AndyDD

Not to mention a disallowed goal that would have made it 2 nil, which was a garbage decision in and of itself. Fine margins, and so on. Anyway; for me the ideal draw would be Isreal; a known quantity that we beat at Hampden in the recent past under a previous, much maligned and badly disorganised regime. We are a better side now than we were then, with some good players to come back. For my money Cyprus are a better side than Isreal, based purely on watching the four games we have had with both teams in the last wee period. I don't think there is a great deal to fear from the pother possible opponents, but they look the weakest to me and, frankly, we have a good working knowledge of them already.

The manner of the victory in that second half could and really should have been greater, with Naismith having two chances he really ought to put away and Forrest also missing one that he should stick away (albeit I think Taylor should have taken the sot on rather than cutting it back, angle was begging for it and there was no defender in his way), not to mention some of our play going forward ended with a poor final ball or good defending. The midfield double act of Mcgregor and Jack seemed to improve as the double header went on; they actually looked like teammates who play together week in week out by the end of the second match. Crazy as it seems to be saying it, I wonder if we can really drop either man for McTominay after that. He is a better player than either but he hasn't developed that sort of partnership with any other midfielder. In those two games they seemed to gel and complement each other nicely, for the most part. The best thing, for me, was the way in both games we responded to losing a goal. That mental fragility Clarke lamented previously seems to have been somewhat addressed. He needs to be given great credit for this, and it hopefully means that should we lose a goal in the semi then the players don't panic, keep working and maintain their composure without ever letting the heads go down. They can look back and know they have been there before and turned it around. Some encouraging stuff. Mckenna had a good second half after a ropey first, Palmer is looking much better than we thought he was and Taylor was impressive especially for someone starved of gametime for his club. Gallagher was arguably the better centre half and has probably done more to impress than any of the other options in their various auditions. Reasons to be cheerful.

McBurnie was stunningly bad when he came on against Cyprus. Despite being a sub in the second half, he seemed to tire quickly. I know his running style is naturally languid, but even taking that into account he seemed sapped of energy very quickly indeed. His hold up was poor in all but one or two moments, his passing was rotten, he was hesitant when he had a chance to bear down on goal and then played the ball well behind Burke when it should have been relatively simple to put it on a plate for him. Indeed, had he been anything close to sharp he might well have snapped up a gift when the Cypriot keeper decked it under no pressure with the ball at his feet. A truly honkin performance.

Yeah, we won't, nor should we. It would be wrong on several levels. I would have liked to bring some of them in for this game tonight, as it happens (not as many as you would, two, three or four) but I think the concept of replacing the current senior team with the younger age groups wholesale is for the birds. We have a number of players who have plenty years of development ahead of them in and around the current senior team as it is, to be contemplating ditching them wholesale or in great number. I strongly fancy us to win the semi -final, so I doubt we will fail there. However, the final will be a big ask even at home. Not one I would count us out of entirely, though. A winner takes all home match against Norway or Serbia (A fair chance of coming to pass) is a damn sight closer than we've managed to get to a tournament in quite some time and both those nations are needing this back door for the same reason we are; they aren't all that hot, either. That being said, if we're away from home in the final I think we're on for a bit of a hiding.

Ooft. I've often wondered who could possibly do a worse job than the SFA... I jest. But that would be nothing short of disgraceful. I could understand if you said we should take the games but blood youngsters in a hyper competitive fixture (or fixtures) on the proviso that we essentially have our eye on the future. But even that goal, of getting some of the younger players worked in, would surely be better served by giving them these games on top of any friendlies, nations league and WC qualifiers before the qualification run for the next Euros, 2024, which presumably would be the targeted tournament in that scenario, than by electing NOT to take the games. How would that help anyone or anything? 'Patch most of the senior team and play the weans instead' wouldn't be my preferred approach at this moment, but at least that would have some semblance of reasonableness to it. Turn down the playoffs entirely is without question the worst suggestion I have heard in months and I'm just back from Cyprus, where steamin theories and mad suggestions were ten a penny all weekend. At least at that stage everyone was well canned. Pull out of the playoffs. The mind boggles.

We have at least one competitive game in March that means something, if you don't want to count these two games as meaning something. Win that 1 March game and we will have another competitive game. Win that and we will have 4 (or is it 3?) Euro group games. So we have 1 competitive game between now and the World Cup qualifiers as a minimum, likely 2 as we really ought to be winning that first march game. Beyond that is a bit of a stretch because Norway or Serbia will be a tough nut to crack at Hampden, nevermind if we are drawn away for that game. But we could have quite a number of competitive games before our world cup run kicks off. We have at least 1.

