France vs South Korea Betting Preview

For those that didn't have a vested financial interest and had to endure the France v Switzerland match, it must have been painful. At best, it made for awful viewing.Les Bleus are now a shadow of the side that won the 1998 World Cup on home soil in such emphatic style. They boast the best striker in the world, Thierry Henry, but the way the team operates just doesn't seem to play to the Arsenal man's strengths. Furthermore, the French midfield is one that has seen better days. Although Zinedine Zidane still possesses the sort of natural ability that some players can only dream about, the Real Madrid star is now thirty-three and, judged from what could be gleaned from the Switzerland match, his ageing legs cannot be relied upon for the match-winning magic with which he was once synonymous. In addition, Patrick Viera, despite being just twenty-nine, appears to be a shadow of his former self. Those charging runs from midfield which were his trademark at Arsenal for so long are now a distant memory. Viera is no longer the imposing talisman marshalling the centre of the park. The Swiss were more than happy to leave Stuttgart with a draw yet it was they, ironically, that came closest to scoring when Tranquillo Barnetta's free-kick bounced back off a post and Alexander Frei failed to convert the rebound. While the French defence wasn't as weak as its midfield, one wanders whether it would be able to repel more insistent pressure. The question is whether South Korea will be able to exploit the chinks in France's armour in Leipzig on June 18? Personally, I doubt it. But following their dramatic win over Togo Frankfurt where they came from behind to record a 2-1 verdict, it is likely that they will adopt a cautious approach to this game, mindful of the fact that they are the underdogs, and play for a draw. Sure, this could be a dangerous mentality to adopt against Raymond Domenech's men who, even without factoring Henry into the equation, have high class strikers such as David Trezegeut and Louis Saha to call upon. However, as an overall unit, France just do not seem to be clicking; the formula just isn't working - they haven't scored in their last four World Cup matches. And if things don't go their way and frustration sets in, another stalemate could be in the offing. I wouldn't place too many eggs in this basket, but I certainly wouldn't put anyone off of having a couple of quid on 0-0 in the correct score market at what looks a hugely generous 10/1 with PaddyPower