Tartan Chris
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Posts posted by Tartan Chris
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Oh to have a forward like Evan Ferguson coming through...this lad can finish.
Republic of Ireland finally got a good CF in their ranks again.
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Just reading the last two pages....kid is only 20 so to me it's a bit different to someone in late 20s suddenly deciding they want to play for Scotland e.g Phil Bardsley, Matt Ritchie etc.
I was incredibly cynical when Che Adams suddenly declared his availability a few months before the euros (he was 24) but since then he's had very few call offs so clearly loves being part of things.
Not sure where Anderson's head is at as he would've been in the squad but Wales had plenty of duels down the years who've taken ages to commit but once in the set up they love it and probably wonder why they took so long to decide. It took them 12 months to convince Hal Robson Kanu to decide to join up for example reading John Toshack's autobiography.
He then gave them one of the great Welsh sporting moments with that goal v Belgium so no one cared after that he'd play for England youth groups as Anderson has.
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I really liked that "goal" he scored v Forest. Showed real strength at the back post to rise above Aurier and it was a very well placed header.
He's an interesting prospect and Howe clearly rates him so rather than Newcastle signing xxx number of players in summer think bigger issue is he gets sacked in next 12 months and then Anderson falls down the pecking order.
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Well yes qualified for the last euros unless I missed something?
O.k it was through the nations league play off insurance but with Belgium and Russia in the group it was going to be a big ask to finish 2nd especially given start of that McLeish was in charge. Easier group for the World cup pool and 2nd was comfortably secured in the end.
I think this is going to be more difficult. Norway surely got enough about them to have a proper go at qualifying automatically given this is the weakest Spain selection for many years back to front (look at that goal Kepa let in yesterday).
Not beating Cyprus at home would be like 3-0 in Kazakhstan for me, qualification pretty much over at that moment so can't mess up and then try to get a 1-1 v Spain.
Georgia's going to be really difficult aswell as usual with that Napoli wizard they have.
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On 3/14/2023 at 12:59 PM, N4Footsoldier said:
Wasn't aware Paterson was fit, that's a boost.
No real surprises, Clarke has a core nucleus of a squad nowadays similar to any established national team coach ends up with. You could argue there is value in leaving out x player and try to bring in y player etc but for the sake of continuity no complaints.
Only new concern is the form of a lot of the players atm, not to mention existing concerns about depth in defence and attack.
Patterson wasn't on the bench for Everton yesterday so I think that's a huge risk just to chuck him back in. He last played for them on January 3rd.
Hickey is starting regularly for Brentford and they've lost one premier league match since October so it might be a Scottish disease but play in form players in their correct positions perhaps.....
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Dykes is miles off it.
From his good spell around 2019/20 he's been declining for a few years and just coming back off a health issue so I'd question Clarke significantly if he's thrown in from the start for these games. Last 10 minute sub option if a goal down is logical.
In reality it will be Che upfront with all the midfielders behind him. Lewis Ferguson is a goal threat and scored a couple in Serie A so I'd be starting him v Cyprus for sure just to freshen things up with in form player.
McGinn is back in form for Villa so that's a huge plus and we know he's a serious goal threat anyway.
Looking at the Spain squad and it looks miles off what they were putting out a decade ago. They'll endlessly dominate possession so just have to sit in and wait for breaks on counter or get a goal from a set piece. I think it's possible to get a draw from that game so 4 points from opening two would get everyone confident for another success euros qualifying campaign.
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Can see Ramsey retiring for them soon aswell.
Got a young defence but rest of side especially in midfield dosen't then look that amazing.
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Ryan Porteous going to Udinese by looks of it.
Cracking move for him as they're having a good season in top half of Serie A (only lost 1-0 away to late Juventus goal yesterday).
So chance to start regularly for europa league contender.....
Or they just sell him to Watford in 18 months.
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Armstrong is a very busy player, just his composure lets him down infront of goal sometimes. Was example I think at home to Ukraine when he was through on goal, leaned back and blazed miles over the bar.
Decent pick for away games though when you need to dig in.
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Nice to see Ferguson scoring in Serie A. He's started last few games so obviously needed a couple of months to settle in as you'd expect.
Talented player so hopefully he becomes part of the regular NT squad now and isn't just ignored because he's playing abroad as Hickey was for quite a while.
