Caledonian Craig

Lewis Edi I would even sooner see your man start than Martin.

In that case let's hope it doesn't say something like we've beaten Georgia next Germany.

Okay this is my positive thread ahead of tonight's game. We are all gutted after Friday night's result but we simply cannot afford to linger or dwell on that. This evening is another day and fresh start. It is a match that will far better suit our tried and trusted and only (seemingly) game plan. Keep it tight and look to keep the ball and hit in counter attacks. Germany will come at us so we will get the opportunity to counter. Listening to Strachan it sounds like there will be changes to the team and reckon these will come throughout the team with a more holding full-back brought in and Mulgrew moved out of the centre of defence. In midfield we may see Fletcher coming in for Brown or Morriston and I get a feeling he may start with Forrest instead of Anya (hope not). I also think Griffiths may start in place of Steven Fletcher. Anyway whoever is in the side we have to forget Friday and hold no angst about that and give the side 100% vocal support. Let's go down fighting and defiant rather than moaning and on our bellies. Who knows what may happen?

Fair point but I wouldn't have wanted us going into our two toughest home matches off the back of such an abject performance and result in Georgia.

Exactly Rossy. I made this point time and again yesterday. We are competent with a counter-attacking game plan but put us in the position of trying to break down teams that sit deep and it appears to me that Strachan has no plan. That must change. Thankfully, for the next two games the old tried and trusted Plan A may suffice.

For me Griffiths is not up to international football. I pray he proves me wrong but I seriously doubt it.

Hmm must explain why EPL clubs won't touch him with a barge pole then and why he has no goals for us in six appearances.

This is how I see it going. Bright start by us with a few half chances (maybe one golden chance) in first twenty minutes then Germany score from a set piece midway through the first half. We hang in there with more half chances before Germany put the game to bed around the 70 minute mark.

Just an observation on Poland that instills a modicum of hope for that match. They play an open game and whilst they score lots they also concede a few as well. So there is glimpses their defence is susceptible.

To me it seems undeniable. He has been rank rotten now for four out of our last five matches. The silence of Celtic supporters leaping to dispute that says it all. I honestly don't see him being dropped for a game as massive as the Germany game as he is still in the side by reputation alone. A reputation based on form from a year or more ago and because he is skipper playing for a team deemed big. Sadly, as is the case with Griffiths up front I am not sure McArthur is the answer and Darren Fletcher's better years for us seem long in the past.

I put last night more down to no basic system/plan put together by Strachan to breakdown a counter-attacking side. The players playing last night would have been first pick in 99.99% of the fans minds as well as it was those same players that gave us the hope. We need to work on a system based on more attacking to win matches such as last night. At present we don't have it.

I would be interested to know what Celtic fans think of his performances of late for us.For me the last decent performance he put in was at home to Ireland. Since then he has been mediocre to awful against even minnows like Gibraltar and Georgia.

To me it is clearly a Scottish mentality. It is the psyche or our mental make-up. We can raise ourselves and our levels for big games when we are underdogs and pull off shock results. The downside is that we cannot mentally carry the weight of expectation as favourites. We just wilt when we are expected to deliver against lesser opponents. Every nation has traits. As I said earlier in the week the Germans psyche is one that ultimately comes through when the chips are down hence why I was super-confident they would beat Poland.

Yes with the tried and trusted Plan A. If Gordon is listening please formulate a Plan B as it is needed in any level of football.

Okay then replace his name with Ricky Srbagia (spelling?).

I'd agree if he was missing chances left right and centre for us but he isn't as the supply of chances for him aren't there and the way we play we use Fletcher more as a link-up player. He holds the ball up and feeds the likes of Naismith and Maloney making runs from midfield. Take him out of the side and play any of the other strikers in his place then you have to change the whole style of play as our current system would fall apart. Generally, we need a Plan B but for the Germany game our Plan A will be better-suited to getting some sort of a result.

Lets not go on the knee-jerk shit. Even if this campaign fizzles out and we miss out I'd still like to see him given the next campaign.Heck if Strachan is not kept on or walks then who do we get in? Knowing the SFA either Jimmy Calderwood or Bobby Williamson. No friggin' thanks.

The others are not proven goalscorers at the highest level though and have no extended experience of top flight football at the highest level.

Whatever the merits of Brown's comments that is immaterial to me. However, looking at him as a player in our side and I will confidently say that he has been rank in four of our last five matches. Last night he was ineffective. Against Ireland he was awful and likewise he failed to even shine V Gibraltar. He had a 'mare in the friendly against England and remember the talk was that he (and rest of the team) was knackered from the Ireland game (his last acceptable performance for us). We need more creativity in midfield - that was blatantly obvious last night. Brown is out of form and would prefer he was dropped until he can rediscover form.

To expect any sort of confidence after last night is surely stretching it a bit. It was a flash back to the dark old days of Levein and Burley and next up are the World Champions. That fills me with terror and pessimism not confidence.

I sense your frustration but lets look at the facts here. Fletcher has been a key element to our side as his link up play creates goals for supporting midfielders. None of those other strikers you mention has that added quality. Also he has been in the EPL for several years now which is a higher level any of those players in your list have. That tells me something as well. Griffiths I just do not see as the answer. I won't complain if he gets a chance V Germany as his form merits it but he just doesn't not strike me with any confidence. He has now six caps and no goals and not even looked like scoring for us. Also why has he not got EPL or foreign clubs sniffing around if he is quality as Celtic fans insist? I really hope I am wrong but I don't see him as any sort of a goalscoring machine at international level. McCormack is an interesting one. He scores plenty but again in an inferior league and lots are penalties. As is the case with Griffiths why is he languishing out of the top flight? I see him more as a Faddy-type as well but kind of feel his better years are behind him. Watt is totally unproven and I'd be very surprised if he is chucked into the team anytime soon. He is worth monitoring but again why is he at Charlton and no EPL clubs knocking on his door. Rhodes is a goalscorer more in the poacher mode. He does not suit the style of football we play as we don't create chances for poacher types to thrive plus he adds nothing else to the team as in link up play and why is he still lingering in the lower leagues if he really is so sh1t hot? Fact of the matter is we are woefully weak upfront in terms of options available and I see no knight in shining armour on the horizon. Depressing.

Not to the degree that we did last night. Hell not one shot on target against a team that sits deep. That is woeful.

Agreed but my point (I was trying to make without making myself clear) was that for it being a crushing defeat it is weird as I feel nothing. Perhaps it is because I go along with those that were saying if we don't beat Georgia we don't deserve to qualify - well we lost. Normally, following a loss we can cling to a bad run of the ball, a fighting spirit, bad refereeing decision or a host of chances missed but we can't even hold onto any of that as excuses or something to forgive the team for. We lost and deserved to so I can't (just now) bring myself to bemoan us missing out on qualification.

Sorry it was an awful performance however you want to dress it up. We couldn't even muster one shot on target against a team that sits deep. Our only real spell of sustained pressure we built up was at last chance saloon in the dying minutes when we played with desperation.

Just to dispel a myth about Wales - all of their team V Cyprus have played in the EPL for extended spells. Around 75% of the team that started all play for EPL clubs.