mrniaboc

I have my seat in the pub. Two of the three screens are showing Oxford v Tranmere, but I got the other one switched to the right channel. Got my pint in hand. Come on Scotland! Enjoy, everyone.

I like you're general enthusiasm, but you should probably know that a decent fraction of their team are Muslims.

Yes, and here's the Wikipedia page with the match summary and lineups https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_UEFA_European_Under-19_Championship#Final. A couple of interesting names in there like Lee Wallace and Graham Dorrans (who scored). Mark Reynolds and Calum Elliot too. Interestingly Michael McGlinchey went on to play 52 times for New Zealand! Spain had a couple of promising lads by the name of Mata and Pique.

1-0 up against Sweden after 30 mins. Gilmour penalty.

I don't think Chripper is a troll. I think they are just very negative about Scotland.

If you think we should be at the level of France and Spain that may explain why you're so disillusioned by the team.

I'm just saying it's not all doom and gloom. I think we could be a better team for sure, but I also think we're doing better than you think. Really I think we just have different attitudes. You watch a 4-0 win for Scotland and focus on the negatives. That's not bad, it's always good to have someone to keep us grounded. I see a 4-0 win for Scotland and I'm full of hope about a young team.

I think this was perhaps a crucial typo. You mean 'none' right?

Actually, a win tonight and we'll be in only our 3rd playoff of the last 20 years, and in the last 30 years we've been to two world cups and two euros.

Exactly, and the vast majority of the squad is aged 20-27 which is brilliant. Also don't remember the last time our squad looked so attacking (minus the centre forward issue of course). These lads could be a real solid unit going into the Euro qualifiers. Plenty to be optimistic about!

If Germany fall down to pot 2 we will almost certainly draw them

The Lithuania game was also very similar, but a bit more nerve-wracking after their nonsense penalty equaliser. Loved Faddy putting the full stop on both matches too! Perhaps worth noting we have a McLeish team to thank for those moments.

Right? That was the only home match of that campaign I couldn't make it to. When McCulloch banged that screamer in I remember jumping out my seat and standing in the middle my living room just exclaiming at the top of my voice and punching the air in a sate of elation. My neighbours were probably terrified haha. Hopefully I get the chance to terrify some locals in the pub down here tomorrow evening.

I know this sounds obvious but I'd really love to see a strong, convincing win tomorrow night. Rather than a scrappy 1-0 (though I'd take that right now if it was on offer). I really want that feeling back that I last properly felt during the Ukraine match 11 years ago, watching us confidently dominate a team at Hampden to put us in a really strong qualifying position, rather than wilting under the pressure (which of course we did 4 days later). A win tomorrow probably won't feel as exciting as that game did to me, but ironically it will mean much more. In short, 'mon Scotland!

He may have reduced the amount he does it, but I must say in the last Liverpool match against Fulham he was flying down the wing and overlapping a lot, especially with Mane who he seems to have a really good connection with. I'd love to see him build that relationship with Fraser.

Reasonable myth busting, but he still isn't guaranteed a start and Fulham are not really EPL quality at the moment. Since you invoked Fleck's club level and age as arguments against him I thought it was worth comparing to McDonald. I don't really have any strong feelings about Fleck, but if he were to replace McDonald in a squad I wouldn't be miffed in the slightest. The rest of the names you mentioned are a different story.

McDonald is maybe a solid option for someone to bring off the bench if we need more defense in midfield, but I really don't think we should call him up twice for one squad... PS: He's also 30 and doesn't get a start for the worst team in the EPL.

Fingers crossed, and if we do then you know I'll be coming down the road!

Totally, and I've been to my fair few weeknight games, but I just meant in terms of what crowd we will see this Tuesday it will probably be 5-10k fewer people than if the exact same game was happening on Saturday.

If this is true then it's very sad indeed. No matter what you think of him as a manager there are some things that are more important than football. I hope he's ok either way, and I do think it's unreasonable to brand someone an alcoholic without any concrete proof.

It will be in July 2019. No more specific date set yet I think.

...and it's a Tuesday night in November. Again, if I still lived in Glasgow I'd obviously be there, but having to travel any distance makes weeknight games very hard to attend. I know it's not the SFA's fault.

Hahaha. I really hope that midfield five of Forrest, Christie, McGregor, Fraser, and Armstrong can make themselves the regular beating heart of the team. It's so valuable to have three of them playing week-in week-out together, and here's me a supposed Rangers fan! I do still think there's probably a place for McGinn over one of them if we need a bit more of a battling performance.

Aye! A bit surprised more people aren't talking about it. It was bloody lovely. The awareness to use the dink past the defender and the ability to pull off the volley finish. It was really beautiful to see. The pass out to Fraser to set it up was sublime too.

Dear diary... fuck sake.