france

Manager: Raymond Domenech
Captain: Thierry Henry
FIFA World Ranking: 10
World Cup Appearances: 12
Best World Cup: Winners – 1998

France Article

France Team Profile

The 1998 World Cup winners will have high hopes of winning another World Cup in South African but, however, could count themselves lucky to even be in the tournament after they qualified not only via a play-off but also under controversial circumstances. The French beat the Republic of Ireland 2-1, although their eventual winners didn’t come until late into extra-time and it was adied via the hand of Thierry Henry before William Galls nodded home to send France to South Africa, at the expense of a glum ROI.

Henry’s part in France qualifying sparked uproar amongst not only with the Irish FA but also with neutrals from all around the globe, and France might not be welcomed as warmly as some of the other European nations in South Africa. To add to the hostility, even the French supporters aren’t best pleased with their squad of underachievers as their displays in qualifying where bewilderingly bad at times, and the fact that it took a dubious goal to seal their qualification doesn’t sit well with the French fans, as they’ve had it in for Raymond Domenech for a while now, pretty much ever since their poor showing at Euro 2008 at which France didn’t even make it pass the group stage of the competition.

The French, though, remain a big contender for the crown regardless of their lacklustre qualifying campaign. Their squad is jam-packed with world class quality, whilst they generally tend to do well on the big stage, with the exception of their poor showing in their last major event – the European Champions in 2008. They will have a big point to prove, though, not only after their disappointing 2008 but to also make amends for their sluggish campaign throughout qualifying, as many French fans have lost faith in Domenech’s regime.

Nickname: Les Bleus (The Blues)

France Key Players

We’ll start with their influential captain, although in fairness Thierry Henry has done little to raise the morale in the France camp of late despite lending a helping hand… literally!

The French captain is the all-time leading scorer for his country with 51 goals in 118 appearances which, considering he looks as though he might carry on playing for France for a couple more years, could see him notch up a few more international caps before he hangs his boots up. There is no doubting the Va-va-voom star used to have unenviable talent when he was at Arsenal, enjoying arguably the best spell of his career in England, but since joining Barcelona, Henry hasn’t been the same and certainly hasn’t been as instrumental for France as fans would have hoped. Even so, Henry still has more going for himself than many others and remains a key player in the final third.

Now the final third, the attacking third, is where France look their strongest on paper yet so often you hear about France struggling to convert their array of striking options into regular goals, even against the smaller fish. Up front Domenech could take any number of forwards to South Africa with him; Djibril Cisse – enjoying one of his best spells in his career in Greece currently and his pace could be useful even if his finishing has never been clinical. Nicolas Anelka is unquestionably the best forward France have right now but even Les Sulk is going through a patchy spell at the moment, with goals drying up at the latter end of the season with Chelsea, so their pivotal forward doesn’t exactly come to South Africa with bags of momentum and confidence, and Anelka has always been a confidence sort of guy. The new guy on the scene comes in the form of a bulky forward, not in the mould of any previous France forwad stars in Andre-Pierre Gignac, who finished last season as Ligue 1′s top goalscorer and has already scored some crucial goals for France in qualifying.

The midfield is where the magic will hopefully take place; Franck Ribery, Yoann Gourcuff, Hatem Ben Afra and an in form Florent Malouda. Every single one of those named can make a real difference for France. Gourcuff is a fantastic crosser of the ball while he also boasts fantastic awareness and vision in a player-maker role, Malouda is a menace down the left flank and will be a thorn in most right-backs side, while former Marseille man, Franck Ribery, could really make the difference in South Africa providing he puts his off-pitch dramas to one side and concentrates more on his football. We must not forget Lassana Diarra and Jeremy Toulanan, who both play a pivotal role in that famous France defensive-midfielder slot.

In goal we have a talented Hugo Lloris, who has been excelling in France with Lyon and really does look a talented prospect for the future. His defence, however, does leave a lot to be believed with Patrice Evra the only reliable defender in front of Lloris. The positives about France’s defence is Evra and Cissokho are great at getting forward and providing a threat down the wings. However, this does leave them vulnerable on the counter while they’ve yet to really find a centre-back partnership which really works. The defence is a troublesome area for the French and could very well be their achilles heel in South Africa.

Strengths

The amount of quality Raymond Domench has at his disposal is bewildering yet to achieve so little with them in recent competitions is baffling. We could go on and on quoting world-class players that play for France; Theirry Henry (Captain) the all-time leading French goalscorer, Franck Ribery, Nicolas Anelka, all are established footballers in the modern game but when they take to the field for France, they just don’t seem to click. Hopefully that will change in South Africa, only time will tell.

Weaknesses

The problem we can see arising is when France need a goal, at that will arise at some point believe you me, we wouldn’t have any confidence in France lifting their game and asserting a bit of pressure on their opponents. They’ll be times when they need to raise their game and race through the gears, and while they do have the inventory to do such a feat, they never do. Moreover, the French are accustomed to disappointing us and their French followers these days, so another lacklustre campaign in South Africa wouldn’t be at all surprising.

France Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Europe

Group: 7

Position: 2nd (Qualified via a 2-1 victory over Republic of Ireland in a play-off)

Win-Draw-Lose: 6-3-1

Goals Scored: 18

Goals Conceded: 9

France Qualifying statistics:

• France had to rely on a wide-spread of goalscorers to get them through an awkward group 7 , with Gignac & Henry sharing the top goalscorer honour with just four goals each.
• Austria were the only nation to beat France during qualifying, with Domenech’s under fire France losing their opening qualifier 3-1 in Vienna.
• France ended the group unbeaten in nine before losing 1-0 at home to Republic of Ireland in the qualifiers, a defeat which ended an unbeaten run of 10 for France.
• Over half of France’s victories in qualifying came via a NIL scoreline, so a tidy defence has been the basis for their successful qualification bid.
• Only Thierry Henry and Bakari Sagna played every qualifier, including the two-legged play-off with ROI. 

World Cup Potential: 3/5

France aren’t high up on our list of possible outright winners but they will be a contender nevertheless. They have a host of big names which can turn any match on it’s head and decide the huge encounters with one gifted strike of the ball. They are a team that will need to hit the ground running, though, and a sluggish start could spell the end before the tournament has even got into it’s stride, although, the last time France won their opening game was back in 1998. The same year France went on to record their first ever World Cup outright win. An outside chance certainly, but others with stronger claims are preferred.

France World Cup Betting Odds

France to win the World Cup: 100/1 – SportingBet

Before the World Cup the odds on France were 18/1 

Official France World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon)

Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille)

Cédric Carrasso (Girondins Bordeaux)

Defenders

Anthony Réveillère (Olympique Lyon)

Bacary Sagna (Arsenal)

William Gallas (Arsenal)

Gaël Clichy (Arsenal)

Éric Abidal (Barcelona)

Sébastien Squillaci (Seville)

Patrice Evra (Manchester United)

Marc Planus (Girondins Bordeaux)

Midfielders

Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)

Jéremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon)

Alou Diarra (Girondins Bordeaux)

Florent Malouda (Chelsea)

Yoann Gourcuff (Girondins Bordeaux)

Abou Diaby (Arsenal)

Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon)

Mathieu Valbuena (Olympique Marseille)

Strikers

Thierry Henry (Barcelona)

Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)

Djibril Cissé (Panathinaikos Athen)

André-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 France Fixtures – Group A

World Cup 2010 Group A - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

France V Mexico

Kick-off: Thursday, 17th June – 19:30 GMT
Stadium: Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
Referee: Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia)
Group A

France

The last time France drew a group encounter with Uruguay was at the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan, where a 0-0 draw was played out as the French later went on to finish bottom of their group. Will the same ill fate befriend them in South Africa, as once again France play out a 0-0 stalemate with the same South American opposition. They are in a tough group alongside Uruguay, South Africa and Mexico and if they cannot improve on their drab Uruguay showing last Saturday then there’s every chance of the 1998 winners grabbing the wooden spoon. After all, France did finish bottom of their group at the 2008 European Championships as well.

If you think the pressure on England is immense you should try stepping into say Thierry Henry’s shoes, who has merely been reduced to substitute appearances in a team which has flattered to deceive in recent years and are currently out of sorts. Their 0-0 draw with Uruguay in their first of three Group A clashes compliments their woeful 1-0 loss to China directly before the finals nicely, or at least it backs up their exposed form heading into the finals. Either way, it’s time for the French to pluck up some courage for a change, to show their worth and display the sort of steely determination that seen them not just win the 1998 FIFA World Cup but end Germany 2006 as the runners-up.

Raymond Domenech has already been rocked by news that William Gallas, who is by a country mile France’s most accomplished centre-half in the squad, is a doubt for the game with Mexico although is deemed a minor concern – Phew. However, it has been his partnership with Eric Abidal, a full-back by trade, which has come in for heavy criticism from the French press and the pair could well come unstuck against the tricky Mexicans, who play some sweeping, slick passing moves right through even the most established of defences. Another area of concern for Domenec is up front, with Anelka a proven underachiever at international level  – Yet to score a World Cup goal for France -  while Franck Ribery and Sidney Govou failed to make things happen for France against Uruguay. So are we to expect changes for Thursday’s clash, with perhaps a place in the starting eleven for captain Thierry Henry? Or will Domenech opt the  powerhouse, Andre-Pierre, or the pace Djibril Cisse. Who knows, although everyone is desperate to see the coach ring the changes.

Despite possessing a whole host of creative players; Gourcuff, Ribery, Malouda, the French just aren’t clicking in the final third. One reason we feel it’s going wrong is with Nicolas Anelka, as his lack of movement gives the wingers, generally Ribery and Govou, little options. If anything, the guile of Thierry Henry would be best suited and complimented by the pace of Djibril Cisse, as well as Ribery on the opposite flank. Yoann Gourcuff, a player with a big future ahead of him, needs to bring his A-game to the table as well, as the Bordeaux play-maker was poor throughout the 0-0 draw with Uruguay. In fairness, the entire French team need to come to the boil and show some form of promise, give the demanding French public at least a glimmer of hope that there is far more to come from France.

Mexico

Mexico have had a knack in previous finals of registering wins in their opening game, having done so in their last three successive World Cup’s (1998, 2002 and 2006). But they, too, were held to a draw on Day 1 of the tournament, Rafael Marquez’s prod home cancelling out South Africa’s opener in an atmospheric and packed out Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg. While Mexico originally set out to pick up all three points, the one point they did register has done little to harm their bid of making the knock-outs for the fifth consecutive finals, although it does leave them needing a positive result against the 2006 losing finalists.

The North Americans, nicknamed ‘El Tri, don’t have the best of records against the French, having never beaten France in six meetings, losing all but one of those encounters. Javier Aguirre, the Mexico coach, will need to change their fortunes against the French, and fast, if they are to continue harbouring hopes of making the last-sixteen. A draw would keep Mexico in contention with a game to play, that final game being against Uruguay, but victory over a team many deem to be ‘lost’ at the current time would put them within touching distance of their successive fifth Round of 16 match.

