Manno
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Posts posted by Manno
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6 minutes ago, andyD said:
Would have liked the same 11, but Strachan's said that's not really going to happen given how much some players have played.
So...Gordon
Anya - Martin - Mulgrew - Robertson
Fraser - Armstrong - McArthur - Morrison - Phillips
GriffithsRests a few of the Scottish based players who have played a lot already this season, Berra, Forrest, Tierney.. and protects Brown, avoiding a stupid booking. If he misses this game (where he's probably not needed) and gets thru the Slovakia game without a card, then great.
Stick to the mostly English based players to get them more game time, but let Griffiths get a couple of goals to keep his head up. Armstrong is so key right now.. I think Cairney can do a similar job, but oddly he's not in the squad.
I assumed that comment was more to do with some players having not played a lot of football, for example Anya and Chris Martin? Just my interpretation. I'd be starting those who are fully match fit - although that team should beat Malta.
If Tierney drops out then it has to be Russell Martin in his place, allow us to go to a back three when going forward.
Edit: Cairney pulled out of the squad, can't remember the reason though.
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1 hour ago, Toepoke said:
How the f**k did Switzerland get to world #4???
1 hour ago, wanderer said:Apart from a penalties defeat to Poland at Euro 2016, they are on a ridiculously long unbeaten run in competitive matches, with something like 10 wins in a row since the Euros alone.
They've become a bit like England in that they seem to qualify with relevant ease from groups but don't ever do anything at a tournament. They win games - prior to last night they'd scored 15 in 7 and conceded 3. They don't have a superstar but some really technically gifted players, pretty envious of them to be honest.
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Only change I would make is Ritchie in for Forrest. Would like to see Ryan Fraser on at some point.
If we start the same as we did the other night and can be a couple (or more) goals up by half time, I'd get Brown off, in the hope he hasn't been booked. He's not a daft wee lad and will know himself a booking rules him out of the Slovakia game, but if we're looking comfortable no need to keep him on. Was it McArthur and Berra that are also a booking away from suspension?
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Jay Fulton got a decent run out for Swansea at Everton yesterday. I know midfield is an area we've got a lot of options (some of which don't get near the squad) but good to see him getting a chance. Oliver McBurnie was on their bench, Kingsley not in the squad.
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The SFA have shat it big time here. To not only back Strachan but his staff as well (Mark McGhee should be nowhere near the international setup) is a slap in the face to all the fans. In my opinion they had three options:
- Sack him.
- Publicly declare the group a write-off and appoint someone for the longer term, with the aim of trying new formations and younger/fringe players.
- Live in false hope, appoint someone on an interim basis (McLeish for example) with the job of trying to salvage something from the group, however unlikely and unrealistic that is - beat Slovenia we're a point behind them etc
By allowing him to see out the campaign (and I assume his contract ends at the end of this campaign) keeps us in the same position we are in just now; any manager that isn't employed next October/November will either be retired or out of a job because they've not done a good enough job at club level in the past couple of years.
I can't understand how the meeting could have lasted five hours; it is quite clear that the pay-off is the reason he's still in a job. Hopefully someone has instructed him to do the following for the remainder of the campaign:
- Build the team around Tierney, Robertson and Burke. Tierney could play left of a back three, or if we went 4-4-2/4-5-1, Tierney and Robertson could alternate between LB and LM.
- Select a squad based on those playing at the highest possible level, preferably playing on a weekly basis.
- If he's sticking with 4-2-3-1, the midfield two need to be solid, and the central attacking midfielder is either an attacking midfielder or a second striker; too often the lone striker has no support.
He should have gone after failing to get us to the Euros. I've lost all hope but come March I'll no doubt attend the Slovenia match. This is heartbreaking
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1 minute ago, clarky1606 said:
I think Kingsley and Souttar would be a better pairing. Wilson hasn't improved much since he burst onto the scene. There is definitely a player inside him somewhere but he has no consistency. He should be on 20-30 caps by now!
Under 21s main CB options have been Souttar, McGhee and Kingsley. Although they had a very poor campaign so are they ready for the step up?
I don't know why I didn't consider Kingsley. If he keeps getting a game for Swansea there would be no harm in him playing CB for us.
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37 minutes ago, clarky1606 said:
A "gulf" in quality is a bit harsh against our players who play in Scotland vs those who play in England. Remember the many of the players who currently play in England started their careers in Scotland.
If you look around the team who played last week Gordon played before Marshall. Wallace played before Kingsley. Griffiths played before Fletcher/Martin. Forrest played before Burke. Brown played before McArthur/Bannan.
These are all Scottish based players who played before their English based counterparts. Maybe if we done more of that the team would improve. I would happily swap Considine for Hanley. Patterson is a natural right back before Anya. John McGinn can easily slot into midfield. I havent seen too much of Halliday but many Rangers fans say he is good enough for Scotland etc.
I watch him every other week. He's not. He's alright in Scotland's top flight, but a lot of our (Rangers) players experience goes little further than League One in England and should cope at that level. Midfield is an area we (Scotland) shouldn't need to worry about, if we had a manager picking the right players/system.
