been in this situation before (see 2005), so hopefully they have some sense of what needs to be done, even if their trainer doesn’t! Agree also on the 4-5-1——every notable French side I can remember has been built from the midfield (save perhaps for the early ninties one with Papin, Ginola, and Cantona).

Dave:

“If Scotland beat France home and away and somehow finish in the top two of this group I would say we deserve it.”
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And I would agree with you. In fact, I don’t think any of the France supporters here disagree with you on that account. I’m expecting more from my team, too, than losing to Scotland back to back.

“It’s about passion and pride to pull on the shirt of your country and how proud or disappointed you can make a nation. Something Scotland understands very well but France simply does not. Probably something to do with the fact the many of France’s players are not actually from France. I may be wrong but someone from Senegal is not as likely to show the same passion playing for France as a true Frenchman.”
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The aforementioned Senegalese player just played two games in five days for his country with an injured hamstring, and he was one of their best players during the Italy game.
Come back and tell us when you have done something similar, for any cause greater than your own.

It’s nice to know that you apparently think yourself the arbiter as to who counts as a “true” Frenchman. Too bad the French constitution disagrees with you.

On the rare, yes RARE occasions when France actually loses a game, there is always some ignoramus around who, rather than stating the factual, i.e., “France lost because their crosses sucked,” must instead say something completely idiotic and offenseive like, “Probably something to do with the fact the many of France’s players are not actually from France.”

Because (completely ignoring the fact that the majority of France players were born in France ) heaven knows that players with over 100 caps, like Patrick Vieira and Lilian Thuram, who have both been World Cup WINNERS, (do you have any of those, Dave?) yes, for FRANCE, couldn’t possibly care about playing for the country.

You were the home team, we would have settled for a draw, therefore it was your duty to come and attack. You were as you say toothless and we took advantage. That is not wrong. I don’t watch a lot of French football but when Lyon play the team at the bottom of the league or lower league opposition I very much doubt the opposing team attempts to play flowing football, in fact I imagine they defend for their lives for 90 mins. Usually the superior team will have enough to break this down and win. France didn’t do this and so did not deserve to win. I’m not saying Scotland deserved to win either but we would have been happy with a draw. The win was a welcome bonus.

I don’t hear anyone criticising Italy who employ very defensive tactics in practically every game, especially away from home. The most important thing in football is not to loose, Scotland have found out how to that after a long spell in the wilderness and we are enjoying it while it lasts.

Ask yourself this:If you can’t beat Scotland at home do you deserve to be at euros contesting an international trophy? Only one answer really.

If Scotland beat France home and away and somehow finish in the top two of this group I would say we deserve it.

To be honest I’m a bit sick of the arrogant attitude shown by France. They feel because they have superior players they will win. I’m sorry but there’s far more to football than basic skills. It’s about passion and pride to pull on the shirt of your country and how proud or disappointed you can make a nation. Something Scotland understands very well but France simply does not. Probably something to do with the fact the many of France’s players are not actually from France. I may be wrong but someone from Senegal is not as likely to show the same passion playing for France as a true Frenchman.

The strike by McFadden was brilliant, the kind of goal I like to watch over and over again. What I find frustrating is Domenech’s comment after the game “I don’t know what more we could’ve done.” That’s not very encouraging, there’s a lot he could’ve done. The link provided by l’Americain shows the formations used by France pre-wc, during the wc and post-wc and Domenech did not put out a formation that in the past has worked well for France.

France paid for a toothless formation and attack, we’ve seen this happen before, as you say. That does not, however, make me terribly inspired by teams that win international games by putting 10 men behind the ball.

To my fellow les Bleus fans: no, I am not a fan of 9-men-behind-the-ball either, but the reality is that as long as we are a good team, teams will play this way against us, and it won’t do any good to complain about it a la Arsenal (sorry, Sandra). Unlike many, I actually like Domenech (not like, exactly, though I don’t think he’s stupid and I find him rather entertaining), but it was a mistake to set out to play the draw against Italy. France *has* to figure out how to deal with the stacked defense, defend against dead-ball situations, win the ball in the air, find greater efficiency in attack, get someone who can threaten long-range, etc etc. These problems are not new, and the astrologer has to come up with a better line than “we talked about this, the players know how to deal with it, I can’t take it farther than that” [as he answered re: the dead ball].

To lose the same way to the same team twice in succession is not a fluke, not anymore than football normally works. The sooner everyone realizes this, the better.

“Act like you’ve been there before.”