Euro 2016 Semi-Final Germany vs France, Thursday 7th July 20:00, RTE2

Boskowski

vs

Me doing the match thread worked well for us vs Italy, so I'll give it a go again.

France look as tough a test as Italy, only completely different. They're really looking good going forward, but fragile at the back. They also seem very confident as a team at the moment and of course they're riding the wave of the home team euphoria. And they feel they're due some payback from 2 years ago. But they seem volatile to me. And on paper they actually suit us. We will have more space vs them than vs Italy.

As for ourselves the main topic are the three players that will be missing, Hummels, Khedira and Gomez due to either suspension or injury. I like Hummels a lot but we can probably compensate with Hoewedes even if he is a completely different type of centre back. Khedira is a problem. Loew announced he is going to go with Schweini which has me worried for the obvious reasons. Me personally I'd give Can a go, but Loew doesn't seem to trust him being calm enough or something. Gomez is actually out for the tournament just when it looked like he claimed his spot. So we're back to the 'false nine' which wouldn't be so bad only for Mueller having a stinker and Goetze struggling to convince any of his managers. And of course neither of them is a 'real' striker.

So again I'm far from confident and wouldn't dare to call it. At full strength I'd trust us to do the business, but this could go either way, if anything I'd have France with a little advantage. I just looked at oddschecker and the general soccer public seems to share my view, not much between them.

Anyway, since we have two attacking teams we might get a really good match at last. I hope for us to go through of course, but if nothing else we may get that. Enjoy!

The_Kew_Tour

Think the Germans will do it

Shanotheslayer

Argh. I don't know.

I fancied Italy to beat the Germans but alas nope.

Germans so good at big competitions, and they just don't lose Penalties which could give a psychology edge if it does go to penos.


I'll go with 1-1 and after that no clue.

Wizard!

Germany has won 10 matched against France, 2 were draw and France won 12.
However, Most of them were friendlies. Official FIFA/UEFA matches are 3-0-1.
This is a psychological advantage for Germany, but France is playing into their home.
So I believe the match is depending todays performance of both teams, and I mean, if they have a "bad day"
We all have seen teams playing great, and there is a match were you think there is another team in the field.

GavRedKing

France win for me. Would have loved if this was the match up for the final too.

Sugarlumps

Easy Germany win.

Boskowski

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Easy Germany win.

As much as I'd like to go with your opinion I can't see anything easy at this stage of the tournament. Slovakia was 'easy', I don't think it will be like that. Boateng (you beast!) will be dealing with Giroud alright, but Pogba, Payet, Kante and Griezmann will give us a battle for sure. Just reading those names makes me think Schweini will have to dig very very deep tonight.

Just seeing on kicker.de that he's going to go with Goetze. So the three replacements will be Hoewedes, Schweini and Goetze. If all goes well that's certainly good enough, but...

greendom

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Easy Germany win.

Very hard match to call but I think the 3 German absentees just swing it in France's favour.

Will Deschamps bring back Kante or will he leave Sissoko in the team. I favour the former but rumours suggest that Sissoko will get the nod.

I think the fact that the game is being played in Marseille and not Paris gives the French an extra edge which could just push them over the line.

Boskowski

On a humorous sidenote, the fact that all three RTE pundits fancy France means we have it practically in the bag.

greendom

Boskowski wrote: »

On a humorous sidenote, the fact that all three RTE pundits fancy France means we have it practically in the bag.

Ahh, didn't know that. May have to revise my opinion!

timtru

Anyone knows where to watch it in South County Dublin? Preferably with a mixed German (!) - French - Irish audience. DANKE

Liam O

Everyone moaned about Portugal having the easy route to the final but Germany are the only top team that France have played. Germany have played both Italy and Spain and sent them home. Obviously Italy was close but they have played 2 very tense and high quality knockout opponents. As much as you were never going to believe us a HT in Lyon and the Iceland underdog story, the challenge isn't really the same playing us and them and i can see France coming in a bit cold.

kfallon

Liam O wrote: »

Everyone moaned about Portugal having the easy route to the final but Germany are the only top team that France have played. Germany have played both Italy and Spain and sent them home. Obviously Italy was close but they have played 2 very tense and high quality knockout opponents. As much as you were never going to believe us a HT in Lyon and the Iceland underdog story, the challenge isn't really the same playing us and them and i can see France coming in a bit cold.

Italy beat Spain.
Germany beat Slovakia

greendom

I was all for the 24 team format but with hindsight it has meant that many teams have had relatively easy passages to the latter stages. This wouldn't have happened with a 16 team competition.

Nerdlingr

Although i fancied France at the start of the tournament, I'd like to see Germany do it tonight (and Sunday). France have some great attacking options but Germany have the nous to see it through I think.

eagle eye

I think Hummels is a huge loss tonight and for that reason I'll go France 3-1.

Elmer Blooker

greendom wrote: »

I was all for the 24 team format but with hindsight it has meant that many teams have had relatively easy passages to the latter stages. This wouldn't have happened with a 16 team competition.

But it's the group standings that decide the knock-out stage and the passage to the final. Who expected Italy v Spain in the last 16?
Wales weren't expected to win their group but they did and their reward was playing N.Ireland. Croatia who won their group got third placed Portugal and went out.

ArmaniJeanss

greendom wrote: »

I was all for the 24 team format but with hindsight it has meant that many teams have had relatively easy passages to the latter stages. This wouldn't have happened with a 16 team competition.