Two potential teams I've been deliberating between- 4-4-1-1 Marshall- Palmer, Porteous, McKenna, Taylor- Forrest, McGinn, Jack, Christie- Armstrong- Naismith 3-4-2-1 Marshall- Mckenna, Gallagher, Porteous- Taylor, Jack, Mcginn, Forrest- Christie, Armstrong- Naismith Essentially, I think Naismith is best placed and best able to bring the midfield players into the attack. He also has proper leadership skills and has been transformative in any game he has played for Hearts, essentially since he first joined. He also has a fairly decent goals return in a Scotland shirt. His experience will be of great value, as will his near relentless talking throughout a game. Jack deserves his place especially with McTominay out leaving room in our midfield and I've tried to get as many of our better midfielders into the team as I can. We might end up with something close to my first one there, albeit I expect Devlin will play, given he was put up to Media duties the other day. I don't mind him, but I rate Gallagher and Porteous more highly.

Class from McTominay to do the same as Robertson and go up to see the squad. A nice touch and hopefully an indication of good camaraderie in the group.

The point made by my almost namesake, that injuries happen and we should be seeing this as an opportunity to give those who are second choice (or third, or fourth) in some positions the best chance possible to get accustomed to the situation, is a good one, and surely what they are now doing. Nonetheless, it's obviously frustrating not to have four first 11 players and having yet again to use a slightly makeshift team or two. Mcginn, Mckenna, Armstrong, Mcgregor, Christie, Forrest, Jack, Fleck and Marshall; these are the guys in the squad that I think are likely to be in or around the starting 11 if fit come March, so we can expect them to feature in some fashion over the two matches. I think the experience of a guy like Naismith, not to mention his attitude and work ethic and commitment, will be of great use to the squad and it might end up seeing him start one or both games. I'd be alright with that, frankly. Looking at it as it stands, we are strong in midfield, weak defensively and limited up front. So as you were. I still think there are enough players here to win the two games and, Fraser aside, I think the injuries are genuine ones. Robertson and McTominay I know we can trust come March. We also already know what Fraser can do when he does turn up (and hey, maybe it is an injury with him, too, he only missed the first game I think). It's not the end of the world, it isn't ideal and I might take my boots with me just in case but i'm sure it'll be a good trip and I still fancy us to make it three wins on the bounce (albeit against poor opposition).

I don't think that's fair, I mean it's only human to be frustrated to be without either Robbo or Tierney and to know that at most two, but probably only one, of your back line in these two games will be the ones you would have likely wanted to play from the get go. Not getting to maximise your time with your first choice players (likely the case for Fraser and Tierney, definitely Mctominay and Robbo) would make any coach angry. Not necessarily angry at the players themselves, just angry at the situation. Yeah of course he can call other players up, but these are not anyone's first choice and just like the rest of us Clarke is allowed to be annoyed that he isn't getting to use his first choice players. Like any coach and any fan. Shinnie would presumably have been close to making the squad anyway, on the back of his midfield performances for Derby and for what Clarke will have already known about him. Merited his spot as a back up of late, he has done well since coming into that side recently. It would be a mistake to play him left back and presumably that would only happen if Taylor got injured or something.

Fraser got an assist at the weekend and it was his ball that got us the winner against Cyprus, as well as the goal against Russia (their keeper needs to take a modicum of responsibility for that, though... ) Apart from that, you're right, nothing of note since the nations league. Which I suppose goes for most of the squad. Aye, having two outstanding left backs but being unable to play them is typical. Suppose it at least ends those 'how do we get them both into the team' discussions until February/March time. Celtic's reluctance to use Taylor comes back to bite us afterall.

Aye probably. It really humps us at left back though. Taylor did very well in Brussels, but he was coming off his best ever season. This is him playing for the second time in 3 months. Big difference. The idea for these games was to get momentum and build familiarity and relationships to give us best chance to hit the ground running in these two games. This really hampers that. Two of the back four, maybe three of the back four, will be different now. Some of the midfield will be, too. Frustrating. Clarke must be beyond livid.

Don't really need a scouting network to note that Ndidi is a player now, I suppose. Aye, that sounds like nonsense for sure. Albeit I would say the price is down because he has refused to extend his contract so if anybody does want him they can play hardball and tell Bournemouth it's 1015 million or nothing and we'll get him on a free. Alleged bids of 20 million never actually materialised, it's worth remembering, and back then the belief was perhaps that he would be signing an extension. Fraser is far too good to end up at newcastle, though. Far far too good. I have no idea if that is or isn't true, but if the Lazio coach doesn't rate them he's wanting to give his heid a wobble, since they were very good against his team. If anyone watched those games and went 'those guys are not capable of playing at a higher level than sottish premier' then they shouldn't be employed in football, given that they were performing, and performing well, in European wins against a Serie A side. I'm just glad Armstrong is getting some games now. Hey, the only lost two to Leicester once they brought him on, they'd lost seven before then! Clearly tells it's own story... And they've only been narrowly beaten since he got back in... Straw clutching at it's finest, but hey. I still rate him, anyway.

