Super_Scotlandfan

Yeah, source is a trusted guy on twitter. Was at their game. There’s a photo where you can only just make out Dembele but not worth posting. It seems like the under 15 games England are playing are low profile. Played Belgium twice with different teams apparently.

Confirmed that Dembele captained England Under 15’s yesterday. He’s played for both but this is the first time he’s actually turned down a Scotland call up in favour of an England one. Looks like we’ve lost him to the England youth set up...unless he bizarrely plays for Scotland in the age group up against England under 16’s on Monday.

I’m not so sure. He plays a specific role for a very direct Cardiff team. I reckon he’d be a waste for us there. He’d be better at right back for us unless we’re chasing a game. At wing back he’d be allowed a few forays forward too.

Really? He’s in the Scotland under 16 squad that’s due to play England in this tournament.

Yeah I'd agree. Although, in this game Fraser moved further forward after Bournemouth went behind again. Seems more than capable playing there though.

Ryan Fraser is some boy. Playing from right wing back puts in a great cross for Bournemouth’s equaliser. Not sure about his defensive abilities but they can only improve if he keep score playing there.

Great goal from McBurnie and ended up getting MotM.

Watched a couple of Cardiff games with Paterson playing in this attacking midfielder role. Cardiff seem to play pretty direct and having Paterson playing in this position really helps them. They’re always looking for him to use his physicality to receive a long ball to nod or flick on to a teammate. If he’s not doing this he’s looking to make an untracked run into the box. Has a got a decent long throw and is obviously good at attacking and defending set pieces. He very rarely takes a pass in midfield and tries to make a simple pass...think he averages about 10 passes a game but I think that’s just the way Cardiff play. Dont think he’d be used in this position (unless we need to) for Scotland so hopefully he’ll remember how defend from right back/right wing back.

On our striker problems, anyone noticed that Ross McCormack has scored 14 goals in 16 games for Melbourne City. Has a well publicised poor work ethic and is turning 32 this year. Has he had his chance?

Yeah, had the same thoughts on Fraser and Forrest at RWB. Think they’ve both played there this season for their clubs. Playing wing back’s doesn’t just mean that we can play both Robertson and Tierney. Also means we don’t need to find an out-and-out right back from no-where. Our hardworking wingers can easily fit in there.

We need to fit a system around our best players... I’d suggest Tierney and Robertson will be for the for the forseeable future. At the moment we’ve also got Griffiths, Fraser, Brown, Gordon and for me Berra whose been the Scottish Premiership’s best centre back this season and has the experience to guide others. To keep all these guys in the team we’d probably need to play three at the back. So we need another centre back a right wing back, a centre midfielder and another attacking midfielder to play behind Griffiths. At the moment I’d go Souttar since he already plays alongside Berra. Paterson who’s impressed in midfield and RWB for Cardiff recently, McGinn beside Brown and Cairney behind Griffiths alongside Fraser. This team will probably have to change due to form and fitness but I’m excited at this prospect. Attacking, positive, inform players...hopefully the new manager sees it this way.

Since he’s been back from injury he’s been taken off at half time once and made sub short sub appearances. It’s not as if they’ve been doing well without him. Not sure why he’s been given such short opportunities. A loan to a league where he’s proven himself before might be his best option...managers know how effective he can be here.

Ryan Gauld not even on the bench for Aves today and haven't heard of any reports of an injury. Might be heading for another loan move? Aves haven't really given him many opportunities.

Good to hear! Was Donald Love any use at right back?

Top Scottish goalscorers this season from the divisions we've chosen from in the last couple of squads: 9 Goals: Charlie Mulgrew...31 year old Centre Back playing in English League 1. 8 Goals: Kris Boyd...34 year old past his best lazy Striker playing in the Scottish Premiership. No chance of another cap. 7 Goals: James Forrest...Winger who has never had a good game for Scotland (also 0 goals in 20 caps). I'd still stick with him for Scotland though...could do a Griffiths! 6 Goals: Leigh Griffiths...Can't get consistent game time at Celtic. Seems our only hope. Struggling if he gets injured. 6 Goals: Simon Murray...Doesn't seem to have the overall game and finishing ability to play for Scotland. Makes for depressing reading. We've normally got 2 or 3 players in the Championship scoring 15 ish and a top goalscorer with more than 2 in the English Premier League. Hopefully some of the boys with 5 goals or less can step up in the new year. Maybe Jamie Paterson at Bristol City, Rhodes or (more of a long shot) Oli Burke can get a few goals.

