Bitterly disappointed – Mexico 2, France 0 – Domenech’s failings in sharp focus – World Cup likely over

Jeff,
Hats off to you and the crew for being loyal French supporters. Being optimistic when it wasnt the most popular position to take requires guts. I cannot say I have always shared the same sort of blind faith but the discussions we've all shared have always been healthy. Tough game to watch but who can be surprised by the outcome? Its been the same story for the last 4 years. Blame the Federation. No nuts there. I'm going out to buy a USA shirt…probably Dempsey. See you guys around.

Jeff- thanks for being the bravest out of all of us bloggers to put something together first…I'll admit I'm stick licking my wounds while drowning my sorrows in alcohol and trashy TV. My thoughts will have to wait as they are a mixture of sadness, bitterness, disappointment and anger.

Vamos Uruguay Vamos!!

If Uruguay win, then Mexico's goal difference advantage over France will be at most 1, so France would just need to win by two goals over South Africa – so yes: Vaminos Uruguay.

I wouldn't say blind faith, but faith, yes. Ruben Sosa's comment urging Uruguay on has already already re-ignited a flicker of optimism.

I probably won't be too popular for saying this, but I don't WANT France to advance by throttling South Africa. I like South Africa; they've played with heart and enthusiasm, something that's been completely missing for France. I'm ready to just close the book on this team and the Domenech era and say, “THE END.”
THE END to players who only play all out when there's a paycheck involved.
THE END to a manager who has no idea how to handle the talent he has at his disposal
THE END to big egos and personality conflicts and grown men who act like middle schoolers.
THE END to World Cup 2010

Before today, I desperately wanted this team to advance, but I just don't anymore. Not like this. They don't deserve it.

Bring on the Blanc era. Let's hope and pray he can do something with this disaster of a team.

P.S. I'm actually almost glad the Anelka and Ribery couldn't do anything with Gourcuff off the pitch, because it shows he wasn't the problem. Perhaps the two of them could get a better look at what the problem actually was by looking in their mirrors.

Dumbenech and his failings, as have been pointed out above, have been laid out for all the world to see. At the very least, play Henry so that he can serve as a rallying point for the players. Instead, it's 23 players, 23 taxicabs as they ride off into the sunset. No discipline, no plan, no goals, no advancing. Dummy's loyalty to Anelka has vexed me for eons, and continues to do so. That was a winnable match, but it required a coach and more importantly, players with a committment to the colors. That is your country you're playing for, you lazy bastards! Put out.

On the up side for Bayern, nobody would pay a Euro for Ribery at present. I'm still stunned. Not surprised, but definitely stunned. Talent-wise, we are almost as good as anyone in the tournament. But unlike in '06, there wasn't the galvanic point that bonded the side. No Zidane, no Vieira.

Dumbenech,
This is what you get for not playing your talisman, Thierry Henry
This is what you get for keeping Govou on all this time, with Gourcuff, Malouda, and Henry sitting on the bench

Thanks for robbing us of a golden generation of France footballers, except for that one time where Zidane did your job for you

Thanks for not allowing us to see the best of Pires, Guily, Trezeguet, Mexes, Nasri , etc etc

France football Federation,
Thanks for allowing all this to happen, what a despicable lot

More thanks for the following Raymond:
- Playing Abidal as a center back when it clearly hasn't gone that great that often in the past
- Putting on Gignac at the dying minutes of a make or break game, based on being the top scorer in the french league TWO seasons ago

You know what, this is pointless, I can think of 6 others as I type. It would have been a shorter list if it was the things he got right.

+1 Thanks for benching the only player with the nuts to shoot on target b/c of a middle school-esque quarrel.

“FRENCH” players should hang their heads in shame No matter who doesn't like or talk too your wearing your COUNTRYS' shirt & France could have done better sending under 21 team at least they would have given their best. I'm Scottish & know all about coming home early [not even getting there] but I'd rather see my team play with PRIDE than be French & classed among the favourites. Your so lucky doing something you love & making millions & petty squabbles COMING before YOUR country NOTHING can be so bad you can't play your best for 90mins. NO ones dead no ones lost a limb [NOT a fan & hoping Dutch or Brazilians lift the cup] YOU owe your fans & country a game where you at least try. Hope none of you have kids no one deserves a father like any of you.

Your players let themselves down they weren't even trying can't put it all on manager.

At this point, I'm not sure I'm even going to watch the next match. I've been a fan for years (as long as i've been a frenchman) but quite frankly, they don't deserve it. I love this team with all my heart, but they have not earned my love for now. Until they show desire and that they truly do care about playing for France, and representing us, I can't bear to watch that.

I didn't see the match, I don't plan to see the match. but I can say on thing I walked the walk of shame today at school. I was wearing my France shirt, had my flag, everything… In the middle of my midterm, my Instructors says, “Sorry Anicho.” The class goes crazy, “Mexico scored! — Anicho, I told you France is shit!” and “It's two nothing!” …I felt it yesterday. Pure shit. I even was walking down the halls and people told me to burn my jersey.. The biggest shame I've felt! AMAZING!! Useless players.

poetic justice? france should not even be in the world cup. it was the cheating hand of henry that robbed the irish of their place in this cup so yes, I am glad if france gets eliminated so that the next time they get to the world cup by merit and with players who want to play.

