Game 10: Austria vs France live from the Düsseldorf Arena. ITV1 8pm

[Coulthard's Jaw]

Possible line-ups

Austria: Pentz; Posch, Lienhart, Trauner, Mwene; Laimer, Seiwald; Wimmer, Sabitzer, Baumgartner; Gregoritsch

France: Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernández; Griezmann, Kanté, Rabiot; Dembélé, Thuram, Mbappé

Austria's most famous result against France was knocking them out of the 1934 World Cup

France, my favourites for this tournament. Austria, seem to get semi regularly mentioned as dark horses but never produce the goods in the big tournaments.

Laura Woods presents, with analysis from Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright, and commentary by

 and 

Edited June 16 by Coulthard's Jaw

[EnterUsernameHere]

You sure Saliba starts? I'd play him (over Upamecano) but most outlets are saying it's Konaté.

[The Amazing Dale Watkins]

I think this has the potential to be an epic game, but because it's the group opener, it might fizzle out in a draw.

[Astafjevs]

Kanté over Tchouaméni or Camavinga is absolutely mental.

Not sure about Thuram over Giroud either given how well the latter does for France.

[titchuk]

Austria to cause an upset!

[TalkSport]

Going in on the hipsters chat online, and Austria to win. Zipping the ball around and make France look dysfunctional. 

[Rikulec]

This has the potential to be a banger. Austria have finally full on embraced the Red Bull philosophy, I'd love them to get far in the tournament.

[GunmaN1905]

Interesting choices by Deschamps.
Both Konate and Pavard area easily better than Upamecano.
Starting Kante in his current state ahead of Tchouameni and Camavinga is also something.
Especially since it should be 4231 and Rabiot is also left-footed.
Thuram should be in the middle and Mbappe on the left.

Austria looks solid, but they don't have a class player. Rangnick-ball will be interesting to see against a stacked team.

[Haguey]

France should cruise this especially as Austria usually are another 'dark horse' who flop at the tournament proper.

Kante is an interesting choice, I love him but now might have been the time to move on from him. Don't particularly rate Rabiot or Upamecano but maybe they had great seasons.

Is Griezmann still worthy of his spot, almost seems out of place here now

[Lucas]

6 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Austria looks solid, but they don't have a class player. Rangnick-ball will be interesting to see against a stacked team.

Really hoping that they can get an upset here 

[Yuko]

Austria is not going to be easy if they're like 2020(1). I recall them giving Italy all sorts of trouble and they also played well in the groups. 

France is a bit awkward. Everyone expects them to beat all teams by 4, eventually they'll do that to someone, but most times it won't be easy.

 

In fairness, if there's any game you expect France to win big in this group, it's this one. 

[Rob1981]

France about to show you that you don't win these trophies if your GK and your CBs haven't played that many games together.

Losing both Lloris and Varane when they have played 4-5 tournaments together is HUGE.

Why else would you randomly recall Kante if you weren't worrying about extra protection for the back four.

 

[DJ]

Hoping for an upset here. If that happens, France will have to win against Oranje and hopefully crumble under the pressure.

[GunmaN1905]

7 minutes ago, Haguey said:

Don't particularly rate Rabiot or Upamecano but maybe they had great seasons.

That's the thing, they didn't. They were really poor.

Quote

Is Griezmann still worthy of his spot, almost seems out of place here now

Most definitely is, despite his age. I'd say he's second most important player after Mbappe.

I guess Deschamps is the one coach in the tournament who can't be questioned for his lineup choices.

2 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

France about to show you that you don't win these trophies if your GK and your CBs haven't played that many games together.

Losing both Lloris and Varane when they have played 4-5 tournaments together is HUGE.

Why else would you randomly recall Kante if you weren't worrying about extra protection for the back four.

You're really something else.

What about all the cases where older players overstayed their welcome?

If they had Maignan in top form at the last WC instead of washed Lloris, maybe they'd have won it.

