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Squad changes for Cyprus


csinclair

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13 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

I think Clarke handled it the right way. 

I'm ready to give up on scotland, we've got fans and players treating games like they are meaningless when they are far from being meaningless. We might as well jump on the band wagon.

Aye, I'm not far off that stage either with international football.

Couldn't telly you the last home game I missed, been to dozens of away games but I've never seen such a gutless, uninterested bunch of players.

You look at Wales, Ireland and even NI are envious as fuck.

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14 minutes ago, andyD said:

McArthur is 32 and it's over a year since he retired. When he did play he was generally awful for us.

Snodgrass is 32 and if he was available still it's doubtful he'd play any part in these games. Burke, Forrest and Christie are pretty certain to be ahead of him in the wide berths and he's not going to usurp McGinn in the middle.

McGregor's 37.. We're getting angry at 37 year olds for wanting to pass the torch on? Bizarre. He also seems to have become reckless and more of a liability that a blessing if he were to play for us.

Brown is 34 and is planning to hang his boots up altogether after 1 more full season. He had widely reported injury issues and seems to be managing that better since getting to rest in the international breaks.

Then Ritchie who's only 30, but has barely played for us in 3 years.

These are all old guys who have done their innings and are at a point where they should be being replaced. Of the 5 Brown might still get in the side, but that's more because of management failures to me than anything. We've been ignoring the need for a defensive mid in the team for a long while, and instead just playing the 'best' or highest league playing players like McGregor and McLean. We've lacked any kind of midfield balance and so anyone who's played has looked pretty disastrous and been shuffled out of the side. Unfortunately Clarke seems to also only be picking from this 'reputation' group of players, and not building a side with some balance to it.

McGregor & Brown would walk into the side just now.

McCarthur wasn't 32 when he chucked it, McGregor chucked it twice, Brown chucked it twice, that's what he's getting it.

None of the players can be fucked.

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Just now, Squirrelhumper said:

McGregor & Brown would walk into the side just now.

McCarthur wasn't 32 when he chucked it, McGregor chucked it twice, Brown chucked it twice, that's what he's getting it.

None of the players can be fucked.

If you said "McGregor can't be fucked" i'd agree.. but "None of the players" i'll disagree with.

McArthur's retirement means nothing about the commitment of Stuart Armstrong.

McTominay being stretchered off and then pulling out doesn't mean he can't be fucked.

It's gone a bit hysterical tbh.

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1 minute ago, andyD said:

If you said "McGregor can't be fucked" i'd agree.. but "None of the players" i'll disagree with.

McArthur's retirement means nothing about the commitment of Stuart Armstrong.

McTominay being stretchered off and then pulling out doesn't mean he can't be fucked.

It's gone a bit hysterical tbh.

Looks at the call offs we get every squad and compare to say Wales or NI and then come back and say our players have same commitment.

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16 minutes ago, Squirrelhumper said:

Aye, I'm not far off that stage either with international football.

Couldn't telly you the last home game I missed, been to dozens of away games but I've never seen such a gutless, uninterested bunch of players.

You look at Wales, Ireland and even NI are envious as fuck.

Only game I’ve been to this campaign is San Marino away. Due to getting £55 return flights to Milan and the fact I love Italy. 
 

Im heading through to Glasgow on Saturday to meet some mates and one asked in our chat about watching the game. I didn’t even know we were playing Saturday. If we are in a pub that has game on then fine but If not I can take it or leave it. Certainly not going searching for it.

 

It’s not just me. It’s loads. Lads at my work who have been members for ages just not interested. We used to run a bus to most home games. And filled it especially at weekends. I’ve not had one enquiry asking if we have been running one this campaign, not one, not even for the Saturday game at home.

 

i actually only hang around here for the banter now!

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1 hour ago, PASTA Mick said:

I think it is low because he's not been picked as much as he should have.  

Unused sub against San Marino, Belgium, Costa Rica, Slovakia. Malta and Lithuania recently.

