Tartan Chris

Haha what an ending! Love being proven wrong on these occasions. Have to credit McLean, he really did finish like Haaland as so many players would've just lent back and blasted the ball over the bar. Perfect body position curling into the corner. Dykes was pretty isolated all game but credit to him for keeping going and pouncing on a defensive mix up. I thought it was a pretty mediocre performance for pretty much 80 minutes. Just played for a 0-0 and then not a great response after going 1-0 down but I think keeping going at least shows the change in mentality in this side over last 2-3 years. Think how bad the away form was for pretty much a decade and now the guys just don't believe they can lose away especially with results like this. This pretty much knocks Norway out of contention, if they want top 2 they will simply have to win at Hampden and v Spain and that's a big ask given how limited they are (they don't use Odegaard right at all compared to how he plays for his club). See you all in Dortmund in 12 months time...

Worst tactical game from Clarke in a good 12 months. Barely created anything all game and he dosen't even bring Ferguson on?! Nevermind one of the strikers. Been very disappointing today, need to play much better on Tuesday.

McGinn been outstanding in a wide role for Villa since Emery came in so move him there instead of Christie/Armstrong and bring in Ferguson is my thinking. Ryan Jack also started v Cyprus.

Yep, him and Hickey adapted very quickly so fair play to them. Any of the bigger Serie A clubs showed an interest in Ferguson as you'd think that would seem the next step with the stats he's produced, 7 goals in his debut is a pretty good effort with more scope for improvement. He really needs to be a starter for the national team sooner or later.

Che Adams future will be interesting I think. Does he stick around with Southampton and get 15-20 goals in championship to hopefully get in the groove for Germany next summer or does he stay in prem for one of the teams that stay up? We know his strengths and weaknesses by now but Southampton have looked utterly toothless since he picked up the injury v Cyprus. He'd probably have popped up with a goal in one of the games they've lost without scoring. Could see him at a Fulham or West Ham next season.

He's starting regularly still for Boro despite all the signings they've made since Carrick came in which is a good sign.

I see Allen Campbell is starting every game for Luton these days. They're only three points off 2nd in championship if they win today (pending the 3pm games) so just wondering if he's got the quality to seriously threaten the CM spots or will be more of a Kenny McLean squad player. Midfield area is so exciting currently, hasn't been this strong since the mid 90s imo.

Who? It's different to McLeish who'd never managed in the premier league so that's why he walked out. Clarke has and considering Postecoglou hasn't been tempted down south yet I can't see anyone decent approaching Clarke. Old Firm not going to happen either so won't be another Walter Smith. He extended up to 2026 just last week so there's the commitment from both sides right there. Remember when Coleman walked out of a contract for life with Wales to join Sunderland. That worked out well for his managerial career! Michael O'Neil did o.k at Stoke but could never lift them into championship play offs so back at Northern Ireland trying to massively overachieve once more.

He didn't get the England game wrong, good team selection and outplayed the eventual finalists. Yeah the Hampden games were disappointing, conceding goals at the wrong times when having decent spells but that's typical Scotland in major tournaments. I do think there's enough in the current set up to get the hallowed last 16 appearance eventually. Really promising seeing the players who weren't even in this squad who've contributed to good results in the last 12 months e.g Hendry, McKenna so there's solid strength in depth in positions that were a real problem only a few years ago. Age range of the squad is pretty good aswell as many of these can go on to Euro 2028 if not beyond.

Won't have a better chance than this time. Bulgarian football has massively declined since the 90s and they'll be nearer the bottom end. Montenegro a tricky team on their day but not really threatened to qualify for a while so Hungary should be comfortable 2nd and could push Serbia for 1st. That's why you need to get the wins in the nations league and friendlies to get that ranking up as they've pulled a pretty simple group from doing very well in the nations league. World cup qualification is still very tough for anyone outside the top 10 european nations, think it's only an extra 3 places despite going to 48 teams so that's when you really need to start well. Last time out Hungary were in with England and Poland so that was always going to be tough. I've never known a time where so many heavyweights are in big transition. Italy and Germany are very similar to Spain currently and even though they're still getting good results the Belgium side dosen't look anywhere near as formidable as having to play them in the 2020 qualifiers. World cup draw will be intriguing in a year or so's time. Critical to stay in pot 2.

Hungary is probably a better example imo. Spent decades in the wilderness but they made Euros in 2016 and since then they've become a very tough team to play home and away in qualifiers under Marco Rossi and had a very good win to start off the current qualifiers. I really enjoyed the last qualifiers despite the Ukraine match being a major disappointment in the end. Overall with these two games the form in qualifiers has been very good for 18 months now. It's now 7 clean sheets in the last 8 euro/world cup qualifiers aswell. Imagine thinking that would've been possible three years ago with the paucity of options at CB in those days and at RB?! Clarke has drilled this squad fantastically well and many of the midfielders are in form with some exciting ones on the fringes so sometimes that's enough on its own to be competitive at international level as we saw for much of the 90s.

