breeks_mctavish

I think the answer's staring us in the face. Wales stand aside, obviously, and Scotland play Ukraine in Qatar on Monday 21st November instead of the opening ceremony in a winner takes all directly before the official first match. In fact, you can have the opening ceremony going on in the background while the game is played.

Hadn’t heard that but it’s a good idea. Draws kind of imply neutrality and nobody likes someone who doesn’t pick sides in a war

Yes, it was brought in to simplify after VAR came in wasn’t it They’re also thinking of points deductions for each drinks breaks. Reward teams for pushing on through. A show of strength if you like

Given our record, I do feel like we should be quite humble and certainly not assuming 6 points after 2 games (that sounds like how England fans plot their way through a tournament to me). Even Iran in the last World Cup beat Morocco 1-0, lost to Spain 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Portugal. The US are always tough to beat in the World Cup and have got out the group several times. Right now, they have several young stars playing at top European clubs. Sure, we can still qualify and get through the group, but we should recognise that if we did, this would represent a remarkable achievement.

Depends what you mean by better off!

I think he’ll play Patterson. He’s desperately in need of minutes

Sounds like Clarke is going to rotate tonight. My guess for the team: GK: Kelly RB: Patterson LB: Robertson CDL: Tierney CD: Hanley CDR: Hendrie DMC: Jack MC: McTominay MC: Armstrong CF: Dykes CF: Brown Probably got less than half of that right 😂

You might be right but the style of play is far better to watch now than under Brown (I think our players now are better so this helps)

You must have been shitting it last few minutes?

I agree. Wales are a decent team, but I can’t remember seeing us play consistently well over such a long period as we are now (probably since Austria away). We play good football, our players have excellent technique and we create plenty of chances in every game. I can’t recall seeing us with a greater team spirit than we do today. The manager is doing a fine job.

Could be all part if the club type atmosphere Clarke wants to create. Dykes is a key part of the squad and there hasn’t been a get together for a while. I wouldn’t be surprised if Clarke just wants him to be in and around the squad if possible. Though he did say he may need to be replaced if not up to the required fitness.

Indeed, all looks very unprofessional. Think Hickey deserves the benefit of the doubt here. Hopefully another quality young player added to our evolving squad.

Gilmour is doing everything he needs to. He’s got a great career in front of him. Norwich fans are cunts.

Found this video on a Chelsea website. Not a bad wee showreel!

Not sure I’d argue with the saint. I’d probably go as far as saying he likely isn’t a saint and may even be a very dangerous man.

I did a quick search and found an article in the Athletic about Alex Lowry’s time in the performance schools. Looks like they did fuck it up! https://theathletic.com/3084268/2022/01/22/alex-lowry-rangers-ibrox-scoring-debut/?amp

If it’s correct, would it not be a bit disappointing to only have 5 performance school players in the under 19s at this stage? Could the SFA really be so incompetent that they fail to identify who’s come through their own system? I suppose the answer to that one is yes, it’s not only possible but actually pretty bloody likely!!

We’re all football daft. The argument is with the play now or stand aside brigade. Sure there eventually has to be a cutoff for the World Cup to go ahead. That cutoff is not March. Even if the war is still going in a few months, Ukraine might find a path to field a team, maybe not. They should at least be given the chance to do so. We owe them that at the very least. I would not like to count on a lot of the people on here in a crisis, that’s for sure! Show a wee bit of patience and compassion. We will get our shot at this. Ukraine might not.

Vlad, is that you?

Such an important point. Robertson is a fantastic footballer and would have racked up caps for any country in the world. He has been brilliant for us for the past 12 months. But brilliant players don’t just automatically slot into any system in any side, turn up and be amazing. We need to find the system and style to let them shine. Robertson now has built up a great partnership with Tierney. Also we now play through the middle and attack both down the left and the right with controlled football, not hopeful lumps towards Robertson. We now see the best of Robertson. It’s like Gilmour at Norwich. We won’t see the best of him there, but not because he’s now suddenly a shit footballer

Great post. Having Gilmour in the side changes the way we play so much for the better. Our defenders feel brave enough to play through the middle with Gilmour and McGregor there. Since Gilmour has played for us, we have had more possession in games and, as a team, created more chances. Clarke won’t be dragged into the garbage peddled by Norwich fans. Norwich are simply a dreadful team.

Nonsense! Put Gilmour with good players and he shines, shown it time and time again. How he was ever allowed to go to that team of hammer throwers I will never know

Good reasoning it’s good to have some options up front Adams seems to have really raised his game this season which is great news for us. He’s possibly quite a late developer as he had a lot of his football education at non league clubs, so maybe a bit later to fulfil his potential than others (not that he’s old!)

Aye, I think it generally might work against lesser teams (like England at Wembley haha!) But wouldn’t be my first choice for the playoff. Who would you go with?

Che Adams scores again. He has to be first choice ahead of Dykes now (even after Dykes scoring run for us) Maybe the two of them could play together up top but I wouldn’t be averse to Armstrong playing just behind Adams