Slovakia v Scotland

[Malcolm]

We need another target man.  If dykes doesn’t play we are stuffed.  Every other striker mentioned is not a target man.

[McTeeko]

1 hour ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Tierney can definitely play right wing back if needed. 

On what evidence? Today’s performance? He was great today on his natural side, however, in the past, as an attacking threat on the right he’s been shown to be poor. He’s even said himself he has ‘no right foot’ in the build up to one of the October games. 

[Burj_Alba]

Would be much better to qualify as the best / second best of the B groups. Lets assume all four A group winners get through anyway and we get a shit WC draw. No guarantee the B winners with more points will qualify.

[ErsatzThistle]

9 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

Hopefully Clarke sees this and gives burke and Griffiths more chances. Maybe Shankland as well but he hasn't exactly done amazing so far in the spl. 

I wouldn't describe Lyndon Dykes form for Livingston last season as having being "amazing" either. Shankland still has to be considered.

[mccaughey85]

Just now, Malcolm said:

We need another target man.  If dykes doesn’t play we are stuffed.  Every other striker mentioned is not a target man.

We aren't a one dimsional side who need a target man. Yes dykes does target man duties well but he is alot more than that. Griffiths is excellent at hold up play and linking up. We should be looking to try him or burke instead of mcburnie. Burke has great pace which could be utilised instead of concentrating on pumping balls up to dykes or a useless mcburnie. 

[mccaughey85]

Just now, ErsatzThistle said:

I wouldn't describe Lyndon Dykes form for Livingston last season as having being "amazing" either. Shankland still has to be considered.

Dykes has been excellent for Scotland. Shankland should be given a chance here and there but unless he picks up his form for Dundee United then there is not much justification for him playing. 

[ErsatzThistle]

Clarke should call up his old mate Gianfranco Zola to come along to a couple of training sessions and teach these lads how to finish properly. 

We cannot keep wasting so many chances.

Edited November 15, 2020 by ErsatzThistle

[Bino's]

Is that our world cup play off chance gone

Also, mcburnie is worse than George Weahs cousin souness brought on at Southampton

[Bobby Russell's Lovechild]

15 minutes ago, ProudScot said:

McTominay & Gallagher were a huge miss too, as was Dykes obviously 

I honestly didn't think the defence was that bad. 

[ErsatzThistle]

4 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

Dykes has been excellent for Scotland. Shankland should be given a chance here and there but unless he picks up his form for Dundee United then there is not much justification for him playing. 

I wasn't talking about international form though.

Last season Dykes scored respectable number of goals but didn't exactly set the place on fire either.

It's worth noting that Dykes has only scored three goals for QPR, all from the penalty spot. But we know he can step up and do it at international level.

Until Shankland is given a couple of starts we won't know what he's really capable off. He has shown himself in the brief glimpses so far though (against Russia and his cameo tonight for example) that he can hold up the ball better than McBurnie.

We also need to see what Kevin Nisbet can bring next year.

[mccaughey85]

1 minute ago, ErsatzThistle said:

I wasn't talking about international form though.

Last season Dykes scored respectable number of goals but didn't exactly set the place on fire either.

It's worth noting that Dykes has only scored three goals for QPR, all from the penalty spot. But we know he can step up and do it at international level.

Until Shankland is given a couple of starts we won't know what he's really capable off. He has shown himself in the brief glimpses so far though (against Russia and his cameo tonight for example) that he can hold up the ball better than McBurnie.

We also need to see what Kevin Nisbet can bring next year.

Yeh well I think Griffiths and burke are ahead of him but he does deserve some chances to show what he can do. Anything is better than McBurnie 

[Taylor1996]

6 minutes ago, Bino's said:

Is that our world cup play off chance gone

Also, mcburnie is worse than George Weahs cousin souness brought on at Southampton

No. If Israel draw with the Czechs later, we've won the group.

Or, if we beat Israel on Wednesday, we've won the group.

I like McBurnie. He did well today. He's improving.

[Bino's]

2 minutes ago, Taylor1996 said:

No. If Israel draw with the Czechs later, we've won the group.

Or, if we beat Israel on Wednesday, we've won the group.

I like McBurnie. He did well today. He's improving.

Yes but not all group winners get a play off

Only best ones?

We may just have blown it, not sure

[Toepoke]

3 minutes ago, Taylor1996 said:

No. If Israel draw with the Czechs later, we've won the group.

Or, if we beat Israel on Wednesday, we've won the group.

We can still win the group, but the 3 points lost today makes it tougher to get a World Cup playoff.

 

[Bristolhibby]

1 minute ago, Bino's said:

Yes but not all group winners get a play off

Only best ones?

