World Cup Qualification - Brazil 2014

[just some bloke]

If it was today? With England already through and France facing a tricky play-off to even make the tournament? The smart money would all be on England.

Really? You see, I can imagine France winning a major competition. I don't think they will win the next World Cup, but I would not be totally shocked if I was told by someone coming back from the future that they had. I cannot say the same of England, however.

Well, Ladbrokes has England at 22-1, France at 33-1. Which suggests that both teams are a long shot I agree, but England as of today are the more likely winners.

[just some bloke]

agreed on the clubs, but that wasn't your point.

look at the tournament wins, finals and semi finals. It really is no contest.

You have to take the whole thing holistically. The tournament appearances as a whole (that's a shocking number of times the French have been knocked out early and not qualified since 1950), the head-to-head record, the clubs.

English Football >>>>>>>>>>>>>> French Football

[LUX]

well ,the betting odds is just one more piece of desperate bollox from you. Sorry, but it is. England are always shorter odds at every tournament at our bookies, because lots of people in England back them (and fair enough).

[stealthpapes]

You have to take the whole thing holistically.

This is a masterclass in goalpost shifting.

From ...

For all the criticism England get, it would be good to see England benchmarked against France a little more. For a supposedly big player on the international stage they've been pretty woeful in recent years.

to where we are now. Some of the WUMs from AE need to take notes. It's a superb effort on your part.

In recent years does not go back to 1950.
The international stage does not include the champions league.

You want a recent banchmark - both a bit meh recently.

[Silver Fox]

Actually, I'd bet on both considering the spaceman has said one of them wins

[LUX]

agreed on the clubs, but that wasn't your point.

look at the tournament wins, finals and semi finals. It really is no contest.

You have to take the whole thing holistically. The tournament appearances as a whole (that's a shocking number of times the French have been knocked out early and not qualified since 1950), the head-to-head record, the clubs.

English Football >>>>>>>>>>>>>> French Football

the head to heads.

1982 World Cup England 3- France 1 in the Group stage. That's in your stats, of course. Fair enough, that's valid. But I prefer a holistic approach, me.

England qualify, play two more matches in a second group stage, score no more goals and go home.

France get to the semi finals, draw 3-3 with Germany and lose on penalties.

[just some bloke]

Right. France are indubitably better at converting quarter-final appearances into wins than England over time, but that's about it. In every other measure, England has the best of it.

Getting to the tournament in the first place: England
Getting out of their group: England
Beating and scoring more goals than France: England
Having clubs that can win international tournaments: England

[Ian Royal]

I'm all for laughing at the French cocking up. But the fact is their recent 'miserable failure' is as good our typical achievement. They've won the Euros more than us. They've won the World Cup more than us.

Lets not get too cocky, because really, the joke's on us.

[parky]

They've won the World Cup more than us.

[just some bloke]

I'm all for laughing at the French cocking up. But the fact is their recent 'miserable failure' is as good our typical achievement. They've won the Euros more than us. They've won the World Cup more than us.

Lets not get too cocky, because really, the joke's on us.

More recently than us, yeah. And like us, they've never won it on foreign soil.

But their World Cup campaigns have ended in abject failure more often than ours (seven times they've failed to get out their group. We haven't done that since the fifties), and they have failed to qualify more often than us.

I guess in all honesty what it boils down to is they're better at making it nearly count when they have a decent team, ie they get to the semi and the final more often. But we're better at being consistently slightly above average.

[Ian Royal]

yes, missed 'recently' out.

[just some bloke]

This is a masterclass in goalpost shifting.

Some of the WUMs from AE need to take notes. It's a superb effort on your part.

I take a bow. I am genuinely pleased that you saw and appreciated the effort made.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Since the start of this century England's World Cup form has been better than Frances, that's three tournaments. Simples

[stealthpapes]

Trying to remember the world cup final England got to. Nope. Struggling.

[Ian Royal]

Trying to remember the world cup final England got to. Nope. Struggling.

I think it was two thousand and deluded. Not sure how to write that in numbers.

[just some bloke]

Let's settle this once and for all with a simple question:

What would you rather have on your chest? Thee big fucking excellent rampant lions or a bloody chicken?

Riddle me that one, bloody Francophiles.

[LUX]

^^^^^A cock^^^^^

[just some bloke]

^^^^^A cock^^^^^

Oh is that what it is?

[genome]

No, that's the bloke wearing the shirt


etc etc

[stealthpapes]

Let's settle this once and for all with a simple question:

What would you rather have on your chest? Thee big fucking excellent rampant lions or a bloody chicken?

Riddle me that one, bloody Francophiles.

papereyes, HNA?s #1 Francophile.