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Malky's Squad


Toepoke

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Keepers:
Gordon and Archer make sense. Marshall tho? He's literally the bench keeper for a team with a Scottish starting keeper. No idea how that can be a meritted call up.

Defense:
One right back. Just.. no. We're short of experienced right backs, we need to take every opportunity to give lads experience and see who might be able to cut it at this level. This selection suggests we're going to continue with Tierney at right back, and anyone who thinks Tierney at right back is a long term option is an idiot. Yes, we need to solve the Tierney/Robertson problem, and Tierney at right back when we were desperately short is fine. But Paterson's fit now.. so Tierney and Roberston should be addressed by either playing a back 3 with tierney on the left and Robertson as the 'wingback', or a back 4 with Robertson playing ahead of Tierney. Playing Tierney at rightback is a waste of the players talents and hurts the team as he can't attack effectively on that flank.
Hanlon, I'm not really convinced by. Malky can prise how calm he is, but it doesn't make him taller, stronger, or quicker. Got to be one of the least exceptional footballers I've ever seen. How we overlooked Liam Lindsey, I'm not sure. Watched the full game of him at the weekend and he was solid. Dealt with Gary Hooper and Steven Fletcher well, no mistakes and a big pressence in both boxes, forced an own goal that was disallowed for no apparent reason.

Midfield: Urgh.. defensive mid.. where do I start. Fletcher.. he'll be 36 at the next tournament, we have to look to the future. That said.. Ryan Jack.. can't see how that's a deserved call either. His form's been incredibly average and his red against Killie puts big questions over his temperament. Shinnie and McLean.. ok. Not particularly excited by it.. probably need to blood one or the ohter both seems like too much. and a missed opportunity to call McTominay. And how we keep overlooking McDonald for defensive mid I don't know. Wingers are fine.. Forrest, Fraser, Phillips and Christie. Armstrong and McGregor as the advanced mid, fair enough.

Forwards:
Just two.. Griffiths and Cummings. Maybe I'm missing comething about Cummings. 1 league goal in 10 against championship level defenses. Not tall, not particularly quick, not particularly skillful. He's an ok finisher.. that's about it, but seemingly ineffectual at Championship level so far.

Overall, it's an strange, unexciting squad. It feels very average. It also telegraphs that we're playing 451 still. Feels like the wrong squad, which makes me think he'll do the wrong thing all the way down the line.

Probable line up:

 Gordon
Tierney - Berra - Hanlon - Robertson
Forrest - Fletcher - Armstrong - Jack - Phillips
Griffiths

Going to be a long and painful 90 minutes I think.

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6 minutes ago, girvanTA said:

Liam Lindsay, Tom Cairney, Kevin McDonald and Scott McTominay should have been call ups and even within the first eleven.

This has been another missed opportunity

Scott McTominay??? u21 if anything. Not the full team. Plus i dont think he wants to play for us

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14 minutes ago, andyD said:

Keepers:
Gordon and Archer make sense. Marshall tho? He's literally the bench keeper for a team with a Scottish starting keeper. No idea how that can be a meritted call up.

Defense:
One right back. Just.. no. We're short of experienced right backs, we need to take every opportunity to give lads experience and see who might be able to cut it at this level. This selection suggests we're going to continue with Tierney at right back, and anyone who thinks Tierney at right back is a long term option is an idiot. Yes, we need to solve the Tierney/Robertson problem, and Tierney at right back when we were desperately short is fine. But Paterson's fit now.. so Tierney and Roberston should be addressed by either playing a back 3 with tierney on the left and Robertson as the 'wingback', or a back 4 with Robertson playing ahead of Tierney. Playing Tierney at rightback is a waste of the players talents and hurts the team as he can't attack effectively on that flank.
Hanlon, I'm not really convinced by. Malky can prise how calm he is, but it doesn't make him taller, stronger, or quicker. Got to be one of the least exceptional footballers I've ever seen. How we overlooked Liam Lindsey, I'm not sure. Watched the full game of him at the weekend and he was solid. Dealt with Gary Hooper and Steven Fletcher well, no mistakes and a big pressence in both boxes, forced an own goal that was disallowed for no apparent reason.

Midfield: Urgh.. defensive mid.. where do I start. Fletcher.. he'll be 36 at the next tournament, we have to look to the future. That said.. Ryan Jack.. can't see how that's a deserved call either. His form's been incredibly average and his red against Killie puts big questions over his temperament. Shinnie and McLean.. ok. Not particularly excited by it.. probably need to blood one or the ohter both seems like too much. and a missed opportunity to call McTominay. And how we keep overlooking McDonald for defensive mid I don't know. Wingers are fine.. Forrest, Fraser, Phillips and Christie. Armstrong and McGregor as the advanced mid, fair enough.

Forwards:
Just two.. Griffiths and Cummings. Maybe I'm missing comething about Cummings. 1 league goal in 10 against championship level defenses. Not tall, not particularly quick, not particularly skillful. He's an ok finisher.. that's about it, but seemingly ineffectual at Championship level so far.

Overall, it's an strange, unexciting squad. It feels very average. It also telegraphs that we're playing 451 still. Feels like the wrong squad, which makes me think he'll do the wrong thing all the way down the line.

Probable line up:

 Gordon
Tierney - Berra - Hanlon - Robertson
Forrest - Fletcher - Armstrong - Jack - Phillips
Griffiths

Going to be a long and painful 90 minutes I think.