Played OK, missed a good chance after being put through on goal. Made a couple of other good off the ball runs in to the box too. Controlled a couple of aerial balls really nicely...and drew two or three fouls. Not sure why he was taken off. The above was relatively impressive but he wasn't very positive when he had the ball. Seemed to want to offload it quickly, making an easy pass rather than trying to drive forward or dribble at a man. Didn't look to try any incisive passes either. Maybe this will come with more games and confidence but wasn't too impressed by his performance. Someone like Ryan Christie looks way ahead of him at the moment. This is only over 45mins off football though. Hopefully he gets more games this season. Don't think I'll make the effort to watch him next time though!

Ryan Gauld played 30mins against Porto tonight. Played OK...hopefully he’ll start getting regular action from now.

Thought they played well, just unlucky not to score at least 2 or 3 Morgan looks a real talent but would be good to see him up against a higher class of defender. I think McBurnie could end up a useful player too, looks very tidy on the ball and is clearly a good finisher even if he didn't score last night. He should win more arial duels for his height though...let's hope he can improve this aspect of his game. This is clearly a good crop of under 21's...not sure why above posters are doubting everyone apart from Morgan. I'd suggest McCrorie, Souttar, McKenna, Morgan, Cadden, McBurnie and probably a couple more will all win caps. And we already have two potentially brilliant 20 year olds in Tierney and Burke.

Surprised he didn't get called up to England's under 21 squad too. Surely they know of Scotland's interest in him...you'd expect him to be called up to stave us away. Looking at England's senior team, it seems that centre midfield is their weaker area. Harry Winks, Loftus Cheek etc and Ox-Chamberlain previously. Maybe he thinks he's actually got a chance to get to the Euro's with England!

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.

Agree, thought McTominay did well. He looked a bit shy to ask for the ball and play any penetrating passes in his previous appearances but did more of that tonight. Had a few driving runs too...one poor attempt on goal though. I don't think he'll be a 'final third' player which would suit as fine as we're losing Brown and Fletcher soon. I guess Man U see him as a back up to Matic and a replacement for Carrick. Anyway could be irrelevant if he doesn't chose us! Thought McBurnie looked OK too, hard to judge in this kind of game though. Had a few decent touches and held the ball up well. Hopefully he gets a few more chances in the first team and gets a loan in January.

McTominay starts for Man U tonight...up against Swansea...who start McBurnie. Could be worth a watch.

I think it's likely Brown will re-retire and we might see Fletcher go too. I don't see too much point in playing either in this game anyway. Hoping the new manager realises we would benefit from playing a 352 type formation - seems to be ideal for Robertson and Tierney who both need be in the team to be at our strongest. My squad for the Netherlands and beyond would be... Gordon 34, McGregor 35, Archer 23 Paterson 23, Anya 29, Berra 32, Mulgrew 31, Lindsay 22, Cooper 26, Tierney 20, Robertson 23 Shinnie 26, McArthur 30, Cairney 26, Armstrong 25, McGregor 24, McGinn 22, Forrest 26, Fraser 23, Phillips 26, Snodgrass 30, Ritchie 28 Griffiths 27, Martin 28, Fletcher 30, Cummings 22 I've left out the probable retirees Brown and D Fletcher plus Whittaker, Hanley, Morrison, Bannan. Callum Paterson was an obvious one to come in and i'd like to see him start over Tierney at right back (or hopefully RWB!). I've brought in Shinnie to play a defensive midfielder role, he'll probably have to play more restrictively than he does for Aberdeen but I feel he's disciplined enough to take on that responsibility. I think our best three attacking midfielders are Cairney, Armstrong and McGregor so don't have room for Bannan. I think he's been poor for Scotland recently and offers little to no goal threat unlike the three mentioned. I think the under 21's like John Souttar, Lewis Morgan and Oli Burke should be included in the future but they've made a good start to their group so i'd like them to concentrate on qualifying. And hopefully Stevie May, Jamie Walker and Barry McKay continue to impress so we can drop the likes of S Fletcher, Snodgrass and Ritchie. My team would be: GK Archer (would be good to integrate a younger keeper in) RWB Paterson, CB Lindsay, CB Berra, CB Tierney, LWB Robertson CM McGinn, CM Shinnie CAM Cairney CAM Armstrong ST Griffiths ,

we've got an 85% chance of making the playoffs if we finish 2nd according to these guys...they also give us a 25% chance of getting to the World Cup!

Burke didn't look arsed before he was hooked at half time. Might have been carrying an injury but still...