SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer FRANCE v Italy

its set.. after a month its come down to these two. i cant wait

ALLEZ FRANCE!

If Italy stays in the 4-4-1-1, it will be a crowded MF vs a French 4-5-1.

Italy's originial 4-3-1-2 would be better suited for the Azzurri.

Buffon, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Nesta, Grosso, Gattusso, Perrotta, Pirlo, Totti, Gilardino and Toni. That's the 11 that would be bullet-proof. 2-0 Italy. Forza Azzurri!

Italy 2 France 1
I Totti, Toni
F Henry

As much as I love a good defensive 1-0 game, I hope it is a wide open affair with Zidane leaving it all on the field in his last game, and the Italians playing the attacking style like they did in OT v. Germany. I just don't want to see a plodding, calculated game as it easily could be.
I think the Italians are too tough defensively and will prevail 2-1 or 2-0.

Italians have the best team defense in the world ..and the best keeper in this tournament.. but they don't have Zidane. If he has enough left in the tank..and the French D can keep Italy away from Barthez.. I'll take France 1-0.

I'll take Zidane, one goal mid-way in the first half and ugly at the end.

Allez les blues....oh and zidane scores on a free kick...or assists to vierra off a free kick that henry created with a dive.

1st off - Beezer did you watch the Portugal v France match at all? Both teams played a 4-5-1 (albeit the French play more like a 4-2-1-1 and I left the other 2 out for a reason because Ribery and Zidane run wherever the heck they want so they can either be listed as midfielders or fowards) so the 4-4-1-1 by the Italians won't be any more crowed in the midfield than it was in the match between France v Portugal
2nd off - France has 2 of the best holding midfielders in the world, so far no team (not even an excellent Spanish side who was personally my favourite to win at the beginning of the tournament could get through them) has broken through the French "back 6" yet (which is lucky for France b/c Barthez basically sucks and is very suspect in net for Les Bleus)
3rd off - The Italians backs like to push up quite often (Cannavaro is basically their last line) so I feel, just my opinion, Zidane, Ribery, Malouda, Sagnol, and Abidal are going to exploit that and back to point 2, they can because of Viera and Makelele in their holding spots

After all that, I pick -
France 1
Italy 0

France will sneak 1 in like they did against Portugal and then will pull Henry off in the last 10 min for a more defensive striker and will sit on that 1 goal to see Zidane off with a 2nd World Cup for him and Les Bleus.

1st off: I watched the match, am aware they both played 1 forward (although Scolari will say 4-3-3 with withdrawn wingers of Ronaldo and Figo), and I never said the MF wasn't crowded. Just talking about the final vs. Italy.

2nd off: France HAD two of best holding players but both have looked aged, not freelancing as 90-minute, two-way players, hence, the more defensive approach with an Henry counter and no Trezeguet. With Pirlo's playmaking from a deep role, someone has to be more active to shadow him and it won't be Zidane in this role we know. Makelele and Viera will have to change.
They beat Spain's 4-3-3 with wing play, not central "6" defending, hence Ribery and Malouda's success that match. Portugal had much more of the ball vs. France and so will Italy if it stays the same BUT with much more quality.

3rd off - Cannavaro and Metarrazzi will both sit at home and the back four and central three will have alot of possession, again, in the congested MF. Italy's 3 player attack would hold the back-four in place much more and force Makelele and Viera to, again, be more active and defend higher vs. numbers.

The French surrender a goal early. 1-0 Italy