Tartan Chris
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Posts posted by Tartan Chris
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Wales
in TA specific
What I like about them is they're far far better at giving youth a chance.
They could've just kept faith with likes of Chris Gunter and Williams up to these euros but after 2017 decided to give likes of Rodon, Mepham and Connor Roberts a serious go, think all were 20 or under at the time.
Ampadu at Chelsea has played less for them than Gilmour I think, Wales capped him at 17. Same for Williams at Liverpool.
That's the difference, they get the talented young players in early to learn, play in qualifiers and make mistakes but 2-3 years down the line they start to mature and really feel part of the set up.
Complete opposite here waiting for Gilmour and Turnbull to start proper games despite both being around for 18 months or longer now in senior game.
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3 hours ago, Marky said:
Did anyone else consider as they watched those two France goals being disallowed last night that it could cost Scotland? I know after the first game it’s hard to see us getting any points, but had Germany lost 3-0 last night and then lost to Portugal by a goal or two, it would be pretty impossible for them to qualify as a best third place.
These are the daft things we need to consider now with these tournament rules.Was more hoping Portugal-Hungary was going to end 0-0 tbh.
If that had happened then you could've easily seen Portgual losing to France and only drawing v Germany so they could've ended with 2 points and I doubt Hungary would get anything so would've been a group with a 3rd place team on about 2 points.
Not going to be many of them as said yesterday. Possibly today is a chance. Turkey-Wales ends as a draw and Italy beat Swiss so would then need Italy to beat Wales aswell and that means 3rd place team couldn't get to 3 points given Swiss and Turkey would be on 1 point going into their final duel.
Slovakia beating Poland wasn't a good result either as they were seen as weakest team in that group.
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Not many groups looking like the 3rd place team will just be on 1 or 2 points tbh.
Really hoping for Hungary-Portugal to be a draw as possible that could be one aswell.
Croatia-Czechs is tricky one to call I think, could see that being a draw so would keep things alive until last game at least in a realistic scenario regardless of Friday.
Portugal and Northern Ireland went through with 3 points in 2016 but Portugal drew their 3 games and Norn Iron lost the two games just 1-0 and won 2-0 v ukraine so both had 0 GD.
Will be some effort to finish on neutral goal difference now.
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1 hour ago, Ramtastic said:
"I wouldn't get over-excited about it but I am hopeful"
Got a feeling his tournament's over...That's the trouble with tournaments, they are over quick as a flash. 10 day absence can mean missing all three group games whereas no problem in a club season.
I remember early in new year he was in great form with Arsenal, picked up a knock that was only supposed to keep him out for a game or two and he ended up missing about six weeks.
Sums up his international career so far, good in flashes but just missed too many games.
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4 hours ago, exile said:
I see what you mean though it's probably a bit academic about whether we over-achieved to get here and then just 'found our level' now we're here, rather than under-performing.
No offence to West Ham, Burnley or Bristol City but I wouldn't say they were all 'out of our league'... it was not over-optimistic to seek a win at home today or avoid defeat.
I would class Czechs as similar ability to likes of Serbia and Austria so yes huge disappointment to lose. Can only say a fair few of that squad probably played in euro 2016 so perhaps tournament knowledge was the key. Look at how McTominay froze today and he's played already in quite a few cup finals for Man. United and other huge games.
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3 hours ago, runningtings said:
Christie was beyond honking so I'd go with that team except Adams in for Christie.
He provided two of the best moments of first half, nice lay off for the Robertson chance and had nice bit of skill that took two Czech players out on the touchline before O'Donnell basically ran into him. Amazed he went off instead of Armstrong for Adams.
Big problem for Friday is the right back area, particularly if England start Grealish.
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What allocation did Czechs have. Problem couldn't sell many tickets due to the restrictions.
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Just now, mccaughey85 said:
Marshall was at fault for that goal imo.
Yeah I ment Marshall rather than Hendry when typing that, crazy he was about 40 yards up the pitch when play was just over the halfway line.
Could understand more if it was a corner or set piece.
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One other thing....Rob Maclean is a very dull commentator isn't he? Crocker would've been a better listen today.