As for centre half, if this campaign is a 'write-off' we might as well give Souttar and Wilson an opportunity. I can't think of many younger than them. I always liked Darren McGregor when he was with Rangers and think he'd be suited to a back three, but like Considine and Anderson I'm guessing he's late 20s/early 30s and unlikely to improve. Cooper's name has been mentioned but don't think he's playing much at Leeds? And there was a lad who played for Falkirk now playing with Scunhthorpe called Murray Wallace that we might as well look at - scoff at them playing in League One but we don't seem to have any options playing at the highest level consistently. McGhee and Findlay who were regulars for the U21s are playing in the 'development' league in England rather than our own top flight now.
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What I'd go with:
Gordon; Paterson, R.Martin, Berra, Wallace; Brown, McArthur; Burke, Morrison, Snodgrass; Griffiths
I think Snodgrass is best coming off the right onto his left foot but Burke is probably a bit of a wildcard and looks best playing on the right.
What I think Strachan will go with:
Marshall; R.Martin, Hanley, Berra, Wallace; D.Fletcher, Brown; Ritchie/Snodgrass, McArthur, Forrest; C.Martin
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4 hours ago, sbcmfc said:
Vardy is struggling to get near the form he showed last season,
Which means he'll no doubt start and bag a hat-trick against us.
I'm more worried about what sort of team we put out than who they pick tbh.
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Not a huge surprise really. Hasn't been a regular at club level for a while (I see he has played more recently) and is the 'wrong side' of 30. It is a bit of a shame though that we have a number of left sided full backs and only one at right back now.
Think the Sunday Mail are being a bit harsh, saying he's turning his back on his country in our hour of need, considering the outpouring of grief when Brown made the same decision a few months ago.
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5 minutes ago, KennyMiller said:
Not that it matters but Jack Hamilton is garbage. Fox and Bain are far better.
The boy at St Johnstone (Clark?) looks alright aswell. Like you said though, it doesn't really matter, no chance he'd play.
1 minute ago, noctonjock said:If Brown can make himself available again and get picked right away then why not pick Mccormack ,Rhodes'Adam , Bardsley etc.. to fill other positions we're obvoiusly lacking in . Like someone said earlier the last time we will have to put up with these bizarre decisions
Along with this, I can't really understand why he's dropped McKay and Maloney from the squad. Okay neither were likely to start but Maloney's experience should have him ahead of Forrest.
Haven't seen Hibs this season but don't really agree with picking Championship players (and as a Rangers fan I never really wanted or expected Wallace to get a call up ahead of players playing at a higher level).
McCormack's goal record down south is probably similar to Chris Martin but Strachan obviously has a problem with him.
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Prior to Brown returning and Tierney being rules out injured I had considered a 5-4-1 of
Gordon
Paterson - R.Martin - Berra - Wallace - Tierney
Anya - D.Fletcher - McArthur - Naismith
Griffiths
On his day Craig Gordon can be a world class keeper, and should always be ahead of David Marshall. Berra in place of Hanley, with Martin and Wallace either side of him to feed the ball out wide or up the park. I would have thrown Wallace into a back 3/5 which would allow Tierney to get forward; Wallace hasn't been at his best this season but we need an alternative to Hanley, and Mulgrew is horrendous imo. Naismith and Anya for their work rate. I'd even have thought about throwing in James Morrison to the midfield and Anya as RWB in place of Paterson (as Hutton hasn't really been a regular this season).
I can't really think of anything wrong with the starting XI you've picked, other than there's no way the manager will pick it!
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No. 4 points from the games against Poland, Ireland and Georgia is what we should have been aiming for at the very least.
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Gordon - not that Marshall has done much 'wrong' just I don't believe he should be our number one
Hutton
R.Martin
Hanley
Whittaker
D.Fletcher
Naismith
Brown
McArthur
Maloney
S.Fletcher
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I would go
Gordon
Whittaker
Greer
R.Martin
Robertson
Bannan
D.Fletcher
Morrison
Anya
Naismith/Maloney
C.Martin
Would like May, Russell and Dorrans to get some game time.
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Team I'd play:
Gordon
Whittaker
Martin
Hanley
Robertson
Morrison
Brown
D.Fletcher
Mulgrew
Naismith
S.Fletcher
Initially when the squad was announced I'd have had Bardsley at right back, Mulgrew centre mid, and Whittaker left mid. My thinking behind these selections is purely Sheamus Coleman. I don't think Robertson and Anya down the left would work against him, I think Robertson will need protection. Whittaker will play anywhere and has big game experience, similar to Mulgrew. I wouldn't normally select Darren Fletcher since he's not been playing much for United, but I would expect him to start ahead of other players in that area, ie McArthur or Maloney. I've always preferred Craig Gordon to McGregor and Marshall, although I expect Marshall will play.
Team for Malta
in TA specific
Posted
We shouldn't. But the point was made that Strachan might look to change the team/rest players that have played a lot already this season (the Celtic players will have played about 10 games already, EPL players less than 5). If Tierney isn't playing I'd have R.Martin or even Whittaker in his place over Anya.