BraveheartGordon

Denmark’s striker Poulsen has an international goal record that doesn’t stand up well to Dykes or Adams. Don’t need an “international striker” if we get enough goals elsewhere in the team.

Honestly I think we have plenty of quality in the team to score goals. I think since the euros we’ve not really “clicked” as an attacking unit and it’s been more about our decision making and confidence than our ability. If you watch the 3-4 matches before lock down I would argue it’s the most we’ve clicked as an attacking side the goals were flowing against Kazakhstan, Cyprus and San Marino. I would argue that our shape is better now. We’re defensively more solid, better in position and have more pace in the team but just aren’t clicking in front of goal. I genuinely believe at some point we’ll click in front of goal, our confidence will change , we’ll start banging them in and it’ll be the final piece in the puzzle. Hopefully it’s tonight but I genuinely believe we’re not far away from being a really good side.

This is my frustration with the system, it’s really difficult to press high because unless our wing-backs press onto the opposition wing backs/full-backs they can just pop it around our narrow front 2 and we have to drop off and pressing becomes impossible. It’s why we look so passive in my opinion.

I think we need to win and Austria are leaking goals defensively. I’d play aggressively with Dykes and Adams as a front 2 and McGinn off them, go on the front foot from the off and try to score goals. The group is technically alive if we don’t win but I think this is our opportunity and if we don’t take it we’ll miss out.

This is nonsense to look at it this way. if you compare Denmark’s result against the Faroe Islands last night to everyone else’s against them you’d think Denmark were the worst of the 4 best seeds. Every game is different and we need to take our own games on merit and get the points we need against them.

I think we need to win in Vienna. it would basically knock Austria out the group and mean we can get to 20 points without the last game against Denmark. A draw and Austria are still in it, and there’s a real risk of Israel doing something against Denmark the way they’re playing and almost taking us out of it.

John McGinn. To quote Jim Leishmann “he’s the main man”.

I’m the first person to criticise Clarke for his style of football etc but I don’t want managers making “interesting” comments in press conferences, he’s good at saying nothing important and not creating a headline or motivating opposition etc. Some of the comments over the years from Strachan, Burley, Levein etc were embarrassing and caused a problem before the match even started. Some of the worst managers I’ve ever seen have been brilliant in press conferences.

Both have been confirmed as being available for the game according to the BBC and other outlets.

Really frustrated with how passive we were first half. When people watch their national team they want to be inspired, and whilst an element of pragmatism is always required it was impossible to be inspired by our soft, passive and courage-less first half display. The players have so much more to give and it’s beyond frustrating seeing them play as if they’re tied to each other with rope. Need to win Saturday and Tuesday to keep us in it now but much more concerned that we play with so little freedom. Not looking forward to going to the game on Saturday at all, we’re given nothing to look forward to with the way this side plays and won’t capture the imagination at all.

You sure? Had a look on in ticket availability again last night and there isn’t that much availability. Wouldn’t be surprised to see 40-45,000 plus by the time kick-off comes round which would be the highest attendance against a Moldova type side probably since Macedonia in 2009. wouldn’t be surprised to see it almost selling out tbh.

As much as he’s been much maligned in the past, O’Donnell should be in the squad but there’s a really good argument Liam Palmer on current form for Sheffield Wednesday should be dropped for the euros for Patterson if Patterson can play a reasonable number of games (appeal pending) and keep up his form. Scott Wright looks ready to explode into a really good player at Rangers, he’s really elusive and he’s different from what Scotland have in his position. I could see him adding end product to his game, progressing and getting into the Scotland squad in the next 6-12 months. All be it I think the euros will probably be too soon for him.

——————-Marshall—————— —-Hanley——Gallagher—-Tierney— O-Donnell—————————Robbo ———McTominay—-McGregor—— —————-McGinn————- ———Dykes———Adams———- subs- Armstrong on for McGinn. christie on for Adams and potentially Fraser.

I never listened to tonight’s show because I was baffled by John Collin’s dinosaur assertion last week that Rangers DOF Ross Wilson couldn’t spot a player because he’d never had a professional career, despite him having a really good track record and having signed Van Dijk etc while at Southampton. Would like to see colt teams introduced though.

