davew
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Posts posted by davew
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18 hours ago, aaid said:
I'm not sure you can use that to make a comparison. 13 of the 22 MLS players are from Panama and Costa Rica - which is understandable given the geography - whereas the Championship players are more spread across the board. I'd say that's skewing the numbers.
If you mean it's not a valid comparison because Panama and Costa Rica are two of the worst teams going to the World Cup, then fair enough.
If not, then I'm not sure what you're point is.
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17 hours ago, ONeils4oyarder said:
Agreed, stupid comparison...almost all of the Saudi Arabia squad play in their national league...I highly doubt that will be on par with the Championship, or MLS
Stupid comment. Saudi Arabia have got nothing to do with it.
USA aren't going to the world cup, and none of the England players play in the Championship.
Both leagues have a similar number of foreign International World-Cup-standard players
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On 5/5/2018 at 6:56 PM, Ormond said:
How good is this league? In my opinion it’s not near as good as is made out by many. I’m of the belief that Russell has taken a step down.
According to the squad lists on wikipedia , as things stand, there are 22 MLS players going to the world cup (including 2 Peru players last night), and 23 Championship players going.
I would take that to mean the standard in both leagues is roughly the same.
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23 hours ago, Tartan Chris said:
He probably gambled Hamburg would have another miracle survival like they've done in previous years. They were only 3 points off in the end I think.
If they sort themselves out quickly he could be a regular in a promotion winning team and so then be in good position to be a regular player in a Bundesliga team.
That obviously is a higher level than SPL.
If Hamburg is stuck in second division for a few years then he'll probably come back. Other issue of course is how quickly he adapts to life abroad.
I think he might have gambled that Hamburg were going down. Hamburg are a bigger club than Rangers IMO, and the Bundesliga is a huge step up from the SPFL. He wouldn't have got a game.
He surely will now, and at a standard similar to what he's used to.
If things go well, in one years time, he'll have settled in to life in a different country, learned some German, established himself in the team, and be ready for a crack at the Bundesliga.
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On 5/12/2018 at 8:56 PM, aaid said:
I think your first point is arguable, I'm not sure Bundesliga 2 is a higher level than the SPFL.
I just had a quick look at the world cup squad lists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_squads
There are 5.5 Bundesliga 2 players going, and 6.5 SPFL players going (the half is Jamie Maclaren).
Backs up my own opinion that, despite having a very professional setup, the standard of football in the Bundesliga 2 is not a higher level.
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2 hours ago, Third Lanark said:
Never heard of players changing clubs and their form improving?
Obviously his form has improved or he wouldn't be getting player of the month awards, I'm just saying it normally takes a 25 year old a bit more than a few months of good form to force his way into the Scotland squad.
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22 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:
I agree he should definitely be looked at given the right-back problems we have. The only reason I see he is not being called up is the club he plays for.
I have no problem with us having at look at him, but it's not the club he plays for that's working against him, so much as the fact that he couldn't hold down his place in an English 4th tier team last season.
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15 hours ago, wanderer said:
2nd bottom, 5 points off Mainz for the relegation play-off, and 9 points off safety.
Hamburg need 13 points from 5 games to be safe. 10 points from 5 games might be enough for the play-off.
The problem is, they've won only 1 game all season away from home and they have 3 away games still to play.
The way I see it, they're maybe capable of winning 1 away game and 2 home games.
Hamburg are 99.99% relegated already.
But that's not a bad thing for David Bates. He'll get game time, and Bundesliga II is a fairly high standard, and a very competitive league.
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10 hours ago, ProudScot said:
I think the days of thinking the MLS Is below the level of the Scottish Premiership are long gone.
Danny Wilson & Johnny Russell should have as much chance of a call up as any player performing well in Scotland IMO
It's hard to tell how high the standard is, but I reckon it's a higher standard than the Championship.
It seems Danny Wilson hasn't made much of an impact though.
Sam Nicholson has scored a goal already, but also not a big impact so far.
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Seems Johnny Russell has made a good start in the MLS. Scored his second goal last night and picked up MOTM.
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17 hours ago, ceudmilefailte said:
Agreed the Millwall defence appears to be something special, hadn't read the stats for yesterday's game but no saves is quite common for a goalie. Can't find season keeper stats any were.
You can find them on whoscored under player statistics -> detailed -> category saves
Apparently Archer has made 13 saves from shots within the 6 yard box this season which is the 2nd best in the league. So, it seems he has good reactions.
Total saves
#3 Angus Gunn 122
#6 Jordan Archer 112
#9 Alan McGregor 104
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Experimenting with right backs is probably something we need to do. Not sure right back would suit Fletcher though. I think we could try Fraser, Forrest, Phillips, or even McArthur.
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I don't see much reason for optimism either.
Playing Matt Phillips up front was depressing.
3-5-2 is horrible and doesn't suit us at all.
18 hours ago, Malcolm said:From what I can see the players are not there... we have two international class players that both play the same position, a number of journeymen and a few promising youngsters... that’s all.
Pretty much agree. Except, you've missed out the core of the current Celtic team. Having 6 players playing together at Champions league level is a big plus.
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20 hours ago, dieselarmy said:
I've always thought that he's a very poor footballer, and the outing against Costa Rica only reinforced that opinion. Don't get me wrong, he's got some really effective attributes - he's big, strong, athletic and has an eye for goal - but technically and tactically I've always thought he was lightyears away from being international standard.
16 hours ago, wee-toon-red said:From what I’ve seen of Paterson, he’s the absolute stereotype English championship player. Big, strong, good in the air and a bit of an athlete. Kinda dire technical attributes and won’t get a sniff of the team next season if they were to go up.