It's interesting Ketsbaia is managing Cyprus now,see how they play v Georgia home and away as that remains the most realistic fixtures for them to get points. 15 points will surely get 2nd so two more home wins and a win in Cyprus and that will all that will be needed if Spain pick up e.g Norway can only get a maximum of 14 points if they lose at Hampden and don't win at home to Spain. Georgia will need to win 5 games to get 16 points if they lose home and away v Spain. Tonight is huge. Bit like when ROI won at home to Germany in euro 2016 qualifiers.

Didn't have that much to do, tipped one shot over from Porro and most of the other shots were grasscutters. Comfortable two games to ease him in.

From what I saw tonight Spain will struggle to win in Norway and Georgia so this will become a complicated qualification for them.

Outstanding from every single player there. Spain are mediocre (by their standards) these days but they were still very much in the game at 1-0 and creating good situations from crosses. 2-0 and it was a very comfortable seeing out of the game. MOTM for me Tierney, hasn't played much this season but that was a brilliant performance and he embarrassed a multiple CL winner for the second goal.

It's improving. O.k they're not in Croatia's class but winning in Austria 18 months back was probably the best competitive away win for a decade and pretty much sealed second in the World cup group. Then got the point away to Ukraine to seal top spot in the nations league group which could yet prove crucial with insurance of play off spot. For what's required in this group certainly a win in Cyprus and then draws in Tiblisi and Oslo. Would have a very good chance of 2nd just losing the one away game.

Who's starting CF on Tuesday then? I assume Dykes but with his lack of minutes he's not going to last beyond an hour and think the Spain CBs will handle him with ease. Personally I'd have Christie as the advanced attacker and pack the midfield out as can't be giving someone like Gavi the acres of space that Zinchenko got at Hampden otherwise it will be the same result

He only really broke into the team regularly from 2017 onwards so it's about right. If Tierney can stay clear of major injuries he'll probably get more caps than Robbo, still only 25 and should reach 50 caps by end of next year. It's funny with positions sometimes isn't it? 2-3 years back and you had Liam Palmer and O'Donnell toiling away at RB. Both did their best (especially S O'D playing his heart out in Belgrade) but now Hickey and Patterson have come along, been put in pretty early and that position is now sorted for the next decade. If only a 20 year old CF would develop out of nowhere...very jealous ROI have Evan Ferguson as he'd be perfect for what Clarke is developing.

What a story for Joselu. Toiled away for years in Germany and England (played for Stoke and Newcastle) and finally got a first call up at 33! Now two goals in a minute so he'll be starting at CF on Tuesday which probably won't be too bad for Hanley as will be more of a physical duel.

Norway would've scored by now with Haaland out there. This isn't a vintage Spain team at all. Get the first goal on Tuesday and will be a very interesting game indeed.

Last time McTominay was on the bench when fully fit? He will surely return for Spain but surprised he's been left out with McGinn in advanced position and back 5. McGregor + Jack both starting v Cyprus is a bit odd,, would've actually put Ferguson in for a start.

Think he'll pop up where Lampard manages next. It's easy to forget he was starting 4-5 games in a row for Chelsea but then lockdown happened and season stopped and he got a bad injury around that time which had him out for many months. When he returned Lampard had been sacked. Brighton looked a logical move to me but trouble there is he signed and then Potter left a week later and again seems he's had injury issues. He's certainly lost momentum in last two years. Norwich loan didn't work out at all but says something that a progressive club like Brighton were still happy to take him permanently as they can see the long term. Of course if they make europa he can stay there and get a decent number of starts as they don't have endless depth in CM and one of their main guys will probably leave as nearly happened with Caicedo in January. He's probably in same position as Ethan Ampadu is. He's currently at Spezia in the lower reaches of Serie A but still actually a Chelsea player. Regardless of club form he still starts every single time for Wales.

Haaland injured so wouldn't shock me if Norway lost their first two games given they're away in Georgia after Spain so plenty of travelling.

He plays on the left of front three....so he isn't getting a sniff with England anytime soon whatever his agent is advising given likes of Foden, Grealish, Saka and Rashford can or already player there. Perhaps he's just wanting a call up for their under 21s and then will properly decide. McTominay was another who didn't quite commit straight away...37 caps later.

Pedri injured so that's good news as he's a special talent in the making. Think people will be surprised by how physical Spain will be. Rodri and Mikel Merino are big old units in central midfield.