French stick: Raymond Domenech has been the subject of constant criticism and his side won't relish coming up against some of the physicality of the Irish team, typified by Kevin Kilbane

Karim Benzema caused a bit of a stir back in September. "I do not really try my hardest in a French shirt," Real Madrid's new signing admitted to the world in a statement that poses two major questions. Why on earth would he go public with such an admission? And what exactly is it that stops the £30 million man from extending himself for France?


In many ways Benzema is the symptomatic of the enigma Ireland face in the first leg of the World Cup play-off at Croke Park in six days time, and then again in the second leg in Paris the following Wednesday. Les Bleus have enough talent, and particularly attacking talent, to win any game of football against any opposition but there remains a certain je ne sais quoi about Raymond Domenech's side, an uncertainty as to whether the Gauls will play with a firm and communal intent, or whether they'll merely proceed with a shrug of the shoulders.


It is a doubt, a question mark, that hangs heavy over this play-off game. Because if France are individually and collectively motivated for these games and can reach somewhere near the peak of their talents, they are extremely likely – with the best will in the world towards Giovanni Trapattoni and his side – to progress to South Africa at Ireland's expense. The puzzle, however, comes if France are not fully interested, or indeed, bang on their game.


The assumption that there will be any riddle at all, of course, is predicated on Ireland maintaining the level of commitment and organisation they managed throughout the group stages. While not quite a given, it is difficult to see them dropping their standards. What Trapattoni desires of his players in a green shirt is clear and simple and at this point in the Italian's tenure, his starting XI is probably a matter of reflex. In that respect, we can expect a back four of John O'Shea, Richard Dunne, Sean St Ledger and Kevin Kilbane, a sitting central midfield of Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews, Liam Lawrence and Damien Duff will occupy the wide berths, while Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle will start up front. There's unlikely to be any surprises in terms of selection or attitude. You won't see Kilbane, for example, haring up and down the left flank, just like you won't see Andrews breaking his backside to support his two strikers. Ireland will be compact, disciplined, hard to break down and infused with the occasional intent to really go at their opponents.


That last trait is something that doesn't really get much notice, but it's a firm part of Ireland's plan. Trapattoni recognises that the excruciating pace of English football can be difficult for continental European countries to live with if it's applied at the right time. Against Italy, Ireland kept the pace of the game fast for the opening 20 minutes and might have had a two-goal lead to show for it with a bit more composure in front of goal. It was a trick they also worked successfully both home and away to Cyprus and Bulgaria and, even though many of France's players are used to the helter-skelter world of the Premier League, you'd imagine it's a plan Trapattoni will instruct his players to follow in the first 20 minutes at Croke Park too. After that, Ireland will turn it on in five-minute bursts here and there but, for the most part, Trapattoni is happy for large chunks of games to pass without anything to report. It may be a difficult concept to grasp for devotees of club football across the water but, against a side as talented as France, portions of nothingness will be welcomed.


Particularly against a side only likely to have a player of Benzema's quality on the bench.


The former Lyon striker didn't start this season's qualifiers against the Faroe Islands (twice), Romania at home or Serbia away and only played against Austria in France's last group game because Domenech decided to give his squad players a run. Instead, unless of course injury strikes in the coming week, the French manager is likely to start with the trio of Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and Toulouse's Andre-Pierre Gignac up front. Four-three-three (or 4-2-3-1 as some might like to call it) appears to be his most favoured formation right now, with Gignac playing through the centre and Henry, on the left, and Anelka, on the right, supporting him. In midfield, Bordeaux's clever playmaker Yoann Gourcuff will play just in front of the solid pairing of Jeremy Toulalan and Lassana Diarra, while Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Eric Abidal and Patrice Evra will constitute France's back four.


It is, on paper, an attacking formation – Brian Kerr recently called it a "2-2-6" formation when the full-backs go forward – but there has been a sense throughout the qualifiers that the front three play too far apart and that it can, as a result of Domenech's caution, morph into something of a 4-5-1 at times. But if the gloves come off, they can represent a real force, as the Faroe Islands manager stated recently. "The centre-backs are back, the holding midfielders hold," said Kerr, "but everyone else has an attacking philosophy."


Still, despite the plethora of attacking actions at France's disposal, they haven't finished games off effectively or buried anybody, bar the Faroes a few weeks back, under an avalanche of goals. "When you look at the players offensively it is unbelievable," said Arsene Wenger recently. "We have Benzema who plays at Real Madrid, Henry plays at Barcelona, Anelka plays at Chelsea, Ribéry plays at Bayern Munich, Gourcuff is the playmaker for Bordeaux. How is it possible this team doesn't score more goals?"


Against Romania at the Stade de France, for example, they enjoyed 70 per cent of the possession but managed just one goal in 90 minutes. And that, in essence, is their problem. It all doesn't seem to gel together as it should; despite the big names and despite the talent, the end product hasn't come easy. When Henry ranted at Domenech following that game against Romania, he is alleged to have said the following: "There is no style, no guidance and no identity." The French captain has since denied he ever uttered such words but the content of the complaints appear to have more than a ring of truth to them.


Which brings us back to how Ireland can exploit such disharmony. The tactical template from the Italian game looks good on paper, with Keane and Doyle running onto accurate passes, not hoofs forward, into the space vacated by France's attacking full-backs, and working a cross or earning a free-kick from there. An early goal would certainly help and a set-piece might just be the best way of getting it. Ireland's management team will know full well that five of the nine goals France conceded in Group Seven came from dead-ball situations, and it's an area they'll look to exploit. "We need to prepare everything well," says Marco Tardelli. "It is important to prepare corners and free-kicks because as we saw against Italy, it is possible to win a match entirely on the little details. But France have crafty players, we will need to pay attention to them at set-pieces too. We can't switch off."


Tardelli's point is understandable, not least because the need to keep a clean sheet on Saturday is every bit as crucial as scoring one at the other end. "It is very important we don't concede," says Ireland's assistant manager, "because in games like this, one goal means two if you let one in at home. Ideally, we would like to win 1-0 but not conceding is also vital." Manage that, and Ireland will have more than a decent chance in Paris.


And then we'll really see if those in blue shirts are willing to try their hardest.


World Cup play-off first leg: Ireland v France, Saturday, 8.00, Croke Park, Live, RTE Two, 7.30