Ireland France

[ronanm]

Would be ecstatic with a 0-0, but think we'll concede C'mon Kilbane!!

[johnp]

0-0 would be ok.
We've been good at nicking goals this campaign, so even if we get the 0-0 or a 1-1, I think we can score over there. Set pieces will play their part.

[greenbloodred]

Think we'll nick it 1-0 at Croker tomorrow, a clean sheet would be fantastic
C'mon you boys in green!

[BobTheCharmer]

If I were Irish I can't see too much to be afraid of. France have been rubbish for ages. They have some alright players and Ribery. Get in their faces and hopefully you'll kick their sorry arses out of the competition.

They're like the dutch used to be. Big ego's, infighting, failing to work for each other. Plus they have an awful manager.

****ing hell Scotland even won in Paris!

Go Ireland.

[SK]

COME ON IRELAND! and bosnia, and ukraine, and us of course is ribery playing? i though he was injured? and without him france a ****e, well even with him they're ****, but at least he has the ability to change games, which no other player in their setup does.

[dww]

If I were Irish I can't see too much to be afraid of. France have been rubbish for ages. They have some alright players and Ribery. Get in their faces and hopefully you'll kick their sorry arses out of the competition.

They're like the dutch used to be. Big ego's, infighting, failing to work for each other. Plus they have an awful manager.

****ing hell Scotland even won in Paris!

Go Ireland.

Even if Ribery is injured they have Anelka, Henry and Gourcuff which is pretty decent. I agree they are not the great team they were but I still think they have enough cutting edge to beat Ireland. That said it is a great opportunity for the likes of Keane and Duff to write themselves into footballing lore.

[Joe King]

Govou will play on the right

[-V-]

GOAL.COM World Cup Qualifying Preview: Republic of Ireland – France
Giovanni Trapattoni and Raymond Domenech square off in the first bout of an intriguing battle...

Kick-Off: Saturday, November 14, 2009. 20:00 GMT.
Croke Park, Dublin

Fourth under Brian Kerr in the race for a place at Germany 2006. Third under Steve Staunton in qualification for Austria - Switzerland in 2008. Now, the Irish have again gone a step further, finishing second with Giovanni Trapattoni in charge as they battle for a place at South Africa 2010.

A play-off looms; the Irish have had mixed fortunes in situations such as this. Their win over Iran in 2002 has been off-set by disappointment in defeats to The Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey at this final hurdle stage in qualification.

Hence, there is a certain amount of trepidation, but crucially, not fear, ahead of the two-legged tie against the French. Ireland under 'il Gaffer' are made of stern stuff, to which fellow Juventino Marcello Lippi, now coach of Italy, would testify. Ireland were the only team that the world champions failed to beat in the qualification campaign and the Boys in Green came within a hair's breadth of claiming three points against the Azzurri in Dublin last month.

Alas, the Irish succumbed to familiar failings. They do not lead well. Ireland have been, time and again, pegged back from leading positions throughout the qualification phase and look vulnerable when protecting a slender advantage.

That said, the refrain 'you'll never beat the Irish' has scarcely been used more aptly than during this campaign. Undefeated, a boast not even the French can manage, to this point, Ireland do not have to fear anybody.

Two clear wins in two matches for the Irish seems unlikely but as Ireland's World Cup record dictates, sometimes you don't always have to win to go through. Can Ireland beat France twice? Doubtful. Can Ireland avoid defeat twice, and in the right order? That's another story.

Has it come to this?

And so it has come to a play-off for Raymond Domenech and his French side. Fourteen months after their qualifying campaign began with an abject 3-1 loss in Vienna, it will end, for good or for bad, next Wednesday.

Saturday’s encounter at Croke Park will have a major bearing on les Bleus’ mood when the welcome the exuberant Irish to Paris, but there can be little doubt that there is a degree of trepidation travelling to Dublin.

Though the likes of Yoann Gourcuff have said that they are supremely confident that les Bleus will progress over the two games, there have been dissenting voices, whispers that suggest the trip to an 82,000 all-seater cauldron filled with baying Irishmen is not what France wanted to face at this stage.

‘Green Hell’ it has been described by the media as, though at least les Bleus seem to have toughened up somewhat in recent encounters. When they travelled to the inhospitable surrounds of Serbia, fighting to preserve their hopes of automatic qualification, Domenech’s men rallied from a goal and a man down to secure a very credible point, and such steel with have to be evident at the weekend.

Since their trip to south eastern Europe, France dusted off the Faroe Islands and waltzed past Austria, but such results were not enough to book a passage to South Africa. At least, the French believe, they have been played into some kind of belated form just as crunch time has arrived.