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Starting and finishing with home games is good I think, Norway home last match already has winner takes all feel.
Have to say in non tournament year having to play up to 20th June is ridiculous.
Couldn't they have had one international break with triple header again?
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52 minutes ago, Orraloon said:
To me it just looks destined to be Ukraine in the semi final and Israel in the final. 😂 Haven't played them for a while.
Fancy Israel to qualify directly, big chance for them in a group with Swiss and Romania as the top 2 seeds.
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1 hour ago, Orraloon said:
I don't think NI have a chance in that group. I wouldn't be surprised if Kazakhstan finish above them.
They're s*** currently but Windsor park when the crowd is up is still a tricky place for teams to go (Italy missed out on 1st in world cup group because they could only draw 0-0 and they also drew with Swiss) so six points off San Marino and then home wins v Kazaks and Slovenia and suddenly they're on 12 points and in the mix for second.
Think it's a draw that will convince Steven Davis and Johnny Evans to hang around for one more attempt to play at another major tournament.
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I thought they were scrapping the September international date to ease fixture congestion at start of season and going to play three games over two of the breaks.
Or is that coming in for next qualification cycle?
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5 minutes ago, Clyde1998 said:
Perhaps, but looking elsewhere Ireland’s group looks significantly worse. The fact we have the play-offs guaranteed as a back up may take some pressure off of the Georgia and Cyprus games and allow us to play without any fear - we’re better than when we played both last time; neither are easy though. Norway’s results against sides of our level have been fairly average and Georgia/Cyprus probably have as much chance of taking points off them as they have with us.
Hopefully Spain will beat Norway home and away. Don't want to be going into situation where you need close to 20 points to get 2nd.
With it being just 8 games points will be fewer anyway so 15 points should be the target.
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3 minutes ago, scotlad said:
Wales were a pot 6 team when they beat us twice!
As well as Haaland Norway have Odegaard from Arsenal, who's a class act, Elyounoussi from Southampton, who'd easily make our squad, and Sorloth from Real Sociedad, who scores regularly in La Liga.
Haaland might not enjoy the same level of service as he does at Man City but most of Norway's squad are still good enough to play in the top European leagues. I suppose he's due an off-day at some point though.
Just looking at what they put out in their last nations league game.
Haaland, Sorloth and Elyonoussi was front 3 and they had Odegaard and Sander Berge in midfield.
Lost 2-1 to Slovenia....
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More concerned with getting Georgia again!
Tiblisi has messed up previous groups and they've got some really talented players and made euros play offs.
That said Norway's away results aren't good either so that match could easily trip them up aswell.
Perhaps pot 5 was the ticket this time, incredible group for Northern Ireland to get in considering how low they've dropped. Got a decent chance of second if they can get some confidence back.
Wales will be pretty happy with what they've got aswell.
At least have the play offs as insurance and given all 2nd place teams go through there won't be as much quality in it as for world cup.
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4 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:
Looking further ahead and our World Cup seeding - well at present we are 21st placed UEFA team in FIFA's live rankings so we are on the cusp of Pot 2. We are just behind Ukraine and considering we should have a slightly easier draw for the Euros than Pot 3 Ukraine then there is a chance to nip into Pot 2. As far as I recall the World Cup qualifying seedings goes by FIFA rankings.
How's the allocation work with three extra places? Bit like France 98 and say two 2nd place teams go through automatically? Or you just pool some nations league winners in with 2nds and have larger play off competition?
Even in pot 2 you're still very likely to be in a group with one of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Holland etc so pretty unlikely you'd win the group so I wouldn't say pot 2 is as significant for world cup draw as for euros.
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8 hours ago, Texas Pete said:
Not sure if fancy they Faroes to be honest. We’ve had enough trouble with them in the past when they weren’t beating the likes of Turkey.
Euro 2008 qualifiers smashed them first game 6-0, felt like every attack was a goal. Then away game was reasonably comfortable IIRC.
Rather have that than having to trek to Kazakhstan again. Georgia are improving and that is pretty bogey away trip for this nation.
North Macedonia also lurking in pot 4 and qualifying for a euros is very realistic for them these days as they proved last time.
