5 in midfield name them

[jamboman]

16 hours ago, SteveHFC said:

Fraser, McGregor, McArthur, McGinn, Phillips.

Forrest better not be nowhere near the starting 11 on Thursday. 

I would not mind this at all

 

I can see

Forrest Fletcher McArthur Bannan Phillips

 

[PASTA Mick]

2 hours ago, ProudScot said:

Phillips over Forrest surely!? 

No chance. 

[ProudScot]

2 minutes ago, PASTA Mick said:

No chance. 

Saw more from Phillips in about 10 mins v Lithuania than we have from Forrest in about 15-20 caps! 

[shaggycoo]

1 hour ago, ProudScot said:

Saw more from Phillips in about 10 mins v Lithuania than we have from Forrest in about 15-20 caps! 

Forrest played that many times for Scotland?! 

[ProudScot]

35 minutes ago, shaggycoo said:

Forrest played that many times for Scotland?! 

19 highly uneventful caps.

Not saying I don't think he should be in the squad but I think Phillips and Fraser should start this one, Forrest a good bench option. 

[runningtings]

Whittaker at right back, Robertson at left wing. You heard it here first.

[Morrisandmoo]

16 hours ago, LewisEDI said:

mcginn morrison phillips mcgregor forrest

if fletcherm snodgrass and mcarthur all start then we can forget it, be just like the game over there.

Actually. I like this set up better than mine.   A potentially strong and dynamic midfield right there.

It’s asking too much of fletcher to step back up and Mcarthur has been making too many scary mistakes.

The more I think about it, if I hear McGinn in the starting line- up on the day if then it’ll give me a lot of confidence.

[Parklife]

11 minutes ago, Morrisandmoo said:

Actually. I like this set up better than mine.   A potentially strong and dynamic midfield right there.

It’s asking too much of fletcher to step back up and Mcarthur has been making too many scary mistakes.

The more I think about it, if I hear McGinn in the starting line- up on the day if then it’ll give me a lot of confidence.

That set up would offer our (shite) centre halves almost no protection. It'd be like Strachan hadn't learned from the away game in Slovakia. Where he decided to negate McArthur's best attributes by playing him off Steven Fletcher, in turn allowing their midfield runners to go untracked. 

[Bobby Russell's Lovechild]

Whatever happens, Darren Fletcher week be starting

[Toepoke]

54 minutes ago, Morrisandmoo said:

Actually. I like this set up better than mine.   A potentially strong and dynamic midfield right there.

It’s asking too much of fletcher to step back up and Mcarthur has been making too many scary mistakes.

As Parklife says, that midfield would be over run.

Fletcher will play the holding role to protect the central defence and I reckon McArthur will be tracking Hamsik.

 

[Morrisandmoo]

46 minutes ago, Parklife said:

That set up would offer our (shite) centre halves almost no protection. It'd be like Strachan hadn't learned from the away game in Slovakia. Where he decided to negate McArthur's best attributes by playing him off Steven Fletcher, in turn allowing their midfield runners to go untracked. 

Mcarthur has been doing his best lately to put our centre halfs under pressure! And despite his experience (and popular narrative) Fletcher inevitably conceres possession under pressure. So not sure who strengthens this midfield?

We need to learn from our mistakes of the past, where we set up not to lose games. And instead set up to try to win the game. 

Leaving strong attacking players out when we need to win the game, would be a mistake. And the players you bring in to supposedly strengthen your defensive capabilities will probably end up costing you the game (because they are still pretty poor defensive players).

Play to our strengths. Particularly when we don’t have any attractive options that protect our weaknesses.

 

 

 

[slasher]

16 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

As Parklife says, that midfield would be over run.

Fletcher will play the holding role to protect the central defence and I reckon McArthur will be tracking Hamsik.

 

McArthur has been poor in the last 2 games against mediocre opposition, I'd give McGinn the start on Thursday ?

[Morrisandmoo]

20 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

As Parklife says, that midfield would be over run.

Fletcher will play the holding role to protect the central defence and I reckon McArthur will be tracking Hamsik.

 

Crazy.

Both those players are liable to cost you the game. That’s before we even start thinking about how the 11 players on the park help us win the game.

Fletcher will hold nothing and mcarthur has been putting our centre halves under pressure. McGinn.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Morrisandmoo

[Parklife]

3 minutes ago, Morrisandmoo said:

Mcarthur has been doing his best lately to put our centre halfs under pressure! And despite his experience (and popular narrative) Fletcher inevitably conceres possession under pressure. So not sure who strengthens this midfield?

We need to learn from our mistakes of the past, where we set up not to lose games. And instead set up to try to win the game. 

Leaving strong attacking players out when we need to win the game, would be a mistake. And the players you bring in to supposedly strengthen your defensive capabilities will probably end up costing you the game (because they are still pretty poor defensive players).

Play to our strengths. Particularly when we don’t have any attractive options that protect our weaknesses.

I'm all for trying to take the initiative and attempting to win the game. However, to totally ignore the need to protect our shite centre halves would be suicidal. Things are a bit more nuanced than either "set up not to lose (implying defensively)" or "set up to win (implying in an attacking style)". 

I think the way we have the best chance to win is by ensuring that our midfield offers protection to our defence, while also providing the stability in the middle of the park which will allow our three attacking midfielders/wingers, the platform to play further up the pitch, think less about defending and give them more freedom to ask questions of the Slovak defence. 

It's not as simple as saying "we need to attack" and just sticking loads of attacking players in. Ensuring we have a solid base will actually allow us to be more attacking!

[Toepoke]

7 minutes ago, Morrisandmoo said:

Crazy.

Both those players are liable to cost you the game. That’s before we even start thinking about how the 11 players on the park help us win the game.

