Scottish players in action 19/20

[bigfingers]

5 minutes ago, Bino's said:

Surely its just who starts with gilmour and mctominay

They are a class above to anything we have. Well maybe apart from mcginn. 

[Bino's]

13 minutes ago, bigfingers said:

They are a class above to anything we have. Well maybe apart from mcginn. 

It would be mcginn if he was fit

Then Christie and fleck for me to complete the midfield 5

[Tartan Chris]

McGinn won't be ready.

Still can't see McGregor getting dropped. Of course you could still play all three but would like Fleck aswell.

[bigfingers]

7 minutes ago, Tartan Chris said:

McGinn won't be ready.

Still can't see McGregor getting dropped. Of course you could still play all three but would like Fleck aswell.

Massive decisions for clarke to deal with. Least the rest of the team kind of picks itself. 

[Tartan Chris]

32 minutes ago, ceudmilefailte said:

And people are happy with us finishing in 3rd place in our groups "because that's what we are seeded to do"

There's a good group forming. I still think the attacking options aren't that bad if they're all fit and focused. Obviously CB and RB are big issues.

Worth noting there weren't really these options around when it all kicked off in Astana a year ago and Belgium of course and Russia have much better all round teams.

Whatever happens in next few weeks think team can have a good crack at 2022 qualification although of course less places available for a world cup.

2024 euros is a must especially with it being in Germany. Hopefully one of those promising young CBs can break through in next year like Gilmour has done.

Important to keep doing well in nations league to keep the seeding up to 3rd as it was pot 4 for a long old while.

Edited March 8, 2020 by Tartan Chris

[Bino's]

49 minutes ago, Tartan Chris said:

McGinn won't be ready.

Still can't see McGregor getting dropped. Of course you could still play all three but would like Fleck aswell.

You're probably right

McGregor will likely be preferred over gilmour regardless of how he plays

[mccaughey85]

In a couple of years time we could be looking at having one of Europes best centre midfields. 

Mctominay gilmour

           Mcginn

Then we have guys like fleck, christie, mcgregor and Armstrong as back up. 

[PASTA Mick]

I'm all for staring a midfield 3 of Gilmour, McTominay and McGregor. What a 3 that could be. 

[ProudScot]

38 minutes ago, PASTA Mick said:

I'm all for staring a midfield 3 of Gilmour, McTominay and McGregor. What a 3 that could be. 

McGinn is miles better than McGregor, surely?

[noctonjock]

So is Fleck

[ProudScot]

3 minutes ago, noctonjock said:

So is Fleck

He absolutely is. Also starring all season for a top 6 (somehow) EPL team. 

3 central midfield starters from the EPL’s top 6 clubs & John McGinn. With Armstrong, McGregor etc as back ups. Not bad. 

[Templeton_Peck]

 Marshall in goal

Cooper and Hanley at centre half

Tierney and Robbo as full backs

Midfield 3 of Gilmour, Mctominay and Fleck..

Gilmour at the base dictating with mctominay and fleck the midfield press.

2 from Mcginn, Christie, Forrest, Fraser, Armstrong. 

Griffiths up front

[dohadeer]

1 hour ago, mccaughey85 said:

In a couple of years time we could be looking at having one of Europes best centre midfields. 

Mctominay gilmour

           Mcginn

Then we have guys like fleck, christie, mcgregor and Armstrong as back up. 

Steady on.

That’s an outrageous statement to make.

[PASTA Mick]

31 minutes ago, ProudScot said:

McGinn is miles better than McGregor, surely?

I'm working on the basis that McGinn won't make it. 

23 minutes ago, noctonjock said:

So is Fleck

He's not. 

[mccaughey85]

3 minutes ago, dohadeer said:

Steady on.

That’s an outrageous statement to make.

Mctominay is only 23 and is probably one of the best centre midfielders in the epl already, hes only going to get better. Gilmour looks special and could become a a world class player. Mcginn will probably move to a top epl side in the next year. In three years time it could POTENTIALLY be one of the best midfields in Europe. I can't think of many countries that would be significantly better. This is all of course theory as Gilmour could end up not being the superstar we are hoping for. A midfield of Gilmour, mctominay, Mcginn assuming Gilmour lives up to the hype is excellent. 