FORM
Ireland

DREW 0-0 (h) Montenegro (World Cup qualifying, October 14)

DREW 2-2 (h) Italy (World Cup qualifying, October 10)

WON 1-0 (h) South Africa (Friendly, September 8)

WON 2-1 (a) Cyprus (World Cup qualifying, September 5)

LOST 3-0 (h) Australia (Friendly, August 12)

France

WON 3-1 (h) Austria (World Cup qualifying, October 14)

WON 5-0 (h) Faroe Islands (World Cup qualifying, October 10)

DREW 1-1 (a) Serbia (World Cup qualifying, September 9)

DREW 1-1 (h) Romania (World Cup qualifying, September 5)

WON 1-0 (a) Faroe Islands (World Cup qualifying, August 12)

TEAM NEWS

Ireland

The Irish are at full strength, with the only question marks being over who will start on the flanks. Stephen Hunt and Aiden McGeady are likely to miss out on a berth from the outset with Damien Duff coming through 90 minutes for Fulham last weekend and Liam Lawrence excelling against both South Africa and Italy. The Stoke man's discipline, in place of McGeady's roving, will be a better option for Trap to deploy in the face of marauding full-back, Patrice Evra.

In defence, Sean St Ledger will retain his place with John O'Shea staying in his right-back berth. Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews may not be the most formidable pairing on paper but have been workmanlike and effective in the process so far.

Probable Starting XI: Given - O'Shea, St Ledger, Dunne, Kilbane - Whelan, Andrews, Lawrence, Duff - Keane, Doyle

France

Domenech is contending with a lengthy enough injury list. The most high profile absentee is Franck Ribery, who also missed the October internationals, while Arsenal’s Samir Nasri was overlooked due to a lack of match time following a serious injury.

Speaking of the Gunners, Gael Clichy is missing and Abou Diaby is in the squad against Arsene Wenger’s wishes.

Stade Rennais forward Jimmy Briand, a regular in the national side, is just recovering from a long-term injury sustained while training with les Bleus in the spring. He should be back in action for his club soon.

The biggest doubt is over gritty midfielder Jeremy Toulalan, who would not be involved if club boss Claude Puel had anything to do with it.

Andre-Pierre Gignac also left Thursday’s training session early and is considered a problem. If the Toulouse man is fit, expect France to go 4-4-2, if not, they will play a 4-2-3-1 with Nicolas Anelka the lone striker.

Probable Starting XI: Lloris; Sagna, Gallas, Abidal, Evra; A. Diarra, L. Diarra; Govou, Gourcuff, Henry; Anelka

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ireland

Ireland will not find playing through France the easiest of processes so much of the Irish attacking threat will be dependent on their consistency from set-pieces. Richard Dunne has been among the goals for his country in this qualification campaign and has made his presence felt for Aston Villa too at the business end of the field. With France posing no small attacking threat themselves, much will depend on the broad shoulders of Ireland's defensive stalwart.

France

With talisman Franck Ribery missing, les Bleus will look towards Thierry Henry to lead their offensive charge against the Boys in Green. The only member of France’s squad who was present when Didier Deschamps lifted the World Cup in 1998, he possesses 115 caps worth of experience and 51 goals to act as a hallmark of excellence. Now approaching the twilight of his international career, he will want more than anything to ensure that he receives the last hurrah he deserves in South Africa. Irish fans will recall that it was the Barcelona man's stunning strike that separated the sides the last time the teams met in Dublin.

PREDICTION

Given the seeming gulf in class between France's Champions League regulars and Ireland's modest Premier League representatives, many would expect les Bleus to be far-and-away favourites to go through. However, nobody is predicting a hammering. The Irish are resolute on their own turf and Giovanni Trapattoni will be under no illusions as to the damage an away goal could do to his goal-shy side. France will have a lot of the possession and the hosts may be reliant on Shay Given and Richard Dunne but the Boys in Green have enough to go to Saint Denis on at least a level footing.

Ireland 0-0 France

Peter Staunton & Robin Bairner, Goal.com

[-V-]

Personally I don't see France winning tomorrow. The Irish should at the very least get a draw

[barnes10]

http://irishsoccerinsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/french-and-irish-fall-out-over-box-incident/

[G]

A clean sheet is a must but given our nasty habit of throwing away leads in games we should really be closing out I'm not hopeful.We can defo score against them mind.

I think we'll do them over two legs though

[johnp]

No surprises really. He'll decided on McGeady/Lawrence just before kickoff.

Shay Given,
John O'Shea,
Richard Dunne,
Sean St Ledger,
Kevin Kilbane,
Aiden McGeady/Liam Lawrence,
Keith Andrews,
Glenn Whelan,
Damien Duff,
Robbie Keane,
Kevin Doyle

[kev776]

**** Ireland, who gives a ****

[Marky]

**** off kev.

[kev776]

**** off kev.

A justified reply