Tartan Chris
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Posts posted by Tartan Chris
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17 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:
Sorry but I so disagree. John McGinn is our top scorer and talismanic. The Georgia match is one we need to win for a few reasons and score plenty of goals. That being the case McGinn has to start. I too would like to Ferguson start though and hopefully both will start.
That's fair enough. Keep McGinn in for Georgia away.
Norway at Hampden will be a party atmosphere so you'd like to think can make 2-3 changes for that from regular team and players should thrive off it.
Very slim chance of winning the group now with the final two games Spain have unless have to get two wins to make pot 2 for the finals draw?
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10 minutes ago, Super_Scotlandfan said:
Some goal from Karamoko Dembele live on bbc2.
I mentioned him a few weeks ago when talking about his brother playing for Birmingham.
Endless hype years ago but didn't work out at Celtic so he's hard to drop down a bit to get his career going. Interested if he can reach the top level in time or fizzles out like Ollie Burke has to be a championship mid table player.
Endless he's 100% committed to Ivory Coast he's still potentially an option for the 2024-26 period.
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20 minutes ago, bdgsct said:
Worth a start up top. Scoring at a higher level than any of our other forwards and with fewer chances.
Can give SJM a rest and try him out in that position.
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Bologna got a really good chance of qualifying for europa league so can see Ferguson staying another season. Will surely be on the radar of some of the top clubs over here as he's made a really good impact in Serie A and score v some decent teams.
Well worth at least one start this month.
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34 minutes ago, broraboy said:
Correct, if Wales win their last 2 games they will Qualify and what an achievement that will be!
Away to Armenia who already beat Wales 4-2 in Cardiff and the final group game against group leaders Turkey who imo need to take something from the game to qualify…….
Croatia imo will win their last 2 games to go on 16 points and Croatia have the better head to head result over Turkey! So if Croatia win out and Wales win out then Turkey are eliminated, don’t think this will happen as for Wales to take maximum points from the last 2 games is a big ask……
Turkey have actually qualfied.
Of course still a formula that all three could end up on 16 points but in the triple head to head that puts Turkey on 6 points. Croatia only on 4 points given it's 1 point from Wales games and they lost at home to Turkey the other day.
Think Modric has already said Euros will be his last tournament so again Croatia might not be a bad team to draw in World cup as assume they'll remain in pot 1 and watching them last night their quality in final third has declined compared to 5 years ago, certainly don't have a CF of quality of Mandzukic.
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32 minutes ago, Orraloon said:
With hindsight it looks like we got a pretty decent draw. Norway are pretty shit. The only points they have picked up are against Georgia and Cyprus. And I don't think this Spain team are very good either.
Behave, look at the other groups!
Northern Ireland in with Denmark, Slovenia, Kazaks, San Marino and Finland, Clarke would get 20 points from those teams.
Old friends Israel in with Swiss, Romania, Belarus, Andorra.
Portugal, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Leichenstein, Bosnia, I'd certainly back Clarke to get 2nd in that group.
Poland completely messing up a group involving Albania, Czechs, Moldova and Faroes, could only draw 1-1 with Moldova tonight. They'd actually be a really good team to get in the World cup group as they won't be qualifying for any tournaments once Lewandowski retires and he didn't play tonight.
Edit: Point aswell is if team gets easier groups on paper it's because they're winning games consistently and moving up from Pot 4 to 2 (and 1 isn't probably that far away).
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Main aim is to get a pot 2 seeding now. Can't see Spain messing up the final two so pot 1 isn't happening but I assume something like 4 points would be o.k?
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17 minutes ago, JECK said:
Wales of the cusp of a statement result tonight v Croatia abd looking better for qualification tonight. Meanwhile both irelands are in peril.
A few of their younger players are stepping up now, Harry Wilson was fantastic in the number 10 position tonight.
They're weaker than 4-5 years ago but will still be in contention to make euros. Can't see them qualifying for another World cup for a very long time though.
If they win their last two it comes down to head to head so they will finish above Croatia. That will be some achievement.
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Simply the right man at the right time.
Aims now have to be finally qualifying for knock out phase at tournament (which should be realistic with higher seeding) and making a World cup.
I back Clarke to do both and then he can ride off into the sunset for one last club job as he'd have more than earnt it.
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Just watching the championship game tonight and Siriki Dembele is getting some very good reviews, had a good start to the championship season after not quite making it at Bournemouth. 3 goals in first 6 games so far.
Anyone know if he's ever come under consideration? All the focus years back was on his brother who was massively hyped but so far hasn't quite met expectations.
I thought Ivory Coast might've snapped him up but incredibly he's never been capped at any level for any national set up which I find bizarre.
If qualification can be wrapped up this month he'd be a good one to try out in the November and March period rather than Brown who is average and pretty much same as other forwards.
Dembele has pace, skill and can play wide so can offer something different perhaps?
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11 hours ago, scotlad said:
Georgia were rubbish tonight and bar their (admittedly very good) goal - scored in injury time - they played like minnows and barely threatened Norway. If they play like that against us we should win comfortably. However, as we know, Georgia have a history of raising their game against us when they are playing at home and have little but pride to play for.
They're in the play offs aren't they so they at least need some sort of form going into that so they'll be looking at Scotland and Cyprus home as chance to get a couple of wins as obviously going to get nothing in Spain.
I'd be happy with a point there tbh.
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12 hours ago, ThistleWhistle said:
If we stand there watching them pass it about then categorically the answer is 'yes'
Hope we don't get them in the groups of the euros if we make it
Won't if win the group so that's something really to play for now although will be difficult with Spain coming back into form.
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11 hours ago, Malcolm said:
we are a decent side, england are a top side and played us off the park. Bellingham is one of the best in the world inhis position. We dont have players in that leaguePretty much that.
