Tartan Chris
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Posts posted by Tartan Chris
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2 minutes ago, er yir macaroon said:
I think Nisbet is more composed than Adams but maybe lacks the strength. If we have a formation with more advanced midfielders (4-2-3-1) I think I’d prefer a poacher in there (i.e. Nisbet).
Nisbet took his goal v Holland well so shouldn't be discounted.
Need to get away from this idea though you need a big targetman for every single minute of every single game, as said above the three Danish CBs are hardly going to be scared of Lyndon Dykes.
So Adams central dropping deep and linking play with likes of Fraser and another quick option the other side is probably the best bet, Adams was fine holding it up v England from what I saw.
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Didn't Johnny Russell get a few call ups after moving to the MLS? So might not be totally off the radar.
That said, given his stats in Portugal leagues you'd think a few mid table Spanish clubs would be looking at him? If Burke can get a move to La Liga you'd think Gauld would be a target.
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3 hours ago, er yir macaroon said:
A lot of people going for Adams. He’s neat and tidy but is he a goal scorer? I’m tempted to go with Nisbet. He also has an excellent touch outside the box so he can help build the play. I think it’s clear he is a natural in front of goal.
Better scorer than Dykes by a mile. 22 goals in his last championship season. Took him a while to get going in premier league but 13 premier league goals since 5th July 2020 is solid enough, scored v likes of Man. City and Chelsea in last year.
I think he'll score a few in the group as long as he keeps starting games so think in long run he'll have a reasonable scoring record at international level.
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A point in Copenhagen would be one of the best qualification results in years.
After dodgy first 15 minutes they've strolled it v Wales. Also completely battered Austria and Israel away.
Top 8 team in europe currently if not higher.
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On 6/24/2021 at 11:21 PM, ceudmilefailte said:
I assume that's poss % not pass %
We have a team full of players that can pass at club level, yet we have one of the worst pass success rates at the Euro's no sure why. Actually I do know why, we had game plan designed for a pub team.
Dykes, Marshall and O'donnell helped knock it down, but McGregor helped the other way and was one of the 20 best passers in the group stages.
Funny looking at our pass stats we could very easily pick a 12 man squad that would probably include who, nearly everyone sees, as our best 12 players (just need a keeper)
Should go back to the 1900's and have a selection committee not a manager.
As I said of course can try to improve it but it's really not the bee all, end all at international level.
Wales won with just 36% possesion v Turkey and they weren't troubled that much. And as I mentioned before Sweden got that 0-0 with Spain with 20%. They also beat Poland 3-2 with 33%! Both of those have those have many who can pass a ball at club level aswell.
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What's the story with the Bilbao lad given they only bring Basques through there?
Similar story to Jack Harper (wherever he is now)? Or Basque with a parent from Scotland?
Is he involved in youth set ups as Spain will probably want to get him involved in their ones if he looks promising so need to act quick rather than snail pace.
Edit: Just seen he's 21 so a bit older than I was expecting.
Spanish teams tend to keep them playing in cantera (b teams) up to 21-22 unless it's an exceptional talent but 22-23 is when they really should be breaking into first team squad.
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6 hours ago, Scots_Wha_Hae said:
I'm a hopeless optimist (aren't we all). I've been pinning my hopes on the performance schools to solve exactly this problem. Whilst the 10,000 hours thing has been widely debunked, there is no doubt spending significantly more time practicing a thing makes you better at that thing. That it took the administrators the best part of 20 years to work that out is baffling, but we are starting to see the green shoots now I think.
There's been decent attacking moves at various points in the three games.
I think if people are just expecting Scotland in next 5-10 years to become a 60-70% pass merchants they'll be disappointed as it's simply not in the DNA or indeed British fan culture.
Dosen't mean the team can't get better at it (easiest way to do that would be Gilmour to be automatic starter from now on and Turnbull to get some starts) but honestly the biggest thing lost in last 20 years has been resilience. Think back to the 90s, backs to the wall (despite having boderline world class midfielders available) but such a tough team to score against and opponents had to work hard for their goals.