Before blaming the coach, take a deep look at the players. Patrice Evra has proved from time to time that he is not a leader by making so many stupid comments. That Men vs Boy thing against Arsenal, you have to talk to Toulalan to talk to Gourcuff etc. Never once did he carry grace like great leaders like Baresi, Maldini etc have done.

CHARACTER >> TALENT. Period.

HA HA HA HA OWNED NOOBS

Laurie, I'm entirely with you on this. I'll come out right now and say that a strong part of me wanted Ireland to beat France because long before Henry's handball this French team simply didn't deserve to be in this tournament. Like everyone else I was hoping they'd come out with some kind of decent performance, even if they crashed out in the group stages. But geezus — not even an attempt at a decent performance, except for a handful of players.

And yes, I like S. Africa, I want them to do as best they can. They're probably out of the tournament and that's a far greater shame than France being out of it. Their team plays for the shirt with heart and soul and love.

MANE, STOP PARROTTING THIS LIE. Henry cheated Ireland out of a PENALTY SHOOT OUT which France might well have won.

And Ireland did plenty of their own CHEATING – Robbie Keane committed a handball in the same game. And Ireland dived for a fake penalty against Georgia, winning that game based on a CHEATING tactic. So STFU with the hypocrisy already!

Just let the Blanc era begin already!

Hang in there Anicho. Don't burn your jersey. Part of being a supporter is going though the tough times as well as the good. So many signs pointed to failure in this tournament, but we hoped for a miraculous coming-together that never happened. Unfortunately, the players and the coach let us down. On a positive note, the Domenech era is finally over after this tournament, so there's the Blanc era to look forward too. He's going to have to clean house and build a TEAM of players that don't pull the same high-school crap that the current crop pulled on Gourcuff. Euro 2012 is two years off, so there's reason for hope again. Maybe Nasri can come back to the squad. Valbuena? Keep on keepin on buddy. ALLEZ LES BLEUS !!

Which players did you think were trying?

Anicho – Don't ever give up on wearing your France gear. Your classmates pummeling you is a test of your loyalty. Laugh it off. France bombed today, but you'll be right there with them for the next match, and the one after that, and years down the road.

And there's way more tough times than good – only one team can win this tournament, so for the rest of us, we have to learn to embrace the misery.

I see all the comments about how there was a wide-spread lack of effort, and I have to admit I didn't necessarily have that impression when I was watching the match. Abidal looked like he'd given up when he gifted Mexico a 2nd goal, but I mostly thought the players were doing the best they could (which is arguably a harsher indictment).

Lloris, Toulalan, Malouda yesterday to some extent

I am ready for the Laurent Blanc era! It looks like its one game away. I have been very sad to see the glee of the media and the general populos that France are on their way out. Well at least there is still lots of football to watch, sadly without Les Bleus.

These were also the players who looked like they were really there. Lloris performed as best he could, Toulalan made me feel like a fan. The rest of the team were trying, but it felt like half a team. At times it looked as though were were playing with 8 or 9 men the way people – especially the defense – kept disappearing.

I agree with most everyone here that this side doesn't really deserve to go forward. And that is a hard thing to say for an ardent, bottom-of-my-heart supporter. On the plus side, the good performances made me want to follow Lyon!

Thanks for commenting Paige. I've just listened to the Guardian's Barry Glendenning, and he described things the way I saw them, that France were ok in the first half, but lost spirit in the second half. He (and others) criticized Evra for his part in conceding the penalty – as if he had given up. I think he, and a couple other sources, including in France, only gave credit to Malouda among the outfield players, but my impression was that Toulalan was the man of the match for France.

I agree, Toulalan is the man of France, I want him to score in a interview he said scoring in the blue shirt is his dream. Lloris did very nice too. Ribery disappointed me, and whyy the heck did domenech put valbuena in??

loll i was wearing my france shirt too and all my dutch orange classmates think its useless to support a failing team. i remember that i cut off some orange flags in the neighbourhood two years ago when i was 14 with my frere when france lost from the netherlands in the european championship
also, i googled on france team newssites and this was the only one i could found, popular team huh

Hey Jeff, Mostly I agree with you, except that I'm a fan of Anelka. I think Gignac is a great young player, but on the World Cup stage I would have stayed with Anelka. And that from an Arsenal fan! France played well against Uruguay even if they didn't score. They did not play well against Mexico …or is Mexico that good? Perhaps that's the answer. Lastly. Mal Joue is translated more correctly as “poorly played”. Les bleus son morts. Vive les bleus!

Typical frenchmen. no effort…give up…no guts

Thanks, Fan. I'm a Gooner as well. Anelka had some decent performances in qualifying, playing as a right forward. That seems like a long time ago now.