[SkyBlueScot]

Don't understand the negativity around McGregor. He's a really football player. 

Just be glad we've got a great crop of centre midfielders to choose from.

Edited March 8, 2020 by SkyBlueScot
Spelling

[ProudScot]

7 minutes ago, PASTA Mick said:

I'm working on the basis that McGinn won't make it. 

He's not. 

Fair about McGinn. 

I think the difference between Fleck and McGregor is akin to that of Robertson and Tierney.

Fleck has proven himself this season starring at the top end of the EPL table and is a contender for the team of the season. 

McGregor is good but is good at a non comparable level to Fleck. 

Robertson has proven himself on a different spectrum yes, Tierney is good but for one has barely played and secondly doesn’t seem too concerned about playing for Scotland either.  

[PASTA Mick]

9 minutes ago, ProudScot said:

Fair about McGinn. 

I think the difference between Fleck and McGregor is akin to that of Robertson and Tierney.

Fleck has proven himself this season starring at the top end of the EPL table and is a contender for the team of the season. 

McGregor is good but is good at a non comparable level to Fleck. 

Robertson has proven himself on a different spectrum yes, Tierney is good but for one has barely played and secondly doesn’t seem too concerned about playing for Scotland either.  

Fleck is having a great season but let's see how he gets on when Sheff Utd do lose the momentum they've had for a couple of seasons. McGregor has been excellent for Celtic for years and every manager that's managed him plays him every minute they can. He's so underrated on here but he is a terrific player. 

[dohadeer]

23 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

Mctominay is only 23 and is probably one of the best centre midfielders in the epl already, hes only going to get better. Gilmour looks special and could become a a world class player. Mcginn will probably move to a top epl side in the next year. In three years time it could POTENTIALLY be one of the best midfields in Europe. I can't think of many countries that would be significantly better. This is all of course theory as Gilmour could end up not being the superstar we are hoping for. A midfield of Gilmour, mctominay, Mcginn assuming Gilmour lives up to the hype is excellent. 

From a Scotland point of view, it’s a lovely ideal scenario to imagine, but the chances of three specific players all making it to the top of the game, are really slim.

England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will all have 20 players or more of the same potential, so the chances of at least three of them making it to the top are extremely high. That’s the main reason why in a couple of years England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will STILL have some of the best midfields in Europe. A few other countries may also have great midfields, but the chances of us being one of them are pretty small unfortunately. 

[mccaughey85]

32 minutes ago, dohadeer said:

From a Scotland point of view, it’s a lovely ideal scenario to imagine, but the chances of three specific players all making it to the top of the game, are really slim.

England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will all have 20 players or more of the same potential, so the chances of at least three of them making it to the top are extremely high. That’s the main reason why in a couple of years England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will STILL have some of the best midfields in Europe. A few other countries may also have great midfields, but the chances of us being one of them are pretty small unfortunately. 

Mctominay is already one of the best midfielders in the epl and he's only 23, Gilmour looks like he could be the same maybe even better. If Mcginn keeps improving then he will be playing for a top 6 side. Doesn't matter if bigger countries have 20 or more with the same potential. Most countries will play 3 central midfielders and its irrelevant if they have another 4 or 5 top midfielders. A future midfield of mctominay, Gilmour and Mcginn would measure up to most European countries(assuming Gilmour becomes something special). Also Mcginn and mctominay are no longer potential. 

[Tartan Chris]

51 minutes ago, dohadeer said:

From a Scotland point of view, it’s a lovely ideal scenario to imagine, but the chances of three specific players all making it to the top of the game, are really slim.

England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will all have 20 players or more of the same potential, so the chances of at least three of them making it to the top are extremely high. That’s the main reason why in a couple of years England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will STILL have some of the best midfields in Europe. A few other countries may also have great midfields, but the chances of us being one of them are pretty small unfortunately. 

Most important thing is surely as many players as possible playing at good standards in premier league (which may be overrated league but is still one of the highest quality in world football). This will also mean more players in squad get exposure to european football (Fleck and McBurnie could well be in europa league next season) so should mean the step up to international football isn't that tough.

Seems the narrative still with Wales is people think Bale and Ramsey on their own lead them to tournaments but the truth is they've built up a pretty decent midfield that can just about cope if one of those is unavailable.