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1 minute ago, Mazda said:
Marshall made the same error in judgement by running to the touchline in 1st half , but got away with it then.
& then he repeated !
Bizarre behaviour at this level.
Hendry was stupid for shooting but yes can't believe how far up the pitch he was for that, wasn't far off the halfway line when just ouside edge of the box and no way Czech CF (given how trying to spell his surname) would shoot.
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1 minute ago, bigfingers said:
I would take a 3 nil defeat against England. Try win the next one. The England game could be a cricket score.
Will be same as 96 though...eliminated on goal difference even if win v Croatia.
Northern Ireland had 0 GD when they got through with 3 points in 2016 so that gives you scale of the task.
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3 minutes ago, gkm_vancouver said:
That's almost certain. Clarke will only make that change only when every other option has been considered. That is probably why he was always better as a no2 in EPL. He hasn't got what it takes at top level. And we're out...
He made some errors today but overall he's been good last 18 months.
Can't get over how woeful McTominay was. Guy plays for one of top level teams in world football yet seemingly couldn't handle the pressure when he should've been a leader out there. I know he had to sit on Soucek a bit but game completely passed him by.
McGinn tried hard and got around the pitch, should be used as number 10 given his goalscoring record.
Robertson was actually good, probably one of his best games in Scotland jersey tbh so could hold his head high.
Tierney massive miss.
Subs did well so a few will be starting on Friday you suspect.
Ultimately to me the key moments were....0-0 and Robertson should've scored but Vaclik save.
0-1 down and Vaclik makes unbelievable backward reflex save to stop OG. Two minutes later Schik scores from halfway line.
2-0 down and Dykes simply has to score. Was still 25 minutes left at that point so crowd would've got up from that.
If Schik hadn't scored that then Czech keeper would be getting MOTM so been many worse home performances than this down the years. Just hurts it's happened in major tournament.
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1 minute ago, gkm_vancouver said:
Gilmour is now 20, even worse..
Gilmour will start the Croatia game I reckon. Will be too late by then.
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One of those wouldn't score if played until midnight type games I'm afraid.
Actually don't think it's been the worst performance but the fear of not being good enough at both ends has been apparent today.
No formation hides the defensive options simply aren't good enough and Tierney massively missed. No killer finisher in the box either.
Way second goal was conceded completely killed things aswell as had been a promising start to second half.
Goal difference going to be screwed by Friday evening so fear the third game will be a dead rubber which is some going given a few 3rd place teams can get through.
Typical Scotland.
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Please Adams is on but shouldn't have taken Christie off. He at least can beat a man with bit of skill.
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This reminds me a bit of the Austria game.
Given how many big units they are at the back and McTominay don't half concede plenty of headers from crosses, perhaps Strachan was on to something....
Not a bad performance but Clarke got to be quick with subs here as there are better options to stretch the Czechs on the bench.
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15 minutes ago, ThistleWhistle said:
Said on SSN got a knock yesterday.
Hopefully back on Friday then. He will be needed.
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Fleck not on bench either so perhaps Tierney had covid issue picked up late? (Although didn't he test positive last October).
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Hmmm not huge on that selection.
Would've had Adams starting. Infact looks very much a selection to try to nulify Soucek and the other big units the Czechs have.
Guess plan is to keep things tight for an hour and then you at least have Adams, Gilmour, Forrest and Fraser all as options to throw on once game becomes a bit more stretched.
To just play for a draw here would be a bit odd.
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Last 16 for me.
R.O.I, Wales and Northern Ireland all achieved it last time out. Northern Ireland got through with one win and two defeats in the end.
Big part of that depends on today of course, no real logic just to play for a draw.
Yesterday's result was good and Croatia are nowhere near what they were in 2018 so I'm hopeful for a draw from that especially with the good historical record v them.
Czechs are decent but again worse groups to be in this than this one and home advantage for two games aswell won't happen again in any future tournament.
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Thought the McFadden team on the BBC preview last night was one I'd like to see, front two of Adams and Dyke, McGinn in number 10 role and Gilmour starting. Can't see Clarke doing that though.
