13 Jun, 20:45 CET
1:45 PM board time

Netherlands v France

Stade de Suisse, Berne

Je parie 10$ sur la France par pur chauvinisme.

France expects to show attacking flair against Netherlands at Euro 2008

France is counting on an attacking Netherlands team to help spark its offense on Friday at the European Championship.

France created few chances in Monday's 0-0 draw against Romania, and blamed it on the fact the deep and compact Romanian defense, thus negating France's preference for hurting teams with speedy passes and counterattacks.

The free-flowing Dutch crushed Italy 3-0 in Group C — the toughest group of the tournament — and the French are expecting Marco Van Basten and his team to leave more space at the back than Romania did.

"I do not think the Dutch will defend like the Romanians," France defender Willy Sagnol said. "Although it won't be any easier, at least it will better suit the way we play."

France, which traditionally starts slowly, needs to beat either the Netherlands or Italy to have a realistic chance of reaching the quarterfinals at its fourth straight European Championship.

Despite a lackluster performance against Romania, the French remain upbeat that playing against an attacking team like the Netherlands is exactly what can make them respond.

"Sometimes it's easier to play against great teams," France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan said. "At least you get into the game straight away. If the Dutch attack a bit more, not like the Romanians, then that is better for us."

The French attack has resembled a damp firework recently, unable to get off the ground and fizzling out quickly. Then team has only scored four times in the past six games, and only two of those have come from open play.

But at the other end, goalkeeper Gregory Coupet and the French back four are once again becoming a formidable unit. Despite its struggle in scoring goals, France keeps them out with remarkable ease.

France has now gone five games without conceding a goal and has allowed only six in the past 19 games. In coach Raymond Domenech's 52 games in charge since taking over nearly four years ago, France's defense has been breached only 23 times — a remarkable statistic at any level, let alone international level.

"There's nothing to fear," France midfielder Samir Nasri said. "Once more, we are well organized."

With the defense functioning well, it's now high time the forwards followed suit. Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has not scored in 23 games — stretching back to Feb. 2 and a goal against Portsmouth — and Lyon's Karim Benzema is having a poor spell with only one goal in his last eight matches.

Not conceding is one thing, but France needs to win now, and Domenech insists that Netherlands and Italy will be wary of facing the French.

However, France no longer has the menacing allure of old, and primarily because it struggles so badly to score. Throughout European qualifying this was the case, and none more so against Georgia on June 6, 2007, when France had more than 20 attempts on goal and scored only once.

"We don't concede much," Coupet said. "It's good, and now we have to start finding the net."

Against Romania, the French looked ponderous, slow, and lacking confidence. There was no Patrick Vieira to shake the players up, and no Thierry Henry to pressure the opposing defense with his devastating runs.

"We were not able to free ourselves completely," Domenech said. "Now we have to get our energy and our strength back for the Netherlands match."

Domenech is sounding exactly like he did at the 2006 World Cup where, after a dour opening game, the criticism mounted. He withstood the storm and led France all the way to the final.

"We knew this group would be complicated, and that the teams would be solid and well organized," Domenech said. "We still have two matches to go. We know this group will be tight until the end."

With Vieira and Henry possibly returning in time to face the Dutch, it may be unwise to bet against a Domenech repeat.

www.iht.com . . .

I'm down for Holland.

FF c'était déjà un cyber café du commerce voilà maintenant qu'on a les paris sportifs.
Atlantic c'est quand que tu nous fait des threads sur les courses de chevaux?

On one side:



Culture and civilization

On the other:



"franch" savages


I know where I stand!

Atlantic c'est quand que tu nous fait des threads sur les courses de chevaux?

Si je pensais que ça emmerdait les bashers comme celles sur le foot, je le ferais!

I know where I stand!

Yes we know where you stand alouette...in a gutter, legs up waiting for your daily anal invasion...

.

the fRanch team:



The Dutch Team:



I have no doubts!

Holland...

the fRanch team


The glorious team of Holland


I will support the fairest!

Holdings for 'Euro 2008 - Bet on Netherlands - France'

Netherlands win

philip3 15
Alaoue 20
malbarre 5
BiteMeFrance 200
LondonCalling 30
Gringodiablo 1000
bigvern 50
electrichair 50
jamabutu 122
G3S3B 20
iciparis 10

France win

francois 20
ArthurH 10
Nancy_Davis 50
whizz2 250
Atlantic 20
ollliver 30
mandr 30
idahoboy 50
ohmygawd 45
Fredmasse 20
Gui_the_Frog 50
breizheals 1000
CaptBHLiddelHart 5

Draw

Zatsuks 15
maxdorleans 15
TiredOfFrogs 20
Chimere 10
feathers 10
TheCaledonian 100

Breizheals parie 1000 sur une victoire française ???

Là, j'avoue, c'est osé.

Game is over .. bye france...
Mamud you are gay...

HOLLAND 1 :


Forggystan 0 :


...with 15 minutes to go in the first half

woo hoo. 2 - 0. Go cloggies

TWO-NIL to the Dutch already

ha fucking ha

best 10O prediction bucks I've ever lost (if I do lose them)

FUCK FRANCE

Start crying France, your sandniggers are no good.

I'm thoroughly enjoying watching this game.

EDIT: 3-1 to the Dutch, hahahahaha nice goalkeeping from the stinkies, as usual they can't stop a smaller country from invasion

France will win this championship.....it s obvious

shit! another goooool noooooooo

hahahahahhhh, not funny, I though this game was gonna be more even!

Arglll ca fait mal...

Civilised humans 4 - Monkey boys 1

4-1

FUCK FRANCE

or rather

FRANCE FUCKED

As I had predicted, the gorgious blond deities from the North defeated easily the horrible apes from the heart of darkness.
I win… win… win…

Altogether now...

Where's the mo-ron?
Where's the mo-ron?
Where's the mo-ron ha ha ha?
Where's the fucking mo-ron now?

FUCK OFF FRANCE

LONG LIVE THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS