Our Achilles Heel

[The_Dark_Knight]

At this point, is there any real point in me saying "3 at the back"?

Yeah, well... I'm saying it.

3 at the back.

[0Neils40yarder]

8 hours ago, dohadeer said:

You can't fashion a decent pairing out of our available options. That's the problem. We don't have any centre backs who are of a high enough quality to merit qualifying for a major finals.

 

I find it a bit funny when pundits/fans discuss this as an issue that an international manager can supposedly solve. Either Scottish players of that quality, who play in a certain position exist or they don't. There's not much the international manager can do to mould a player into the required quality when he works with them only 5 times a year, each time for less than a week! All Steve Clarke or any international manager can do is wait/pray for someone Scottish to come along in club football who is of the quality required.

Kieran Tierney is a great player, but he'd presumably be 'square-peg-in-a-round-hole' type useless as an international centre back, particularly if he wasn't getting regular first team football at Arsenal.

The manager could change formation... He could play Tierney as a sweeper behind two of our lumbering centre backs for example. 

 

The manager has a huge part to play... Deciding tactics and formation is every bit as important as the individual players involved 

[vanderark14]

7 hours ago, Brummie Hibs said:

Tierney isn't getting any game time.

Griffiths isn't getting any game time. 

Cooper is pish. 

Souttar is even pishier. 

The play offs are not till march, theres time for griffiths to get game time however it's unlikely with eduard on the go.

Tierney is getting plenty game time.

[Malcolm]

7 hours ago, Tartan Chris said:

Mitrovic would certainly be liking all these wierd CBs combinations in the unlikely event he reads this forum.

Get Serbia and you get a very good striker in the air so you need CBs who can win headers even if they're not great in many other areas. Is Tierney really that good at that?

 

 

mctominay is 6ft4. Surely he can win a few headers?  He man marks mitrovic and tierney sweeps up behind.

[The Black Bra]

Are there spaces in the calender for any friendlies between now and the play-offs? Probably pointless anyway, we’d just get the usual players pulling out. This is where the call-offs hurt you, we could have tried Tierney at centre half last two games. Then again, with Robertson pulling out TIernay would probably have played left back anyway.

On a different note, just seen who could potentially have in a group if we do qualify. Worst case scenario would be:

England

France

Portugal

Scotland

Other options not much better.

[Bobby Russell's Lovechild]

29 minutes ago, The Black Bra said:

Are there spaces in the calender for any friendlies between now and the play-offs?

I've sure there are no international dates between now a March

[runningtings]

I'd stick with Gallagher, McKenna looks a shadow of himself at the moment so am sure Clarke will be monitoring him over the next couple of months to see if his level improves.

Ideally Souttar is back and takes the second berth.

I'd keep Palmer at right back and Robbo at Lb, Tierney is a good back up across the back four.

[mccaughey85]

1 hour ago, runningtings said:

I'd stick with Gallagher, McKenna looks a shadow of himself at the moment so am sure Clarke will be monitoring him over the next couple of months to see if his level improves.

Ideally Souttar is back and takes the second berth.

I'd keep Palmer at right back and Robbo at Lb, Tierney is a good back up across the back four.

McKenna played well last night. 

[mccaughey85]

3 hours ago, vanderark14 said:

The play offs are not till march, theres time for griffiths to get game time however it's unlikely with eduard on the go.

Tierney is getting plenty game time.

Edouard will need rested, can't play every game. Griffith's will get game time if he's fit.

[AlfieMoon]

Thought Gallagher looked much better than McKenna last night. 

Much more comfortable on the ball and had a couple of good switches of play to the left hand side. 

 

[dohadeer]

4 hours ago, 0Neils40yarder said:

The manager could change formation... He could play Tierney as a sweeper behind two of our lumbering centre backs for example. 

 

The manager has a huge part to play... Deciding tactics and formation is every bit as important as the individual players involved 

You can put non-Old Firm SPL defenders and Championship defenders and out-of-position players in any formation you like, but it still doesn't make them of the quality to qualify for a major finals. That's the reality isn't it?

We don't have good enough central defenders. Yes, there are better and worse players, combinations and formations, but there isn't a magic solution of a formation, which Steve Clarke just has to find and unlock, which will suddenly solve the issue.

[Banna84]

Problem we have at centre half is our centre backs are not that comfortable on the ball, this means everyone drops too deep. Jack and McGregor last night had to take the ball off McKenna. This then leads to too many people behind the ball meaning we don’t have enough options in front of the play. 
we really need centre backs with more composure.

[bigfingers]

My line up for play offs:

                 Marshall

Palmer Mckenna Gallacher Robertson

            McTominay   Mcgregor

Christie         McGinn         Forrest

                 Naismith

[Banna84]

I’d go

                       Marshall 

Palmer    Souttar.  Mulgrew.   Robertson.

                          Jack

             Mcginn.       McTomminay.

christie.                                          Fraser.

                             Griffiths.

[Banna84]

Or 

                      Marshall

          Souttar mulgrew. Tierney

Fraser              Jack.                  Robertson.

               Mcginn.      Mcgregor

                        Christie

                        Griffiths.

[runningtings]

Mulgrew is finished. Steve Clarke plays with a back 4.

