France and Belgium have emerged from the tough half of the draw contrary to many’s expectations.
France disposed of Argentina and Uruguay and Belgium clinically removed Brazil. Both teams have strong English Premier League representation, their teams have that familiar feel. Perhaps France have the edge with their emerging youth. Should be an interesting game, though, with such a prize on offer, decent football sometimes disappears when the fear of losing creeps in.
Parts of Belgium speak Dutch, parts French and some also speak German.
Marouane Fellaini’s favourite footballer is Maradona.
Hugo Lloris thinks a spud will win the World Cup. Going out on a limb there, fella, ain’t ya?
Olivier Giroud’s favourite song is by Coldplay
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
war in Cuffley
Bye Jack, good luck son, I wish you all the best, especially good health
An Arsenal man who will always be welcome back. Good luck.
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/11430398/france-v-belgium-pick-your-combined-xi-for-world-cup-semi-final?participants=72601-106840-100452-5716-125855-72603-111487-102339-142191-72541-4743&formation=433#e94f55978c6bab20135ff32443903bb6
Belgium edges France, player by player:
Courtois > Lloris – B
Alder > Pavard – B
Varane > Vermaelen – F
Kompany > Umtiti – B
Verthongen > Hernandez – B
Pogba > Chadli – F
Kante > Witsel – F
Fellaini > Matuidi – B
De Bruyne > Griezmann – B
Lukaku > Giroud – B
Hazard > Mbappe – B
Belgium: 8 vs France: 3
I think Belgium has to be the favorite – there is belief, momentum and also they are playing well, positive football.
France will be edgy. Our chance will be if Belgium defense is having an off day, which is possible. If I were Deschamps, I would rather play:
Lloris – Pavard, Varane, Umtiti (i d play Kimpembe but no chance), Hernandez – Matuidi, Nzonzi, Kante – Pogba – Mbappe, Giroud
I would drop Griezmann to the bench and would bring in Nzonzi, move Pogba up the field. We need to control the midfield to have a chance in this match. Nzonzi can also match both Fellaini and Witsel in the air and so can Pogba. This can be a match of free kicks and corners making the difference rather than open play goals.
Allez les Bleus but I have a feeling that Belgium may edge the French because their starting 11 is better. Let us see
RC78, who are you kidding. France is favourite to go through.
They have as much chance of losing as England have of winning
by the way, that was not a flippant throw away comment. Thats after 2 days and many hours of analysis…
VP – let us see. Potential wise we are better BUT in terms of actual confirmed talent, Belgium is ahead of us. I will not say the same in 2 years at the Euro but for now Belgium has a more accomplished team than us
There is a poll on who has been the best WC player so far.
Here is my pick per position:
Courtois – Trippier, Maguire, Verthongen, Young – Modric, Kante – Mbappe, De Bruyne, Hazard – Kane
Player of the tournament so far for me: Modric
RC78, as a GK, I would have chosen Subasic. He has been huge and to save 3 penalties in a shoot-out, has only ever been done once before.
Also in your team I would have chosen Ronaldo over Kane. You would sell more shirts and make more money in Marketing
VP – I hesitated for the GK as Pickford and Subasic were also great but I think that Courtois is just more polished and commanded his area when needed especially against Brazil.
Kane is the best scorer – I had to have him in there although it could also have been Lukaku.
wHAT ABOUt your best player so far?
Russia puts that player by player analysis in the trash bin doesn’t it. Grit/fight is not measurable. It’s a team game.
RC, my best player is Modric. He drives the whole Croatian team. No nonsense, just a desire and determination to win.
I would have
Subasic
Pavard, Ramos, Pique, Hernandez
Modric, De Bruyne
Ronaldo, Mbappe, Messi, Cavani
it would be chaos, but fun to watch
That’s interesting VP not a single English player – yet they have a 1 in 4 chance of being the World Cup winners.
Three english defenders – the only good attacking teams they met so far are a second string Belgium and Colombia (Both teams missing their major stars.) Most of Kanes goals came against Panama and Tunisia, two of the weakest teams of the tournament, three were from the penalty spot and one must have been the flukiest goal so far – and the goals were not deciding games either. Lukaku has been so much better, for instance, and a player like unsung Griezmann is contributing to the whole team in a way that Kane is not close to.
De Bruyne, Messi and Ramos – what tournament are we talking about? De Bruyne was good in the quarter final but has been struggling to be visible at all in some games. Hazard: better by a mile. Ramos was not good at all against the russians and the spanish defense was shaky in all their games. Messi made a fantastic goal but could not handle Iceland or Croatia, and against France he was inferior to most french players!
That’s the way I see it.
The only players that can be (almost) certain to be a part of my best eleven at this moment are:
Courtois
Godin
Modric
Griezmann
Lukaku
From Sweden with love!
I saw – agree with your assessment except Griezmann
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11432126/arsenal-sign-lucas-torreira-from-sampdoria
Finally, Lucas Torreira joins Arsenal.
New recruits so far:
Leno – Lichtensteiner, Sokratis – Guendouzi, Torreira
Afternoon all
Thanks Chas.
Understand Jack going, but sad to see a Gunner leaving.
On an exceedingly bright side, Torreira. Wow. Although I’ve heard the rumours, I also saw his performance against Portugal and thought..”there goes that one to a top six European side”. So really really pleased. Huge signing
Ronaldo joins Juventus after 9 years at Real Madrid and 16 trophies
RC
Blimey. So who do Real go for to replace him?
Re the WC semis. I reckon France have the potential if they click on the day v Belgium the settled team. No idea who I think will win, but if England were to get past Croatia, then I wouldn’t give them much hope against either.
so we have 5 new players. if they are all starting XI I expect an exodus by the end of summer
Ah ha, the chairman woman of Cuffley.
