Apart from Romario and to a lesser extent Bebeto 1994 was a very unmemorable Brazil team and undoubtedly the worst of their five World Cup-winning teams.
France were also poor enough World Cup winners in '98. They struggled through to the final. But they certainly did a job on Brazil once in it. Zidane had been very poor in that tournament up to the final (sent off against Saudi Arabia) and Henry and Trezeguet at that point were only raw youngsters hence the awful Guivarch starting. They improved after winning the World Cup and were definitely a better team in 2000 - in fact I’d argue the 2006 team was a better one than the '98 one.
Re Thuram’s goals against Croatia, they weren’t very late, my recollection is that the equaliser came early in the second half a minute after Suker had put Croatia ahead, then the winner came with about 20 minutes left.
[QUOTE=“The Scouse Cafu, post: 961797, member: 2660”]Apart from Romario and to a lesser extent Bebeto 1994 was a very unmemorable Brazil team and undoubtedly the worst of their five World Cup-winning teams.
France were also poor enough World Cup winners in '98. They struggled through to the final. But they certainly did a job on Brazil once in it. Zidane had been very poor in that tournament up to the final (sent off against Saudi Arabia) and Henry and Trezeguet at that point were only raw youngsters hence the awful Guivarch starting. They improved after winning the World Cup and were definitely a better team in 2000 - in fact I’d argue the 2006 team was a better one than the '98 one.
Re Thuram’s goals against Croatia, they weren’t very late, my recollection is that the equaliser came early in the second half a minute after Suker had put Croatia ahead, then the winner came with about 20 minutes left.[/QUOTE]
I agree on the Brazil team, pretty average and a very dour side. I do take on board that the French team were probably better in the years after that but I still think the 98 side were a very good team although they did not set the tournament alight and were quite one dimensional in their play. Guys like Vieira, Trezeguet and Henry had not really established themselves either but they had a magnificent back four, they had a midfield containing the likes of Zidane, Deschamps, Karembeu and Petit who were all very good players. The attack wasn’t spectacular but Djorkaeff was an excellent player and they did have some youngsters like Henry and Trezeguet in reserve who would go on to be two of the top strikers of their generation. Candela was one of the best full backs in Europe at the time and he couldn’t make the French starting team. I think it was an excellent team but they didn’t really play exciting football.
Read somewhere during the week that he wasn’t expected to start as Peckerman would prefer to more disciplined/holding midfielders to protect his centre halves and allow his full backs bomb on
Missed the replay but on initial viewing it was in his vicinity before the deflection and it was a really tame effort he seemed to almost turn his back on it rather than adjusting his feet.
I’d have to see it again myself, but while the deflection slowed it a lot its hard to say whether he should have reacted better. It did seem to all happen in slow motion though.
Samaras playing really well. Gekas and Salpingidis look really slow and limited up front, Greece should bring on the lad at Fulham and Fetfatzidis at half time for them.
