Caledonian Craig

No I wouldn't even say that. From our latest squad Samson, Gordon, Hutton, Mulgrew, Reynolds, Robertson, Adam, Bannan, Brown, D. Fletcher, Forrest, Maloney, Morrison, McArthur, Fletcher, Griffiths and Naismith all play in the top flight. That is 17 players out of 26 so around 66% of our squad are top flight and 34% Championship. And if you look at those in the Champioship they have top flight and Champions League experience in the form of Marshall and Whittaker plus many of them have top flight experience in the past.

Exactly and when do the Germans ever switch off in key games? It doesn't happen. And I am not just talking about this campaign - it is burnt into their psyche and has been that way in their national football side for as long as I can remember. If we want anything from that match we'll have to earn it.

But also you have to take into account he is perhaps our third choice left-back and it is not as if he is being pushed as one to take up the slot permanently so in an emergency stand-in he didn't cost us a goal which is the main thing here. However, I'd say we are in a quandary at left-back. For me we will never see Scotland starting with both Hutton and Robertson as full-backs as both bomb forward too much which leaves us susceptible at the back. I have wondered whether Robertson could be pushed into a more attacking role on the left-side of midfield as his attacking is better than his defending. No denying his crossing ability and pace but primarily at left-back your job is to defend.

No. Tartanpar's post earlier on this thread yesterday confirmed us as pot three regardless of yesterday's results.

And to add we won a do or die crunch game in this campaign - at home to Ireland. That was earmarked as a must win and we did.

Or could work the other way. We put so much stock and effort into getting the win in Georgia and we are left jaded for the Germany match. It happened in England friendly days after we beat Ireland at Parkhead so that is equally possible.

I'd suggest he is wrong. Everywhere else has us as pot three and haven't heard any differently apart from this and I take it this report was written immediately after the match when it may have been the case as many teams hadn't played their round of matches.

There was reasons for thst though..Strachan's team selection was wrong, our passing was poorer than normal, this was always going to be a game full of tension that inhibited good open football and it was littered with fouls which breaks up the flow of the game. We were poor but would say this was a one-off.

Come on now be fair eh. You know I have said I do not rate him and that I am confident he is not up to ot at international level but recognise he merits a place in the squad because quite simply he is the best option we have at present. That is a million miles from labelling him pish poor/shyte/worst Scotland performance I can remember etc etc etc.

No not a happy clapper. I have criticised players before on here plenty of times. It is when blokes winning their 4th cap and starting their biggest match probably of their career showing nerves gets slated just seems OTT to me. I watched virtually all of our team barring Martin and Mulgrew play crap in that first half yesterday so surely we should expect much more from those that are seen as heroes here - your Browns and Naismiths of the team plus they are more experienced.

What are you wittering about? Just posted up about Strachan's selection cock-up. The thing is with moaners is they moan like naebody's business even when we get favourable results. Hell we are in the best form we have been for years and still the board is awash of Forsyth is pish, Ritchie is Tom Kyte, Whittaker isn't up to it, Fletcher should be axed, Hutton is crap blah blah blah. I shudder to think what this board would be like if we had Levein back. The admins would have to be put on suicide alert.

It wasn't only Dunphy it was Liam Brady saying that as well. Perhaps it explains why they go aerial though if O'Neill shows no faith in his midfield.

I do feel Strachan's selection faux pas may have cost us the three points. Anya starting was the way to go and straight away we would have caused them problems. Instead in that first half we looked terribly disjointed but still held our own until the 'goal that never was'.

I have come to the conclusion that some supporters have an old boys club opinion of the Scotland team. Very suspicious/dubious of new players in the squad akin to a close-knit group at a club when a new member joins. It seems that any new players are largely deemed shite, pish etc etc after one dodgy performance. However, it is fine for the members of that old boys club to play shite and is deemed oddly more acceptable or largely ignored. In many games recently I have seen many of the fans favourites putting in below par/crap performances but never do we get a whole thread dedicated to them about it. Why? After all more should be expected of those with far more experience rather than say Forsyth who was winning his 4th cap yesterday so nerves were bound to be there. My motto is everyone in the dark blue jersey are worthy of our support and full backing and certainly won't label players shite after one poor showing. Sure people may not want him near our side again on the back of one poor performance but I hate to break it to you - he is among the best we have just now that is available. Sure others are right at the forefront ahead of him but it wouldn't surprise me if he is somewhat of a squad regular now and the same applies to the likes of Ritchie and Griffiths.

It is the craft that is missing Green_Tide_Rising in my honest opinion. Perhaps that is why Martin O'Neill prefers to go aerial more of the time to by-pass midfield due to the lack of cutting edge quality in there. I mean I can only go on the games against us and goals you have scored in this tournie and it almost entirely brute strength-based with very little attacking guile. Why that is you will probably know better. Are there any youngsters with more guile out there waiting in the wings not being given a chance? According to the RTE panel they were very damning and described the players coming through being like a 'black hole' as there was nothing. Even that panel weree swaying towards the view point that if Ireland don't qualify (looks unlikely now) that O'Neill won't be offered a contract.

Explain your obsession with England?

Sorry but watching the match at my brother's house I had my thoughts confirmed. Ireland are highly physical and their goals come very largely from set-pieces such as corners and free-kicks with crosses into the box. They lack any creativity to play the ball through midfield. We, on the other hand, can and often do play it from the back on the deck through midfield and up to the forwards but never did it so well yesterday but we try to play football on the deck hence our goals in this group have been better as in well worked goals. The Irish fans should perhaps heed the words of Niall Quinn who conceded Scotland are the better side. Also watched RTE's post-match views and they were damning of the lack of quality they have in midfield and what is coming through. Liam Brady hit the nail on the head when he said there is just no playmaker in midfield who can dictate the midfield and they lack creativity.

I agree. It won't be easy but is certainly do able - Ireland proved that. We must approach the match believing we will win rather than hoping to win - and that is the team I am talking about. The good thing is we have scored in every game in the group so far so we may not be prolific but we are consistent. One goal will do it for us over there I feel.

From here on even allowing for us only picking up another four points from here (draw in Georgia and win in Gibraltar with losses V Poland and Germany which I'd say is being very pessimistic) then Ireland would still need to pick up a bare minimum of seven points from their last four matches (most likely of that would be wins against Georgia and Gibraltar and either a point away to Poland or at home to Germany).

I'd agree. One goal will do it though so feel Gordon must go more attacking. A side like Marshall, Hutton, Robertson, Martin, Mulgrew, Morrison, Brown, Maloney, Naismith, Anya and Fletcher.

Sorry should have been Reynolds but you could throw Danny Wilson in there as well for good measure.

Yes sorry I counted that as a result but the game has 20 minutes to go and Austria lead 1-0 away to Russia.

Yes that is right.

Jeez I wonder how we are climbing up the rankings if you believe a number of Tambers then Bannan, Whittaker, Ritchie, Forsyth, Adam, Hutton, Hanley, Berra, Wilson, Steven Fletcher, Chris Martin and a fair few others have been labelled as pish and don't let you tell them any differently. Christ knows how we are on such a run.

But lets be honest if we can't win a play-off match then there is no point being at the Euros as those already there are no doubt even better sides.