Tartan Chris

Anyone on here still think team will finish 3rd? That would be the ultimate Scotland snatching defeat from jaws moment.

Dean Smith linked aswell...he's another who'd start Gilmour every week. Frustrating loan so far but there's 7-8 games in December so he can still play regularly before March.

It could happen. They beat Poland at home and would be 4 clear with 2 to play. I know they still have England but given they've just played Hungary would mean one of Andorra/San Marino last game. I'd be o.k with Poles as play off opposition aswell. Gave them two really good games in 2016 qualifiers when they had a much stronger all around team given they got to QFs of those euros.

Fair enough! Would take Albania home or away in potential SF anyway, probably "weakest" side left who can realistically make it.

Albania got a decent chance of knocking Poland out for 2nd spot in England's group. Beat them at home on Tuesday and they'll be 4 points ahead with 2 games to play so pretty much done. I assume that will impact on things as Poland still high in the world rankings so would be pretty certain seeds while Albania obviously wouldn't be (and are far more beatable). Typing all this not having a clue if Poles have a backdoor route already through nations league.

No demons with Austria from what I recall...indeed actually good omen they're in this group given that was case for France 98 qualifiers.

Main thing is to try to get 2nd and also be at home for SF stage, I assume that means something like 3 wins and draw v Denmark which is possible if not probable. Was watching football focus earlier and just feels inevitable to me it's going to be Wales-Scotland meeting as seems Wales have more chance of being seeded and seems because of their nations league placing they're pretty much sure to get in even if they don't finish 2nd in their group.

He's had a very good start at Southampton and yes one of the weaker positions with available options. Hopefully Che has had a good word as looks like he's enjoyed the set up very much since committing this time last year. Don't really understand why Hickey hasn't made the squad, surely a must to get him involved next month given he looks like he's kicking on at Bologna?

Looks like a lot of the big guns are going to be o.k for 1st now....Portugal with comfortable win and Serbia couldn't beat ROI so they're well in control of their group again, France beat Finland so well set for 1st and Holland smashed Turkey. Spain look biggest nation in danger of needing play offs so obvious one for everyone to avoid. Looking more like similar standard of teams to what was in the euros play off e.g. Serbia, Turkey/Norway, Finland, Wales Russia, North Macedonia etc. Wouldn't really want to play the Swiss who will probably come second to Italy but beyond that I'd fancy a few of those playing them at Hampden in the SF so big incentive to me to try to win 3 of the last 4 and potentially get seeded as top 6.

They haven't made a world cup since 1998 either. Just similar range to Scotland, few top class players scattered around the pitch (Aranutovic is well past it now though) with lots of mediocre talent alongside them. They were certainly a very good 2nd seed to pull out which is the luck in draws you need sometimes. Certainly gave Italy a great game in knockouts but then no different to getting a 0-0 against the other finalists.

Think Israel got Austria away aswell....will probably be playing under new manager and they said on comms Austria got play off spot due to nations league so will need some momentum to go into that so think they'll struggle to win in Vienna. Think 18 points gets 2nd so 7 points next month would wrap it up before Denmark.

Good reactions but was a bit lucky pushing it back into six yard box instead of wide. Luckily it hit J. Mcginn and was just about cleared. Frustrating how many free headers from crosses/corners are given away. Got punished for it in Belgrade, first Czech goal, third Croatia goal and that chance was a free header so zonal marking from set pieces isn't that great. Aswell as a good CF this side also lacks a really dominant CB in the air. Still either side of that were some outstanding performances. Not the biggest McGregor fan but he was excellent first half. Think if McTominay is fit for next month would make sense to park him back in the back 3 (Hanley out for the Israel game suspended).

Shades of Belgrade there. Always nice to see a Scotland team reasonably composed on the ball as dosen't happen too often v decent opposition. Thought midfield trio were brilliant, O'Donnell put an amazing shift down the right (very unlucky not to score) and Clarke going with Adams and Dykes was exactly the right call. Both teams looked done from 75 minutes and that's obviously due to cramming three games into such a short time so early in the season. Also think Austria not having Karazdics or whatever he's called was big as he caused big issues at Hampden with how strong he was in the air, Aranutovic could barely run tonight. Huge 3 points. Austria will probably sack their manager after this looking at him at the end and roll the dice but hard to see them getting 4 wins, anything less won't be enough. All on the Israel game but things suddenly aren't looking so bad are they.....