Not so much now, the best defensive performance in last 18 months imo was Belgrade and that had a goal conceded with player unmarked in six yard box. Lucky at Wembley in first 15 minutes aswell with a similar instance.
People going on about Wales but they just spent the first 60 minutes of the Swiss game aimlessly booting the ball in vague direction of Kiefer Moore upfront and were completely outplayed. But they stuck in the game at 1-0 and got something.
Sweden had 20% possesion v Spain but they know how to grind out results and got the 0-0 in the end.
That's what's missing, can only hope with more experience the team can do better in 2024 if qualified.
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2 hours ago, er yir macaroon said:
What formation are you suggesting?
Ideally I'd just go with 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.
Fits most of the key players in their best positons....apart from Tierney. So guess can only be played when he's injured as he's obviously too good to leave out and wouldn't want him being LCB in back 4 as he can't get forward then.
I think that formation would mean more fluid play in final third rather than the hit and miss system in place now.
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6 hours ago, mentalist said:
We've never had a striker that's scored consistently since Kenny Miller. Dykes looks like he could be joining the likes of Rhodes, Fletcher and Griffiths as someone who looked like the answer until they weren't. Although the defence looks better, qualifying for tournaments by scoring as little as we do is a big ask to say the least.
Is it that much of a problem in the qualifiers, 2 v Austria, 4 v faroes etc. Small sample size but 7 goals from first 3 games is o.k given Austria and Israel only scored 5 from first. Israel played Denmark but they've also played Moldova away.
Also stuck 3 past Israel and what was it 4 away to Albania so I think scoring v fellow mid rank teams isn't an issue even if it's not the striker scoring.
Just looking at our Welsh friends...scored the grand total of 11 goals in 10 games when they qualified for euro 2016. However they only conceded 4 goals and somehow kept clean sheets home and away to Belgium. For euro 2020 they only scored 10 goals in 8 games. However again conceded just 6. With Scotland 16 goals in 10 game but conceded 19.
Lack of anything close to 90s defender remains a huge issue.
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6 hours ago, tjm007 said:
We will stick with dinosaur Clarke until we finish 3rd in the WC qualifying group.
Then enter McInnes..
McInnes...chuckle. That's exactly why I simply wouldn't want Clarke sacked at any point in next 6 months. Clearly the players enjoy playing for him and camp is a better place than it's been for a long time and his system isn't too bad, just slow changing things when plan A isn't working.
Perhaps Calum Davidson if he continues on current trajectory can be a contender in 2-3 years time.
In terms of progress I'd say finishing 2nd in a qualifying group would represent it, when was the last time that happened, 2003?
Still very possible as I think Austria will drop a few points with their remaining games.
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In short term.....play Adams as CF with likes of Fraser around him for rest of the qualifiers. I think Christie-Adams-Fraser will be a decent enough and mobile front 3 particularly for the away games.
Gilmour will start every game he's available for now which is good. If not then yes Clarke needs sacking. Turnbull needs to be given a proper chance aswell, surprised he didn't come on last night either once it became dead last 10 minutes.
Think Patterson coming on for last few minutes was just to introduce him to international football so I expect him to start a few of the qualifiers.
Not sure what to do at the back, have to hope a young CB comes through but ultimately Tierney and McTominay will still be needed in backline with the mediocre options.
Keeper also a big concern although Marshall will probably remain for another 18 months as number one.
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Actually thought McGinn was one who stood up in all three games. Got around the pitch like he always does and tried to make things happen, just lacking that composure but he certainly got into many scoring positions.
Probably his tournament summed up Scotland's tournament, competitive in many areas but no killer instinct.
Biggest disappointment? Probably McTominay. First game completely passed him by, was better v England but could've easily cost a goal with error when Mount missed from a few yards and disappointing tonight.
