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France’s hopes hanging by a thread

June 14th, 2008 | By: jeff | 16 Comments »

Euro 2008 has been hugely entertaining, thanks in no small part to the Netherlands; a team managed by a legendary attacker whose strategy to protect a lead is to throw on more attacking players.

Dutch supporters commenting on the group-of-death overwhelmingly discard the idea of letting Romania win, saying it wouldn’t be consistent with their national character. Taking them at their word, and given their blazing form, there’s a very real possibility that France could advance by defeating Italy.

There has been a lot of press coverage of the instant classic that ended Netherlands 4, France 1. France’s defense obviously wasn’t good enough, which comes as a surprise to a lot of viewers given that the defense is generally considered an area of strength, and had looked solid in the previous game against Romania, but Thuram and Sagnol were both troubled by the Dutch.

France manager Raymond Domenech said after the match, “That was our main strength, we kept saying it, we thought we were solid at the back and we cracked.”

Patrice Evra, after getting a rare game for France, said, “It was a slap in the face for the whole team but sometimes you need that.”

Domenech laments the penalty call that wasn’t when a Dutch player’s arm blocked a Thierry Henry would-be equalizer. The Dutch player who handled the ball agrees France were hard done by.

Really poor defending and bad luck was always going to be a recipe for disaster.

Looking ahead to the game against Italy, Domenech said, “It will be our own little final. We have to use it to show what we can do and hope the other result goes our way.”

Henry said that he was not 100% fit against Holland. Everyone is disappointed that he lobbed the ball over the goal instead of scoring when he only had the keeper to beat, but for me, he had a good game, looked sharp and skillful, and scored a great goal.

Both Henry and Domenech report having had trouble sleeping after the match. They obviously didn’t drown their sorrows and pass out, the way some supporters did.

This picture allegedly shows Domenech’s response to questioning about why Benzema didn’t play. “I am not saying that I am always right,” was the main thing I took away from his explanation.

My fervent desire to see a Benzema-Henry partnership remains unsatiated, curses.

Patrick Vieira might be back for the game against Italy. Vieira in top form is a force of nature, but some doubt we’ll ever see that Vieira again. I watched him play late in the season with Inter Milan, and he still had some creative power going forward. If he did come back into the team and led France to a string of victories with commanding performances, culminating in a trophy celebration, he’d be a legend approaching Zidane status.

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Comments

By Luis | June 14th, 2008 at 10:52 pm

What r u guys talking about, u guys are already out! u don’t get raped by 4 goals like that and all of a sudden bounce back, com’on on now!

By jeff | June 14th, 2008 at 10:56 pm

Luis, I feel the same way, but the math is not as definitive.

By Doumé | June 14th, 2008 at 11:01 pm

In l’Equipe today, Domenech says:
“I don’t make mistakes, I just make choices” Hmmm!
“There is an opportunity. If we don’t take it and rip each other apart, we would be stupid. Stupid, you can write that down”
http://foot2008.lequipe.fr/breves2008/20080614_140345_domenech-si-on-se-dechire_Dev.html

By jeff | June 14th, 2008 at 11:09 pm

Domenech is obviously hurting.

I’m starting to look forward to the Italy game. Hopefully it’s not too much to ask for Henry, Benzema, and Ribery to all start and score.

If Romania blow it, then all the better, but a great performance from France, by itself, would be a soothing tonic.

By Carlos | June 14th, 2008 at 11:52 pm

Hi there
I am from the Dutch Blog and I am sure Marco wants to win this game and the BEST part is that Romania HAS to win this game so they will come forward (if even only in the second half. Holland always plays better when teams try to attack them, making it an open game.
And oh Yes marco will field a totally different team to save a second yellow and allow some players rest. This means up front you will have Robben v Persie Affelay with Huntelaar as striker. They will scare Romania to bits. Huntelaar needs to prove he is better than v Nistelrooy and Marco wants to give both v Persie and Robben Match Practice.
Good Luck against Italy

Posted from Singapore

By Mohamed | June 15th, 2008 at 2:48 am

… approaching zidane status ???

I think that will never be

Posted from Belgium

By joe | June 15th, 2008 at 4:12 am

France need to score early against Italy
and to start with something like 4-1-3-2

Frey

Clerc..Squillaci..Gallas..Evra

Toulalan

Govou..Ribéry..Henry

Anelka..Benzema

Posted from Mauritius

By RF | June 15th, 2008 at 5:11 am

Definitely a missed penalty and that hurts. On the other hand, how Makelele didn’t get red in that game is beyond me: he elbowed both kuyt and sneijder and then slapped VdV in the face! And all he got is yellow in that game!

And I still can’t be 100% sure whether Henry’s goal was onside or not, it was pretty close!

By julien | June 15th, 2008 at 7:44 am

I think we might win against Italy in our next match. We don’t have Zidane to spoil it :p. For my fellow Frenchman, I am only kidding.

Posted from United States

By Foreverzidane | June 15th, 2008 at 10:05 am

Would Domenech be smart enough and use Frey, a goalie who’s more familiar with the Azzuri?

By -nickt.- | June 15th, 2008 at 10:23 am

i must say, as an italian fan, i think frey would do better against italy.

and here’s to both of our coaches finding new jobs at the end of the tournament!

By Jean Pierre | June 15th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Go France

I want Trezeguet to be in
France shud have got 2 penalties in the match against the netherlands, but yeh thats the past for now

Hope France will got good luck against Italy

Posted from Netherlands

By Franco Rossi | June 15th, 2008 at 3:35 pm

French r crying about the penalty that was not given!!BVe grateful that makelele was not SENT off for elbowing vandervaart and sneijder which was very brutal and unsportive!!

Posted from Spain

By frenchnetherlandsfan | June 15th, 2008 at 4:59 pm

should have 21 penalties !!
come on jean pierre …
henry has always been that weiner, every time he lost this is the referee’s fault.
henry shot ooijer’s hand .. that’s not a penalty, the rule is a volontary move with the hand.
ok some referee give penalty for that, but that’s not the rule.
and maké should have 21 yellow cards too (actually at least 3).
that’s football, ooijer never try to stop the ball with especialy his hand, so let’s play.
u should be more hangry about the henry’s lob 3m over.

but i agree with few people in the french or dutch blog, if we meet again france in semi … i think we’ll lose.
like ever we play awesome football but we’ll not be prized at the end.

Posted from France

By Foreverzidane | June 16th, 2008 at 10:10 am

Corrections my double identity friend, That was a CLEAR HAND BALL,
whether it’s ball hitting arm or arm hitting ball, the fact is that the arm “PREVENTED THE BALL FROM IT’S INTENDED COURSE OF DIRECTION” which most likely would’ve been in the back of that goal of yours.
You guys won the game fair and square so what’s your beef? be happy.
Gallas during a match near the end of the EPL had a similar situation when the Chelsea shot in the box hit his arm, and the Ref. immediately awarded the PENAL to Chelsea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please don’t insult Henry as he is far away from being a Whiner, and he’s done more than enough of his share for Les Bleus.

By frenchnetherlandsfan | June 16th, 2008 at 8:14 pm

don’t know what u’r trying to quote, that’s not the rule foreverzidane, read it!
i know that most of referees gave a penalty for that, (and not for the thousand holding shirt in the box) but that’s not the football law.
i’m the first who reconize we’r lucky to beat france (moreover with such score), but i can’t hear that thing about ungiven true penalty.
and about henry, to follow him since monaco, he have always had such reactions, so that’s boring … but, anyway.
good luck against italy.

Posted from France

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