England is top 3 contender to win next summer. France big favourites but I'd rank England up there with Portugal as the next best. Spain seem to be coming into form aswell again but think England are stronger in key areas at this current time.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, just qualifying from the the group stages next summer will be a big success based on history.
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10 hours ago, ParisInAKilt said:
Didn’t James Morrison say he didn’t feel very Scottish or something similar and he went on to be one of our most committed players during some times when others weren’t.
I think it still cheapens international football a bit though, especially considering these guys are coming from our longest historic rival but I understand why Clarke or any manager is taking advantage of the rules.
The bigger nations have been doing it for years though.
Didn't Italy win a World cup with Camoranesi? Sure he played in the qualifier in 2005 aswell. He was Argentine but played in Serie A for years and got his Italian passport so don't really see what's different to the granny rule which of course Republic of Ireland used for many decades when they were qualifying for World cups. Tony Cascarino admitted in his book he shouldn't have played for them aswell.
Wales aswell. Read Toshack's autobiography and they were on to Hal Robson Kanu for over 12 months to convince him as he'd played for England under age sides. That was when he was a complete unknown at Reading. 5 years later he gives Welsh sport one of its greatest moments with that Cruyff turn goal v Belgium and ended up with 46 caps in the end.
It depends on the player and what impact they make. Adams been good and go back 12 months and it was "get tae fook Gunn you English ****" and now with 1 goal conceded in first 5 games that's all been forgotten and he's solved what was going to be a problem position with the ages of the other keepers.
If someone declares to try to get a better club move and then keeps pulling out with minor injuries then that's an issue and needs to be avoided but I can't believe players will be annoyed if Harvey Barnes joins up, they'll just see him as a quality player they play against every week in premier league and someone who can be a good scoring threat in final third based on him hitting 12 for Leicester last season.
Very good on the counter attack when games open up late in games so that will add something extra to this squad.
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On 9/9/2023 at 9:07 PM, mccaughey85 said:
Basically now that we have qualified for the tournament he wants in. Its a bit underhand but hes a good player who would improve our first team.
No different to Che Adams when you think about it.
He was courted for years, only declared in the months up to the Euros which got my suspicious but he's had very few call offs in the two years since so no one can doubt his commitment for nations league and run of the mill qualifiers. As soon as he was fit after injuries at club level he was back in for Cyprus.
Don't see why Barnes would be any different. Will have to say on Anderson....
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Automatic qualification pretty much done now. Could even make it without picking up another point (although let's not risk that).
Winning group will be far tougher though with Spain having games in hand and not even playing Cyprus yet.
I take it finishing 2nd dosen't quite guarantee a 2nd seeding for Euro 2024 so that is something to really play for now as would make a huge difference to go in as pot 1 for an actual tournament.
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59 minutes ago, BookhouseBoys said:
Gilmour starts again for Brighton - seems to be cementing his place. That Tonali is a very good player and fairly similar in style to wee Billy so will be interesting to see how that match up goes.
Anderson on the bench for the Beheaders.
Played really well for them so far, good to see. De Zerbi showing loads of faith in him as they could've easily gone out and signed a top CM to replace Caciedo and Macalister.
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Bellingham with a ridiculous start for Real Madrid, seems like he's scored in every game so far.
He'll win the Balon D'or within next 3 years I think. Would be their first winner since Owen in 2001.
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12 hours ago, csinclair said:
Did not expect to see McTominay linked with Bayern Munich but that rumour seems to be doing the rounds online
I think he'll be staying at Man. United.
They've sold Fred and Mount as an 8 dosen't look good at all so far with midfield balance so McTominay will get his fair share of starts across cup competitions and league games up to January at least.
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Anderson's a good player. Pleased he has come to his senses. Already a regular sub for Newcastle and started a few games so he'll be getting CL game time this season.
When was the last time so many midfielders in the squad playing outside of Scotland were in european competition? You've now got McGinn, McTom (if he stays), Gilmour and Anderson.
Lewis Ferguson just missed out with Bologna on europa conference place and with his current trajectory he'll be playing for a european standard team this time next year.
I did notice when he came on for Newcastle yesterday there was a Scottish flag next to his name on the graphics so not sure if that's always been there or if they got word.
Midfield selection now looks incredible, strongest in depth since the late 90s.
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Just now, csinclair said:
Ferguson scores against juventus
Some decent prem clubs will be tracking him soon enough. Have to think Hickey will be telling Brentford all about him.
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Ryan Christie as a holding midfielder, really? Should've been booked after two minutes for being miles late on Bissouma.
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17 hours ago, mccaughey85 said:
Bit strange that no top clubs want tierney. Arsenal would probably let him go for 15/20m which is a steal in todays market even if he is a bit injury prone.
Newcastle were linked strongly end of last season but they signed Hall from Chelsea instead.
Thought Villa might've come in given they want to move Digne on and Emery signed him for Arsenal.
In the end though he's moved to another CL team and Real Sociedad play high tempo football so he should fit in to their style.
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Simply the perfect manager for what the nation needed, unfussy, understated but produced a very well drilled team that knows their jobs back to front.
You look at the backline and it's had many different combinations in last two years yet the defensive record in qualifiers has been exceptional going back to the World cup qualifiers from September 2021 so that's not luck but some fantastic work on the training pitch.
Scottish players in action 21/22
in TA specific
Posted
Interesting. Never heard of this guy so was expecting 18/19 year old but seems he's 24 and on loan at Estoril from Olympiakos! Also played 5 games for Celta Vigo in La Liga in 21/22.
Feels a bit of the path Barry Douglas had before Wolves picked him up and he eventually got some caps before fading out.