calmc92

I'm just stating that even though the current mob are brutal, they are still a step up in class to the 2 I mentioned.. that's worrying. They would have been brought up at some point in the selection process no doubt but they aren't good enough.

Are people actually suggesting Andy Considine and Steven Anderson as possible call ups?

I thought the exact same.. they will grind us down and grab probably 1-0 HT, we try keep it tight with the hope of grabbing a goal that never comes, as we open up they score 2 more. 1-0 HT 3-0 FT my prediction. Hope i'm wrong, want nothing more than to take something from the game. We have the players to cause them some problems but our defence is a major issue, I remember feeling Slovakia were going to score anytime they attacked us.

I agree, he is so direct but has the power and pace (Bale-like the way he powers through people). I think after the Slovakia game where a lack of pace really hurt us, he should start. It also gives England another thought about overloading players forward. If we start with a similar team against slovakia with no pace, England will press up so high knowing there's little to no chance of them being caught out. Especially with the pace of their full backs.

Would you play him from the start bearing in mind he is still very raw, drifts in and out of games, this is a huge game against top top players, knowing he is going to have to do alot of work defensively aswell(keeping shape, tracking runners) and i'm not sure how reliable he is for that (not seen enough of him to judge). OR.. HOPE the game is tight with 25mins to go and try use him as an impact sub? I know Gordon talks about experience being key for these games so i'm unsure whether he will start him.

Too many Celtic/Rangers fans that turn up expecting to win all the time and then throw the toys out the pram when we don't. Shame they couldn't pick their country like they pick their club.. based on who wins.. PS: This is a bit of banter and a joke before someone takes it too seriously..

3-1 England, possibly 4-1. Everytime a team attacks against us, they look like they are going to score.

Lee Wallace is good at getting forward but can't defend from what i've seen (quite alot of games tbh). Sterling will rip him apart(if he starts on the right) just like he did Tierney for large parts of the game in the champions league.

I would only play Fletcher in the middle 3, not a 2, would rather have brown who is a bit more mobile with someone else. I think he can just sit in a 3, never really go beyond the tip of the D over halfway, take the ball off the centre halfs, keep possession, provide cover, sit on the no10 and stop the space between the defence/midfield, with his experience and leadership I think that job is nailed down for him in a game like this. I don't think we will break England down, i'm just saying we aren't good enough to sit 11 men behind the ball and hope to just counter attack, it's one thing having pace to counter but you need quality aswell. England have very good players all round and have lots of pace all over the pitch. We need to try counter when it's on, that's obvious but I think the majority of the time we will try keep the ball and try create something through playing football. If we keep giving up possession they will eventually score and when we come out they will score again and cause it's us, probably again. Ask anyone about playing against a better team and it's you need to keep the ball when you get it because if you don't then you are going to be chasing the ball about for large amounts of the game. Regardless of who you are, fatigue plays a part eventually. We need to find a balance but it's so much easier said on this than actually doing it, England are a step up in quality so it will be hard. It's alright stating numbers etc. but there's a gulf in class between Bannan, McGinn, McDonald and McArthur, Brown, Fletcher, Ritchie, Snodgrass and you need your best players out on the park. Bannan could easily come in for McArthur though as he is more creative but I think Strachan will go safe. McGinn's time will come, maybe this is too soon for him? I don't mean too be harsh cause he is a really good young player but he will be a regular soon. McDonald is not bad I suppose, very good player at his level but we have better players available. People tend to get offended if you don't have the same opinion as them, every person in football has a different view though.

I agree, there is more to it than me just blaming the centre halfs but when you have 2 solid centre halfs you can get away having average players around you. I've experienced it and witnessed it. We should be qualifying compared to some of the teams, i agree. Formation, tactics play a huge part aswell, i'm only saying you need the players aswell. Berra and Wallace.. they aren't good enough that's why they weren't getting game time. I think Wallace is a little unlucky that we have Robertson and Tierney because he can be ok. Griffiths has an illness, should be OK next week even though I think S. Fletcher will start. Kingsley has been playing at a high level for Swansea, even though he has been in and out of the team, I suppose Wallace could play but I think Kingsley will start. Ritchie plays on the right hand side of midfield, that's his position. I didn't know Fletcher was carrying an injury.

Hanley/Berra is a flip of the coin, they are both rotten. I do agree Berra should be a bit sharper in terms of games but I Strachan seems to prefer Hanley that's why I think he will play. Fletcher's experience in a game like this is vital, he can keep the ball, dropping a little deeper to take it off the centre halfs and playing it to the full backs like you said(which isn't a negative if it's done sharply, it is if he takes 3/4 touches first) and he does it play it forward when it's on. We aren't a great team, we need to keep the ball when we have it and Fletcher can do that. He is a leader/talker and will be solid in a game like this. Ritchie's game isn't to bomb down the wing, I know that. This isn't Fifa, there's more to it than pace, especially when we aren't a great counter attacking team. Paterson will offer the outball down that side and Ritchie will either get the ball to feet outwide and cut inside or he will drift inside to get the ball. You're saying Ritchie will kill moves with his lack of pace but if we want a result we are only going to get a result is by putting our foot on the ball and using/keeping it when we have it. Think you're being a bit harsh on McArthur are you not, his passing/control is not abysmal? He works hard, gets stuck in and can always find a bit of space for a goal. He has been great for Palace over the last 4-5 weeks or so. It isn't 3 defensive midfielders as such, it's just 3 playing in the middle of the park. Fletcher playing more defensive minded though. We won't be constantly on the backfoot, they will have the majority of the ball but with the 3 centre mids I mentioned we are good enough to keep the ball when we have it, it just depends if we can actually create something when we get near the final third. It won't be as desperate of counter attacking as you're making out. Again, it's a flip of a coin with Bannan/McArthur but McArthur offers the dig that Bannan doesn't but then again, Bannan always wants the ball and always tends to find a pass and finds space. It will be similar to when they beat us 3-2 in the friendly.

Scotland will never qualify for a major tournament until we can get two decent solid centre halfs. You need to have a solid spine to any team to even have a half a chance but as we all know, we just aren't good enough (especially in that position). If you look at Wales they are a prime example; Williams centre back, Ramsey (even Joe Allen) and then Bale upfront. They 3/4 players right through the middle of the team with 7/8 average players around them who can do a job and they get to the semi finals of the Euros. Scotland are literally like Wales without the 4 good players.. Bang average. I have no connection to Rangers/Celtic before I get abuse for this but James Forrest should be nowhere near the squad (along with half the others tbh) I'm only pointing him out because he keeps getting game time for Scotland and Celtic and I've watched alot of games this season and he literally does nothing. If I was to pick a team for the England game with the players available it would be; Marshall Paterson Martin Hanley Kingsley McArthur Fletcher Brown Ritchie Burke Griffiths Hanley is rotten but so is Berra, Griffiths is half decent but nothing special, we still need a striker. Also assumed Snoddy wont be fit enough to start. Anya won't start as he always plays with Physical players for set pieces plus we have an out ball in Burke and Griffiths(not that we will start cause it will be Fletcher..)