No the cause of the lobsided draw was because three number 1 seeds (Spain particularly, Belgium, and not so importantly England) failed to win their groups and ended up on the unintended side of the draw.
So Spain and England went to a half they didn't need to be in, and Italy (stronger as it happened than No1 seed Belgium) went to the side Belgium were seeded to be in.

It was a perfect storm of exactly 3 groups (and crucially all three where winners went to the same knockout side) having the 'name' team finishing second.

keeponhurling

Boskowski wrote: »

On a humorous sidenote, the fact that all three RTE pundits fancy France means we have it practically in the bag.

I think we can safely write off the Germans......

adox

Think France will win the midfield battle, have more attacking options and will so edge it.

Dodgy at the back though to expect both teams to score.

Unearthly

Rte have had an agenda for as long as I remember against Germany. It even happens for their clubs in champions league.

Think they will win, France are dodgy

syngindub

Allez le blues

Liam O

kfallon wrote: »

Italy beat Spain.
Germany beat Slovakia

Of course...sure Slovakia are good too. No? Ok...

Mr.Nice Guy

Feck it, I posted a match thread without seeing this one. I hope the ref is sharper than me.

Anyway I was saying my prediction tonight is 1-1 in normal time with Germany edging it in Extra-Time. It would be pretty strange for Muller to go through the entire tournament without a goal.

Harry Palmr

Germany Verified account
‏@DFB_Team_EN

#GER XI to face #FRA:
Neuer - Hector, Höwedes, Schweinsteiger Özil, Draxler, Müller, Can, Boateng, Kroos, Kimmich

Mr.Nice Guy

France team:

Lloris; Sagna, Koscielny, Umtiti, Evra; Pogba, Matuidi; Sissoko, Griezmann, Payet; Giroud


So Umtiti keeps his place ahead of Rami. No return for Kante either which suggests Deschamps is going for it.

greendom

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

France team:

Lloris; Sagna, Koscielny, Umtiti, Evra; Pogba, Matuidi; Sissoko, Griezmann, Payet; Giroud


So Umtiti keeps his place ahead of Rami. No return for Kante either which suggests Deschamps is going for it.

Will Pogba be disciplined enough to hold?

Boskowski

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Germany Verified account
‏@DFB_Team_EN

#GER XI to face #FRA:
Neuer - Hector, Höwedes, Schweinsteiger Özil, Draxler, Müller, Can, Boateng, Kroos, Kimmich

Wow. I like it.

Utdfan20titles

John Giles fancies Spain here. Anyone with him?

sligeach

Has Johnny been on the sauce?

sabat

Can starts; this championship just got 25% sexier.

Andersonisgod

I can't hide my disappointment with the lack of Weigl. Hummels is a huge miss too defensively both also for Germany's build up play. Not sure how Can will do in this game, especially as Germany are likely to dictate possession. That being said I've got a lot of faith in this generation of German players.

France opt to keep Pogba in a midfield 2 which Deschamps was reluctant to do at the start of the tournament. It does facilitate Griezmann playing behind the striker though which is where he is best used in this team. I'm not sold on Matuidi, and Pogba particularly, being able to protect the space between lines which no side is as adept at finding in international football as Germany.

Prediction: Germany to win it all.

Boskowski

Oh, nooooooooo... Eamon swinging towards Germany :eek: We're f*****

Boskowski

greendom wrote: »

Will Pogba be disciplined enough to hold?

Will Can be?

greendom

Boskowski wrote: »

Will Can be?

Took me a while to decipher that

Good question. Rodgers had him at CB so I'd say yes.

Boskowski

I hope so. Back home they're suggesting Loew will play 4-4-3.

caviardreams

Utdfan20titles wrote: »

John Giles fancies Spain here. Anyone with him?

Well he tipped "Portsmouth" last night at one stage... :eek:

GreNoLi

Don't like the look of that German team, going to have to amend my prediction.

munster87

France to scrape it with a late winner 2-1

Darkglasses

Boskowski wrote: »

I hope so. Back home they're suggesting Loew will play 4-4-3.

Neuer as a third striker? I like it, ballsy.

Boskowski

Darkglasses wrote: »

Neuer as a third striker? I like it, ballsy.

LOL meant 4-4-2 never even registered with me and yes THAT would be ballsy

Billy86

Utdfan20titles wrote: »

John Giles fancies Spain here. Anyone with him?

Please tell me this is a joke?

Dirty Dingus McGee

i missed the start of the clip but I heard Dunphy say "We've seen evidence of how bad he is, the Italian league is not very strong"

I assume he was talking about Pogba as I think he's the only player in either team who plays in Italy.

Has Dunphy actually seen him play outside of these championships?

mansize

Torn between France and Germany

Chancer3001

Is this Johnny Giles last appearance on TV??

caviardreams

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

i missed the start of the clip but I heard Dunphy say "We've seen evidence of how bad he is, the Italian league is not very strong"

I assume he was talking about Pogba as I think he's the only player in either team who plays in Italy.

Has Dunphy actually seen him play outside of these championships?

It was evra actually - not Pogba

Mr.Nice Guy

Chancer3001 wrote: »

Is this Johnny Giles last appearance on TV??

Not unless he's dropped for the final in a shock move.

mansize

Probably think France will win

mansize

Heres the anthems! BBC commentator got German anthem wrong

mhiggy09

Wow. French absolutely belting out the anthem. Should be a great game to watch

mansize

I love La Marseillaise