Denmark v Scotland - match thread

[Third Lanark]

Just now, vanderark14 said:

Have to agree with this now

We had plenty of experience on that park tonight. 4 of the back 5 play in the EPL, the midfield had one old firm and two EPL players and upfront we had two more EPL players.

Is it just Scotland who have shite EPL players or is it the manager can't get the best out of them? 

That does beg the question. Maybe we should select from leagues below but choose players who give their all and let the opposition know they've been in a game. For Scotland to show no passion is unforgiveable.

Re the coach - I can't think of anyone who could step into Clarke's shoes. Maybe Callum Davidson in a few years.

[Malcolm]

We need strikers playing for psg, chelsea and barca but we dont have any 🤷‍♂️

[DAVIDB46]

Still not quite on the gilmour hype machine I said before he won’t shine in a team going straight back down .

We still cannot beat anyone apart from minnows and usually make hard work of it , until that changes we aren’t going to compete with second level sides.

The gap from third level to second level is a big climb , even if we someone get to the play offs we aren’t going to be competing with second level sides.

 

[Tartan blood]

1 minute ago, noctonjock said:

No shots on or off target first half and no corners . 

 2nd half 5 shots , 2 on target and 5 corners . 

We cant defend so why go defensive . Our better players are offensive so have a go and if we lose at least weve give it a go .

Sick of all this playing not to lose mentality 

You're right. One of our strongest positions is attacking mid and we either play 1, or 1 plus another out of position.

Strachan had his flaws but at least he utilised our best attacking players in a much more positive system.

 We basically played 3 holding midfielders tonight and wondered why we weren't creating much. Play 2 of Gilmour, McGregor and McLean. Not all 3.

[Guest Scot1]

Just now, DAVIDB46 said:

Still not quite on the gilmour hype machine I said before he won’t shine in a team going straight back down .

We still cannot beat anyone apart from minnows and usually make hard work of it , until that changes we aren’t going to compete with second level sides.

The gap from third level to second level is a big climb , even if we someone get to the play offs we aren’t going to be competing with second level sides.

 

Gilmour does have quality and a lot of potential, but he still has a lot to learn, and he needs ,in my opinion to be playing further up the pitch, not in front of the backline. I’d be telling Gilmour to be watching every available piece of footage of Modric. 

[mccaughey85]

2 minutes ago, DAVIDB46 said:

Still not quite on the gilmour hype machine I said before he won’t shine in a team going straight back down .

We still cannot beat anyone apart from minnows and usually make hard work of it , until that changes we aren’t going to compete with second level sides.

The gap from third level to second level is a big climb , even if we someone get to the play offs we aren’t going to be competing with second level sides.

 

Well truth is we aren't good enough for the world cup. Thats been obvious for the last 20 odd years. The 24 team euros is achievable for us these days and world cups are mere fantasy for us. 

[duncan II]

18 minutes ago, Scot1 said:

Yes in the 2nd half when he was more advanced. He is still learning and still needs to improve his decision making, ie when to “hold” onto the ball and not immediately pass it. And he sometimes passes a teammate into “trouble”, he shouldn’t  be passing to a teammate who’s surrounded by the opposition and it’s going to lose the ball.

Disagree entirely. I was watching him, thinking he always plays the correct pass. Our best player by a long way.

[mccaughey85]

8 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

We need strikers playing for psg, chelsea and barca but we dont have any 🤷‍♂️

Even a West ham or crystal palace striker would be an improvement. I was hopeful che adams might fill the striker void but he's not really a goalscorer. Goalscoring strikers are a rare commodity for us. 

[er yir macaroon]

Just now, mccaughey85 said:

Even a West ham or crystal palace striker would be an improvement. I was hopeful che adams might fill the striker void but he's not really a goalscorer. Goalscoring strikers are a rare commodity for us. 

Nisbet is our best striker. 

[mccaughey85]

There seems to be a lack of self belief and confidence in the players, we look so much better when our players trust their ability and look to carry the ball forward and be more attacking. Our players mindset is negative and about trying to play safe all the time. 

[Guest Scot1]

1 minute ago, duncan II said:

Disagree entirely. I was watching him, thinking he always plays the correct pass. Our best player by a long way.

It’s all about opinions, but I’ve watched him for Chelsea, Norwich and Scotland and he has a bad tendency to pass it to a player surrounded by opposition players in bad areas of the pitch, when he sits in front of the backline. He also has a tendency to immediately pass the ball when “holding” onto it, to draw opposition players and then releasing a pass would be the better option. Don’t get me wrong he has quality and a lot of potential, but he’s still got a bit to learn. He’s not the finished article.

[Guest Scot1]

1 minute ago, mccaughey85 said:

There seems to be a lack of self belief and confidence in the players, we look so much better when our players trust their ability and look to carry the ball forward and be more attacking. Our players mindset is negative and about trying to play safe all the time. 

I believe this comes from the manager

[mccaughey85]

2 minutes ago, er yir macaroon said:

Nisbet is our best striker. 