So can Mexico break their French duck in Polokwane at the seventh time of asking? We see no reason why they can’t, as the Mexicans play some delightful football at times and if they could only sharpen up in front of goal, could be a serious player in South Africa. Their ability to pass up golden opportunity after golden opportunity is a concern, alarming in fact, as against the big nations, those classed in that elite bracket of about eight, will punish them for their wastefulness. The question now is, can Mexico put away their many chances, and if no, are France still a ‘top 8′ country ready to give Mexico a good spanking should they not grab the gifts when they arise.

The one good news to come out of their 1-1 draw with hosts South Africa was that no-one took a knock or suffered an injury, so Javier Aguirre has a full strength squad to choose from as he aims to pile the woes onto his opposite number. However, there are decisions to be made, none more so than who should start up front. Guillermo Franco clearly has bags of experience but he doesn’t have the pace to get in behind a sketchy France defence, so could we see the a first World Cup start for new Man Utd signing Javier Hernandez, or what about Alberto Medina, who scored a couple during Mexico’s pre-tournament World Cup internationals. Whoever he opts for, the Mexico forwards need to get their shooting boots on in a contest they simply cannot afford to lose in case of risking their South Africa 2010 status.

Match Odds:

France – 2.38 Coral
Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes
Mexico – 3.50 BetFred

Our Prediction: France to WIN – 2.38 Coral

We have opted for France although that’s purely because we see the ‘Draw’ as a last resort, usually in the instance where two teams appear unreliable or simply rubbish. Ironically, France could be classed by the latter judging by their latest outing against Uruguay, but while Mexico do play some beautiful football, there finishing at times is woeful and against a French side which know how to ride their luck and have the quality up top to punish sides, France narrowly get our vote.

Huge amounts of improvement are need though from France, with their attacking in particular in need of a revamp. We don’t see it happening, but Anelka’s exclusion from the starting eleven would be a start, as well as removing the useless Govou from the fray in place of either Malouda or Henry. Whichever, we aren’t fussy in the slightest. If Domenech starts with the same eleven which drew 0-0 with Uruguay, we fear the worst for our pals across the pond.

Our Recommended Bet: Franck Ribery FGS – 11.00 Coral

Outright: Holland @ 10/1 WilliamHill

 In my opinion, when a discussion arises about which of the favourites you fancy, there’s always a bracket of about eight teams and we’ve opted for a team slap-bang in the middle of this eight team fracas. The Dutch over the years have been heavily criticised for their lacklustre defending and lack of big defensive names. At South Africa 2010, Holland will go about trying to win their first World Cup title – with a large proportion of fans claiming the Netherlands are the best footballing nation never to have won the FIFA World Cup – with a similarly suspect back four. However, the Dutch defence does have more combative qualities and individuals than in previous tournaments with John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen and Andree Ooijer, while the calm and composed figure of Giovani Van Bronckhorst will marshal the back and ensure the entire Holland defence remains focused throughout 90 minutes and then some. The tournament may well come too soon for right-back Van Der Wiel, who is a serious talent and a player with the potential to catch several prying eyes should he get the chance. What we’re saying though is that Holland now look sturdy and reliable enough at the back to be taking on,as we’re sure all of you are well aware of the array for talent they possess in the final third of the pitch, which will rival the likes of Spain and Brazil in my honest opinion.

Arjen Robben will miss at least one of their games, but they have ready-made replacements should such a dilemma arise, which it has, with Rafael Van Der Vaart, Ryan Babel, Elia and Afellay, the latter especially talented,. There’s an explosive quality about the Dutch which has endeared them to many a punter in the ante-post rings, with Holland’s price of around 16/1 a month ago now a distant memory, with Holland now a general 9/1 shot. Coach Van Marwijk has players which can really make things happen and every single one of their forward thinking players are fearless when it comes to taking possession and running at defenders. In Van Der Vaart, Robben, Afellay and Van Persie, Holland have players which can beat a defender, while all three are lethal at shooting from distance. With Dirk Kuyt they have a predator inside the penalty area and his menacing runs inside the box are so hard to pick up, and in the centre of the park Wesley Sneijder will pull all the strings. There’s so much talent on display that we honestly feel the Dutch can outscore any team on their day, and in Elia and Babel they have two subs with lightening quick pace and the pair will scare the living daylights out of defenders when they make their way onto the pitch after an exhausting 70 minutes have passed by.

We got on them at 14/1 a few weeks ago but can honestly say their price of 10/1 with WilliamHill still screams value. There isn’t a team formidable enough in a forward sense that will scare Holland’s defence enough to concede several cheap goals, while their midfielders/forwards are explosive, creative and will score plenty of goals over the course of the tournament. What’s more, their group, Group E, is arguably the easiest of the lot on paper while the likelihood is they’ll face either Paraguay or Slovakia in the Round of 16 stage – Quarter-Finals should be a doddle and by then, with some impressive and ruthless displays in the bag, Holland’s price will have plummeted further.