Cheers lad. So bar a very good run from now on in the group very likely to be away for the SF and then draw determines who's at home in final round.

Get the feeling some big nations are going to end up second and make it a proper dog fight. Last time Italy ended up in this and Sweden knocked them out and going to be tight between them and Swiss to make 1st spot. Think Spain will finish 2nd as Sweden have a good run in of fixtures and if Portgual hadn't beaten ROI they'd have probably ended up 2nd. Even France aren't secure yet, drawn 3 of their 5 fixtures so far and Finland would be two clear if they win their two games in hand. How's it all work then? I thought it would be just usual home and away but it's only 3 places from 12 isn't it? Same as euros with two one off games and seeded team get home advantage?

Disagree, 2 wins v Moldova, win in Faroes, win v Israel at home and draw v Denmark = 18 points. In that situation Israel would need two draws from Austria away and Denmark away (or win one of them to get to 18 or 19 points. Austria would have to win 4 of their last 5 (assuming they lose to Denmark away but looks pretty probable considering how mediocre they are away from home) to get to 19 points so plenty of pressure on them. Honestly think it will come down to beating Israel. Don't and it will be another near miss, 3 points and I'd be very confident of 2nd and it would certainly come down to the last match.

Suddenly a point in Israel dosen't look so disgraceful does it? As I thought they're beating Austria comfortably. As I suspected the crucial game in the run in is going to be at home to Israel, simply have to win that. Israel still have to go to Austria and Denmark so have the toughest run in of the three chasing second even if they have the points and GD currently.

Yeah Israel at + 5 is a bit of issue so really need to beat Moldova by a few goals if possible. Denmark +16 says it all, made very easy work of this group and as they showed in euros they are currently a top 5 team in europe anyway so probably shouldn't be a shock they've pished this group.

Denmark streets ahead in this group. Hopefully they're qualified by time of last match.

Simply a gulf in passing and movement. Gilmour struggled without a McGinn or McTominey alongside him. Tierney also lacking confidence after poor Arsenal start. Only think to cling onto tonight is Moldova maybe holding Austria, 0-0 after 40 minutes so you never know.

This is going to be a total hiding. Getting ripped to shreds down the flanks which is what happened to Wales aswell in the euros.

Don't see why 2nd can't be achieved with those draws. Of course a typical Georgia style result v one of the weaker teams needs to be avoided but I was o.k with a point in Israel as it's not an easy match in last few years, certainly need to be beating them at Hampden though to have a proper chance at 2nd so that's a really big match when it comes around. Ultimately Denmark are far and away the best team in the group. They might not strike fear like a Germany or France but they outperformed both those comfortably in the euros and smashed Russia and Wales without their best player. They've got already easy away wins in Austria and Israel so they will win this group comfortably and indeed may be in interests for that to happen given their last match is at Hampden so dead rubber for them would be beneficial. I've more of an eye on making euro 2024 especially with it being in Germany so potential for huge travelling support. It's tough to qualify for world cups now, no excuse not to make the euros regularly though while this squad remains in place.

It wouldn't be the end of the world. A draw in Austria at start of campaign would be more than acceptable result and don't see why it changes six months on given they played well at Hampden despite missing some key players, got to last 16 of euros and gave Italy one of their hardest matches of the whole tournament. They've still got Denmark away and got to play Israel away and they lost 3-1 there in nations league.

I would say 4 points is o.k. Two draws v Austria so they can't pull ahead and still have to play Denmark away and Israel twice and obviously winning a game you simply have to against bottom seed. Can't see anything in Denmark at all, point there would be a magnificent result and arguably the best of Clarke's reign so far. Would have the team on 9 points with just over half the games played and many teams have finished 2nd with 18 points in the past.

Some rumours I've just seen that McGinn is out of Villa game as he has covid.... Hopefully not true but not great at all to play Denmark away without him and McTominay given how strong they are in central midfield. Going to be a proper damage limitation job that one. Perhaps he might make Austria given that's six days later.