As a literal translation, of course your right, but I never say “poorly played.” I say either mal joue or bad job many times a day, to the point that “bad job” is the second expression that my 1-yr-old has learned after “uh-oh.” Her third expression is “uh-oh, bad job.”

Anelka is getting blasted in the French press. Lizarazu had a pop at him after the match. “Anelka walking” is quickly becoming the symbol of the Mexico performance, rather than my vote: Abidal's boderline-intentional penalty giveaway.

i think selection was poor, as a nation france has a boatload of talent. i really would have loved to see benzema and mexes make the squad but even with the talent we had we played like crap. its obvious this team played with no heart and lack a true leader

We're definitely feeble in attack right now. Attack is overstating France's offense. We've been feeble for a long, long time. In the warm-ups, with Ribery on the left, we at least had one player who was creating chances. For me it was another Domenech blunder to take Ribery off the left wing.

My flag is still on my car and will still be on until the end of the WC; I will wear my shirt when we play like always… I've realized that France is probably the most disliked team in the competition for several reason… I, think, we should be back to our old selves by the time the euros comes around, so it's all good.

This year has been hard to get over…

The collapse of Bordeaux and now the miserable showing of France; I am sad to see both my teams on such a low. Really sad; I'm ill at heart because I am a supporter of the France team, lose or win, no matter who the players are who wear the jersey.

I know that Blanc can restore this team, so I look forward to better times. ALLEZ LES BLEUS!!!

win or lose, we stand behind our flag and we wear our colours with pride!

lol, Funny you said that. In the 2006WC after we defeated Portugal. My France flag was stolen from my car.

JP, And do they say France is nothing without Zidane? I have many Italian and Portuguese friends, they don't like us very much, haha. I like playing Italy though; it's always fun.

ye loll its always the same zidane/frafrican/tearyhandball extremely bad jokes so bad that it cracks me up
so ur a portuguese francefan?goodluck ahaha its indeed funny to make bad jokes in revenge to italian pizza's

r.i.p. your french flag, they probably did some painful stuff to the tricolore oll

i agree that there should have been another formation not 4-5-1 crap and other players. gourcuff and henry should have been n

but nasri and the rest need to work on their attitude and motivation

ye can someone explain why gourcuff was out/what was playing in the intresting “brain” of unibrowraymond

yeee long live ruben sosa

Ladbrokes have France at 201 to 1 to win the World Cup, and the those are, amazingly, the longest odds I've seen.

loll, who said ladnbrokes didn't have a sense for humour

Great players individually, but not playing together or taking enough chances. Likely to go home soon.
Christian Loriau

Our slovenian commentator said: “I wouldn't be surprised if Domenech brings in Clichy”. That was after the 2nd goal. Congratulations Domenech and I hope you never manage a team again.

Team falling apart. What a unprofessional bunch of sad overpaid whiners. They're in sh*t creek without a paddle, or a captain, and the boat is leaking at an alarming rate.

The decision from the FFF to declare publicly that Domenech is out after the world cup beggars belief. What sort of message does it sends to the supporters and the players?

I cannot understand the attitude of the players, or the manager. I've never seen a team so collectively disinterested in playing in the world cup. Wait, maybe France in 2002… The pinnacle of a player's career, playing for his country at the world stage in front of millions of spectators against the best of the world, where you'll be lucky to play in two, maybe three world cups in your entire career. I mean, WAKE UP!

The attitude of the manager, and the subs during the second half of the Mexico game tells its own story. How the hell did they managed to not loose someone from dying of shame or boredom. Absolutely shocking.

I really do not get some of the tactics and the selection. It's simple really, play a fullback at the fullback position, play a left winger at the left winger position and so on… WTF is Abidal doing in centre defense? Ribery in the middle? What's Govou going even doing in the squad? He never tracks back, can't beat players, can't cross.

Their collective whinge against the supporters and criticism is misdirected. Granted the French supporters aren't the best of the world, but I guess it is part and parcel of supporting a team that had been showing a lack of interest on a regular basis for some time. There is no Zidane to save the day now, and don't talk to me about Henry, who I think is a problem more than a solution. I don't care if they get beat or reach the final, as long as they give it a go. England plays sh*t at the moment, but at least they try.

How did that clown Domenech managed to stay in for so long? Anywhere else in the world, he'd get lynched after such a string of dismal performances and poor tactical judgement. The team need a clean sweep, get rid of the dead wood, and start with player who actually want to play for the team.

USTFU they shouldn't be there, one of the best players of game ends his career in tatters after CHEATING.
You want to achieve by CHEATING carry on, others will not like you for it.

Shouldn't be there, wasted opportunity for the Ireland team to show their worth.
Instead we have a bunch of little girls throwing their toys out the pram.

Henry couldn't handle the shame, leave him alone now. Fifa and the officials should be investigated, seeding playoffs/blind linesman. CHEATING twats.
French supporters shouldn't have turned up, their team didn't.

hear, hear