Dark Horse: France @ 20/1 Bet365

I’m not too sure what price is needed to necessarily qualify as a ‘Dark Horse’ but you can’t say no fairer than 20/1 on the country which finished runners-up in Germany four years ago. France have seemingly lost their way in recent years, embarrassing when exiting the 2008 EURO’s at just the group stage and then putting in some bizarre displays during their pre-World Cup preparation period – The 1-0 defeat to China the worst of the lot. But France remain a big footballing nation, packed with talented individuals. Granted the team as a whole has recently lost it’s way, while rumours of dressing room disharmony appear to be true, but the French are a proper tournament team in that they only get stronger as the tournament goes on. There group will test their South Africa mettle but should they come through Group A unscathed, it will naturally instil a great deal of confidence and self-belief into the French team.

However, their could be a trend forming with France, as after their 1998 World Cup triumph, Les Bleus followed it up four years later with a bottom of the group finish. They were runners-up to Italy in 2006, so will lightening strike twice? There is evidence to suggest that it could; poor showing at EURO 2008, disappointing friendly results and a disjointed team at present. The group stage is pivotal for me. If they bypass a tricky Group A containing Mexico, Uruguay and hosts South Africa, France will be a big player in the knock-outs, as per usual.

Golden Boot: Wayne Rooney @ 11/1 Boylesports

We know full well that Spain’s duo of Villa and Torres will be there or thereabouts, as should Brazil’s Luis Fabiano because of the amount of games all three should play according to their outright prices, but England’s Wayne Rooney was the only player to briefly contest the ‘best player in Europe’ tag last season before injury blighted his glistening finish. The former Everton hitman racked up 26 goals in 32 Premier League appearances, as well as 5 in 7 during United’s Champions League campaign. He’s arguably the most passionate and determined forward heading to South Africa, although that has often got him into trouble in the past. Confident on the ball, ambitious, can score with his head, from distance, and after enjoying his first proper full season in the striker role with his club, Rooney has tweaked his radar and now knows exactly where the goal is. Against teams such as the United States, Algeria and Slovenia, Rooney could bag a good 4 or 5 before hopefully building on his tally during the knock-outs.

Dark Horse: Dirk Kuyt @ 125/1 bWin

Although the Liverpool winger may not be a prime candidate in the eyes of most punters, there’s no doubting the striking talent of Kuyt and his commitment to the cause. Inside the opposing penalty area he’s a menace, a predator just waiting to pounce on any half-chance that may come his way. Although Kuyt has scored just 15 goals in 62 appearances for the Holland national side, he’s a big time player, one of those individuals that will pop up with a scrappy goal, a two-yard stab home if and when you need it. He’s arguably one of the smartest players we know when it comes to manufacturing scoring opportunities – Always the first to charge in on the keeper when free-kicks and long distance efforts are pummelled in – and more times than not Kuyt find himself with the ball at his feet and an empty net in front of him. Moreover, he’s part of a very talented Dutch squad expected to make some serious inroads in the summer, so Dirk Kuyt should get his fair share of games to score in and at the odds looks a decent each-way punt.

Golden Ball (Best Tournament Performer): Yoann Gourcuff @ 125/1 888Sport

One of the stars of tomorrow for France, although their lack of depth in midfield has resulted in an early call up for Bordeaux’s highly talented play-maker. For 23 years-old, Gourcuff has a wise head on his shoulders and is extremely confident carrying the burden of creating the majority of France’s chances. His set-piece deliveries are scintillating, has been known to strike a few beauties or two from distance and is very composed when under pressure. Gourcuff can pick out those impossible passes and will be the driving force behind France’s forward play. If the French are to emulate their run to the final four years ago, we have little doubt it will be because of an inspiring tournament from a player with a bright future ahead of him.

Uruguay V France

Kick-off: Friday, 11th June – 19:30 GMT
Stadium: Green Point Stadium, Cape Town
Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)
Group A

In Germany back in 2006, France were losing finalists as they were defeated by Italy via a penalty shoot-out. This coming four years after France were humiliated in Korea/Japan in 2002 when finishing bottom of Group A, failing to win any of their three group clashes. Uruguay, the country they will face on Friday night in their 2010 World Cup opener, were the only team France took points off back then, conjuring a lousy 0-0 draw. Eight years after their drab 0-0 affair in Busan, South Korea, and the pair will do battle all over again, in ironically the same Group A only this time they’ll be accompanied by hosts South Africa and Mexico.

Uruguay

Turn back the clock a little over half-a-century and you’ll find a Uruguay team enjoying their triumph in the finals of the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. Another 20 years back and we have the very first World Cup finals hosted by Uruguay, won by Uruguay. La Celesta as they’re sometimes known, were a powerhouse in world football back in the day, way back in the day mind, whereas now they are merely perceived as minnows when it comes to major finals, an easy three points to come teams. At South Africa 2010, coach Oscar Tabarez will look to overhaul to general perception of the Uruguay national team by masterminding their progression through the group stage for the first time since 1990.

Speaking of the Uruguay coach, Oscar Tabarez claims he is sending his players onto the field to beat France on Friday, although the minimum he expects his players to walk away with is a point against a team many believe are out-of-sorts and prime for the taking at this moment in time. Perhaps there is truth in that theory, but Tabarez is showing no signs of arrogance nor has he shown a lack of respect towards a nation with a big international reputation, and a team which arrive in South Africa as the 2006 World Cup’s runners-up. "The aim is to beat France, with all the respect we have for them and how difficult we know it will be, said Tabarez ahead of Uruguay’s clash with the ’98 World Cup winners.