Robertson, who delivered the cross for Liverpool's second goal in the 3-1 win over Manchester City on Sunday, will remain with Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for a couple of days but will not travel to Cyprus for Saturday's match. McTominay was carried off during Manchester United's 3-1 weekend win over Brighton & Hove Albion, while Fraser played the full 90 minutes of Bournemouth's 2-1 loss at Newcastle United. Celtic's Morgan is drafted in despite having made just three club appearances since August, while Shinnie has impressed at Derby County since breaking into the team last month. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/50389854 Hm. A chap on TA Facebook is claiming it is common knowledge that Robertson is getting an op. News to me, though.

The only thing I can think is he must look decent in training, because he has been in a number of times now.

Fuck sake man. Robertson and Tierney both gone. Left with Taylor as our left back option. This is fucking nonsense.

They do, but I would still anticipate them being vulnerable to losing some of their key players to the 'bigger' clubs. It happened this summer, with their centre half. Their current success, should it hold up (I think there is a very good chance it will but you never know) might well disuade others from following suite, but that's still something they are likely to be vulnerable to, in ways that the other teams around them (Liverpool, City, Chelsea) are less so. All managers prepare, and I recall there being a lot of question marks about if they would keep a hold of Tielemans and Maddison, so Rodgers will definitely have had players earmarked to go for should any of his midfield followed the centre half (and often captain, on the day? Not sure). Whether Mcgregor was ever one of those names, I suppose we'll never know. We do know it's the easiest link for a paper to make just to fill space and get clicks, along with Tierney. Yeah? Well, Mcgregor does plenty, like in those two stunning results against Lazio where was was excellent (especially in Rome) but it's very very possible that he'd not cut it at a club like Man U, that's for sure. Man U are no Notss County, though. Mcgregor has undoubtedly progressed since then. Champions league and Europa League appearances and decent to good performances therein. Aye it's a totally different scale we are talking about, a gargantuan gap to bridge between Celtic's budget and Leciester's. Night and day. I could see him maybe playing for a bottom half english side, with his capacity to retain possession under pressure and his decent enough level of passing. I don't see him leaving Celtic for that, though, even if they came for him. Money would dictate that, I suppose.

Aye seen that this morning, no great loss and as you say a perfect example of picking and choosing. ... That was some goal he scored against Poland, though. What a hit.

Unless, I suppose, they are aware of incoming bids for some of their current squad in Jan or, more likely, end of the season? Never know. Could be that Rodgers was keen to bring him in when first taking the job but has since changed his mind based on what he is getting out of the current players. Could be there was never anything in it and it was just lazy paper talk. Ach, I'd say Mcgregor proved last Thursday that he has improved since his Notts County days, having a very good game in Rome. He also had a good game in the home leg of that particular tie. He'd not get in the Leicester team, though, as it stands, that's for sure.

Definitely opens the door to Jack in the centre of midfield, possibly alongside the likes of Mcgregor and Mcginn, although I imagine you'd want to find a way to include Armstrong, especially now that he is playing full matches in the english prem. Guy has something different. 4-4-1-1? 3-4-2-1? a few options, but i'd now be surprised if Jack doesn't feature. Always a chance he'll get a shot at right back...

Aye it makes all the sense in the world now that they don't have a second game to play. As you say even using it as a carrot, and even if just to let them get a taste of the senior squad set-up and a chance to meet the boss and coaches, could be of benefit.

No... ... Unless we start winning games in it, in which case i'll be hopping aboard the bandwagon. If we get in via the playoffs it will be in this top, so on that basis alone i'd probably spring for it. Might cut aff the sleeves if/when I do get one.

I wouldn't say so, at least not for the Cyprus game. Let him play the under 21s game on Friday and consider calling him and a few others up from that for the home game on Tuesday against the Kazakhs. Mcgregor, Mcginn, Jack, Armstrong, Christie, Fleck (and, I suppose, McLean); enough there already to put out a midfield even if we are missing McTominay.

Ah, wasn't sure. Well, no silver lining at all, then. Great.

McTominay getting injured AGAIN (Fucking cheers, Solskjaer). I see Cooper did as well, but hopefully his isn't quite as bad and he is available. On the plus side, Armstrong got another 90 mins and nobody else seemed to pick up any injuries. The silver lining if McTominay misses out is he cannae get suspended for the playoffs, at least.