Bobby Russell's Lovechild Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Should we look on the bright side of not getting promoted? The WC playoff birth seems too much of a mathematical equations to get a place. Also staying in league b should mean it'll be slightly easier to get a Euro playoff place than getting one in league a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 I think we look at the realistic side.... we are still a long way behind the Czechs in reality. I suspect we will get a draw in the euros then pumped off both England and Croatia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JECK Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 4 minutes ago, Malcolm said: I think we look at the realistic side.... we are still a long way behind the Czechs in reality. I suspect we will get a draw in the euros then pumped off both England and Croatia. I thought we came of age during Serbia game. Sadly the reality is we are going to get embarrassingly skelped at the euros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fringo Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 The great stuff is we are in Euro 2020/2021 after 23 years of wilderness. The bad/realistic news is we are in our level in current group and would get pumped in league above. Definite improvements but if we can't beat either of the last 3 teams then we are still struggling to get to next level. Slightly positive overall though as to the possible things to come under Steve Clarke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningtings Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Yeh agreed, getting promoted would have been a poisoned chalice when we would have little chance of winning any games. I still think there is progress there and the likes of Hornby, Gilmour and McRorie to step up from the u21s in the next couple of years might mean even more improvement as a squad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romanticscot Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 We had two chances to get a win and didn't make either of them, we can see the areas for improvement. We have the EURO's, we got a glimpse of tournament football there which was exciting. Burke was creating problems on the right so we might want to utilize him more. 2020 wasn't all bad for us in football, I am happy to call it a success overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Pete Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Getting a playoff for Euro 2024 won’t be any easier from League B. Being in League A almost guarantees you a playoff. I’m not that disappointed to not get promoted though. We were always going to struggle after the playoff win last week and the last 2 games looked like a training exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Rockefeller Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Possibly a blessing in disguise. We're a long way off being able to compete with Europe's elite in spite of the enormous progress of the last year. Would've been doing well to gain a point from six games in an A Group. This is our level. On another note Serbia beat Russia 5-0 tonight which puts the progress over the last year into perspective. The Russians tore us apart a little over a year ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 we look harder to beat now... although against top opposition we will lose goals. Still not convinced mctomminay is a centre half... always a potential mistake there but he can play a ball. we have nothing up front... if we go a goal behind We are stuffed... never look like scoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 20 minutes ago, Texas Pete said: Getting a playoff for Euro 2024 won’t be any easier from League B. Being in League A almost guarantees you a playoff. Has it even been decided how the next Nations League will feed the Euros play-offs yet? Can't see anything written down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceudmilefailte Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Last 8 games could all have been 0-0 but before that you knew we had to score at least two as clean sheets were impossible. We are a lot harder to beat and over the last couple of games we have created more chances than our opponents despite the final result. We are making progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 41 minutes ago, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said: Should we look on the bright side of not getting promoted? The WC playoff birth seems too much of a mathematical equations to get a place. Also staying in league b should mean it'll be slightly easier to get a Euro playoff place than getting one in league a Sorry but that is just nonsense. Every team in League A will get playoff spot if they need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Pete Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 57 minutes ago, Toepoke said: Has it even been decided how the next Nations League will feed the Euros play-offs yet? Can't see anything written down. I don’t think it’s confirmed yet but I can’t see them tinkering with it too much. I did see something about League D not getting a playoff path due to Germany qualifying automatically as hosts but I can’t remember where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Texas Pete said: I don’t think it’s confirmed yet but I can’t see them tinkering with it too much. I did see something about League D not getting a playoff path due to Germany qualifying automatically as hosts but I can’t remember where. Seen that too. If so there's 20 qualifying slots from the groups plus a further 12 teams going into the play offs. Hopefully we'll avoid such a stinking hard group the next time and actually have a chance at an automatic qualification. Edited November 18, 2020 by Toepoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParisInAKilt Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Very disappointing not to get the 1 win we needed but the reality is we’re an average international team as we’ve proved over the past 18 months, quietly confident though we can take 4 points in the euros with a bit of luck, especially if we can play like we did against Serbia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Pete Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Toepoke said: Seen that too. If so there's 20 qualifying slots from the groups plus a further 12 teams going into the play