Ramsey actually only played in their final two euro qualfiers (scored twice in the Hungary win) while Bale has become bit part player at Real Madrid and only scored two in the qualifiers.

Others have stepped up in their absence. Daniel James, Harry Wilson and when he's fit David Brooks are all premier league regulars and Ethan Ampadu started a CL game for Leipzig the other week v Spurs. Ironically Joe Allen's club career has nosedived last few years at Stoke yet he's still very important to their structure, big miss for them in the euros with the injury he recieved.

Most of Wales CBs and central strikers play in the championship aswell.

[Rohan]

How good is our midfield? Probably deserves a thread of its own to be fair.

McTominay is outstanding, McGinn has been great for Villa, Gilmour was absolutely class against Liverpool and Everton, then we have John Fleck who has been a late bloomer of sorts but again has been outstanding. McGregor, Christie and Armstrong have been solid enough as has Fraser and Forrest.

Do we over hype our players or are we not giving them enough credit? Surely tae fuck we can find a winning team in that midfield

[dohadeer]

23 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

Mctominay is already one of the best midfielders in the epl and he's only 23, Gilmour looks like he could be the same maybe even better. If Mcginn keeps improving then he will be playing for a top 6 side. Doesn't matter if bigger countries have 20 or more with the same potential. Most countries will play 3 central midfielders and its irrelevant if they have another 4 or 5 top midfielders. A future midfield of mctominay, Gilmour and Mcginn would measure up to most European countries(assuming Gilmour becomes something special). Also Mcginn and mctominay are no longer potential. 

You’ve got your saltire-vision turned up to the max there. 
 

What I meant was that countries with 20 potentially great midfielders would be almost guaranteed to get the three top-level midfielders required to fill the midfield. Countries with only three would be almost guaranteed to not get all three to fulfill their potential.

Let’s start with McTominay. I’d love to hear/read an unbiased appraisal of his level, but I certainly wouldn’t consider him as one of the best midfielders in the English Premier League. Depends what you mean by ‘one of the best,’ I suppose. One of the best 50, probably. One of the best 5, probably not. 

Gilmour is a (very) promising-looking 18 year old. However, there’s a huge distance between that and being one of the top players I’m the game. A lot still has to go very right for him to reach the top of the game. Plenty of players fulfill their early potential, plenty (more?) don’t. 
Where are you getting the idea that McGinn will play for a top-six side from? Surely that looks the least likely part of your equation? Again, I’d be interested to hear an unbiased opinion of him as a player, but he certainly doesn’t stand out to me in that league as someone who would be in line to make the jump to that level. Grealish at Villa seems to get the kind of praise that may suggest a move to that level could follow, but I haven’t heard that level of praise for McGinn at all.

A lot would have to go very, very right for all three of those players to reach the levels you speak of, within the next few years. It’s statistically very unlikely.

[dohadeer]

11 minutes ago, Tartan Chris said:

Most important thing is surely as many players as possible playing at good standards in premier league (which may be overrated league but is still one of the highest quality in world football). This will also mean more players in squad get exposure to european football (Fleck and McBurnie could well be in europa league next season) so should mean the step up to international football isn't that tough.

Seems the narrative still with Wales is people think Bale and Ramsey on their own lead them to tournaments but the truth is they've built up a pretty decent midfield that can just about cope if one of those is unavailable.

Ramsey actually only played in their final two euro qualfiers (scored twice in the Hungary win) while Bale has become bit part player at Real Madrid and only scored two in the qualifiers.

Others have stepped up in their absence. Daniel James, Harry Wilson and when he's fit David Brooks are all premier league regulars and Ethan Ampadu started a CL game for Leipzig the other week v Spurs. Ironically Joe Allen's club career has nosedived last few years at Stoke yet he's still very important to their structure, big miss for them in the euros with the injury he recieved.

Most of Wales CBs and central strikers play in the championship aswell.

Yeah I agree.

It was the fact that four days after Billy Gilmour had first made his mark as a professional footballer, someone had jumped to the idea of us soon having one of the best midfields in Europe, that I found ludicrous. That sort of talk has no foundation in reality. The person who wrote this is living in a fantasy world.

[PASTA Mick]

I honestly think Gilmour is just the start of some very good players that will come through for us over the next 5 years. There are some cracking young players about to come through.