GROUP D: France v England (11th June, kick-off 17:00)

**Romelu Lukaku** · 9th June '12, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by FoundTheGif

Malouda?

( Click to show/hide )

Why no Ben Arfa?

Firstly Malouda looked very good in pre-tournament friendlies, and has earned his place.

Secondly Blanc has built his squad around a solid starting 11 which he likes to field when possible, I personally think this has positives and negatives.

Positive being our starting 11 know eachother very well and as a result link up fantastically.

Negatives being players like Mexes haven't been up to scratch lately and players who have looked better, like Koscielny, aren't getting a starting place.

Just hope Mexes has a good game man.

**Clive Eboue** · 9th June '12, 10:28 PM

lol the team sheet will reduce me to tears.

**Romelu Lukaku** · 9th June '12, 10:33 PM

Player for player, I think it's very close and would argue that England may even have the edge over us.

However you play so negatively and can't string so much as 5 passes together.

The lack of chances you created in your friendlies is worrying, particularly considering the caliber of teams you played against.

The only positive to come from them friendlies was that you kept two clean sheets, leading to a belief you have a solid defence, really though Norway were atrocious in the final 1/3 and Belgium played 80mins without a striker, so imo you haven't had a real test.

**Shower Posse** · 9th June '12, 10:37 PM

I am scrapping from bones here but this is the team I would like to see out Monday

Hart

Johnson Terry Lescott Cole
Parker Milner

Walcott Young Gerrard

Welbeck

**FoundTheGif** · 9th June '12, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by iKlozzle

Malouda >>> Ben Arfa IMO

He has more International experience

Shouldn't you take players that are in form/More likely to shine? No offense to Malouda but if I saw him in the line up I wouldn't be scared in the slightest.

Originally Posted by Croissant Cunt

Firstly Malouda looked very good in pre-tournament friendlies, and has earned his place.

Secondly Blanc has built his squad around a solid starting 11 which he likes to field when possible, I personally think this has positives and negatives.

Positive being our starting 11 know eachother very well and as a result link up fantastically.

Negatives being players like Mexes haven't been up to scratch lately and players who have looked better, like Koscielny, aren't getting a starting place.

Just hope Mexes has a good game man.

Fair enough. Like I said to Klozzle above I wouldn't really be scared if I saw Malouda in the line up. I think whether he plays centrally or on the right he'll be handled accordingly by either Parker or Cole.

Originally Posted by Croissant Cunt

Player for player, I think it's very close and would argue that England may even have the edge over us.

However you play so negatively and can't string so much as 5 passes together.

The lack of chances you created in your friendlies is worrying, particularly considering the caliber of teams you played against.

The only positive to come from them friendlies was that you kept two clean sheets, leading to a belief you have a solid defence, really though Norway were atrocious in the final 1/3 and Belgium played 80mins without a striker, so imo you haven't had a real test.

Trust me were not lol, I think apart from CB/LB/GK your whole team is probably better than ours. I fully expect us to get murdered.

**Karim Benzema** · 9th June '12, 11:01 PM

yeh england have a better team on paper player for player

but cant play together

(ON PAPER)

Lloris and Hart are pretty much the same
Evra and Cole are pretty much the same
Johnson >>>debauchy ....id say Johnson cause hes has more experience...Debuncy is sick though, scored vs iceland still
Terry and Lescott >> Mexes and Rami
Parker and Milner >> Cayabe and Diarra
Wallcottx100 <<<<<<<<<<<<<Nasri
Gerrard >> Maluoda
Young <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Ribery
Welbeck<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Benzema

**Scrappy123** · 9th June '12, 11:06 PM

lol.

England's odds being shorter.

**Karim Benzema** · 9th June '12, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by Shower Posse

I am scrapping from bones here but this is the team I would like to see out Monday

Hart

Johnson Terry Lescott Cole
Parker Milner

Walcott Young Gerrard

Welbeck

gerrard wont be playing attacking i dont think btw....

hes gonna be DM with parker holding infront of back 4

dunno whos gonna go in rooneys spot in CAM

think england might play a 4-2-2-2

4 defends 2 cdm 1 rm 1lm 2 strikers cause theres no rooney

**Clive Eboue** · 9th June '12, 11:16 PM

Walcott is a lot more effective than Samir 80's lesbian Nasri tbh.

