What shall we do for these remaining games

[ceudmilefailte]

5 hours ago, scot scotland scottish said:

I'm not really interested in how players play when they're with other teams. McBurnie, as you rightly say was banging in goals in the English Championship, but has woeful in a Scotland shirt. Phillips likewise. Forrest too in all honesty (Nations league games apart).

These guys are letting us down.

Griffiths on the other hand has shown plenty in a Scotland shirt

Think that was a totally different Leigh Griffiths to the one sitting on the bench at Parkhead these days or not even on the bench at times.

It's a shame but I don't think we will see Griffiths any were near the player he was again.

I can see were your coming from with Celtic being better than Scotland in certain areas but if you are not playing are you really match fit?

[scot scotland scottish]

15 hours ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Think that was a totally different Leigh Griffiths to the one sitting on the bench at Parkhead these days or not even on the bench at times.

It's a shame but I don't think we will see Griffiths any were near the player he was again.

I can see were your coming from with Celtic being better than Scotland in certain areas but if you are not playing are you really match fit?

I like to think so (although I'm aware plenty would disagree). You're still turning up for training every day, and playing reserve games - no real reason why you shouldn't be fit enough to play.

I concede (as I don't watch Celtic other than fleetingly on Sportscene) I've not seen much of him this season, so maybe he's not player from a couple of years ago. But surely he must be better than McBurnie / Phillips...

[AndyDD]

There's two ways to go, really. 

Experiment and call up less utilised, uncapped and/or younger players to see if there are better options out there than the tried and tested who have failed this campaign already. 

Or, stick with a very similar squad to the ones Clarke has called up thus far to continue trying to develop his relationship with them, their understanding of, and comfort with, his style and tactics and work to build momentum going into the game (hopefully games) in March because these four games need to be about building to that (hopefully those) fixtures. 

I'd go with the later. I'd not be against expanding the squad somewhat and getting a few fringe players in so Clarke et al can have a look at them in training with the first team squad proper, but i'd not be making wholesale changes if I can help it. Hand on heart I don't think there are many changes we'd make to what seems to be his squads if we were all being honest, taking injuries and availability  into account. Certainly in the build up to the last two I didn't see many complaints, beyond the odd player here and there and a shared sense of frustration at the lack of options up top, centre backs and right back. 

Tierney is looking like he might be ready to come back into the fold, Griffiths looks like me might again be missing, this time through injury and Mckenna is still injured. Halkett, one I've wanted called up since last season, is now out. Souttar remains out. Our strikers remain, well, not up to much. Would I be against Shankland getting called up? He is untested against even spl teams and there is no way to know for sure yet if he will be able to carry such form into our top league, nevermind international football, but I see no harm in Clarke et al taking a look at him, seeing how he measures up in the training, establish a relationship with him in the hopes that, come March, he has moved up a level (January window in mind). Or with an eye towards post-august fixtures when, worst case scenario, you'd expect him to be playing in spl for Dundee United, if they do as expected and get up this time. If not he'll surely be moving on to another side in that league or even to england. You could put him in at some point against San Marino, because they won't be much different to what he faces week in week out the now. 

Beyond that, i'd not be making too many changes. The under 21s have a big game on Thursday as well, so you could arguably call a few of them (Mikey Johnson, Mcrorie, Fraser Hornby) in after that for the San Marino match on Sunday whilst letting a select few go home. 

Is Bates getting game time yet for sheffield wednesday? Everyone seems to have gone off Liam Cooper now, so who's the next 'how is he no getting a game?' centre half from the english lower leagues that we should be trying? 

Don't all burn me at the stake, but given that a forward who can hold the ball up up for our midfielders to get up the park and attack seems to be the best bet we have, and given that Mcburnie couldn't hold up his fucking hands against Russia , and given that Steven Fletcher seems to have chucked it, and given that Griffiths seems to be injured anyway... is it time Chris Martin came back in? He can at least hold the ball up... 

God it's a depressing state of affairs to be considering that hahaha. Presumably the squad is out this week? Usually the Tuesday in the week before the game, eh? Which is tomorrow. 

[romanticscot]

Anyone know when our squad will be announced? 

[romanticscot]

Regarding Bates - Last he has seen of any first team activity was unused sub on 9/21.  They have a game tomorrow so lets wait and see, likely wont get a call up there is nothing to warrant it unless he plays tomorrow. 

[ErsatzThistle]

6 hours ago, AndyDD said:

Beyond that, i'd not be making too many changes. The under 21s have a big game on Thursday as well, so you could arguably call a few of them (Mikey Johnson, Mcrorie, Fraser Hornby) in after that for the San Marino match on Sunday whilst letting a select few go home. 

I'd like to see that happen 

Start Mikey Johnston against San Marino and bring Billy Gilmour and Fraser Hornby off the bench if the situation allows.

[ErsatzThistle]

2 hours ago, romanticscot said:

Anyone know when our squad will be announced? 

It might be tomorrow.