We have our own criticism over how Uruguay prepared for the finals, with their 4-1 victory over Israel in Montevideo, Uruguay, their only pre-World Cup warm up game. From a team which were inconsistent throughout qualifying, fortunate in some aspects even to be here in South Africa, we were surprised to see Tabarez opting instead to keep his players fresh rather than to fine-tune the teams overall game, which, in truth, is based around their clinical striking duo of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. They proved too good for Israel at the end of last month, but Uruguay will quickly find out that the teams that await them in Group A will be more than a match for them and, in our honest opinion, they’ll do remarkably well to escape this difficult group unscathed.

Uruguay needed a second life in order to make the 2010 finals in South Africa, beating Costa Rica in the North America/South America play-off clash. The South Americans came out victorious, although only by the odd goal, as they clinched a South Africa berth by virtue of a 2-1 aggregate win. In qualifying though, Uruguay relied heavily upon the goals of Atletico Madrid forward Diego Forlan, who recently bagged a UEFA Europa League medal after his two goal haul in the final against Fulham. Forlan, despite playing just 13 of Uruguay’s 18 qualifiers, finished as their top goalscorer with 8 goals and you get the impression they’ll need an equally impressive goal return from their blonde haired goal-getter in South Africa if they’re to remain competitive in Group A.

France

France a nation on the rocks in regards to international football, wavering since their humilating display at EURO 2008 in Austria/Switzerland were they left through the EURO back doors after finishing bottom of their group – The second occasion where France had finished bottom of their group in a major tournament this side of the millennium. Their tag of being the runners-up in the previous World Cup should stand them in high regard, at least from a betting perspective, but France have been almost a ghost in the betting markets and it’s not too difficult to see why.

Before the finals, France prepared for some tricky games in South Africa by contesting friendlies with Costa Rica, Tunisia and China – Teams which failed to qualify for South Africa 2010. On paper, certainly after looking through the French team, they should have been three straightforward warm up games for France. In typical France fashion however, a 2-1 win over North American Costa Rica was all they could conjure, as they failed to overpower lowly Tunisia (1-1) and were embarrassed once more as China despatched of Raymond Domenech’s men in a shock 1-0 win. Their performances in all three were unconvincing and displayed the characteristics of a team drained in any self-belief or confidence. This was later confirmed by winger Sidney Govou, who claimed the France team ‘have problems’. Tell us about it!

Quite how France are struggling so badly is a puzzle in itself, as there’s little doubt Domenech, who has come under heavy fire throughout his French tenure, has genuine quality, and lots of it, at his disposal. Between the sticks they have one of the brightest goalkeeping talents on the scene in Hugo Llroris of Lyon. In defence they have two energetic full-backs in Patrice Evra and Bacary Sagna, both of which will be a nuisance to keep tabs on as they look to bomb forward and deliver balls in from deep. In midfield they have a player who we believe could set the finals alight in Bordeaux’s Yoann Gourcuff. The former AC Milan play-maker was instrumental in helping Bordeaux to the French Ligue 1 title back in 2008/2009 and in his two seasons in Ligue 1 has scored 24 goals. Moreover, in the same period, Gourcuff racked up 25 assists and because he doesn’t play such a prominent role for France in an attacking sense, it will be his creative qualities which will interest Domenech and hopefully assist France to at least a top two finish.

Our biggest concern with France lye’s in their forwards, with Domenech lacking an out-an-out striker of world-class standard. Thierry Henry was deprived of first team appearances at Barcelona last season and has suffered mentally as a result, while Nicolas Anelka, despite a successful campaign with Chelsea last season, has never been prolific enough at international level, with his sluggish and lethargic attitude often criticised by the French media. In qualifying, Domenech did take a chance on bulky Toulouse forward Andre-Pierre Gignac, who returned the favour with four goals although none were against noteworthy opposition. Since the turn of the year, France have found the net just three times, two of those coming against Costa Rica, while back in March they were despatched without too much of a fuss by Spain 2-0.

With morale low and confidence in short supply, France simply have to get off to the best possible start on Friday, as anything less than a victory to rouse the troops could lead to further deflated players in the France camp, which would then lead to assumptions that France could once again finish bottom of the group if they’re not careful. France lost their opening game of the 200 finals to Senegal. They cannot afford to do the same.

Match Odds:

Uruguay – 4.00 SkyBet
Draw – 3.30 Boylesports
France – 2.15 BetFred

Our Prediction: France to WIN – 2.15 BetFred

Uruguay will remain a threat when they attack simply because they have two of the most prolific strikers in world football, with Forlan finishing the 2009-2010 season with 28 goals and Suarez a staggering 49 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions. The latter, though, plies his trade in the Dutch Eredivisie, and so, his prolific scoring antics can’t really be taken into consideration too strongly. Suarez is a talented individual mind, but you would fancy a wise and battle-hardened William Gallas to get the better of the Ajax forward.

France are going through a difficult spell right now, leading right back to their miserable appearance at the EURO’s in 2008. There’s a distinct lack of cohesion in their play, while their lack of composure and the presence of a world-class striker has led to them putting in some bizarre displays and recording some embarrassing results. Even so, they’re a team full to the brim with world-class players it could only be a case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ France click and come back into the sort of form which seen them progress all the way into the final of Germany 2006.