**Scrappy123** · 9th June '12, 11:21 PM

Hart
Johnson Terry Lescott Cole

Parker Gerrard

Walcott Ox(I swear he prefers being in the middle?) Young

Welbeck

Blood in some of the future attackers who are also better than the senior players lol

**Shower Posse** · 9th June '12, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by AMP

gerrard wont be playing attacking i dont think btw....

hes gonna be DM with parker holding infront of back 4

dunno whos gonna go in rooneys spot in CAM

think england might play a 4-2-2-2

4 defends 2 cdm 1 rm 1lm 2 strikers cause theres no rooney

I know Woy is going to get shook and play Gerrard in a defensive role when we are clearly lacking attacking flair
We need someone who can supply the frontline...Young in the hole...Gerrard cutting in...Walcott vs Evra as well should be alright considering what we are working with

But I know in reality it will be Downing,Walcott, Caroll and Milner in the front four

**Clive Eboue** · 10th June '12, 12:01 AM

Anyone who watched Arsenal v United at the Emirates this season will know that Chamberlain NEEDS to start if Evra plays for France.

**Deagle** · 10th June '12, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by AMP

yeh england have a better team on paper player for player

but cant play together

(ON PAPER)

Lloris and Hart are pretty much the same
Evra and Cole are pretty much the same
Johnson >>>debauchy ....id say Johnson cause hes has more experience...Debuncy is sick though, scored vs iceland still
Terry and Lescott >> Mexes and Rami
Parker and Milner >> Cayabe and Diarra
Wallcottx100 <<<<<<<<<<<<<Nasri
Gerrard >> Maluoda
Young <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Ribery
Welbeck<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Benzema

Nah Cole>>>>Evra these days.
Benzema Ribery and Nasri are too much though.
I doubt England will be able to expose the weaknesses of the French defence often but Young and Welbeck have pace so it'll be interesting.

**Karim Benzema** · 10th June '12, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by Shower Posse

I know Woy is going to get shook and play Gerrard in a defensive role when we are clearly lacking attacking flair
We need someone who can supply the frontline...Young in the hole...Gerrard cutting in...Walcott vs Evra as well should be alright considering what we are working with

But I know in reality it will be Downing,Walcott, Caroll and Milner in the front four

lol yup

**MyLord** · 10th June '12, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by FoundTheGif

How does everyone expect England to line up? I expect a 4-4-1-1 obviously Front 6:

---------Welbeck
--AOC----Young----Milner
------Parker----Gerrard

Same as vs Belgium. Depending on who's playing at LAM for France, I would start Walcott or AOC and just try to hit them on the counter attack but I think Hodgson will go defensive. Not sure how good Walcott is on the left anyway.

Milner on the wing??? Gerrard is no good playing that deep. he's better off playing behind the striker at CF / AM imo.

would prefer this:

_______Welbeck
Young___Gerrard__AOC
_____Milner___Parker

> Milner can sling long balls down the wing to Young
> Young can cut in on his right and go for goal
> AOC partner with gerrard and pull players out of position and feed balls to Welbeck /Carroll
> Parker being Parker

**Waheed** · 10th June '12, 01:28 AM

**FoundTheGif** · 10th June '12, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by MyLord

Milner on the wing??? Gerrard is no good playing that deep. he's better off playing behind the striker at CF / AM imo.

would prefer this:

_______Welbeck
Young___Gerrard__AOC
_____Milner___Parker

> Milner can sling long balls down the wing to Young
> Young can cut in on his right and go for goal
> AOC partner with gerrard and pull players out of position and feed balls to Welbeck /Carroll
> Parker being Parker

Putting Milner on the wing will help Johnson with Ribery and Evra Everybody knows he'll need it. Young can still go for goal when he plays behind the striker. He also links up with Welbeck, a lot better than Gerrard would.

Gerrard is also way too slow considering we should be playing on the counterattac. Young/Welbeck/AOC or Walcott have the pace to hit on the counter.