THIS MIGHT be Thierry’s World Cup.
France have a deep squad and a superb defence, so they will be hard to beat.
Gallas looks superb with Thuram and Barthez might show us why the manager prefers him to Coupet of Lyon.
My best friend Doug called from Antibes last night and said the headline in Nice Matin, the main newspaper there, says that France should build round Thierry.
He also said that Vieira was slaughtered for his performnce against Denmark, when France won 2-0 in Lens.
HENRY AND SAHA played quite well together, Saha supplying the cross for Henry’s goal, and Wiltord scored after sub Ribery won a penalty.
Thierry has scored 32 goals for France now. A couple of years ago he used to complain privately that he has never scored from a Zidane pass and it may be that he has still never scored from a Zidane pass.
THIS IS A BIG World Cup for Zidane and Henry, after the fiasco of 2002, when France did not score a goal and crashed out in the first round.
Four years ago the question I asked on ANR was : Does Big Phil Scolari know what he is doing? Big Phil answered that by winning all seven games and taking the World Cup home to Brazil.He is one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen.
Now it’s time for another $64,000 question.
I’m sure Pekerman of Argentina knows what he is doing. I’m sure Sven doesn’t. Im sure Klinsmann does, but his back four is dodgy. I’m fascinated to see what Marco van Basten might achieve with Holland.Lippi’s Italy are unbeaten in 18 games, so Lippi might do better than Zof did in Euro 2000, when Italy featured in the finest international game I’ve seen in a decade, losing 2-1 to France.
Since I think that Trezeguet is a plank, and Cisse is a clown, I’m hoping that France use Henry and Saha, plus Ribery from the bench. I don’t know if coach Raymond Domenech sees it that way.
So my question for this World Cup is : Does Domenech know what he’s doing?
If he does, France will wipe the floor with Switzerland, South Korea and Togo.
IT NOW APPEARS that England will play 4-4-2 against Jamaica at Old Trafford today, with Crouch and Owen up front and Sven’s favoured four in midfield.
England will win easily.
Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard and Joe Cole ARE the best four midfield England have, but not a good blend.
To achieve an effective balance, and beat a good team, Sven has to drop one of them.
Putting in Carragher or Hargreaves behind those four will not work.