Our Recommended Bet: France to WIN by 1 Goal – 3.60 PaddyPower

England

Pre-World Friendly Form: WW

England 3-1 Mexico
England 2-1 Japan

It’s been unconvincing from Fabio Capello’s England up till this point, although the fact they’ve nothced up back-to-back wins before the start of the finals without playing to their full potential has to be a big plus. England found themselves outplayed for the most part against Mexico at Wembley, but the Three Lions took their chances when they came in a clinical manner, whilst relying on some keeping heroics from Robert Green. Many were expecting England to push on from their reasonable opening victory by beating Japan comfortable in Austria. With Japan taking the lead after just six minute, it was patently obvious that another shaky England performance was on the cards, and so it prove to be the case. However, if their fortunate win over a competent Mexico was an indication that the footballing Gods were looking over Capello’s men, their fortuitous turnaround against the Japanese was, with two second half own goals enough to seal a second quick-fire international win.

Without watching either game, you could be forgiven for thinking England head into South Africa with form. Their performances, though, have ranged from lacklustre and lethargic to adequate, with England never getting past 3rd gear in either. One way you could look at it, surely their display can only get better. But there were plenty of mistakes and flaws that their World Cup opponents will look to capitalize on.

The big news, however, was that defensive rock and captain Rio Ferdinand would miss the finals after suffering ligament damage in his knee during training.  As a result, Michael Dawson was recalled and it now leaves Fabio Capello pondering over whether to start with Jamie Carragher or Ledley King in Ferdinand centre-half void. It would appear some of the momentum and confidence gained from two successive friendly wins has now been lost, at such a crucial time as well.

France

Pre-World Friendly Form: LDW

France 2-1 Costa Rica
Tunisia 1-1 France
China 1-0 France

As per usual, France will arrive in South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with little in terms of positive aurora and some winning momentum. Their early victory over Costa Rica, one which was largely undeserved, came when Valbuena scored late on to seal an almost trademark style France win. It was a shaky display all-round from Domenech’s men, with their persistence eventually seeing them run through the finish line first. However, instead of building upon their jammy win, France went in the other direction when drawing 1-1 in Tunisia. It was yet another worrying display from the French team, conceding another early goal before the predictable comeback. This time however, there wasn’t to be a winning finale.

Last and certainly not least, France completed and unwanted set of results, tasting every after-match feeling when losing to China, a team ranked 84 in the FIFA Rankings, thus ensuring the France squad tasted one of each during their World Cup preparations: 1 win, 1 draw and 1 defeat. It was a match France were very much in control in, but a distinct lack of cutting edge aided by some bad luck meant France would arrive in South Africa with an embarrassing loss hanging over them.

Germany

Pre-World Friendly Form: WW

Hungary 0-3 Germany
Germany 3-1 Bosnia & Herzegovina

News that Germany’s influential captain, Michael Ballack, would miss the finals through an ankle injury really did rock the camp and seen the country’s chances of lifting the FIFA World Cup aloft in South Africa decrease significantly as a direct result. If the German squad was reeling over the loss of their captain they weren’t showing it, as in their first warm up game they thrashed an ever-improving Hungary 3-0. The win came in impressive fashion, both in regards to the scoreline and their performance, and it may well have punters re-evaluating Germany’s chances.

Despite a shaky start to their final warm up game against a tricky Bosnia & Herzegovina, Germany ran out comfortable winners and finished the game with style and in an impressive fashion when winning 3-1 thanks to second half strikes from captain Phillip Lahm and Bastien Schweinstieger. The latter’s brace came via the penalty spot although both were put away with aplomb in the absence of Michael Ballack. It was a case of two halfs, with Germany a tad one-paced in the opening 45 minutes but completely dominant in the second, pinning Bosnia back for the entire length of the second period, with two second-half substitutes in particular impressive for Germany in Marko Marin and Cacua.

Ghana

Pre-World Friendly Form: WL

Holland 4-1 Ghana
Ghana 1-0 Latvia

‘The Black Stars’ were given a Dutch spanking in their opening warm up encounter ahead of the finals in Rotterdam, Gyan grabbed Ghana’s one and only goal of the game in a heavy 4-1 defeat. Coach Milovan Rajevac received crushing news when combative midfielder Michael Essien was ruled out of the finals, and Essien’s absence against Holland, a team with real quality, was evident. There were gaping gaps in the centre of the park, they struggled to retain possession and there was a distinct lack of presence and leadership. It was certainly a worrying display from Ghana, and from an African nation where some were touting as serious players this summer, one of the better African nations to challenge for the title itself. Perhaps that is no longer the case without their talisman.

Ghana left it late in their final international before the World Cup, narrowly recording a win over European’s Latvia via a strike from Quincey Owusu-Abeyie in the 88th minute. While not entirely convincing, the win did at least restore some confidence and self-belief that might have been lost following their Holland drubbing days earlier.

Greece

Pre-World Friendly Form:

Greece 2-2 North Korea
Greece 0-2 Paraguay

Led by one of the most respected managers on the international scene, Otto Rehhagel, Greece will have it all to do in South Africa if their display against Korea DPR and Paraguay are anything to go on. Greece were strong favourites to win their opening friendly, a game against the largely unknown North Koreans. When Greece scored just minutes into the game everyone assumed a rout was on the cards, but stunning equaliser sparked the Asian’s into life and thereafter Greece struggled to keep up with their energetic opponents. Rehhagel’s men were actually losing at one stage and had to dig deep just to pick up a draw and save face. The weren’t so lucky against Paraguay though, with another lacklustre performance by the Greek’s enabling the South American’s to stroll towards victory. Sloppy at the back, a severe lack of creativity and guile in the midfield and a couple of forlorn strikers are what Greece have shown us all so far.