offs. Hopefully we'll avoid such a stinking hard group the next time and actually have a chance at an automatic qualification. Sadly we’re not good enough for League A at the moment. We’d have been thrown around like an empty tracksuit. Staying in League B isn't the end of the world. We’ve still got an outside chance of pot 2 for the Euro 2024 qualifiers if we win our group next time. The main thing is we have qualified for a tournament and we can start looking forward to that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Russell's Lovechild Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, Orraloon said: Sorry but that is just nonsense. Every team in League A will get playoff spot if they need it. I think at this point, we would have finished bottom of a league a group, so don't think a play off spot would be that guaranteed Edited November 19, 2020 by Bobby Russell's Lovechild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burj_Alba Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Think in the two matches we had more possession, more shots at goal ( not sure about on target though) and subjectively i thought we were the better team, what we didnt have was the creativity around the 18 yard box which is so vital at international level. So I would say caught between the bottom of the top tier and top of the second tier, bit like St Mirren or Fulham. Would have been great to try out at top level but not sure we would have done any more than Iceland or Sweden TBH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanderark14 Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 The euros are 7 months away. Thats mpre than ample time for girffiths or dykes to hit the goal trail. We will hopefully have fraser back to partner dykes if girffiths is still off the boil. Last night was a little bump back to earth to show us there is work to be done. 9 hours ago, Malcolm said: I think we look at the realistic side.... we are still a long way behind the Czechs in reality. I suspect we will get a draw in the euros then pumped off both England and Croatia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killiefaetheferry Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Burj_Alba said: Think in the two matches we had more possession, more shots at goal ( not sure about on target though) and subjectively i thought we were the better team, what we didnt have was the creativity around the 18 yard box which is so vital at international level. So I would say caught between the bottom of the top tier and top of the second tier, bit like St Mirren or Fulham. Would have been great to try out at top level but not sure we would have done any more than Iceland or Sweden TBH. I agree with this. A wee bit of luck and/or a cracking piece of skill has decided the game in all 3 of the matches just played. But at least we have moved to that 'medium' level. We're not leaking goals all over the place and looking unable to string 2 passes together. McTominay has played well but has been culpable in 2 goals against, so still a question mark around central defence. Griffiths/Fraser up front can give us hope, and possibly McTominay more advanced if Clarke can replace him safely. The only 2 real challengers I can see for squad places are Gilmour and Turnbull, but both would need to get significant playing time. Chelsea have strengthened their midfield so that's a tough challenge for Gilmour. Turnbull just needs to break into the Celtic team and keep his place. I'd have either before McLean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, Malcolm said: we have nothing up front... if we go a goal behind We are stuffed... never look like scoring. We had lots of shots on goal and several saves from their goalie. We looked a lot more like scoring last night than a few games ago when we had zero shots on goal. Edited November 19, 2020 by exile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slasher Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 The next few months are an opportunity for one or two to push themselves forward. Gilmour might have to get a loan move but others like Mikey Johnston and Kevin Nisbet could give the manager something to think about. Being Scotland boss has always been about making the best of the limited squads we have had over the last 20 years. At least we look as though we have someone in charge who can do that now 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Pete Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 5 hours ago, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said: I think at this point, we would have finished bottom of a league a group, so don't think a play off spot would be that guaranteed As long as at least 12 of the other 16 League A teams finished in the top 2 of their qualifying group (which is likely) we would have got a Euro 2024 playoff. This is more likely than us winning our League B group next time in my opinion. We were handed our group on a plate this time and couldn't win it. It’s all epidemic now anyway as Del Boy would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 15 minutes ago, Texas Pete said: As long as at least 12 of the other 16 League A teams finished in the top 2 of their qualifying group (which is likely) we would have got a Euro 2024 playoff. This is more likely than us winning our League B group next time in my opinion. We were handed our group on a plate this time and couldn't win it. It’s all epidemic now anyway as Del Boy would say. All depends how the format is decided, but it might be better if we remain in League B next time as well for when it comes to deciding the play-off spots for the 2026 World Cup. I might be getting ahead of myself here though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapofGlencoe Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Ironically the last two games have been better performances, especially Slovakia, than many we've had under Steve Clarke and got a result. That's not a positive, by the way. We've been rank rotten with little threat for most of his tenure. We've made progress from McLish, not denying it but we were at rock bottom. But we should be winning that group from the position we were in with those players. It's not asking too much and another manager would be crucified for it. He's had the saving grace of one of the very few decent performances has been in the big match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.