Of course playing at the back but ultimately two headers were scored from crosses so again something you'd want him to nulify.
Most consistant run of performances from Robertson in Scotland shirt aswell as mentioned above.
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3 minutes ago, exile said:
Even so, we didn't do too badly for a 'back door qualification' team. We weren't obviously the whipping boys of the tournament; just one of the fourth seeds, who played to form. North Macedonia scored more, but were eliminated sooner.
Turkey were easily the worst team at this tournament so avoided the wooden spoon at least.
Russia were really bad aswell even if they did win a game.
Those two must've qualified for about 6-7 tournaments between them since 1998.
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4 minutes ago, buckielugger said:
Can he get us any further or better? Did he make the right decisions during this tournament? No and no and no.
I'd have liked him to stand down but he hasn't so we carry on backing him through next qualifiers and keep hoping better players will emerge.
SFA will be happy keeping him in for world cu qualfiers, why would you want them to conduct another managerial search? They'd probably come up with McLeish again!
I think he stays in if team gets to world cup play offs. Only in danger not qualfying for not euros which is only 3 years away so really in that cycle already.
Perhaps by then someone like Calum Davidson can be serious contender as he's on good path winning trophies.
It's disappointing but the players seem happy playing for Clarke given it seems the most solid and content camp for a long long time and the system is o.k if exposed by top level teams so will be thereabouts in the qualifiers imo.
It's a long way from the depths of Levein a decade ago.
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11 minutes ago, Mox said:
I didn't think so, it's a ball in the box and he's had to fling himself at it to even try and connect, similar to the Adams chance in the first few minutes actually. Our inability to break lines and get in behind full backs means our chances are very rarely of a high quality.
Even the O'Donnell chance at Wembley, that's probably the best bit of football we played all tournament and it ends up in our fullback trying to volley it in, it's a difficult chance to score.
As for the dykes one, that's a great example, it comes off McGinns arm and goes through to Dykes, it's not created as a result of clever and incisive passing, it was just a bit of luck.
Our decision making in the final third is atrocious and that comes from really dreadful coaching. See Hendry ridiculous shot versus the Czechs and Dykes shot with his weaker foot from 25 yards against England that ended up in Adams having a Shot. On both occasions, the ball out wide gives us a better chance to score but we think trying speculative efforts are the best option, our in game intelligence is almost non existent in and around the box.
Nisbets goal against the Dutch was the best goal we've scored in years, everyone making right decisions along the way leading to a tap in and it comes in a meaningless game.
I don't know, there's been decent passages of play in final third imo this tournament. First game, nice throughball for Robbo to run into, he hits terrific cross, Dykes makes excellent run ahead of the defender but he can't quite get his foot across the ball enough to guide it in.
Then Christie goes central and hits in perfect pass to Robertson charging in, exactly same as what Modric had (indeed easier as Robertson only had the keeper to beat).
It hasn't all been hit and hope up to Dykes/Adams, there's been decent interchanges in final third in all three games.
To me it's just not enough belief from these players once in the final third. McGinn actually had a good chance in first half from another decent move but for some reason instead of shooting guides a header just across the box and Adams has to peform gymnastics just to keep the ball in.
The goal was pretty well worked if that's any consolation, probably Dyke's best hold up play in the tournament.
I'm more concerned by the backline, gives away too many cheap goals at crucial spells in games and while you can get away with that in qualifiers on occasions can't do it in major tournaments as you're not getting through.
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Thought Souness was great on the ITV coverage, summed it up perfectly.
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Still think defence is an issue tbh.
Didn't fancy Cooper after first game and despite having him, McTom and Hanley all being well over 6ft simply didn't deal well with crosses in the tournament. Of the 5 goals conceded 3 were preventable from those situations and got a big let off with the Stones header aswell.