Edited June 17 by GunmaN1905

[CFuller]

We've had one shock already, and I fancy another. RB Österreich to win 1-0.

France are my favourites for the tournament, but think they'll take the Argentina 2022 route to glory.

[EnterUsernameHere]

Sabitzer number 9

[The Amazing Dale Watkins]

Going to be tough without Alaba and Schlager, but they have internalized Rangnick's system and may be able to compensate it. 

[Astafjevs]

We had Pougatch and co. analyse England earlier. Now we're getting the same again on their second match.

CONSTANT, DIZZYING, NEVER ENDING, ENGLAND ANALYSIS

[themadsheep2001]

1 minute ago, Astafjevs said:

We had Pougatch and co. analyse England earlier. Now we're getting the same again on their second match.

CONSTANT, DIZZYING, NEVER ENDING, ENGLAND ANALYSIS

Its ridiculous tbh. But Itv's coverage has been a mess

[skybluedave]

That England piece was presented like a nature documentary 

[Rob1981]

30 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

If they had Maignan in top form at the last WC instead of washed Lloris, maybe they'd have won it.

Don't think I haven't run the numbers on this   Look at all the finalists of World Cups and Euros back to 2010... between them the goalkeeper and the most experienced half of the CB partnership are carrying an average of about 68 caps into the final.  Nobody has made a final without at least one player in that area of the pitch with 50+ caps.

France are going out there tonight with Maignan (16), Saliba [15] and Upamecano [20]... and most of those previous games have come with them playing with other players, not with each other.

Doesn't matter how good the individuals are if they don't have enough experience playing together.

Not saying they will lose tonight btw, but they won't win the competition.  I don't think they deserve to be favourites.

Edited June 17 by Rob1981

[skybluedave]

I like that France's kit is actually blue again. For ages it's been proper dark navy

[The_jagster]

8 hours ago, Astafjevs said:

Kanté over Tchouaméni or Camavinga is absolutely mental.

Not sure about Thuram over Giroud either given how well the latter does for France.

Get Giroud on if you want a goal against a deep defence late on I'm guessing.

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, Rob1981 said:

Don't think I haven't run the numbers on this   Look at all the finalists of World Cups and Euros back to 2012... between them the goalkeeper and the most experienced half of the CB partnership are carrying an average of about 68 caps into the final.  Nobody has made a final without at least one player in that area of the pitch with 50+ caps.

France are going out there tonight with Maignan (16), Saliba [15] and Upamecano [20]... and most of those previous games have come with them playing with other players, not with each other.

Doesn't matter how good the individuals are if they don't have enough experience playing together.

Alright, that settles it. France was lucky Maignan got injured in 2022 and couldn't be the first choice since Lloris' experience carried them to the finals.

 

 

[Rob1981]

1 minute ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Alright, that settles it. France was lucky Maignan got injured in 2022 and couldn't be the first choice since Lloris' experience carried them to the finals.

But if they'd played Maignan and not Lloris they still would have had Varane   Am I not saying it right?  You need some experience in that area of the field, that doesn't mean you can't play anybody new.  But nobody has ever got to a final when the entire GK/CB/CB trio are all rocking up with only 15-20 caps each.

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, Rob1981 said:

But if they'd played Maignan and not Lloris they still would have had Varane   Am I not saying it right?  You need some experience in that area of the field, that doesn't mean you can't play anybody new.  But nobody has ever got to a final when the entire GK/CB/CB trio are all rocking up with only 15-20 caps each.

Then why didn't Deschamps start Pavard? He's got the most caps out of all their defenders and had a great season.

[Smallen]

Me: aww, super excited for this game!

…

stuidio: … it’s over to Lee Dixon and Sam Matterface!

🙃🙃🙃

[craigcwwe]

Mbappe still awaiting his first Euro’s Finals goal. 

[Rob1981]

Just now, GunmaN1905 said:

Then why didn't Deschamps start Pavard? He's got the most caps out of all their defenders and had a great season.

