France vs. Ireland Betting Tips: Two stats-based selections for Thursday's qualifier
France and Ireland meet on Thursday night at the Parc des Princes in the pair's latest EURO 2024 qualifier. Scott Thornton has had a string of winning main bets since the start of the new season and our data centric contributor seeks more profitability with these two selections...
France hosts the Republic of Ireland as they look to strengthen their grip on the top spot of their qualifying group for the European Championships. Didier Deschamps are currently on 12 points after four matches; six clear of Greece in 2nd.
Ireland performed admirably when they faced the French in Dublin. They were narrowly beaten 1-0 and were able to cause numerous problems for the opposition defence.
Deschamps' side have been at the forefront of world football in recent years. They have reached back-to-back World Cup finals and will be amongst the favourites for next summer’s European Championship. They have a wealth of talent in their ranks. Their midfield is capable of imposing itself on any game and Kylian Mbappe remains at the top of his game.
Jean Clari-Todibo has been called up to the French squad for this fixture. He was linked with a move away from Nice this summer but nothing materialised. N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba are injured so Adrien Rabiot comes back into the side.
Ireland’s defence will be key here and they have plenty of options. John Egan faces a late fitness test but the likes of Nathan Collins and Dara O’Shea are available.
France vs Ireland Tips
France are the clear favourites here and it is easy to see why. Ireland were able to frustrate the French attack for large periods of their meeting in March but that becomes a much more difficult task playing in Paris.
Didier Deschamps’ side have beaten the Irish in their last three meetings. They haven’t been beaten in regulation time since their group-stage defeat against Tunisia in the World Cup.
Ireland’s best chance of scoring is from set pieces. They have a number of physically imposing players that they will look to exploit every time they receive the ball. Stephen Kenny’s side looked a threat, particularly from corners, in the las head-to-head. The Republic of Ireland has just 35% possession but managed to rack up eight corners.
In France’s last five matches, their opponents are averaging 4.4 corners per game. Gibraltar are the only side that didn’t manage to have at least three corners in that period.
We are backing corners once again here. The Republic of Ireland are averaging 6.8 corners per game across their last 10 internationals. This drops to 4.4 corners per game in their last five away matches but it is still above the required mark for this bet to land.
This is a crucial fixture for Ireland. They were given a tough draw that included the likes of the Netherlands and of course France. Securing a point here could be key in helping them qualify for next year’s European Championships. They are clear underdogs but they will most certainly show some attacking intent.
For our long-shot bet, we are backing Ireland to have over four corners in the match as well as a France win. The Republic of Ireland have had at least five corners in their last five matches. This is a tougher ask against France but their ability in the air should cause some disarray in the French box and this could easily lead to the flurry of corners we need.
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