At least one of the five new is eligible for the Under 12’s, so I doubt they are all 1st XI starters. In fact, I’d say two are. Torreira and Sokratis
Tell us, how does The Prediction Piranha from Cuffley see the semis going?
Tonight is the final as far as I see, although I realise it’s a funny old game
I think Belgium are the cream of the crop but it is literally going to be a shoot out and may well be decided on penalty kicks.
Madrid will go for Kane if he’s the best striker in the tournament.
England v Croatia must be the weakest semi in a World Cup for donkey’s, therefore it stands to reason that the winner will come from there!
Kane? That’d be sad wouldn’t it? 🙂
A shoot out eh GN5. Sounds like my sort of stuff 🙂
It seems incredible but Arsenal’s first pre season game is only 16 days away – they play Atletico Madrid on July 26th in Singapore.
Mahrez to join Man City – 60 Mln pounds
Today – three major signings announced: Ronaldo to Juve, Mahrez to City and Torreira to Arsenal
As for Real – currently, they still have Bale, Asensio and Benzema. Lopetegui likes to play as a 4-3-1-2 so you could end up having:
Navas – Carvalaj, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo – Modric, Casemiro, Kross – Isco – Benzema (or Asensio), Bale
I reckon they will not replace Ronaldo. They are just building the next generation team and will invest in youth for the next 2 years or so. Only exception would be a Top Player under 26 like Neymar.
If they go galactico, they will sell Bale now and purchase Hazard.
Ooo, I’d like to see the back of that slimy little toad, Hazard.
He has had a great World Cup Chas – but he is slimy.
I’m intrigued to know what is happening behind the scenes at Chelsea?.
Abramovich cannot conduct business in England.
Conte is an unwanted Manager
New stadium construction put on hold.
No new signings.
All very un-Chelsea.
Sounds like creeping stagnation to me.
Aas for exodus in our squad, let us see who leaves but I can see at least 10 players leaving, including 3 sales or let gos
Belgium brings in Dembele as Right Wing Back. The only surprise.
Courtois – Dembele, Alde, Kompany, Verthongen, Chadli – De Bruyne, Witsel, Fellaini, Hazard – Lukaku
Lloris – Pavard, Varane, Umti, Hernandez – Pogba, Kante, Matuidi – Mbappe, Giroud, Griezmann
Current Arsenal team
Ist team
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Hector Bellerin
Petr Cech
Calum Chambers
Mohamad Elneny
Rob Holding
Alex Iwobi
Sead Kolasinac
Laurent Koscielny
Alexandre Lacazette
Bernd Leno
Stephan Lichtsteiner
Ansley Maitland-Niles
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Nacho Monreal
Shkodran Mustafi
David Ospina
Mesut Ozil
Sokratis Papastathopohulos
Aaron Ramsey
Lucas Torreira
Danny Welbeck
Granit Xhaka
On loan
Chuba Akpom
Takuma Asano
Joel Campbell
Carl Jenkinson
Emiliano Martinez
Lucas Perez
Jeff Reine- Adelaide
Based on line-ups, France has no chance 😦
I really want France to win which m eans they have little chance.
The midfield battle will be fascinating
come on you Froggies!!!!
The French national anthem is simply awesome
Good heavens, Erik.
Bit late. Apols.
Which of these sides would England (if) have the best (nay) chance again from the point of view of playing style?
i know the whole belgian team, most of the French players, 1 Croatina, 4 Polish and 5 English. I should have supported Belgium from the start
Bemlgium looking good. Get a grip France – lump it up to Giroud
that’s add, one of my comments addressed to raddy and Didit disappeared. wasn’t important anyway
2 excellent goalies spoilt the game, otherwise it could have been 3:2
ha ha, love the thinking Eddie.
I’d ban goalkeepers altogether. Ruin the game frankly 🙂
yes
indeed, at last
wow Mbappe super cool touch
Out of all the greats, Maradona, Messi, the Ronaldos etc, Mbappe is the most Pele’esque
Love the idea of no goalies
Come on France
no!! come on Belgium, we want extra time
fucking Lloris and his saves
Why are ex professionals so praise worthy of players who “take one for the team” ie cheat openly, breaking down often the most gloriously skilful moves in football. Yet get on their holier than thou high horses when a player goes down “dramatically” when fouled. Diving is cheating,” professional” fouls ,(what an anachronism) are cheating, being fouled is clearly against the laws.
Pogba wants to go clubbing 🙂
LBG
That is a very sensible and well thought out comment, which looks somewhat out of place amongst three idiots discussing banning goalkeepers
No, not pressure, Vertonghen is a twat
happy for Ollie
Thanks Micky, I simply cannot stand Murphy, for his arrogance, his I’ve seen what happened and noone else has, etc, etc, etc. Sorry, he’s a f****** w*****.
I’m honestly not trying to have a go at Ollie, but I do not understand how Lacazette doesn’t suit their style of play better.
I reckon we’ve got more chance of beating them french faggots anyway. No offence RC. ☺
Right. Justice done
Nowf for an England win tomorrow and we are set up for all proper final.
Agincourt.. Crecy etc
Do you think we could propose a no goalie final.?
Lloris and Pickford would ruin the entertainment
I’m sensing that if (and it’s a bloody massive if) we get through, there could be a virgin BR pre-match – for World Cup Final, no less.
BR, Pickford wont be in the final
He’ll playing in the game for 3rd place
Oh come on VP, your lot are rubbish 🙂
This time tomorrow you’ll be playing the “we were tired” card 🙂
Giroud really lost his touch since going to the blue side
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