Belgium Match Thread (07/09/2018)

[Stu101]

Just now, aaid said:

It runs a lot deeper than that and it's too easy to just blame "the SFA" for everything.  

Saying the SFA has needed a shake up is true but the reasons why that hasn't taken place are because the SFA board and committees won't allow it to happen.  Who makes up the board and committee?  representatives of clubs and they have the self interest of themselves and their clubs foremost in everything they do.  That comes way before the interests of the national team.  

100% spot on.

[PASTA Mick]

Just now, Third Lanark said:

The only one really out of position was Fraser and he has played there.

Tierney and Robertson were. 

The midfield 4 of McGinn, McDonald, Armstrong and McGregor was different to what any of them will have played in before.

The formation was a shambles. 

[BremnerLorimerGray]

Belgium never out of first gear and cruised it.  

A McGregor has to start on Monday.

Ryan Jack is absolute dross.  McDonald isn't much better.

Nothing gained from seeing Mulgrew, Naismith or Snodgrass playing again.

The McLeish appointment was such a stereotypical SFA dick move that I actually think they actively seek out failure.

I quite fancy Albania to take something on Monday.

[romanticscot]

Robertson will run all day but does he nullify the weapons of Tierney? Your suggestion Malcolm might be the best option - Right back we suffer.  Atleast Forrest wasn't on the park and we did try something different.

[Hertsscot]

16 minutes ago, Lairdyfaeinverclyde said:

Thats the million dollar question or if it's up to the SFA the 10 bob question.

Okay our FA may not be the richest in the world but given the devotion and loyalty of our support given years of failure you'd expect they could do more to get a decent manager.  They just seem to local vision and ambition. 

[Barney Rubble]

On a related subject - what was tonight's attendance?

[dandydunn]

1 minute ago, Barney Rubble said:

On a related subject - what was tonight's attendance?

I’m sure they mentioned 20,000sh

[Lairdyfaeinverclyde]

2 minutes ago, Barney Rubble said:

On a related subject - what was tonight's attendance?

Just over 20k

[Third Lanark]

Let's be honest - anything other than a win v Albania will be a disaster.

[Toepoke]

10 minutes ago, PASTA Mick said:

I'm not sure there was a single positive from tonight.

Probably only that it wasn't a competitive game.

 

[Stu101]

1 minute ago, Third Lanark said:

Let's be honest - anything other than a win v Albania will be a disaster.

I'd take a draw at this stage

[Malcolm]

What are people’s thoughts on putting Tierney on the bench?

[Tartan blood]

We learned that Ryan Fraser must start every game from now on (probably ahead of Forrest)

Souttar didn't look too out of place against World Class opposition. 

McGinn, despite his mistake, gave it his all and on another night we'd be singing his praises. But he missed Brown next to him.

The Tierney/Robertson debate rages on

[romanticscot]

A loss to Albania and it puts this play off spot into jeopardy and maybe already has us looking at another failed opportunity. It we don't get the play off spot then we need to finish in the top 2 to get to the Euro's and then looking at a World Cup campaign as our best bet for anything - if THAT happens then I want to sack McLiesh and get a young foreign manager who has yet to get their big gig - like a Roberto Martinez. 

[romanticscot]

3 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

What are people’s thoughts on putting Tierney on the bench?

I have thought about it, but we can't have one of our best players on the bench, playing one of them out of position when they is not a settled option is in my mind the best option - one of them needs to play right back, although it does compromise his contribution. Can Robertson play right back?

[BremnerLorimerGray]

4 minutes ago, Hertsscot said:

Okay our FA may not be the richest in the world but given the devotion and loyalty of our support given years of failure you'd expect they could do more to get a decent manager.  They just seem to local vision and ambition. 

It was an absolute carve up the managerial appointment.

McRae waited until Regan fucked off, appointed his jakey pal who was skint and desperate for a job, before anyone could say anything about it.  This fucking shambles is all on the bawbags that were running the SFA at the time.  

