Team for portugal

[Third Lanark]

17 hours ago, RobRoy69 said:

Another meaningless game. I'm not bothered about formations..if we can't field 11 players with the balls to go and beat Albania & Israel in the return fixtures then we really are in trouble. We need the ship steadying and prep for those games. Scott Brown should be begged to come bak and  build from there: a few names I'd play Old & New..Scott Brown, Scott Boyd, Stuat Findlay, Callum McGregor,Paul Hanlon, Chris Burke, Jack Hendry, Graeme Shinnie, Scott McKenna, Jamie Brandon, Ross McCrorie, Berra, Gordon, Naismith, Forrest, Darian MacKinnon, Lewis Ferguson

You're taking the piss surely? Scott Brown should be left in peace. His distribution is as bed as the rest.

[Third Lanark]

13 hours ago, Texas Pete said:

Mulgrew is injured and Tierney was always going to pull out after Thursday. Celtic didn’t want him playing the friendly apparently with Celtic’s schedule. Not that I agree they should have a say.

Souttar wouldn’t have started as he will be suspended for Albania but I’d be interested to hear why Snodgrass has withdrawn.

 

But why McTominay? Unless there is good reason this is starting to sound like a player revolt.

[Texas Pete]

59 minutes ago, Third Lanark said:

But why McTominay? Unless there is good reason this is starting to sound like a player revolt.

McTominay hadn’t pulled out when I posted this. 

McTominay has a knee injury apparently and Snodgrass wasn’t even fit for the Israel match. Must have picked up an injury in training over there. 

Today’s match is also a friendly so any little niggle will keep some players out. 

Five players withdrawing (with at least 2 genuinely injured and one being allowed to withdraw due to an agreement with his club) is hardly a player revolt. Or if it is it’s a pish one. 

[Orraloon]

2 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

McTominay hadn’t pulled out when I posted this. 

McTominay has a knee injury apparently and Snodgrass wasn’t even fit for the Israel match. Must have picked up an injury in training over there. 

Today’s match is also a friendly so any little niggle will keep some players out. 

Five players withdrawing (with at least 2 genuinely injured and one being allowed to withdraw due to an agreement with his club) is hardly a player revolt. Or if it is it’s a pish one. 

Our players aren't even very good at revolting. Usless fukers.

[Texas Pete]

22 minutes ago, Orraloon said:

Our players aren't even very good at revolting. Usless fukers.

No but some of their play was revolting on Thursday night. 

I’m here all week. 

[RobRoy69]

2 hours ago, Third Lanark said:

You're taking the piss surely? Scott Brown should be left in peace. His distribution is as bed as the rest.

I don't recall Scott Brown ever being chosen for his passing! at least he has balls unlike most of those who are currently being selected. Brown is also a leader...something again lacking at present...Then again Third Lanark!!!!

[Third Lanark]

1 minute ago, RobRoy69 said:

I don't recall Scott Brown ever being chosen for his passing! at least he has balls unlike most of those who are currently being selected. Brown is also a leader...something again lacking at present...Then again Third Lanark!!!!

My point was that the old get right intae them is now old hat and we are trying - though currently failing - to play a modern game. Eleven Scott Browns would get murdered by everyone nowadays.

[RobRoy69]

1 minute ago, Third Lanark said:

My point was that the old get right intae them is now old hat and we are trying - though currently failing - to play a modern game. Eleven Scott Browns would get murdered by everyone nowadays.

Fortunately I'm well in to my 60's...my game & that of the National Team past, was based on Us having bigger Balls than most! joking aside, I agree Brown way past his sell by, but my point really is about players who can lead, be influential and have balls to do the job.

[Third Lanark]

10 minutes ago, RobRoy69 said:

Fortunately I'm well in to my 60's...my game & that of the National Team past, was based on Us having bigger Balls than most! joking aside, I agree Brown way past his sell by, but my point really is about players who can lead, be influential and have balls to do the job.

Think it should be someone who, unlike Robertson, is captain at their club.

[vanderark14]

Be as well giving the fringe players who won’t get many caps a chance tonight to see if any of them shine.

nothing to lose, we are Pish anyway 

on a side note, I wonder if any of the drop outs would have played if Ronaldo had been playing tonight?🙄

[SWMM82]

For me the players should be going out there to right some of the wrongs from Thursday night and at the very least put in a performance with a bit of heart and pride for the jersey. 

But I fear that might be too much to ask of modern pampered footballers.

[RobRoy69]

1 hour ago, Third Lanark said:

Think it should be someone who, unlike Robertson, is captain at their club.

Aye. Unfotunately options are limited, I seem to recall saying last year, when some were thinking of 2nd spot in World cup qual group, that we'd struggle to finish fourth in that group. Looking at the state of Scottish League, take away the non Scots from the league...it would be little better than Junior standard. The SFA have to invest far more in the development of young Scots but I fear that will not happen. The National side will struggle to be in World Top Fifty. Very pessemistic I know but I don't see many encoraging signs, we get too carried away too easily, We beat fecking Albania and everyone was thinking of the Euro's!!! We aint going anywhere full stop.

