Tartan Chris

Wales played Israel in the euros qualifying. Don't think they had any issues travelling.

Has happened! That's quite a tricky group, Albania and Israel are 3rd/4th standard teams in a six team group. Albania also qualified for the last euros and were competitive in the world cup group which had Spain and Italy in it. I'd say they're favourites for 1st. I presume you get nothing for finishing second?

Mulgrew is easily championship standard. Would imagine he's on a fair whack at Blackburn so that's purely the reason he stayed.

Went to WBA-Arsenal today....Phillips actually had a really good game I thought, got plenty of dangerous crosses in.

Think Douglas needs to be in the next squad. Isn't it something like over 50% of goals at international level are scored from set pieces. Even the minnows are getting harder to score against so good corners are vital. It's mad with the left backs...even Hutton is playing left back now and actually looking decent there.

Big problem Burke has at this stage is he's one of these head down and run at 100mph type of players. Countless times today he went like that when there were team mates either side and he just ran into defenders and lost the ball. Might have worked in the championship but at this level he needs more intelligence when in possession. Part of the reason Leipzig let him go wasn't it as he wasn't responding enough tactically when in possession.

He struggled to get in the Wolves team even when they were league one. I'd be surprised if a prem club takes him in January.

What level would he end up?Not sure if a lower half prem team would take a punt on him, think more likely a championship club.

Crossing wasn't the best. Solid otherwise. Probably won't be seen again until March.

Andy Robertson starts the Merseyside derby!

Didn't watch it. For anyone who uses a betting website on a weekend afternoon there's usually about 40 games to watch from the european leagues so can't say a match between two bottom 6 Portugeese clubs was going to tempt me ahead of Real Madrid or Dortmund! Edit: I said a few weeks ago he was regularly playing for them but then got injured and they changed manager so taken him time to get back in the team again so positive at least he's starting games again. Don't see him making it at Sporting Clube de Portugal though.

Gauld is starting for Aves today. On the Bet365 website if anyone is interested.

We (Villa) were linked with Ollie McBurnie the other day. Alan Curtis at Swansea was talking about it so looks like there's something in it.

Mental Robertson played well at the weekend and then dosen't even make the bench for the following weekend.

Still remember the hype when he moved to Liverpool at I think 19. Far too early in his career, maybe he's maturing a bit more in his mid 20s. There's obviously a void at Centre half currently.

Can see Aberdeen dropping off a bit now. McInnes has his faults but he's still made them the next best in the SPL. O.K that's not the biggest challenge but he still has to get that consistancy from the side whilst losing players to the old firm of course. Will improve Rangers so problem for the Dons I think.

Don't see why he would be. Forest are inconsistent but are still having their best season in 5 years.

He manages Nottingham Forest.

Found it interesting that Warnock is playing Paterson at right midfield now he's back from injury. Maybe dosen't think he's that great defensively? In any case think the next manager needs to stick with 3-5-2, can solve the lack of options at RB that way and hopefully will mean the team will have a more attack minded mentality home and away.

It's Deportivo Aves. Watched most of the game. As the other poster says he came on and did o.k. Talking to a Portugese poster on another forum he says Gauld was playing well but then got injured and Aves changed their manager during his lay off so he's struggled to get back in. Thinks he's a decent player but not sure he's the standard needed for Sporting Lisbon e.g. champions league quality. Just hope he can get a regular game and give the next manager a decision to make.

He had a really good game at Wembley yesterday. Interesting how he does under Pardew who likes pacy wingers. I know he's not a favourite on this forum but I wonder how he'd do as a right wing back in a 3-5-2, would probably offer more going forward than Anya.

Well it shows you have something about you if you can contribute in an old firm game at that age. It wasn't just that, he scored 20 in 50 odd games for Celtic and scored a hat trick in a european game (against admittedly not great opposition) but could never get a run and went to England. He scored a few early on at Portsmouth (this was the season they went up to the premier league) but then did his ACL and was never really the same again. To me he was the lost talent of the 00s.

A lot of people seem to think Murray Wallace is a CB. Saw highlights of Scunny the other weekend and he was playing as a left back. Lindsay should be getting a call up in March anyway, something very wrong if he dosen't. Much more potential than Liam Cooper who is no better than Hanley imo.

Little bit older than that age group but one from around that time I was massively disappointed that never kicked on was Mark Burchill. Remember him scoring in an old firm derby when he was 18. Thought he'd be the Scottish answer to Michael Owen but it never happened for him at Celtic where Larsson, Viduka and then later Chris Sutton and John Hartson all blocked his patch. Then went south to Portsmouth and got bad injuries. He's only 37 now, his peak should've been 2008-10 where he could've been combining with McFadden.

Championship clubs are of a higher standard generally though...some of them have actually reached the europa league group stages in last 5 years.