[Banna84]

5 minutes ago, runningtings said:

Mulgrew is finished. Steve Clarke plays with a back 4.

Agreed he’s not brilliant but we need someone comfortable on the ball for me.
it adds to us being more positive going forward we need start playing on the front foot. 

 

[Guest ElChris04]

13 hours ago, Brummie Hibs said:

Tierney isn't getting any game time.

Griffiths isn't getting any game time. 

Cooper is pish. 

Souttar is even pishier. 

Tierney has missed a few PL games due to fitness. Bar that he’s played and got motm in his last appearance.

Leigh Griffiths played his first game in months for Celtic yesterday in the reserves to Gain fitness and scored twice. 
 

Cooper, been class for Leeds this season and is a real leader in the back, he’s one our best defender I’m afraid and light years ahead that donkey McKenna. When you have Charlie Mulgrew next to you it’s understandable having to carry a crap defence.

Souttar. “Is even pisher” what games have you been watching exactly? He’s our best defender on his day. Still only 22 and if it wasn’t for a derailing leg injury that’s been hampering his career for the whole season he would be playing. He’s absolutely class and light years ahead of any defender we currently have. 
 

If there “pish” what does that make McKenna and Mulgrew and so on? 😂

[bazmidd]

We just need Defenders that can defend first and foremost and Mulgrew has been the worst culprit of not doing the basics right over the last year or so. Gallagher has near enough played himself into the team for the play offs just by looking better and more composed than a very shaky McKenna, although he did improve last night. I would personally go with Tierney and one of McKenna and Gallagher at the Centre half.

                           Marshall

Palmer   Gallagher    Tierney   Robertson

              McTominay   McGregor

Christie               McGinn            Forrest

                           Naismith

[Banna84]

1 minute ago, bazmidd said:

We just need Defenders that can defend first and foremost and Mulgrew has been the worst culprit of not doing the basics right over the last year or so. Gallagher has near enough played himself into the team for the play offs just by looking better and more composed than a very shaky McKenna, although he did improve last night. I would personally go with Tierney and one of McKenna and Gallagher at the Centre half.

                           Marshall

Palmer   Gallagher    Tierney   Robertson

              McTominay   McGregor

Christie               McGinn            Forrest

                           Naismith

Nah totally disagree tbh. We have got good footballers in midfield what’s the point if we can’t find them with a pass. I hate watching us be negative! 
if we play long ball, who’s gonna hold it up, none of our strikers have any stature. 
plus Tierney in a back 4 is a no go, who’s winning headers?

[Orraloon]

15 hours ago, GaryWood34 said:

                   Marshall

paterson souttar tierney robertson

                  Jack McTom
Forrest            McGinn       McLean

                     Naisy

 

with 2 players protecting our centre backs we are fine 

We have just won tp games on the bounce and you want to drop more than half the team? Have you been reading the Craig Levein book of football management?

 

[Orraloon]

6 hours ago, vanderark14 said:

 

Tierney is getting plenty game time.

He is, but just not for us.

He can get tae fuk as far as I'm concerned.

[Texas Pete]

5 hours ago, dohadeer said:

You can put non-Old Firm SPL defenders and Championship defenders and out-of-position players in any formation you like, but it still doesn't make them of the quality to qualify for a major finals. That's the reality isn't it?

We don't have good enough central defenders. Yes, there are better and worse players, combinations and formations, but there isn't a magic solution of a formation, which Steve Clarke just has to find and unlock, which will suddenly solve the issue.

In fairness, Gallagher is probably too good to be playing at Motherwell. His career obviously hasn’t progressed as it might have for obvious reasons. 

Is he good enough for international football? Hard to tell but he’s done OK so far against poor opposition. 

Some of our other central defenders fill me with dread but if they are the best we’ve got we don’t have much choice. 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Texas Pete

[bazmidd]

3 hours ago, Banna84 said:

Nah totally disagree tbh. We have got good footballers in midfield what’s the point if we can’t find them with a pass. I hate watching us be negative! 
if we play long ball, who’s gonna hold it up, none of our strikers have any stature. 
plus Tierney in a back 4 is a no go, who’s winning headers?

If a defender or any player can't make a 5 yard pass from defence into Midfield they shouldn't be playing football. I'm not sure what you are wanting here? You want us to play through Midfield but want our centre halves to spread the passes? Just ask the centre halves to give the ball to the Midfield you don't have to be Beckenbauer to do that! And we certainly don't have a Beckenbauer to call on so let the defence do what they are good at. We literally don't have anyone in defence capable of playing the way you see Man City play on the telly. Apart from maybe Tierney... But you don't want him in there either even though he was excellent there against Holland in a friendly. If he has Gallagher or McKenna beside him they can deal with most things in the air and let Tierney sweep up behind them. Tierney reads the play brilliantly, a great tackler, can bring the ball out from the back and has pace... A defence with pace allows our team to push higher up the pitch which allows our best players to press the play like they prefer to do at their clubs

[stevenmcn]

17 hours ago, Brummie Hibs said:

Tierney isn't getting any game time.

Griffiths isn't getting any game time. 

Cooper is pish. 

Souttar is even pishier. 

How is Tierney not getting game time?He's played at least 75 mins in 4 of Arsenal's last 6 games