Honduras

Pre-World Friendly Form: LDD

Belarus 2-2 Honduras
Azerbaijan 0-0 Honduras
Romania 3-0 Honduras

The Hondurans were a surprise inclusion into this years event and needed a big helping hand from the United States in order to qualify. After that slice of good fortune, Honduras will feel the God’s have blessed them with this golden opportunity and that they must now seize their opportunity. Two draws against less than average opponents haven’t helped their cause nor has it boosted the confidence of the players. Their first came against Belarus, who in fairness do play some decent football. The second stalemate came against Azerbaijan in what can only be described as a shocker of a result as far as Honduras are concerned. Reinauldo Reuda’s men face the likes of Spain and Chile in Group H at South Africa, and if they can’t put Azerbaijan to bed then what chance do they have against nations with genuine quality.

As if a run of two consecutive draws against teams deemed as minnows within their respective zones, Honduras succumbed to defeat in their final game before facing Chile on June 16th by a Romanian side which failed to perform throughout qualifying for South Africa. To make matters worse, combative midfielder Wilson Palacios was stretched off and remains a doubt for South Africa.

Italy

Pre-World Friendly Form: DL

Mexico 2-1 Italy
Switzerland 1-1 Italy

The defending champions have been hugely disappointing during their preparations for South Africa, with a defeat to Mexico followed by an uninspiring 1-1 draw with Switzerland lamenting the concerns of a country eager to defend their title. In both encounters, Marcello Lippi fielded a strong team and the fact that one of the favourites to win this years edition can’t beat two of the outsiders, with Switzerland in particular almost completely ruled out of the outright equation, it does make you think that Italy might not even put up a fight for their crown in South Africa. The Italians are obviously frustrated with their preparations as in both encounters they received several yellow cards. Concerning to say the least for the usual consistent Italians.

Japan

Pre-World Friendly Form: LLL

Japan 0-2 South Korea
England 2-1 Japan
Japan 0- Ivory Coast

Japan’s World Cup preparations have been tortuous to say the least, with Takeshi Okada, the Japan coach which targeted a semi-final appearance in South Africa, having to watch on as Japan record two quick defeats. The first loss was the more damaging as it came against one of their fiercest Asian rivals in a 2-0 defeat by South Korea. To add insult to injury, and to increase the tension and pressure already rapidly building on the Japan camp, the defeat came on home soil in front of their hostile fans.

Their second came in Austria when they took on one of the competition favourites, England. Japan were big odds to spring an upset before kick-off, and with 6 minutes gone and Japan 1-0 up through defender Tulio, a huge turn up for the books was well and truly on. However, while their English opponents at the time were enjoying some good fortune of late, Japan weren’t and their bad luck was compounded with two second half own goals, resulting in a 2-1 defeat for Japan. The positive, however, was firstly Japan taking the lead and maintaining their advantage for over an hour of play, while the second being the fact they more than held their own in the first hour or so, thus proving in a way that Okada’s bold South Africa objective is at least achievable even if it’s extremely unlikely.

In Japan’s third and final international before the do battle in Group E, the Japanese, after previously putting in a valiant display against England, somewhat rolled over against the Ivory Coast. A 2-0 loss to one of the more fancied African nations competing in this month’s finals left Japan with a hat-trick of defeats ahead of a tournament the coach expects to reach the semi-finals. At this rate they’ll be lucky to avoid the wooden spoon in their group.

11:20 GMT – Japan V Ivory Coast (LIVE on Bet365)

17:00 GMT – France V China

19:45 GMT – Slovenia V New Zealand (LIVE on Bet365)

Since winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil, France have built up an unwanted reputation of being unreliable from a punters perspective, with ‘inconsistency’ a word never too far away from the lips of pundits whenever France come to mind. So we suppose no-one should be at all surprised that France were once again at their frustrating best against Tunisia on Sunday night, scraping a draw out of a match they would have expected to win beforehand, and against a team far inferior in quality to those they will face in South Africa in just over a weeks time.

Considering this was sort of a mini international derby in terms of Tunisia being a former French colony, the atmosphere inside the stadium in Tunisia was surprisingly upbeat and healthy. The volume of noise was turned up a few notches however when the hosts took a surprise lead just minutes into the game, Issam Jemaa tapping into an empty net after just six minutes had passed. Some lacklustre marking and tracking back from the France defence was to blame for their early setback, although Tunisia looked bright and energetic in the early exchanges and weren’t exactly justifying their underdog status. However, it wasn’t long before Tunisia began to sit back and attempt to guard their lead, playing counter-attacking football in the knowledge that France would now have to come at them, and France did and Raymond Domenech’s men had the hosts pinned into their own half for the majority of the first half, creating a number of half-chances but nothing clear cut.

In a first half which derived of mainly frustration from the former FIFA World Cup champs, Franck Ribery was one of a select few who shined, with his blistering runs down the left causing the Tunisian defenders plenty of problems, more times than not resulting in the Bayern Munich Bavarian being closely attended by 2 or 3 defenders at a time. However, coach Domenech, who hasn’t endeared himself to the France public during his lengthy tenure as France manager, relived Ribery of his duties at half-time and gave Barcelona bench-warmer Thierry Henry a second half run-out. Granted France were in control of possession for the most part of the second half, with Gourcuff in particular very accomplished on the ball in terms of comfortability on the ball, vision and range of passing. And it was the Bordeaux play-maker’s delicious free-kick which found the head of William Gallas in the 62nd minute to level the game, although minutes later Gourcuff would be subbed, once against  the dismay of the French supporters who were desperate to see another Les Bleus victory.