You tell me.  You are the one saying that Deschamps "can't be questioned for his lineup choices", not me.

[skybluedave]

Alot of pre-national anthem booing at this tournament

[SouthCoastRed]

2 minutes ago, Smallen said:

Me: aww, super excited for this game!

…

stuidio: … it’s over to Lee Dixon and Sam Matterface!

🙃🙃🙃

It's like the worst blind date ever

So much excitement, then Anne Widdecombe turns up

[Lucas]

7 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

But nobody has ever got to a final when the entire GK/CB/CB trio are all rocking up with only 15-20 caps each.

Alan Hansen vibes here. 

I don't really think it matters. It's not going to be the reason a team doesn't reach a final. 

[CFuller]

Slow start for Baumgartner today. 

[skybluedave]

Who invented (or pioneered) playing out from the back. It's so weird how literally everybody does it now and does it well.

[RTHerringbone]

The selection of Kante is going to baffle me for a while. France are good and probably the favourites, but they have a few players I don't really rate in the starting XI (Upamecano, Rabiot, Dembele). No different I suppose to Guehi, Pickford, Trippier in other nations' eyes.

[Lucas]

Just now, skybluedave said:

Who invented (or pioneered) playing out from the back. It's so weird how literally everybody does it now and does it well.

Teams just generally follow the trends of what is currently successful. 

I find it infuriating at times because the mistakes in these situations are usually so dumb. 

[skybluedave]

1 minute ago, Lucas said:

Teams just generally follow the trends of what is currently successful. 

I find it infuriating at times because the mistakes in these situations are usually so dumb. 

It's just wild how used to it I've gotten. 10 years ago you'd be panicking if you saw your centre back with the ball there and shouting 'hoof it'. 

[hilly_boro]

7 minutes of football and my only analysis so far is that the cockerill is ****ing massive. 

[Pukey]

4 minutes ago, skybluedave said:

Who invented (or pioneered) playing out from the back. It's so weird how literally everybody does it now and does it well.

Probably one of those things that actually first started in the 50s or something, but feels like it really kicked on in the last 10-15 years. 

[Barry Cartman]

54 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

If they had Maignan in top form at the last WC instead of washed Lloris, maybe they'd have won it.

Maignan 100% making a howler now and you're to blame 

[Smallen]

awful finish

[Haguey]

Right back rushing out and leaving Mbappe is 30 yards of space

[CFuller]

1 minute ago, hilly_boro said:

7 minutes of football and my only analysis so far is that the cockerill is ****ing massive. 

I wouldn't say 6ft is massive... 

[Astafjevs]

5 minutes ago, RTHerringbone said:

The selection of Kante is going to baffle me for a while. France are good and probably the favourites, but they have a few players I don't really rate in the starting XI (Upamecano, Rabiot, Dembele). No different I suppose to Guehi, Pickford, Trippier in other nations' eyes.

In isolation Rabiot isn't all that. He won't make an average team better, for example. But in a team like France, he's well worth his place and brings a nice balance. Does a bit of everything, but importantly let's the good players get on with their jobs. He's a bit pointless if Kanté is in the team, but if Tchouaméni comes back in then Rabiot is worth more to the XI.

[skybluedave]

Heard a lot of praise for Ralf's Austria and his crazy press but France breaking through quite easily here

[Smallen]

why is Sabitzer 9? games gone

[Heartwork]

Can't wait for the commentators to mention Ralf's time at Man Utd every 5 minutes

[skybluedave]

1 minute ago, Smallen said:

why is Sabitzer 9? games gone

To restore your faith, Thuram wearing same number (15) as his Dad did 

[Haguey]

Deschamps not liked by all because of his playstyle despite his record is it

[Bliss Seeker]

"take the handbrake off" is the worst phrase in football today. 

makes me cringe whenever I hear someone say it.

Edited June 17 by Bliss Seeker