Tierney and McTominay being in there at least helps with composure but reality is it's just getting all the top tier players in the team in one go so will be exposed at times v top quality as tonight showed.
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1 minute ago, Mox said:
This 'creating chances' thing is a complete red herring as well, we hardly created any good quality chances over three games, odd one here and there but our inability to create proper chances is there for everyone to see.
Really? You wouldn't say the McGinn chance was good quality? Fantastic cross and instead of diving header or guiding it in with his left he tries to just bundle it in.
Was huge as Modric scored 5 minutes later.
In the first game had some good chances in first half and then Dykes missed a sitter in second when there was still 25 minutes left. The O'Donnell shot save at Wembley came from a decent move aswell.
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Just now, Mox said:
That's a fair point, but Wales and Austria don't miss out the midfield like we do. They also press, Austria were great at that against the Ukraine, totally on the front foot, we sit in our own half, watching players pass it about in front of us and then launching it upto a guy who is frankly not a very good footballer.
I thought the pressing and composure in midfield was fine v England so they can do it against allegedly top tier teams.
Croatia have got proper world class midfielders so they were always going to win the possesion duel but you can beat them in other ways, I mean they weren't convincing at all dealing with crosses tonight were they?
Just got to play midfield three of McTominay-Gilmour-McGinn from now on. But that's the issue, mediocre CB options will mean McTom is needed in back 3 and always the temptation to push McGinn as close to CF as possible given he knows how to get on the end of stuff from half chances even if he couldn't quite find the finish in this tournament.
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Subs should've come on way sooner.
It may not have worked but at least be more proactive, Souness can't understand it on TV at all and guy was top level manager for about 15 years so he can clock it.
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2 minutes ago, dandydunn said:
If we don’t punt the ball from front to back, he won’t need to win headers, so that’s one issue resolved 😂
Most mid range international teams do it in fairness. I mean Wales have Moore upfront who's about 6ft 5 and plays at same level as Dykes.
Austria as we saw in the 2-2 at Hampden had that big guy upfront who scored a fantastic header.
Seems since his excellent performance in Serbia Clarke has it in his head that Dykes is simply undroppable but to me he should go to plan B for world cup qualifiers and Adams goes to CF with mobile players either side of him.
Denmark have two 6ft 4 + CBs so they won't exactly be having sleepless nights thinking how they're doing to be dealing with Lyndon Dykes.
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9 minutes ago, DAVIDB46 said:
Looking at winning in Austria to have any chance of that , we will be taken apart by Denmark though .
Key to me is beating Israel as I think they'll take points off Austria.
Denmark well infront although the unfortunate stuff with Eriksen brings them down a little. Can't see anything in Copenhagen with the crowd they have there so that's one to write off.
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3 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:
Who would you have started? Dykes was an mprovement on what he had,Clarke didn't have much choice.
Adams as main CF with likes of Fraser around him would be o.k I reckon. Or push McGinn right up if needs be once Gimour returns.
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5 minutes ago, dandydunn said:
Drop him completely amd play Adams up top. He looks like he has a lot more awareness of how football should be played.
Been happy with Adams performance in this tournament. I know he didn't score and fluffed the big one v England but he's reasonably mobile, knows how to drop off the forward line and link with midfield and while he won't win many headers compared to Dykes he can hold it up and link with wide players in different ways, he's a starting striker for mid table pre team after all.
I think he'll score a few in the world cup group so will hopefully go into the next tournament with more confidence as main man whenever that is.
Signing the anthem already is pretty good also so think he's shown he's in this for the long haul which was my main doubts at him getting parachuted in for the euros.
Your team versus Denmark in WC qualifier
in TA specific
Posted
I thought it was quite an even game at Hampden, both teams could've won that night. Mind you just had a look at the Austria team that night and Sabitzer was unused sub and Aranutovic wasn't involved so along with the big targetman who scored twice they're going to be much better in final third for return game especially if Alaba is pushed more forward (basically their Tierney).