mcguffin

Yes, I think you are right.

I think you may well be right. I'll admit, I didn't see it coming (I thought, and still think that Gilmour was one of Chelsea's better players in the brief Lampard era). But yes, Chelsea now throwing money at anyone with a 'name' and a glamorous price tag. It's almost like they're going down the 'galacticos' road to buying glory? Of course, the pressure on Thomas Tuchel to now 'succeed' with this team of newly-purchased millionaires will be immense. (Despite me being peeved at what looks like his shoddy treatment of Gilmour over the summer, I don't envy Tuchel's situation.)

This is the most recent article I could find about Billy Gilmour from Friday: https://www.goodisonnews.com/2022/08/25/everton-target-chelsea-midfielder-billy-gilmour-spotted-training-separately/ "...Gilmour was spotted in the [development squad] training alongside Marcos Alonso, Ross Barkley and Baba Rahman, all of whom are likely to leave Stamford Bridge before the end of the transfer window." I don't know much about Rahman, but Alonso, Barkley and Gilmour are top players. Now tossed into the Chelsea remainders bin? Football can be a pretty harsh business can't it? Surely some business is being done behind the scenes and Billy Gilmour will find a team that will appreciate his obvious talents?

Thanks for the info. And good point!

That's a good point. If he does fulfil his potential, to the point that he's once a gain challenging for a place in the squad, then I'd be delighted for him. (I have to say, I've always thought McBurnie looks the type of striker defenders hate to play against: with his ability to win aerial duels, and his deceptively good ball control/ball shielding for someone who looks so gangly and uncoordinated). By the way, does anyone know how Tierney got on today for Arsenal?

Good (but depressing) point!

This is an astonishing contrast (with the >200% in the UK). 4% !!! (Sorry, I duplicated this info on the IndyRef thread, not realising you'd already mentioned it).

good to hear!

Great news! 👍

Yes. And looking at that clip again, the timing and curvature of his run is superb. He gives himself SO much space. And then the finish! Okay, early days at Werder Bremen, but he already looks a different player to Ollie Burke that struggled at the likes of West Brom and Sheffield United. A wee bit of confidence? Better coaches? I don't know, but it augurs well for the future if he can keep it up.

apologies ProudScot, I realise now you were referring to Lewis Morgan with your '...wingers...' comment. Good point. Lovely finish in the Lewis Morgan video though! Nice to see.

Looks to me in those clips that he's playing through the middle (maybe playing as an attacking Ryan-Christie-type midfielder?) Great speed of thought and (to quote the commentator) "clinical finish[es]" for the goals. Would love to see Gauld in next squad. He's got technical skills and vision that only a few of our current players have. A different option from the bench? But maybe that bird has flown?

nicely put! 👍

That does sound like a good move! i don't know much about Brighton. I wonder if he'll get many starting opportunities there? Regardless, it would be better than marking time in the Chelsea reserves (or whatever he is doing at the moment)?

I agree. I like the player and want him to rebuild confidence and play to the best of his ability. Whether that will be good enough for him to get back into Steve Clarke's squad anytime soon, I don't know. (But suspect it won't be easy given that many others are ahead of him now). To be fair to him, he seemed to do okay in his loan spell at Alaves: got games and some encouragement from his manager and team mates. Hopefully the coaching setup at Werder Bremen will be similarly conducive to him and he'll rebuild what his confidence and get more game time in the upcoming season. And if, against the odds, things work out for Ollie Burke, it can only be good for Scotland to have another viable attacking option coming into the picture?

Yes you're right. a pretty small sample and precious few minutes yet in the Bundesliga. Still, I'd be interested to see what the 'dispossessed twice' looked like in practice (maybe he just got crowded out or something? It can happen to strikers? Hopefully not some fundamental 'ball control' flaw or similar?) Anyway, thanks for the stats 👍. Let's see how he gets on in future games. Fingers crossed for the guy.

So if I understand the stats for the previous game (which I guess he entered as a sub?): he touched the ball 12 times and of those 12 times he got tackled twice? It doesn't sound that bad to me to be honest.

Nice finish from Stewart, and from Burke in the previous video you posted! Great to see them making such good starts to their seasons!

He did indeed.

Yep. A 'body-on-the-line' type block that didn't come off. He'll be disappointed with himself. Otherwise, an assured performance by Scott McKenna I thought.

Yes, you may well have a point. Time's maybe running out for him jumping ship in this transfer window unfortunately? So he might have to make the best of it where he is for while yet? On a more positive note, I'm watching Nottingham Forest vs West Ham. McKenna playing on the left of a back three. Moves up wide left when Nottingham are attacking (reminds me a wee bit of the role Tierney plays for Scotland). Looking a class act so far.

Great to hear! I watched a few Bologna games last season and was knocked out by Hickey's two-footedness and his ability to play so well on the left or right. Could he play midfield? Why not? As for McTominay, from a selfish Scottish point of view, he'll be be learning a lot playing against tactically modern teams like Brighton and Brentford. Besides, he'll learn from Ten Hag and from training with the likes of Varane and Ericksen.

👍

3-0 now. My guess is McTominay will be thrown on with 10 minutes to play and 'McFred' will be held responsible?

Tierney on for the last 15 minutes for Arsenal. Looked good and played a couple of nicely weighted passes. Incidentally, he came on to replace Zinchenko, who had played superbly. Will be interesting to see how Arteta accomodates them both now that Tierney is fit again?