It wasn't that long ago we were using him as a right-back! 

Personally, I think he is our best player and we need to get the best out of him.  

Fair points.

The thing is (and it's the same with McTominay, McGinn, Christie, McGregor, Forrest), we're not getting the best out of him because we're not playing a system that utilises his abilities.

When he's a left winger in a 4-2-3-1 he simply has no change of getting the ball, mostly because of our poor ball retention. When be starts a match as left winger he keeps being dragged back, pretty much making him a left sided midfielder.

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10 minutes ago, Dalgety Bay TA said:

Only game I’ve been to this campaign is San Marino away. Due to getting £55 return flights to Milan and the fact I love Italy. 
 

Im heading through to Glasgow on Saturday to meet some mates and one asked in our chat about watching the game. I didn’t even know we were playing Saturday. If we are in a pub that has game on then fine but If not I can take it or leave it. Certainly not going searching for it.

 

It’s not just me. It’s loads. Lads at my work who have been members for ages just not interested. We used to run a bus to most home games. And filled it especially at weekends. I’ve not had one enquiry asking if we have been running one this campaign, not one, not even for the Saturday game at home.

 

i actually only hang around here for the banter now!

This sums up the feeling of most people I know too.

Nobody can be arsed with it, some even see the international break as a hindrance. 

Steve Clarke must be wishing he stayed at Kilmarnock.

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47 minutes ago, andyD said:

Just talked about the first 5.

Who knows what's going on with Fletch. Not going to blame the player when the manager is just as opaque about it.

Tierney could have been called up if Clarke wanted to. It's fairly obvious he's still recovering tho given his club appearances.

Fraser has been in for the last 10 games. . so.. huh?

Continue to delude yourself if you like

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58 minutes ago, Squirrelhumper said:

Exactly - I'd say the chances of him not being injured are pretty high too.

That is between Robertson and the SFA doctors who probably assessed him this morning. 

Given he is a athlete, and will probably getting some of the best treatment money can buy from Liverpool, just short of two weeks recovery time is not outside the realm of possibility I would say.

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Such a shame that four players of genuine quality - Fraser, McTominay, Robertson and Tierney - won't be available. Obviously, given the choice, I'd much rather we were at full strength for the playoffs, but will we be?

Going into the playoffs on the back of three wins - something we're perfectly capable of doing with a team even approaching full strength - would surely be a huge confidence boost.

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Beyond a joke now. If they won't play for Clarke who will they play for?

Why do England NI or Wales never have anything like the injuries we have? IF genuine, we are the unluckiest country in the world.

We must invoke this 4 day rule thingy or whatever it is.

We have no chance of winning these last 2 games now.

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3 minutes ago, The_Dark_Knight said:

And yet people think we have a chance of beating either Norway or Serbia in the playoffs.

It's... Optimum.. That's the polite way of saying "crazy".

Someone like Josh King could run riot against the kind of defence we're likely to see start on Saturday.

The sad thing is, at full strength our team should be able to compete with the likes of Norway and Serbia; but if we get the same level of withdrawals we have lately, meaning we're left with the bog standard SPFL and English Championship stand-ins, then we've had it.

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Don't know what to think to be honest. Part of me thinks we're just sh*t out of luck with injuries and a incompetent sfa (as usual, mcleish appointment etc). Another part thinks international football may not exist in the future and this is the beginning of the end as we currently know it, or it needs majorly revamped for all concerned. Look how pissed off the managers get down south every year.Don't know for definite but I'd say across the board more and more players use the time to rest an injury or quit way earlier than usual to prolong their club careers. At what point do you say the whole thing needs looked at?

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The point made by my almost namesake, that injuries happen and we should be seeing this as an opportunity to give those who are second choice (or third, or fourth) in some positions the best chance possible to get accustomed to the situation, is a good one, and surely what they are now doing. 