The TA will accept it and we'll throw away another few years.

[jcs]

Knees jerk reactions all over Scotland by the look of this thread , who on here thought we would get any kind of result against Belgium ?  if your answer was yes  my next ? Is are you nuts , us qualifying for the World Cup was a step to far but all of a sudden your expecting us to give a team who finished 3rd in the competition a game , seriously 😂 that’s why the nations league was designed so countries of a similar standard could compete to get into tournaments, we won’t be playing anybody close to the standard of Belgium , so suggesting we shouldn’t bother to compete in league C is just bolllocks 

[stewarty66]

2 minutes ago, romanticscot said:

A loss to Albania and it puts this play off spot into jeopardy and maybe already has us looking at another failed opportunity. It we don't get the play off spot then we need to finish in the top 2 to get to the Euro's and then looking at a World Cup campaign as our best bet for anything - if THAT happens then I want to sack McLiesh and get a young foreign manager who has yet to get their big gig - like a Roberto Martinez. 

Martinez is lucky. He has a fantastic group of players. 

Everton fans were glad to see the back of him. 

[exile]

McLeish's old % win ratio must be looking distinctly tattered

[Malcolm]

2 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

We learned that Ryan Fraser must start every game from now on (probably ahead of Forrest)

Souttar didn't look too out of place against World Class opposition. 

McGinn, despite his mistake, gave it his all and on another night we'd be singing his praises. But he missed Brown next to him.

The Tierney/Robertson debate rages on

 

Pretty accurate assessment.  Brown is a big miss. Robertson is our best left back and I feel we are trying things to accommodate Tierney.   I’m coming to the conclusion we either have to bench Tierney or find a position where he is better playing out of position than the equivalent in their natural position.  I’m also wanting 4 at the back....  we were destroyed down the left tonight.

[Malcolm]

2 minutes ago, romanticscot said:

I have thought about it, but we can't have one of our best players on the bench, playing one of them out of position when they is not a settled option is in my mind the best option - one of them needs to play right back, although it does compromise his contribution. Can Robertson play right back?

 

Robertson is our best player.... he has to be left black.

[BremnerLorimerGray]

1 minute ago, Malcolm said:

 

Robertson is our best player.... he has to be left black.

Tierney is our best defender.  This is the unfortunate scenario we face.

[TDYER63]

1 hour ago, Jim Beem said:

The mentality of our players really is something. Gordon, McGinn, Jack, Mulgrew basic lack of concentration against a team like Belgium is just dreadful. We really do have a mental strength issue in my opinion. 

I agree. I honestly thought we did ok in the first half, and felt Belgium  knew they were in a game , the goal aside. Second half was like the concentration disappeared.  

I feel no animosity to McLeish from his previous tenure but when mentality and concentration are required I am not convinced  he is the  best person to be in charge. 

I am not negative enough to even compare this to Monday, but the effort that has gone into this game, and the knock on our confidence,  will not help. 

[Barney Rubble]

1 minute ago, jcs said:

Knees jerk reactions all over Scotland by the look of this thread , who on here thought we would get any kind of result against Belgium ?  if your answer was yes  my next ? Is are you nuts , us qualifying for the World Cup was a step to far but all of a sudden your expecting us to give a team who finished 3rd in the competition a game , seriously 😂 that’s why the nations league was designed so countries of a similar standard could compete to get into tournaments, we won’t be playing anybody close to the standard of Belgium , so suggesting we shouldn’t bother to compete in league C is just bolllocks 

Result no, - you are correct  but a performance to give us a basis was the least to be expected.

We got neither in the end.

And let's face it, if your 12-16 year old kid playing for their local school had lost any of those goals tonight..........

[romanticscot]

I think if we play Tierney at right we nullify his contribution going forward at left back he can play at 100% of his potential, but at right back he is 60%, well Robertson might be a better right back than Tierney and that might be a trade off.