Who's mug enough to think we'll beat France in Euro 2004

[Icy Gull]

Well?

 

[empire]

on the day we can beat anyone if the players play to their potential.

 

[Adams score 0]

Me

 

[Trigger]

I don't think we'll even win any of the 3 group matches.

 

[JJ McClure]

We probably will beat France then fail to beat anyone else. England tend to do ok in the big games (Argentina, Germany) then cock up against the lesser sides.

 

[Braders]

me , 1-0

 

[Uncle Buck]

I don't think we'll even win any of the 3 group matches.

It will be typical England, we will go into the last game with qualification in our own hands and then one of the Nevilles will get involved, oh hang on that has happened before.

England have a habit of performing against the better teams, the problem with Euro 2004 if the defence and the fact that David James is due to drop an almighty clanger for England as he is yet to make a mistake of note.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I can't see our defence holding out against France, though I'd love to be proved wrong. I've thought all year that the very idea John Terry is any sort of replacement for Rio is a total joke - last night in Monaco just proved it again - and Jonathan Woodgate has to play for us to have any chance.

There are big doubts at keeper - there must come a point where the much touted 'experience' has to give way to, err, basic ability and talent. James and Walker are both dodgy, if Kirkland isn't fit I'd be tempted to play Green but that won't happen.

So if the team was something like: James; Neville, Bridge, Woodgate, Campbell; Beckham, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard; Rooney, Owen - we'd have a chance of coming second.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

we can easily do it. just need to be more organised thats all. there defense is nothing special is it. and as long as the defence gets it right (remember campbell is henrys teamate so that may help). also terry did a great matrking job on henry in the champs league matches,

we have every chance of winning. i bet a senegalese bloke before the world cup said exactly the same thing and we all know what happend there.

 

[Jam The Man]

we wont lose - it'll be a draw or win

 

[DTES]

After France's disastrous World Cup in 2002, I don't think anyone will stop them this time, and that's not from a "England are crap" point of view. I think we could do very well, even reach the final and play them again, but no, we won't beat them.

And Pires will probably dive to gain the winner.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Surely it's not MORE organisation we need. We need some bloody inspiration and invention. Hopefully, Roonaldo will provide that, but our midfield, while full of quality, has nothing sublime to it.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Surely it's not MORE organisation we need. We need some bloody inspiration and invention. Hopefully, Roonaldo will provide that, but our midfield, while full of quality, has nothing sublime to it.

long shots!! we have a midfield of wonderful long shot specialists at the moment. if we just let lampard scholes becks and gerrard rain them into the goalies rthroat surely one will bounce out make a chance easy enough for a neville to score....ok maybe not a neville

 

[Icy Gull]

I look at this list of players and give England a very slim chance of beating them, unfortunately

Missing from that squad and likely to be included - Saha, Pires and probably quite a few others I can't think of

France Squad List No Player Apps G YC RC
Goalkeepers
1 Ulrich Rame
16 Fabien Barthez 8 1
23 Gregory Coupet 1
Defenders
2 Vincent Candela
3 Bixente Lizarazu 8 (1)
5 Philippe Christanval
8 Marcel Desailly 5
13 Mikael Silvestre 7 (1)
15 Lilian Thuram 9
18 Frank Leboeuf
19 Willy Sagnol 2 (4) 1
Midfielders
4 Patrick Vieira 5 2
7 Claude Makelele 6 (1) 1 1
14 Alain Boghossian
17 Emmanuel Petit
Attacking Midfielders
6 Youri Djorkaeff
10 Zinedine Zidane 7 3 1
22 Johan Micoud 1
Strikers
Daniel Moreira
Steve Marlet (4) 1
9 Djibril Cisse (3)
11 Sylvain Wiltord 5 (1) 4
12 Thierry Henry 7 (1) 5
20 David Trezeguet

 

[Gary Nelson]

I can't see our defence holding out against France, though I'd love to be proved wrong. I've thought all year that the very idea John Terry is any sort of replacement for Rio is a total joke - last night in Monaco just proved it again - and Jonathan Woodgate has to play for us to have any chance.

There are big doubts at keeper - there must come a point where the much touted 'experience' has to give way to, err, basic ability and talent. James and Walker are both dodgy, if Kirkland isn't fit I'd be tempted to play Green but that won't happen.

So if the team was something like: James; Neville, Bridge, Woodgate, Campbell; Beckham, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard; Rooney, Owen - we'd have a chance of coming second.

I think that is very harsh on Terry. Iv seen him play live 2 or 3 times and he was outstanding. A mate of mine who is a season ticket holder at the Bridge and says Terry is their player of the season-far better than Lampard. The only thing I feel Rio has over him is a bit more pace, which of course will be vital against Henry. I think though that Terry is a lot better all round and lets face it there are not many players that will hold off Henry when he is on fire

 

[Hiney]

James

Neville (G)
Terry
Campbell
Bridge
Beckham
Scholes
Lampard
Gerrard
Owen
Rooney

This is the team that will beat France 2-0 on their way to victory in Euro 2004.

Come on boys, we can do it

 

[Meade's Ball]

long shots!! we have a midfield of wonderful long shot specialists at the moment. if we just let lampard scholes becks and gerrard rain them into the goalies rthroat surely one will bounce out make a chance easy enough for a neville to score....ok maybe not a neville

That's true. We do have some absolute whizzbang experts.

But we're still all too predictable and lack that magic or pace from the midfield that can unlock international defences who are at least as organised as ours.

 

[Adams score 0]

Whats the point.
The Burbbery boys will get us kicked out.

 

[Simster]

If France are Arsenal, then England are, say Aston Villa. Decent enough, might win in a one-off but you wouldn't put your mortgage on it.

Icy, you forgot that brilliant bloke who got substituted for Monaco last night - he can't get into the France team yet he was far too good fot Chelsea's £150m side.

 

[Easy 10]

Apart from Mo Mowlam, Thierry Henry is the most terrifying thing on two legs. If he carries this form into the Euro's, I just can't see England stopping him.