11 hours ago, Super_Scotlandfan said:Thought earlier this season Paterson could make the right back/right wing back position his own but after watching him for Scotland and Cardiff recently I don’t think he’s got the defensive or techinical ability to play there. A lot of our players are technical and like to play with the ball on the ground...that’s very different to how Cardiff play. He’s probably valuable to have in the squad due to his versatility and physicality but he shouldn’t be starting for Scotland if we want to play with the ball on the ground.
I agree with all of the above.
Paterson is big, strong, athletic, good in the air, scores goals, and creates chances.
But he isn't a good enough defender to play in defence, and he isn't good enough technically to play in midfield.
Unless McLeish is desperate to fit him in due to his goal threat, it's hard to see him getting many starts for Scotland.
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Quote
I'd expect the most uninspiring team he could possibly pick, so i go for something like this:
Phillips as the lone striker isn't uninspiring, it's depressing.
You're right about one thing though, the team McLeish picks for this game will set the tone
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13 hours ago, PASTA Mick said:
.......................McGregor
Paterson...Hanley...Mulgrew...Robertson
......Cairney...McTominay...Armstrong
Forrest............McBurnie.................Fraser
That's not a bad line up.
But Paterson at right back makes me nervous, and if he's struggling who's going to replace him?
Armstrong before McGregor makes no sense.
I also think Ritchie will start before Forrest.
I would also be tempted to start Cummings in the middle, and McBurnie on the left.
.......................McGregor
Paterson...Hanley...Mulgrew...Robertson
......Cairney...McTominay...McGregor
Ritchie............Cummings.................McBurnie
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Absolutely horrible top, but at least it's not pink.
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In terms of winning tackles, and blocking shots, and winning headers, Berra is probably the best defender we have. The problem is, the modern centre-half needs to be comfortable with the ball at his feet too, and Berra isn't. As far as I can tell, Lindsay is in the same mould as Berra. I guess that's why they're not in the squad.
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20 hours ago, ONeils4oyarder said:
Its going to be 'impossible' to play him in a position that we know he is capable of playing in?
Paterson can play right-back, just like Tierney can play right-back, and Russell Martin can play right-back.
From what I've seen of Paterson at right-back I would say he's not a good enough defender to play there for Scotland (last two games 3-0 v England, 3-0 v Slovakia). The fact that Cardiff prefer playing him further up the park suggests they're not convinced by his defensive qualities either.
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17 hours ago, andyD said:
Got to say.. credit to McBurnie.
6 goals in 7 starts for Barnsley now.
Some different goals too.. some nicking in in the 6 yard box, some from the edge of the area, using his head and his feet.
pick of the bunch is probably this one tho..
https://youtu.be/8gtcPQLlYwY?t=55
That's a really good goal. It's interesting to see his positioning as well - trying to find spaces in front of the defence. From what I've seen McBurnie doesn't like playing as the target man - he's not an out-and-out striker. I think his ideal position is on the left of a front 3.
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See Snodgrass got another assist last night. Now on 13.
Douglas got another assist aswell. Now on 12.
It seems Cardiff have completely given up on Paterson as a defender. He's now a goal-scoring midfielder.
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12 hours ago, PASTA Mick said:
I'd go with something like this -
Archer
Hanley...Mulgrew...Tierney
Paterson...McTominay...Cairney...Robertson
Forrest...McBurnie...Fraser
I'd be looking to get plenty of balls into McBurnie. Would maybe swap Forrest and Paterson around for another threat in the air.
Armstrong and McGregor unlucky to miss out but I'd like to see McTominay and Cairney at this level.
That's a decent side.
I'm not sure Archer has done enough to earn a cap yet.
McTominay and Cairney are the two best passers of a ball we have. Passing the ball is also one of Robertson's biggest strengths. The three of them together looks like a really good combination on paper. But Paterson is the exact opposite - passing the ball is his biggest weakness.
Forrest - 21 caps and no goals speaks for itself.
McBurnie has been playing on the left of a front three for Barnsley. I don't think Cummings has done anywhere near enough to be in the squad, but, once again, he's the only centre-forward.
McGregor
Hanley...Mulgrew...Tierney
Fraser...McTominay...Cairney...Robertson
Ritchie...Cummings...McBurnie
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No Berra or Lindsay?
Surprised to see no sign of Snodgrass or Griffiths. With the exceptions of Armstrong and Ritchie, it leaves us with a midfield and front-line that have never scored.
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It's maybe not ridiculous, but right now saying he could still choose England is just pointless speculation.
Here's a recent article about him from the Daily Mail
QuoteOur scout is a top football expert who attends matches each week searching for the next star.
This week the Secret Scout checks in on 18-year-old Everton striker Fraser Hornby.
Their young Scot, Fraser Hornby, caught my eye in a recent game. A 100 per center forward who never shirks a challenge and runs non-stop, he never let up until he was substituted late in the game.
Having been played as a lone striker against a tight centre half marker and his covering centre back, it was a thankless task. But he made himself available and was on the move to give his marker no rest.
Knowing where to run when the ball was in deep defensive positions, he made himself a good target.
His control was adequate and he showed a willingness to bring his midfield into the game, using his physique to good effect and making sure he got his body between his marker and the ball. He is tall and showed his aerial strength with one towering header across goal to create a chance. Not easy to mark because of his mobility, he was ever eager to spin down the channels and stretch the opposition.
Domestically he has been restricted to Premier League Division 2 but he played in Everton's final Europa League group game against Apollon Limassol last month. If he doesn't get sent on loan, Sam Allardyce may be tempted to give him a chance at first-team level.
MLS And Johnny Russell
in TA specific
Posted
I thought Costa Rica looked pretty decent when they beat us in March, and considering that a lot of our players are Championship level...
It's hard to imagine Panama are up to much, but they did qualify ahead of the USA.