[SWMM82]

16 minutes ago, RobRoy69 said:

The SFA have to invest far more in the development of young Scots but I fear that will not happen.

This has been happening though, we are already seeing a difference at age group level with technically better players coming through. This is particularly evident at U17/U18 level. It’s not all doom and gloom, and while am not saying we are going to churn them out like Belgium have recently, we will be a much more competitive national team in the next 5-10 years.

[RobRoy69]

15 minutes ago, SWMM82 said:

This has been happening though, we are already seeing a difference at age group level with technically better players coming through. This is particularly evident at U17/U18 level. It’s not all doom and gloom, and while am not saying we are going to churn them out like Belgium have recently, we will be a much more competitive national team in the next 5-10 years.

We.vw been there before, bit like all the Clubs who say "oh yeah two or three years and..." Dream on

[SWMM82]

3 minutes ago, RobRoy69 said:

We.vw been there before, bit like all the Clubs who say "oh yeah two or three years and..." Dream on

Haha you are indeed very pessimistic, and I don’t blame you in the current climate. 

But, the players we are producing at age group level now, don’t only compete and get results against some of the top nations, we also play possession football against them. And even at 16/17/18 years old some of these boys are getting first team exposure, Cochrane at Hearts is injured at the moment, but Levein has already said he’s the best midfielder at the club.

[fringo]

[ceudmilefailte]

3 minutes ago, fringo said:

Pretty much what I would pick,, with so little to pick from

[Chripper]

8 minutes ago, SWMM82 said:

Haha you are indeed very pessimistic, and I don’t blame you in the current climate. 

But, the players we are producing at age group level now, don’t only compete and get results against some of the top nations, we also play possession football against them. And even at 16/17/18 years old some of these boys are getting first team exposure, Cochrane at Hearts is injured at the moment, but Levein has already said he’s the best midfielder at the club.

I'm guessing you didn't see the under 21's vs Ukraine.

Our players couldn't control the ball. All they did was play the Scottish way, which is booting the ball as far away from their goal as they possibly could. We were lucky to lose 3-1.

Edited October 14, 2018 by Chripper

[fringo]

4-4-2 I assume unless Robertson & Forrest are wing backs ?

[Chripper]

2 minutes ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Pretty much what I would pick,, with so little to pick from

OK.

It looks like:

                         Gordon

O'Donnell   Hendry   McKenna   Robertson

Forrest    McGregor   McGinn    Armstrong

                Naismith     McBurnie

4-4-2? We'll probably lose 0-5

[fringo]

5 minutes ago, Chripper said:

OK.

It looks like:

                         Gordon

O'Donnell   Hendry   McKenna   Robertson

Forrest    McGregor   McGinn    Armstrong

                Naismith     McBurnie

4-4-2? We'll probably lose 0-5

Swap McGregor & Armstrong positionally.

[HighlandScot]

In the circumstances the team more or less picks itself. At least Armstrong is back. But why persist with Naismith?  He is not the future. Ryan Christie is worth a run.

[N4Footsoldier]

In fairness if people are mumping and moaning about the 3 centre backs and 2 wing backs this could be a free hit to rediscover just how to play a proper functioning tried and tested formation and how that will benefit

Could be 4-5-1 with Naismith dropping back a bit or coming in off the left

[SWMM82]

2 minutes ago, Chripper said:

I'm guessing you didn't see the under 21's vs Ukraine.

Our players couldn't control the ball. All they did was play the Scottish way, which is booting the ball as far away from their goal as they possibly could. We were lucky to lose 3-1.

I didn’t no, but it’s the younger age groups I was referring to. From what I’ve seen of the likes of Cadden, Campbell, Mallan etc. I don’t think they are ever going to be full international quality. It’s no coincidence that probably our best player in the u21s is Billy Gilmour at 17 years old. Lewis Ferguson has just turned 19 and starting for Aberdeen. Hornby again is only 18 and could still play at u19 level. Ryan Porteous is arguably our best defender in that squad, and he is still only 19 and starting for Hibs.

Maybe I am overly optimistic, but much better signs in my opinion. 

[Chripper]

1 minute ago, SWMM82 said:

I didn’t no, but it’s the younger age groups I was referring to. From what I’ve seen of the likes of Cadden, Campbell, Mallan etc. I don’t think they are ever going to be full international quality. It’s no coincidence that probably our best player in the u21s is Billy Gilmour at 17 years old. Lewis Ferguson has just turned 19 and starting for Aberdeen. Hornby again is only 18 and could still play at u19 level. Ryan Porteous is arguably our best defender in that squad, and he is still only 19 and starting for Hibs.

Maybe I am overly optimistic, but much better signs in my opinion. 

I don't know.

Personally, I'm sick and tired of optimism and clawing onto a shining light.

I'm an advocate of 3 at the back, but even so, I hope we don't get slaughtered tonight.