We may just have blown it, not sure

If I understand correctly, it’s the team with the highest Nations League ranking that misses out. If we win the group, we go into pot A. Therefore we will be the best of the rest. (Assuming most NL pot A teams qualify or get to the playoff through their WC qualifying position.

J

[Bino's]

1 minute ago, Bristolhibby said:

If I understand correctly, it’s the team with the highest Nations League ranking that misses out. If we win the group, we go into pot A. Therefore we will be the best of the rest. (Assuming most NL pot A teams qualify or get to the playoff through their WC qualifying position.

J

Would that not be for the next campaign

[Taylor1996]

3 minutes ago, Bino's said:

Yes but not all group winners get a play off

Only best ones?

We may just have blown it, not sure

I don't know. I thought all the winners went through.

2 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

We can still win the group, but the 3 points lost today makes it tougher to get a World Cup playoff.

 

Ah. Then I obviously need to swot up on the rules. 

[Orraloon]

1 minute ago, Bristolhibby said:

If I understand correctly, it’s the team with the highest Nations League ranking that misses out. If we win the group, we go into pot A. Therefore we will be the best of the rest. (Assuming most NL pot A teams qualify or get to the playoff through their WC qualifying position.

J

We are not in League A yet though, even if we win our group. We will be counted as a League B team for the purposes of the WC playoff spots.

[ceudmilefailte]

7 minutes ago, McTeeko said:

On what evidence? Today’s performance? He was great today on his natural side, however, in the past, as an attacking threat on the right he’s been shown to be poor. He’s even said himself he has ‘no right foot’ in the build up to one of the October games. 

Still don't know my right from my left. 

He's great cover for Robertson on the LEFT should it be needed.

Another positive for me was Cooper who I would say can take over from Tierney on the left of the back three, again if needed.

McKenna and Considine are not that great and a fair bit behind McTominay and Gallagher imo.

Having McGinn playing in Jacks position loses half his game and Armstrong is not as good as McGinn in the more forward role.

Palmer still isn't very good but having McTominay behind him and Jack beside is far more solid than Considine and McGinn so we haven't learned very much.

McBurnie is no were near as bad as people think and did ok and should have scored. He had three attempts at goal though which is three more than Dykes had against Serbia. I think a lot of people are missing the point of the strikers in the formation we  play.

It wasn't a bad performance overall though

 

 

[Bristolhibby]

2 minutes ago, Bino's said:

Would that not be for the next campaign

Yes. These NL games we are playing will give us a potential sniff at WC qualification for next year.

Not sure how it will be done. Games at the start of the year. Break for the Euros, more games again after. Won’t be able to play in June like we did last Euro qualifying year as the Euros are on.

J

[Taylor1996]

Also. Loved how Darren Fletcher put the Sky presenter in his place by telling him that the Scotland vs England match won't be a given.

If I were Steve Clarke i'd find a place in the coaching for Darren Fletcher.

[Bristolhibby]

I think what is clear is that most people (myself included) are just as confused as the last time about the impact of the Nations League.

It was a bit easier to get your head round last time. Win your group, go up, go into the playoffs. Each Pot got a breath at Euro 2020 through a playoff (that we just won).

Now I’m a bit confused.

J

[ErsatzThistle]

1 minute ago, Taylor1996 said:

Also. Loved how Darren Fletcher put the Sky presenter in his place by telling him that the Scotland vs England match won't be a given.

If I were Steve Clarke i'd find a place in the coaching for Darren Fletcher.

We have enough coaches.

[Orraloon]

1 minute ago, Bristolhibby said:

I think what is clear is that most people (myself included) are just as confused as the last time about the impact of the Nations League.

It was a bit easier to get your head round last time. Win your group, go up, go into the playoffs. Each Pot got a breath at Euro 2020 through a playoff (that we just won).

Now I’m a bit confused.

J

You are only confused because you haven't read the stuff on the UEFA website which explains it. It's pretty straight forward really. You just need to be bothered enough to read some stuff. 

[losinkiltpins]

6 minutes ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Still don't know my right from my left. 

He's great cover for Robertson on the LEFT should it be needed.

Another positive for me was Cooper who I would say can take over from Tierney on the left of the back three, again if needed.

McKenna and Considine are not that great and a fair bit behind McTominay and Gallagher imo.

Having McGinn playing in Jacks position loses half his game and Armstrong is not as good as McGinn in the more forward role.

Palmer still isn't very good but having McTominay behind him and Jack beside is far more solid than Considine and McGinn so we haven't learned very much.

McBurnie is no were near as bad as people think and did ok and should have scored. He had three attempts at goal though which is three more than Dykes had against Serbia. I think a lot of people are missing the point of the strikers in the formation we  play.

It wasn't a bad performance overall though

 

 

Reasonable summary apart from McBurnie. He's shown very little to nothing in any the games he's played. He isn't even a regular starter for his club.