Fletcher will hold nothing and mcarthur has been putting our centre halves under pressure. McGinn.

I'm only saying how I think we're gonna line up. McGinn may well start, I reckon it's between him and Morrison for the attacking centre mid position.

 

[Morrisandmoo]

6 minutes ago, Parklife said:

I'm all for trying to take the initiative and attempting to win the game. However, to totally ignore the need to protect our shite centre halves would be suicidal. Things are a bit more nuanced than either "set up not to lose (implying defensively)" or "set up to win (implying in an attacking style)". 

I think the way we have the best chance to win is by ensuring that our midfield offers protection to our defence, while also providing the stability in the middle of the park which will allow our three attacking midfielders/wingers, the platform to play further up the pitch, think less about defending and give them more freedom to ask questions of the Slovak defence. 

It's not as simple as saying "we need to attack" and just sticking loads of attacking players in. Ensuring we have a solid base will actually allow us to be more attacking!

Ok all sensible. Who do you bring in to successfully play the 2x defensive role? Fletcher and Mcarthur give me the fear.

[er yir macaroon]

Fletcher and McGinn in front of the defence would give a good balance of tempo and physicality. McGregor an attacking threat but also good at not giving the ball away. Pace on the flanks a must - right footed winger on the right is essential, not so important on the left where Robertson will provide the crosses.

[Parklife]

1 minute ago, Morrisandmoo said:

Ok all sensible. Who do you bring in to successfully play the 2x defensive role? Fletcher and Mcarthur give me the fear.

If i were manager, you would have the fear  

I'd play those two and an attacking three of Forrest, McGregor and Fraser.

[andyD]

56 minutes ago, Parklife said:

If i were manager, you would have the fear  

I'd play those two and an attacking three of Forrest, McGregor and Fraser.

I'm with them.. We all accept the defense needs protection but Fletcher and McArthur have shown time and again that that's not something they can actually do even when it's 100% their task for the 90 minutes.

We lost Brown, so why someone like McDonald, Bridcutt or Shinnie hasn't been drafted in, I don't know.

Strachan seems to have learnt with Fletcher and I'll be surprised if he starts.. he's gone from captain against Italy, France, Lithuania, Slovakia and England.. to being benched for Slovenia and the England draw. We started both games with Brown and Morrison, with McArthur coming on in the later. Fletcher has dropped well down the pecking order, so I'd expect Morrison and McArthur to start.

For me, there's an outside chance of the 3421 making a reappearance. Strachan like to spring the odd surprise, as he did against England. Packing the midfield to try and shut down Hamsik isn't the worst idea ever, and we have two center mids who just knocked in 2 goals at the weekend. Could we see this?

Gordon
Berra - Mulgrew - Tierney
Anya - McArthur - Morrison - Robertson
McGregor - McGinn
Griffiths

 

[runningtings]

4 minutes ago, andyD said:

I'm with them.. We all accept the defense needs protection but Fletcher and McArthur have shown time and again that that's not something they can actually do even when it's 100% their task for the 90 minutes.

We lost Brown, so why someone like McDonald, Bridcutt or Shinnie hasn't been drafted in, I don't know.

Strachan seems to have learnt with Fletcher and I'll be surprised if he starts.. he's gone from captain against Italy, France, Lithuania, Slovakia and England.. to being benched for Slovenia and the England draw. We started both games with Brown and Morrison, with McArthur coming on in the later. Fletcher has dropped well down the pecking order, so I'd expect Morrison and McArthur to start.

For me, there's an outside chance of the 3421 making a reappearance. Strachan like to spring the odd surprise, as he did against England. Packing the midfield to try and shut down Hamsik isn't the worst idea ever, and we have two center mids who just knocked in 2 goals at the weekend. Could we see this?

Gordon
Berra - Mulgrew - Tierney
Anya - McArthur - Morrison - Robertson
McGregor - McGinn
Griffiths

 

Very good shout.

[Bzzzz]

2 hours ago, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said:

Whatever happens, Darren Fletcher week be starting

This like a new festive period but for TA? 

[Toepoke]

18 minutes ago, Bzzzz said:

This like a new festive period but for TA? 

 Aye. We've all got to talk like pirates n'all. Aaaaaarrrrrrrr.

 

[Third Lanark]

3 hours ago, Morrisandmoo said:

Mcarthur has been doing his best lately to put our centre halfs under pressure! And despite his experience (and popular narrative) Fletcher inevitably conceres possession under pressure. So not sure who strengthens this midfield?

We need to learn from our mistakes of the past, where we set up not to lose games. And instead set up to try to win the game. 

Leaving strong attacking players out when we need to win the game, would be a mistake. And the players you bring in to supposedly strengthen your defensive capabilities will probably end up costing you the game (because they are still pretty poor defensive players).

Play to our strengths. Particularly when we don’t have any attractive options that protect our weaknesses.

 

3 hours ago, Morrisandmoo said:

And Scott Brown doesn't I suppose? Fletch holds a regular place in the EPL.

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Third Lanark

[Bobby Russell's Lovechild]

56 minutes ago, Bzzzz said:

This like a new festive period but for TA? 

Bloody predictive text!

[Morrisandmoo]

2 hours ago, Third Lanark said:

 

 

No Scott brown doesn’t. He retains possession unbelievably well. It just so happens when he makes one bad pass a bunch of complete d-heads in the home support boo him, so it sticks in your mind.

Somebody did some analysis a wee while back on here that demonstrated he was one of the top midfielders in Europe re retaining possession. The analysis also demonstrates that it translates into his scotland performance, where his pass completion rate and ball retention consistently places him as one of the top performers on the park.

From a subjective point of view I also think he has a much stronger presence on the park vs Fletcher. We also win more when he is on the park vs fletcher.

So I dont think you have a valid point.