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7 minutes ago, Hendricks said:
Something to note with the next Nations League campaign is that we won't be playing any of these fixtures for at least 18 months! So a Germany who looked fucking gash against England last night could have an entirely new side or a Belgium who will have lost even more of their 'golden' generation could be going through a transitional period. Plenty will change plus our young players will be even better!!!
The reason for this is that due to this years World Cup the calendar is all over the place and 2023 will see Euro 2024 qualifiers in March, June, September, October and November. So Nations League won't start until March 2024. How they fit those around the actual Euro Championships in the summer of 2024 and then World Cup 2026 qualifying, is anyones guess!
It's only 4 team groups so you could feasilbly get it done in two matchdays if you play 3 games in the two week period as happened for much of last 18 months.
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1 hour ago, King Of Paisley said:
I'm starting to worry we might lose him. Tonight would not have gone unnoticed and what he has achieved
In last decade he's been sacked by West Brom (after leading them to top 10 in premier league) and Reading so he's been around the block long enough to know about lack of job security in club football compared to what he has now.
I think the ambition to get Scotland to another euros and then first world cup in decades will keep him sweet. If euros dosen' happen he'll leave.
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On 9/23/2022 at 11:58 AM, TDYER63 said:
We were very unfortunate to be the country playing Ukraine in June, the whole atmosphere around that game was horrible and it didnt help that an ex captain of Scotland actually came out saying he wanted us to lose . I think we buckled under that pressure and I think there was very little Clarke could do against the media build up. There was possibly an overhang into the Ireland game.
We struggle a bit in end of season games generally , perhaps because we dont have a lot of depth in the squad. We did ok against Armenia but they are shit.
I have had my doubts about Clarke but probably more due to disappointment in individual games, rather than considering the overall situation. I would probably rate him B+ also , particularly in terms of affordable managers who were realistically interested in managing us.
Was unlucky with the covid delay for a start. Think back to how Hampden was buzzing after the Denmark win. In normal circumstances the play offs would've been a month later so imo having to wait 6 months to play the actual SF play off after the war started killed the momentum generated from that great late run of the qualifiers. Didn't play well on the night of course but then way it panned out Wales were always big favourites to get through the quarter.
Amazed anyone is giving Clarke below a B + tbh. The last year bar one game has been fantastic.
Finally exciting young players introduced into squad/11 like Gilmour, Patterson, Hendry and Hickey with more on the way (Elliot Anderson and perhaps Conway at Bristol if he's interested).
Team also showed tonight it can be without 3-4 significant starters and grind out a 0-0 to arguably superior team.
This is like the 90s again imo when Brown got very consistent performances out of the squad in many qualifying cycles.
Qualifying for next euros should be demanded now and then you'd like to think Clarke will have significantly learnt from last summer and last 16 could be realistic prospect. Then his reign is easily an A.
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Would be very confident of qualifying from this for euros:
1st Poland- Still got Lewandowski but don't think the rest of their side is as strong as in 2016 qualifiers and gave them really good games home and away back then.
3rd Iceland- On the decline after their golden period and good historical record v them.
4th Faroes- Probably the weakest of the fourth seeds. Was going to say Luxembourg aswell but they've improved over last 5 years and generally competitive v whoever they play (got a 0-0 away to France years back).
5th- Has some tricky trips in that. Cyprus would be o.k given the wins v them in 2019 nations league.
6th- Dosen't matter. Has to be 6 points on the board to have serious chance of top 2.
Probably too soft a group to be realistic but then the world cup draw was the best for decades and so it proved with a comfortable 2nd place finish.
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17 minutes ago, Burj_Alba said:
Avoid Norway in pot 3 and Turkey in pot 4 and I would be delighted.
Turkey are pretty poor on the road, lost to Faroes at the weekend so they'd be very beattable at Hampden.
Norway are odd. Can never seen to kick on with actual results but ultimately Odegaard and Haaland in final third must be respected.
Scotland v Cyprus and Spain Squad discussion
in TA specific
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5 points clear of 4th but then I see the last match was losing to Kazakhs 1-0 and they finished on 10 points in the end so I get your point.
Just looking at the Belgium squad now and aside from KDB and Lukaku still around they're going to be in proper transition for next 3-4 years. Wouldn't be the worst top seed to get for the world cup group.