Djibril Cisse played the last quarter of the game, as well did Andre Pierre Gignac, but neither made a real impact on proceedings and that will be of great concern for Domenech, as France will need a super-sub at one stage during the forthcoming World Cup judging by tonight’s game. Overall, though, an average performance once again from France against a side they really should have beaten, and beaten comfortably. This time however, they weren’t to etch out a victory despite a disappointing team performance.

The plus point will have been the commitment and drive of the France players, with their willingness to commit men to attack commendable. However, they struggled to carve out opportunities through passing moves and often rely on the pace of Bacary Sagna down the right and Ribery and Evra on the left for regular service into the strikers. While using their assets on the wings has proven effective for France on more than one occasion in other matches, on this occasion it wasn’t and it’s two areas of the pitch where France are reasonably strong but two areas where their future opponents can easily maintain.

Raymond Domenech will lead his men into one final friendly encounter against China before the team head out to South Africa ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. France were drawn in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, Uruguay and Mexico and will kick off their campaign on June 11th, the opening day of the tournament, against the dangerous South Americans.

Goals: I. Jemaa (Tunisia) – W. Gallas (France)

World-Cup-Betting Man of the Match: Yoann Gourcuff

France V Costa Rica

Wednesday 26th May, 20:00 GMT
International Friendly

France coach Raymond Domenech will have his first chance to assess the 24 players still standing in a French provisional squad which was originally 30-strong, as Les Bleus entertain La Sele in Lens on Wednesday in a match which promises French lovers a glimpse at two of their stars. William Gallas ended the Barclay’s Premier League season in England with Arsenal on the sidelines after aggravating a calf injury just weeks before the end of the campaign while Thierry Henry, the all-time leading French goalscorer, will also start against the Costa Ricans.

Every single France supporter will fondly remember the fruitful year of 1998 when the then-hosts secured their first World Cup crown. It was a momentous occasion for Les Bleus, beating one of this years favourites Brazil in the final by a 3-0 scoreline. However, France, under Didier Deschamps as coach, failed miserably in their attempt to defend their crown in Korea/Japan in 2002 but came so close to doubling their tally at Germany 2006 only to lose to Italy in the final on penalties. While some will focus on their ’98 triumph, it’s the bitter final loss four years ago which still haunts those involved that night, William Gallas and Thierry Henry included.

After a miserable campaign at the 2008 UEFA European Championships, failing to even make the knock-outs, France will be pinning their hopes on a more fruitful summer in South Africa. They are, though, a team under immense pressure from both their expectant fans back home and the media, with Domenech especially receiving large portions of criticism. The latter will leave his post after the finals, while South Africa presents the great Thierry Henry with his final chance to shine in the finals of a World Cup, Both are equally important to France’s chances this summer, with Domenech’s managerial experience and nous, but it’s the form of Henry which is concerning folk back home. The current Barcelona winger has fallen out of favour with Catalan coach Pep Guardiola, with Henry spending many of the final games of the season on the bench. It means Henry doesn’t have a lot of competitive minutes under his belt while his confidence levels must be at an all-time low right now. Considering he’s the captain, the supposed inspirational leader and shining example to everyone, that’s a massive negative and a factor every punter should take into consideration when preparing a bet for France.

Wednesday’s friendly encounter with Costa Rica provides the entire France team, one which limped through qualification, with the opportunity to find some form, to re-establish some, as Henry might say, ‘Va-Va-Voom’. Their humiliating exit at the group stage of the 2008 Euro’s will have hurt their pride while a lacklustre qualifying campaign for the finals in South Africa didn’t help their cause, either. So Domenech is having to rejuvenate some lost souls, rebuild his squad in many respects, having little choice but to caress some damaged ego’s. And while a game with Costa Rica is hardly going to test the team to it’s capacity, it does at least give the entire squad a fabulous opportunity to regain some footing, some form and some crucial momentum ahead of what the French will hope is another exciting World Cup despite a turbulent few years at international level.

While both Thierry Henry and William Gallas are expected to start against Costa Rica, Lassana Diarra won’t play ant part whatsoever after he was ruled out of the tournament altogether with an ‘intestinal problem’. In goal, young Lyon shot-stopped Hugo Lloris should continue wearing the No.1 jersey, while up front there will be a tussle between Pierre Gignac and Djibril Cisse for the role of first-choice striking substitute behind the two regular starters of Henry and Anelka. Franck Ribery, who missed the Champions League final last Saturday, should start on the left while there is no Patrick Viera or Karim Benzema after both were omitted from Domenech’s provisional team.

Match Odds:

France – 1.30 Bet365
Draw – 5.00 Coral
Costa Rica – 11.00 WilliamHill

Our Prediction: France to WIN – 1.30 Bet365

Costa Rica are certainly no mugs at this level, almost qualifying for South Africa along with the USA and Mexico in the CONCAFAF qualifying zone were it not for a late USA goal which sent Honduras to the finals in their place. Instead, they had to battle it out in a two-legged play-off with Uruguay, of which they lost 2-1 on aggregate. While familiar names are few and far between in their team, La Sele are a nifty outfit and are a nation which shouldn’t be underestimated. Nevertheless, a home win for France should be the only realistic results here as the French step up their 2010 FIFA World Cup preparations ahead of two more friendlies with Tunisia and China.

I’m sure the French watchers, as well as those neutrals weighing up a bet on France to win next month’s competition outright at attractive odds, will want an impressive performance from Les Bleus but we’re envisaging a routine win rather than overwhelming.

Our Recommendation: France to WIN to NIL – 1.83 SkyBet