Montrose97

3 1/2 hours to get two tickets ending up right at the front of the west stand. Never had a problem with the previous system and I'm not exactly Elon Musk. You know the old phrase 'if it aint broke, don't fix it'. I presume the new system is intended to be more secure or something? Beats me. The phrase 'new IT system' chills the blood.

Rod Stewart

Is the Wonky Sheep deal an issue if the game is played elsewhere, like Batumi?

Thanks for that reassurance. I'll keep my eyes open. I was at the Hampden Museum last Wednesday morning and made my way over to the cricket ground in the afternoon, just in time to see it all beginning to wrap up (stupidly thought it would all kick off (so to speak!) at 2.15 to coincide with the original kick off time.)

In an ideal world, Wednesday would have been a big, big deal. I know that BBC Scotland radio covered the event quite heavily on Wednesday morning, however success would have been if the national media had paid any attention to it. I fear that despite all the efforts, not least Graeme Brown, WESTA and other parties, we may have missed the boat. It's also interesting I guess that this thread has illicited little reaction. Shame.

As Graeme Brown says, Scotland should be recognised as the home of international football. The suggestion of going down the UNESCO route makes total sense to me. I know it's only football, but the fact that Scotland gets little recognition for its role is a real shame.

Maybe someone has already made this point, but here goes. If the rationale for playing 3 central defenders is to accommodate Tierney and Robertson and neither of them are available, then why stick with this set up? At the game I thought we were pushed a bit in the first half, but only when I watched the BBC highlights just now that I realised how lucky we were to escape with just the one goal, up to the sending off which changed the match.

No doubt whatsoever that Wales are better than us, and have been for several years. I remember pondering the same when Republic of Ireland had their time under Charlton. I think for me it's probably down to deep envy. The fact that both Wales and Ireland have progressed further in tournament finals than we have, ever, just rubs salt in the wood. As is the fact that football is supposed to be our national sport, whereas it isn't for the other two. Don't know what the answer is, but until we can dig up a consistent goal threat and solve the defensive frailties, we'll struggle.

You're not alone. Trying since 1;00. Tried to phone SFA, line engaged.

Maybe 'replace' was the wrong word for me to use. He's still only 25 and I certainly think he'll have a role to play going forward. Football these days is all about making full use of your squad and, as you say, the opposition.

Only really what I've seen on telly highlights, but Scott McTominay seems to have hit a good patch of form, adding goal scoring to his game for Man Utd. It'll be interesting where Steve Clarke plays him. I've never been convinced with Scott in central defence. Who would he replace in an already functioning midfield?

The problem is that Denmark (which the Faroes is part of) will not accept UK visitors as we're on their red list. They also have a strict quarantine policy on arrival so highly unlikely that there would be away fans in the stadium.

D'oh! Jack Ross...that's the fella.

I do think we were a bit unfortunate. Losing Ross Jack prior to the tournament was a shame. I also think Ryan Christie's marked loss of form (whatever the cause!) over the last year was a problem given how instrumental he had been. The Tierney and Gilmour issues have been mentioned previously - to lose two top players at key stages ie the first and last games must have been disrupting. I wonder too what impact a fit Griffiths might have had, given our obvious failings in the penalty box.

Good point...my memory's not what it used to be...and, I'd had a few shandies on the day.

I remember attending the Celtic Cup tournament in Dublin a dozen years ago or so. Around 60 Wales fans - I remember counting them in the Aviva. At least we follow our lads through thin and thin.

Fair points mate. I just don't think we've played negatively in recent games...believe me, I remember Scotland playing negatively!! As I see it, our big problem is converting the chances we create, and there's been plently in recent games. If we can just get something from the England game, however ugly it is, it still leaves us with a fighting chance for the last game. If Czechs beat Croatia, we might not even need to beat them to progress. Fitba, eh...don't you love it!

I agree with a lot of what you say. However I'd bite your hand off for a draw because that at least keeps us in the competition. Lose and we're out I reckon. If we 'have a go' I think we stand less than a 10% chance of winning - especially with no real goal threat up front. So, no Gilmour, Patterson or Turnbull for me. I agree about Marshall. I'd stick with O'D at right back, 5...yes, 5 in midfield. Forrest, McGinn, McTominay, McGregor and Tierney (or Armstrong if unfit). Adams up front. Good use of subs during the game to keep the energy up. Heavy rain showers predicted, so sapping pitch. We need a point more than England need the win, so taking inspiration from Sweden the other day against Spain, shut up shop. Steve Clarke has built his reputation on meticulous planning, now's the time for him to prove it.

Individual errors aside, if you don't take a proportion of your chances and you lose your top player through injury on the day of the game, it's always going to be hard. We can't magic up a goal scorer so maybe we should be concentrating on becoming difficult to beat.

I know I shouldn't let things like this bother me, but the shortened version of the animated trailer has removed all of the sequencies showing Scotland. So much for a 'United' Kingdom. Or am I just being naive.

Thanks, of course, you're quite right. I was mulling over whether Rangers fans are somehow unique. There's plenty of examples of bad behaviour from other scottish teams. However, it seems to me that there are some sections of Rangers fans who remind me of others south of the border, like England, Millwall, Leeds who have a 'everybody hates us and we don't care' attitude. And play up to it, because that is what is expected of them. Of more concern to me, as I mentioned, is the impact of all of this on our EURO games.

This may have been discussed already, so apologies if it's all been dealt with. If Celtic had won the 10 in a row thing how would they have behaved? I'd suggest they would have gathered in large numbers outside Celtic Park (against police/govt advice), they'd have got just as drunk as Rangers fans did yesterday; there'd be confrontations with the police and arrests made and that would have been that. I don't really understand why Rangers fans felt they needed to congregate in the city centre which made policing much more challenging and the reports of instances of fighting among themselves is bewildering. I'm worried now that with the EUROs just round the corner and tickets about to go on sale, covid infections numbers already on the rise in Glasgow (supporters not allowed to attend the cup final as a result), UEFA seeing the scenes from yesterday, this could all have a major impact.

Don't shout at me...but I'd be prepared for us to shut up shop against England and focus on the other games in the group. We know the Czechs pretty well and have a good record against Croatia. That's who I'd be concentrating on. Right, you can start shouting at me now.

That's my point mate. Go back a year and Scotland had a group of decent players from Celtic - we're not exactly awash with quality and on current form, as you say, take these guys out of the options available, it makes us weaker.

The worry for me is that there are some important players for Scotland here - Christie in particular, but also McGregor, Forrest, Turnbull (if he had been playng in a decent side) and even Griffiths (imagine if he had had a decent season) - who must be effected after the calamitous season Celtic have had. Maybe fitball players can shrug these things off, hope so.