Harsh on likes of Christie but he'd be a good sub on hour mark along with Fraser.
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I think it will be two young uns and two who've been in and around the squad for last 18 months. So I think Palmer will be in ahead of Patterson but surely Gilmour would get in ahead of Fleck who was just about making the squad when he was playing really well for Sheffield in last two years before the disaster of this season. So don't see any logical reason how he'd get in now ahead of Gilmour who'll be in squads for next 10 years, Clarke must think of that rather than just steady types who won't be called up much after this tournament unless they're in the starting 11.
Could see Burke just squeezing in if Fraser dosen't make it. Beyond Adams and Dykes it's much of a muchness. Shankland was being hyped up a year ago but now hardly mentioned as an option, Nisbet possible....think Griffiths will still be called up as would be a boost for him personally after his issues and he's shown before he can produce moments for Scotland so closest to McFadden in the present squad in final third although very much a bench option now.
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9 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:
No I place the blame at his door - after all Vogts had to take the lion's share of the blame for the mess he inherited. He got an ageing squad and needed to get new faces in pronto. Some went on to carve out great careers such as Fletcher, Faddy, Gordon, Miller and such-like whilst others were complete shots in the dark that flopped. Brown was a great manager for us but his refusal to look to the future saw problems snowball on to Vogts reign.
Gary Naysmith was about 20 in 1999. He possibly could've got called up a bit earlier to freshen up the left side. Moved to Everton in summer 2000 and then started getting called up.
Miller been mentioned, had a fantastic scoring season in 1999-00 for Hibs but didn't actually get a call up until April 2001 (indeed didn't even play for under 21s under March 2000).
Wasn't there talk around the England 1999 play off of trying to call up David Johnson who'd played for England under 21s and was scoring loads for Ipswich but think it was found he wasn't eligible.
Burchill was more a flash in the pan but came to the fore in 98/99 season for Celtic and you also had likes of Stephen Donnelly and the late Phil O'Donnell around that time although they both moved to Sheff Weds which probably didn't make them popular options north of the border as think both were bosmans.
France 98 wasn't the problem, it was more the period afterwards.
Just been looking back at the crucial September 2001 games v Croatia and Belgium which killed the world cup bid and Scott Booth was randomly starting upfront in the croatia 0-0! Tom Boyd was still starting for Belgium away.
Bit more "youth" for the dead rubber at home to Latvia with Calum Davidson (25), Barry Nicholson (23) and errr Dougie Freeman (27) all starting.
I actually thought Paul Dickov had randomly featured again under Brown as he was scoring a few at Man. City in that period but seems he got more games under Vogts, got his first call up in 2000 at age of 28 so there's the muddled thinking in not promoting Miller sooner. At leat Vogts did and quickly got Faddy and Fletch involved.
No excuse whatsoever for Gilmour not to be called up to the 26 due to injuries and he has played a couple of games for Chelsea in last few months. He'll obviously struggle to play but will simply be a great experience to integrate him into the set up, I couldn't understand why he didn't get a call up in March.
Had actually lost track of Gauld so didn't know he was doing so well in Portugal. Interested on his next move as seems there's some decent clubs interested in him now.
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3 hours ago, bonzo said:
Would we take another 5 points from the next 3 games?
Easily.
Would means wins over Israel (surely), Moldova and Faroes gets to 19 points. Think Denmark will be qualified by final game so will be dead rubber for them at Hampden so potential to get at least a draw from that.
Wales
in TA specific
Posted
Didn't realise looking back at qualifying that Ramsey only actually played in one qualifer for them, the final group game v Hungary when he scored both in 2-0 win. And 2019 Bale was pretty much bench warming every week at Real Madrid and was pretty off form for them in the qualifiers.
So they really qualfied without that much input from their star men until the last game.
Also were in a pretty kind group, Croatia, Wales, Slovakia, Hungary. Azerbaijan.
That's what happens becoming pot 2/Tier B nation.
At least Scotland is on similar path now even if the end result is currently frustrating. Best world cup group in ages and still think there's a good chance of finishing 2nd so at very least that should mean a good draw for 2024 euros.