Chripper

We're playing the same as we did on Saturday. This is going to be 0:3

Yes.

Once you throw an insult you lose the moral high ground. Thank very much.

In fairness, I switched off at 1:2.

Nice timing. Sweden beat us at under 19 level today. Where's this progress?

Knowing us we'll win 4:0 and it'll be all "We're on the march with eck's army..." Oh, it's a lot more than that. It's anger towards the entire system. Who's Mossad?

It was just how I felt at the time. I suppose, but still, I wasn't really inspired by the performance. I said after the match on Saturday that I don't know what to feel about that match, and I suppose I still don't. I suppose it could be a springboard to better results and performances... only time will tell. Personally, I'm keeping my expectations low, as we've fallen into this trap too many times.

I would've been happy if we played well and won. The winning (against a team that resembled a Donkey with one leg) doesn't really fill my tank with confidence. To be honest, how many times have we been low and depressed and then we get one victory and we're all happy again? It's mass hysteria and personally I'm sick and tired of it, as it's letting the powers-that-be away with murder. And it's not just Saturday's match, it's been a steady acumination. I said "has went"? When? Today? I'm here but I'm not here, if you know what I mean. Plus when I write, generally I do it in a stream of consciousness. I only really edit and proof-read when I'm being paid to do so. Why skepticism? I've had bits and bobs published, nothing major.

It's a true thing, I can assure you. I used to be as positive as anyone with regards to Scotland, but the constantly being let down is starting to really piss me off. Everyone has their breaking point... and I literally heard mine.

So, because I have opinions (and am equipping on how to express them) that you don't agree with I may or not be a Troll? Mmh… I don't think I've ever said one thing on this forum that's far-fetched or extreme. But okay, that's your opinion and I respect it.

Having a wee glance at your posting history, it would appear that you have no opinion. You just lay off some line-liners and quips, etc. Well, apart one post of you giving your opinion that a teenager's (Jensen Weir) decision to play for England at youth level over us was more depressing than losing our previous match to Israel... which is... interesting... And you seem to have taken a fair number of nibbles at me (I hadn't noticed) which is quite cute.

Not saying that, at all. Just the way that he said it, like it was a magnificent achievement.

I don't have a clue about football? Says the guy who thinks that we have a "few very good players". I'm going to call Webster's dictionary and let them know that "few" now means "two". Oh? My pre-match prediction? You want me to go back on your history and show how many times that you were correct about a score/result? Oh wait. Are you one of these holier-than-thou people who think they are never wrong? Yes. We beat mighty Albania. France, Spain, et al, are quaking in their boots.

It is all doom and gloom. We have barely any kids coming through, the majority of our clubs don't even have their own dedicated training facilities, their no youth infrastructure at all In place, and I could go on. It is all doom and gloom, I assure you. I take your point, I do. I'm not going to lie, I was livid about the performance on Saturday, so I watched it against last night, just to see if I was harsh on the team. I watched it with a positive attitude, really... but I saw the same exact thing as I did on Tuesday. We won on Saturday because the players gave their all in terms of effort. I'm happy with the win and the 4 goals, but that aside, there was nothing there. We can't keep blaming the manager. The players just aren't good enough. When we are against decent opposition our players panic and we are there for the taking. We have to stop finding false positives whenever we win a game here or there (and I'm as guilty as anyone). Will we win tonight? We probably will, but we must've use that to cloud our judgement.

And that'll make everything better, will it? If we'll be in our 3rd playoff? That'll completely erase the complete neglect and mismanagement of Scottish football for decades? We need to stop being happy with scraps and begin demanding more. Unless people are happy with scraps?

When people talk about replacing McLeish or quibbling over who should be in our starting 11, it's all so short sighted. Win, lose or draw tonight, we'll be where we've been for the past 20/30 years. And as far as the SFA go, I don't think they've ever cared about the quality of the Scotland team, all they care about is raking in money and being incredibly tight-fisted when it comes to the manager and the players and the cultivation of the youth. Our enemy is, always been and will always be the SFA. Their complete mismanagement of the game in Scotland is why we are were we are. It's why the vast majority of our players are just above average. I'm not totally blaming the SFA, though, the clubs have to take their fair share of the blame, particularly Celtic and Rangers. For decades these two clubs have spent millions on foreign players when they could've easily have formed an infrastructure to produce their own stars. And no, I don't view James Forrest or Callum McGregor or... as "stars". They're adequate players who are good enough to win a league that is swarming with clubs who are living hand-to-mouth, but nowhere near good enough to play for football's elite. Sorry. Back to the "important" issue about Scotland manager...

The entire system, root and branch.

I watched the entire 90 minutes last night with fresh eyes and a clear mind. It was a dreadful performance, we could barely string five passes together (apart from the keep-ball session deep into the second half when the Albanians were tired. The players gave a lot of effort, but the quality just isn't there. We were out possessioned and out passed by an awful Albanian team. Is this the managers fault? No.

Nah, it didn't waste my time at all. I'm a writer so it's good practice. OK.

Dribbling is a dying art in the modern game. I'd rather my players be intelligent and go forward when it's wise to do so. You think "aimlessly" is a good thing? Look it up in a dictionary. Are you one of these people who think that players should pump the ball aimlessly into the box, at any opportunity, because the law of averages dictate that there'll be a goal scoring chance? This is the brainless thinking that holds Scottish football back. Keeping the ball intelligently, probing away, making the ball do the work, shifting the opposition till there's a chance to strike? Nah! Just kick it into the box. Yeah, that attitude is worthy of a crying smiley... minus the laughing. Look at Spain, Manchester City, Barcelona, etc. These teams pass the opposition to death, and the dribbling is kept to the bare minimum. There was a stat on Sky a few weeks ago that show that Raheem Stirling's dribbling has went way down from his Liverpool days and yet he's become more lethal as far as assists and scoring. He's attributed his improvement on less dribbling and more passing and moving. In his final season he played 32 EPL matches, with 7 assists and 7 goals. This season he's played 10 EPL matches, 6 goals and 5 assists. Maybe you should actually try understanding the game a little more.

Re: Robertson. In top football, with the best managers and coaches, you are encouraged to pass more and dribble less. In top drawer football you stay economical and you keep to the percentages, and that equates to passing more, keeping it safe and simple and doing the basics. The best players and teams are the ones who dribble less and bomb aimlessly forward. Just look at Ryan Fraser. I don't remember him with Aberdeen, but I bet that you dribbled a helluva lot more than he does now. He rarely dribbles, he keeps it economical and he does the smart thing by playing to the percentages. Because of this he's turning into a top player.

What I want to know is why does everyone want to headbutt Ryan Christie? That's twice in little more than a week.

Nah. Old enough to remember 96 and 98. I'm just at the end of my tether. A win here or there won't repair my shattered optimism. You're right, though. I hope people enjoy the win.

I suppose. As I said, though, not really sure how to take it. It would be nice to win on Tuesday and get some momentum.

Is that reference to me? So, you want to get carried away? You think we're now equipped to win the European Championships because we beat 10 man Albania? Well, Okay, if that's your opinion then that's fine.