Nonetheless, it's obviously frustrating not to have four first 11 players and having yet again to use a slightly makeshift team or two. Mcginn, Mckenna, Armstrong, Mcgregor, Christie, Forrest, Jack, Fleck and Marshall; these are the guys in the squad that I think are likely to be in or around the starting 11 if fit come March, so we can expect them to feature in some fashion over the two matches. I think the experience of a guy like Naismith, not to mention his attitude and work ethic and commitment, will be of great use to the squad and it might end up seeing him start one or both games. 

I'd be alright with that, frankly. 

Looking at it as it stands, we are strong in midfield, weak defensively and limited up front. So as you were.

I still think there are enough players here to win the two games and, Fraser aside, I think the injuries are genuine ones. Robertson and McTominay I know we can trust come March. We also already know what Fraser can do when he does turn up (and hey, maybe it is an injury with him, too, he only missed the first game I think). 

It's not the end of the world, it isn't ideal and I might take my boots with me just in case but i'm sure it'll be a good trip and I still fancy us to make it three wins on the bounce (albeit against poor opposition). 

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6 minutes ago, scotlad said:

Someone like Josh King could run riot against the kind of defence we're likely to see start on Saturday.

The sad thing is, at full strength our team should be able to compete with the likes of Norway and Serbia; but if we get the same level of withdrawals we have lately, meaning we're left with the bog standard SPFL and English Championship stand-ins, then we've had it.

And if Norway pair King with Haaland it could be 4 or 5.

I don't know. We just seem to always have a manager that simply does not know how to bring the best out of the players. I wouldn't fancy our chances against Norway or Serbia, even with a full strength team.

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4 minutes ago, JECK said:

Don't know what to think to be honest. Part of me thinks we're just sh*t out of luck with injuries and a incompetent sfa (as usual, mcleish appointment etc). Another part thinks international football may not exist in the future and this is the beginning of the end as we currently know it, or it needs majorly revamped for all concerned. Look how pissed off the managers get down south every year.Don't know for definite but I'd say across the board more and more players use the time to rest an injury or quit way earlier than usual to prolong their club careers. At what point do you say the whole thing needs looked at?

Are other nations suffering as bad as we do with injuries/lack of commitment and players retiring?

Look at England, their players want to be there, they've even had the balls to tell one of their best players to fuck off home after an altercation with a team mate. NI, ROI and Wales all seem to have players willing to run through walls for their country but we don't.

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with whats left we don;t have much choice

---------------------MArshall-------------------

O'dOnnell --Mckenna---Devlin----Taylor

--------------MCginn----Jack or MCgregor--------------

Forrest---------Armstrong----------Christie

---------Naismith or Burke----------

I went with Mckenna and Devlin only because they know each other well, we need some sort of partnership at the back. The back four is even more worrying than ever.

 

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13 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

Are other nations suffering as bad as we do with injuries/lack of commitment and players retiring?

Ask if they could reach next year's pancontinental tournament:

"Yeah definitely, I wouldn't be here otherwise, I would not be wasting my time,"

#garethBale

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56 minutes ago, The_Dark_Knight said:

And yet people think we have a chance of beating either Norway or Serbia in the playoffs.

It's... Optimistic.. That's the polite way of saying "crazy".

We have a slim chance if we were play them at Hampden. Away from home I would say minimal.

Edited by Dalgety Bay TA
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36 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

with whats left we don;t have much choice

---------------------MArshall-------------------

O'dOnnell --Mckenna---Devlin----Taylor

--------------MCginn----Jack or MCgregor--------------

Forrest---------Armstrong----------Christie

---------Naismith or Burke----------

I went with Mckenna and Devlin only because they know each other well, we need some sort of partnership at the back. The back four is even more worrying than ever.

 

If McBurnie makes the flight and does not pull out, I fully expect him to start in Cyprus. I also suspect that Frasers position will be taken up by the returning Burke, and Armstrong may have to make do with a place on the bench.

Think SoD will start at RB and Palmer moved across to LB (Sheff Wed have played him in that position quite a bit this season).

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