Just shows how poor we are upfront if nisbet is our best striker. 

[DAVIDB46]

26 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

It's classic Scotland for the last decade. When the game or campaign is already over we step up. 

 

 

Yes watch us play well in the 4 dead rubber games in October and November 

[mccaughey85]

2 minutes ago, Scot1 said:

It’s all about opinions, but I’ve watched him for Chelsea, Norwich and Scotland and he has a bad tendency to pass it to a player surrounded by opposition players in bad areas of the pitch, when he sits in front of the backline. He also has a tendency to immediately pass the ball when “holding” onto it, to draw opposition players and then releasing a pass would be the better option. Don’t get me wrong he has quality and a lot of potential, but he’s still got a bit to learn. He’s not the finished article.

I think he plays best when he carries the ball forward and doesn't look for the safe option. He needs to be more confident and attacking. 

[Guest Scot1]

2 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

I think he plays best when he carries the ball forward and doesn't look for the safe option. He needs to be more confident and attacking. 

I think he looks better higher up the pitch, I wouldn’t play him sitting in front of the backline. 

[slasher]

Billy Gilmour has a long Scotland career ahead of him and will make plenty of mistakes along the way. The manager is the one who needs to start getting it right now! 

[Guest Scot1]

6 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

Just shows how poor we are upfront if nisbet is our best striker. 

On form Dykes is our best striker. He’s scored 10 goals and 4 assists in his last 14 games for QPR who are sitting 3rd in the Championship, he’s getting better as a striker, but QPR don’t play hoof ball 

[Guest Scot1]

2 minutes ago, slasher said:

Billy Gilmour has a long Scotland career ahead of him and will make plenty of mistakes along the way. The manager is the one who needs to start getting it right now! 

He needs the right guidance from his managers at his club and international side. 

[Malcolm]

8 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

I think he plays best when he carries the ball forward and doesn't look for the safe option. He needs to be more confident and attacking. 

He needs a Paul lambert/ Stuart McCall beside him… Ryan jack is our closest

[mccaughey85]

2 minutes ago, Scot1 said:

On form Dykes is our best striker. He’s scored 10 goals and 4 assists in his last 14 games for QPR who are sitting 3rd in the Championship, he’s getting better as a striker, but QPR don’t play hoof ball 

He's improving but not sure he's a significant step up from our other strikers. 

[Malcolm]

Mcgregor and McLean were not good enough.   Midfield four of jack, gilmour, Mctominay and Mcginn please

[DAVIDB46]

2 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

Mcgregor and McLean were not good enough.   Midfield four of jack, gilmour, Mctominay and Mcginn please

Mctominay offers little as well

[Auld_Reekie]

I like Clarke and I really want him to succeed but that first half performance is inexcusable. I'm willing to accept the players might not have executed but it's Clarke's job to get these decisions right before the game starts. Robertson out of position and a back three of Cooper, Hanley and McKenna just screams danger. Tierney had a particularly poor first half - that's half our outfield team right there strung along the back, and there's barely a solid ball player among the central three. How exactly are we going to get our midfield into the game with such limited out ball from the back? Absolutely atrocious. Gordon too looked like he had two left feet at times. You can't build a football team with that as your core. Where exactly was the ball going to go when we started from the back? We aimlessly sent it long but didn't have someone up front who could hold the ball up and bring the midfield into the game. We started that player on the bench. The lack of joined up thinking and ambition is utterly infuriating. A Scottish mentality. 

And while some of our games under Clarke have followed a similar pattern, there have been signs of a very good team. Almost all of those games though were when we setup positively and played with intent and pace. I really don't understand what more evidence he needs. Sure, Denmark probably took their foot off the gas in the second half, but there's no doubting we also moved the ball quicker, found more space, created chances, etc. All because we traded a centre-half for a striker and set up to be more attacking. But again, too little, too late. Lessons not learned.

Still behind Clarke 100% but it's becoming harder and harder to tolerate.

On the others: McLean did nothing for me - really missed the aggression from McGinn or the quiet composure of McTominay. Gilmour was poor in first half and must have thought he was back at Norwich already - entire team around him drowning and he's trying desperately to keep his head above water, but came into his own second half when the team around him lifted. Still lot to learn but I've no problem giving him all the game time he needs. McGregor OK, Fraser and Adams average but not given a lot to work with.

On the Gilmour point of letting him have all the game time he needs, I'd be doing the same with Hendry. This campaign is probably fucked so I'd rather see us blood the younger boys now for the next campaign. Patterson is another. 

[ceudmilefailte]

15 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

Well truth is we aren't good enough for the world cup. Thats been obvious for the last 20 odd years. The 24 team euros is achievable for us these days and world cups are mere fantasy for us. 

Getting to the playoffs shouldn't be fantasy but we blew that in the nations league. Even then we should be able to compete and achieve playoff spots via the normal route. Tonight we did nothing.

If we can't qualify for 24 team Euro's I'm giving up.