I would like to see

Gordon

Pateron Berra Cooper Tierney

Forrest Brown Armstrong McGinn Robertson

Griffiths

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14 minutes ago, andyD said:

Keepers:

One right back. Just.. no. We're short of experienced right backs, we need to take every opportunity to give lads experience and see who might be able to cut it at this level. This selection suggests we're going to continue with Tierney at right back, and anyone who thinks Tierney at right back is a long term option is an idiot. Yes, we need to solve the Tierney/Robertson problem, and Tierney at right back when we were desperately short is fine. But Paterson's fit now.. so Tierney and Roberston should be addressed by either playing a back 3 with tierney on the left and Robertson as the 'wingback', or a back 4 with Robertson playing ahead of Tierney. Playing Tierney at rightback is a waste of the players talents and hurts the team as he can't attack effectively on that flank.

Tierney at right back is not a long term solution, however he is the best option we have as cover for right back. Just because he is on the pitch on the left doesn't mean he cant act as cover for the right back Robertson dropping back or reverting to a back four if he is on the centre left of a back five should anything happen to Paterson. It's fair enough to say only one right back but unless you want fast track the likes of Ralston I don't see an option.

McTominay should have been called up just to find out if he is interested so unless  he was approached and said no it is a strange one.

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4 minutes ago, jamboman said:

Scott McTominay??? u21 if anything. Not the full team. Plus i dont think he wants to play for us

Yip Scott McTominay. I would've called him up and if he wanted to withdraw then fine. He's played a few games for Man Utd, more or less coming off from the bench, but to try and breakthrough to Man Utd first team is very difficult given that he's a young lad. 

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Refreshing to see the players we have been wanting left out for a long time finally dropped.

Fleck should be in this squad.

Hanlon is a strange one but happy to give him a chance.

All in all I’d say there’s less to moan about here than a Strachan Squad.

Great to see Bannan, Martin and the rest left out. 

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27 minutes ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Tierney at right back is not a long term solution, however he is the best option we have as cover for right back. Just because he is on the pitch on the left doesn't mean he cant act as cover for the right back Robertson dropping back or reverting to a back four if he is on the centre left of a back five should anything happen to Paterson. It's fair enough to say only one right back but unless you want fast track the likes of Ralston I don't see an option.

That's a fair point, I thought Ralston was injured as well so after Paterson I'm not sure who the next in line is for that right back berth.  I think the u21s have got an important game on as well, so presumably no one from that squad.

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Jordan Archer, Callum McGregor and one of either Liam Cooper or Paul Hanlon must make their debuts against the Dutch anyway.

Ryan Jack is only in there to keep Rangers and the Glasgow press happy. He does not deserve a call up at all. Ridiculous.

Just why the hell has he left out good players like Tom Cairney, Kevin McDonald and Liam Lindsay ? I'll bet that fool Mackay doesn't even know who they are let alone who they play for.

It was far too early for Anthony Ralston and Ross McCrorie to be in the team.

Plus we don't even know if the amazing Scott McTominay has made up his mind yet whether Scotland are good enough for him :rolleyes: 

Malky Mackay is a fawking tool.

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1 hour ago, girvanTA said:

Yip Scott McTominay. I would've called him up and if he wanted to withdraw then fine. He's played a few games for Man Utd, more or less coming off from the bench, but to try and breakthrough to Man Utd first team is very difficult given that he's a young lad. 

My point was if we were going to call him up, the u21s might be better. We need some good centre mid players there and we are playing to qualify for something. This holland game is quite meaningless 

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Happy with that overall. Jack is the strange one- off form at the moment. #

Fleck should have been in. McKay probably unlucky too, considering his form at the moment. Another assist at the weekend. Think he now has more than anyone else in that league.

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5 hours ago, JECK said:

Has Cummings been pulling up trees at Nottingham forest? Didn't expect that. 

Good to see Patterson in there.

Matt Phillips can kindly do one.

D Fletch just call it a day already.

ps where is Snoddy?

Just butting in to applaud your use of language that appears to have gone unnoticed. Pulling up trees at Forest. I like it.:lol:

 

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I don't understand how anyone can be happy with this squad. It's all over the place.

He HAD to pick Tom Cairney. He's regarded by many as the best player in the Championship, I don't how you could miss him out and pick the likes of McLean (and i'm an Aberdeen fan) and Jack. They're miles apart in terms of class. I genuinely feel he could be our star man that qualifies us for the Euros's.

Fair enough we might need a player like Jack if Brown and Fletcher both retire...but he's picked both here?! Doesn't make sense. And if we're looking at defensive midfielders there's a good cause to be made for Bridcutt or McDonald. I'd like to see Coutts perform at this higher level for longer...same with Fleck. 

Liam Lindsay also needed to be picked. He was great last season and won a move down to the championship. Barnsley fans are already impressed and he's only just turned 22. Why pick a 27...nearly 28 year old Hanlon over him. 

I think Cummings is very lucky to be picked. He hasn't done too much since his arrival at Forest but I can slightly understand given we're struggling for strikers.

I also don't see why he's dropped Ritchie (been v impressive in the Prem) and Snodgrass but kept Phillips whose found it hard to get minutes this season.

Happy for Christie and Shinnie - both deserve to be in the squad.

 

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I don’t really have a problem with Jack being in the squad. Like it or not, he’s probably going to be in most squads in future if he keeps his place at Rangers and Fletcher and Brown retire as expected. He was a good player at Aberdeen. You don’t suddenly become shite overnight because you sign for Rangers. 

I find the timing of it a bit odd though since he can’t seem to stay on the park for the full game at the moment.

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Wierd selection particularly in midfield.

Also according to Wiki Ryan Christie is classed as a striker in this squad?! I thought he was a right sided midfielder?

If you're calling up Jason Cummings then McKay should've got a call up aswell, really don't understand it.

Have no issue with Shinnie being again as he's been consistant last few years and deserved call ups before but why ignore Cairney or the Sheffield United players.

Really hope McKay dosen't get this gig full time.

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