I expect a high scoring game. The French have been awful at defending in the box and seem to offer free headers often, especially in the last 30 minutes. This is where Ronaldo shines and I can see him getting at least 2-3 decent chances. Lloris has been playing out of his boots but I can see him letting in a couple. This Sanches-Nani-Ronaldo attacking trio has started to gel as well, but against relatively low competition. But France have quality from top to bottom and shouldn’t have problems scoring. I don’t think Pepe will be 100% even if he plays. Griezmann is on fire and Payet, Giroud and Pogba are very capable of providing scoring options. We haven’t seen much of Martial, but he and Coman are solid attacking options off the bench once Portugal are tired.
France have greater depth of talent and a more complete team than Portugal. Most days of the week, I would expect France to win. I doubt they’ll keep a clean sheet, though; probably Ronaldo will knock one or two in. With their array of creative attacking options, nonetheless, France should prevail. I expect both sides to come out attacking, so hopefully we won’t see some dreadful nonsense ending 0-0 after 120 minutes and going to penalties. France are likely to go for an early score, and I think they’ll get it.
Is it just me, or have Manuel Neuer and Bastian Schweinsteiger become increasingly dislikable? Neuer now immediately protests whenever there’s a goal, as if the opposing team has done something wrong, and Scheinsteiger has become a flopper and complainer.
It’s a pity, because Germany has long been a very sportsmanlike team, IMHO.
Neuer has always been a tremendously arrogant player, as I remember it - even as nae much more than a bairn when he started at Schalke. He’s definitely started arguing more with the refs recently, though.
However, I don’t think it’s an isolated thing with Neuer and Schweinsteiger; the German team in general seems to have become a team of floppers and complainers in the last few years. To me, it feels like they’ve bought into their own hype as incumbent winners of the World Cup - they behave as if they’re personally slighted whenever the game isn’t going their way. Spain had the same sort of insufferable arrogance going on for a long time.
Not sure I agree with you on Schweinsteiger, but Neuer for sure. He does that with Bayern as well. I’d love to get an English translation of what he’s screaming. He resembles a crazy homeless person flailing his arms yelling out random shit, while being ignored by everyone in the vicinity.
I was hoping that Kante would start for France. If France score first, Dechamps could look like a genius. But I think excluding Kante is a big risk. His constant impact on the game is still under-rated.
ETA: I probably watched 30 Leicester games last year and I don’t think they even finish Top 4 without him.
Ronaldo has been getting double and triple teamed throughout the tournament, getting shoved, held down and the referees have done sweet fuck all. Hope UEFA are enjoying this, seeing their showpiece event lose its star attraction.
Plus, Stade De France finals are bad places for people called Ronaldo.
I think I’m on record that I’m not a big fan of Ronaldo and his antics, but this is just tragic and something I didn’t want to happen. And I won’t belittle him for his tears, that’s just approbiate in this case.