I think we’ll go for an almost complete rotation to use the squad and go back to a similar team to Thursday for Israel. Gordon O’Donnell Palmer McKenna Cooper Taylor Fleck McLean Armstrong McBurnie Griffiths could also see Considine come in as well as Burke or Shankland.

It’s literally in the part about the match being forfeited, a forfeit is an automatic 3-0. All of the European club matches where a side couldn’t field a team because of positive Covid tests this season have been awarded 3-0 to the opposition team (for instance prishtina against Lincoln Red Imps http://footballgibraltar.com/2020/08/prishtina-forfeit-as-lincoln-progress/ ) Impossible to see how UEFA don’t award us a 3-0 victory given the precedent they’ve already set and used.

I thought this line up before the starting 11 was announced. Marshall Tierney McTominay McKenna Robertson Jack McGregor Forrest McGinn Christie Dykes if you’re purely reading off the numbers then it’s something like Marshall McTominay McKenna Tierney Robertson Jack McGregor Forrest McGinn Christie Dykes or potentially Jack sitting behind McGregor and McGinn for more of a 4-3-3 shape. I’m very intrigued.

Tbh every time I’ve seen Cooper he’s been rash and dives in and found out of position, I have it in my head that he should be a good player given that he plays every game for Leeds and granted I don’t see Leeds every week but I’ve always been really underwhelmed. Findlay obviously didn’t do so well at the weekend but I see quite a lot of Kilmarnock and I quite like him especially in the bigger games against the old firm.

My squad Marshall, Kelly, McGlaughlan Palmer, Taylor, Hanley, Findlay, Gallagher, Cooper, Robertson McGregor, Jack, McTominay, Gilmour, McGinn, Fleck, Armstrong, Christie. Forrest, Fraser, Naismith, Griffiths, McBurnie a starting line up of Marshall Palmer Hanley Findlay Robertson ?——————McGregor Forrest McGinn Christie ————Griffiths———-/ Cant decide on the second midfielder, I feel could make an argument for 3 or 4 different players. I chose Christie to edge Fraser because of his performances in November and Fraser has regularly not shown up for squads.

I think Clarke will go with Jack not because he has more natural talent than McTominay but I thought himself and McGregor seemed to link well and provided a better looking balance in midfield regardless of the opposition, Jack’s been terrific in fairness in Rangers European games as well and there’s no guarantee McTominay will even be fit and back in Man Utd’s team when the squad is announced.

If you think it’s depressing being in your 30’s I’m 26 and I’ve never seen Scotland in a major tournament. Because I’ve never seen it, it probably feels to me like it’s some far off dream that’ll never actually happen. I actually worry that so many people around me and younger will be even more demoralised or even worse not even bothered than me at the moment.

In fairness I don’t think he did. Just said he was surprised Clarke wasn’t starting him given his relationship at Kilmarnock. actually took it to mean that he was saying Clarke probably doesn’t really rate him.

I really liked the midfield balance today, the opening goal was a terrific piece of football building out of the back 4 into Jack to play through the lines to McGregor then McGinn and a terrific finish by Christie. McGregor and Jack seemed to give us a nice base defensively too. But the back 4 is a concern. If we found a reliable partner for McKenna, brought Tierney into Rb, (thought Palmer did ok) obviously Robertson back in and found a number 9 I feel like we’d really have something. Outside the injuries probably 1 centre-back and a striker away from having a real good side at international level.

Kris Commons was levels above O’Donnell. The team was really negative while he played and that didn’t suit him but scored a couple of decent goals for Scotland and his performances for Celtic in the Champions League would show it’s not ability that held him back. I genuinely think O’Donnell might be the most limited ever called up regularly although I’d throw Wilkie, Rae and Kevin Kyle into the mix.

I think a big problem has been finding a role that best compliments his abilities. He seems to have played a lot for us as a sitting midfield player but he doesn’t have the discipline to play that role. He wants to run about and his role for Aston Villa is to be a midfielder that bursts beyond the striker. I think he’d do better in this role for Scotland with a more disciplined midfielder protecting behind him.