Denmark v Scotland - match thread

[Mazda]

Gordon's positioning for the opening goal wasn't the best. He actually moved over too much to his left  while the ball was in flight & probably should have been more off the line.

[kumnio]

Similar to Harry Kane’s goal at Hampden, Gordon should have come off his line IMO. 

[RDFH64]

12 hours ago, scotlad said:

That's the real issue, right there. 

Bosnia went to France tonight and drew thanks to a goal from Dzeko.  Norway drew with the Netherlands, with Haaland giving them the lead.  If you've players of that calibre in your team you've always a chance.

We, on the other hand, have a centre forward from QPR who looked tonight like he couldn't trap a bag of cement.

It doesn't matter how many Premiership players you have, if none of them are natural goalscorers you're going to struggle against good sides. Sadly, I don't see much evidence of a Scottish Dzeko, Haaland or Zahravi emerging any time soon.

Derek McInnes or John Hughes or someone of that calibre would be interested but we're not going to attract a top manager, not with the kind of money on offer from the SFA.

In any case, who the manager is is a bit of a red herring. Denmark reached the semi-finals of the Euros this year led by a man whose only major honour to date is the Danish title, which he won nearly a decade ago. The team that beat them in that game were led by a man who achieved fuck all in club football other than getting Middlesbrough relegated. Clearly neither of them are managerial geniuses, but they're competent coaches who are able to take their teams forward because they have top quality players to pick from.

The real question should be why Denmark, a country with only a slightly larger population than Scotland's, is producing top quality players in every position and we're not. We should focus on addressing that rather than just changing coach every couple years and hoping whoever's in post at the time will sort everything out.

The football McInnes would play would make Clarkes team look like Brazil in Mexico 1970, watching his last 4 years at Aberdeen was watching paint dry with glass in your eyes. At least Hughes puts his teams out to play football.

[RDFH64]

3 hours ago, Malcolm said:

It’s genetic… the Danes are big vikings of men whereas we are wee and scrawny…. According to strachan.

And Strachan was wee  & scrawny but he could play, nae so hot at the management side of it tho. 

[Templeton_Peck]

57 minutes ago, kumnio said:

Similar to Harry Kane’s goal at Hampden, Gordon should have come off his line IMO. 

Was my immediate thought when that goal went in. The ball travelled quite far and was scored in 6 yard box. He should be 5 yards out of goal before the cross even comes in. 

[ThistleWhistle]

I'd put Tierney and McKenna higher up the culpable scale than Gordon - they'd used this tactic coming in at the back post all Euro's and had tried it three times vs us already and we never learnt until it was too late.  

[ProudScot]

1 hour ago, kumnio said:

Similar to Harry Kane’s goal at Hampden, Gordon should have come off his line IMO. 

Absolutely. Gordon could see the 6’2 winger out jumping Tierney from miles off and didn’t move. 

[Auld_Reekie]

Picking a specific individual error from that first half completely ignores what an appalling 45 minutes it was from the entire starting XI and the coaching staff. I'm not really bothered about whether Gordon or Tierney were at fault as much as I'm pissed off that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, about us for the entire half. Tempo, aggression, composure - nothing. So far off the pace as to be embarrassing. 

And the reason Im pissed off is I know we can do it. Pre-Euro warmup games against Netherlands and Luxembourg showed we can play a fast press and looked fucking good in spells with the ball at our feet. But as soon as there's something on the line, we shite ourselves.

For me, we should come out the blocks and absolutely run ourselves into the ground for 10 minutes. Dont give the opposition a second, give them a little kick, let them know they are in a game. And hopefully make them think twice. The opposite is happening in games - we look like bairns in front of the opposition and good teams assert themselves because we let them. 

I can handle losing a goal to a team that has earned it. But it's infuriating watching us roll over time and time again. 

[ProudScot]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58422025
 

Tom English saying exactly what all supporters are thinking about Steve Clarke, great read. 

[romanticscot]

6 minutes ago, ProudScot said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58422025
 

Tom English saying exactly what all supporters are thinking about Steve Clarke, great read. 

Well written Op-ed. Why on earth did Clarke get a new contract? We blew the Nations League, just because Clarke led us out to the EUROs doesn't mean he should be rewarded with more years. We have a good squad but we are not getting the best out of them. I was thinking last night, might the new assistant challenge Clarke a bit more? I'm hoping..

[KirkieRobRoy]

A few folks above talking about how much better the Danes are on the ball and the number of class players they have at top clubs despite being a wee country just like us...

 

... yet us oldies remember it wasn't unusual for Scotland to take four off them when they were in our group in the early 70s. At some point after that they restructured their coaching, their domestic game and within ten years they were being praised for their exciting football, hammered us 1-0 at WC 1986 (we'd a good team but it should probably have been more) and won Euro 92 (albeit they originally didnae qualify).

 

A small country can reinvent itself and become good if its game isn't run by time-serving blazers and where two clubs dominate and get everything they want whether it's good for the game or not.

 

In short, Denmark are what we could be if we had belief and commitment in ourselves and a genuine desire to improve.

[thesaint]

4 hours ago, Auld_Reekie said:

Picking a specific individual error from that first half completely ignores what an appalling 45 minutes it was from the entire starting XI and the coaching staff. I'm not really bothered about whether Gordon or Tierney were at fault as much as I'm pissed off that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, about us for the entire half. Tempo, aggression, composure - nothing. So far off the pace as to be embarrassing. 

And the reason Im pissed off is I know we can do it. Pre-Euro warmup games against Netherlands and Luxembourg showed we can play a fast press and looked fucking good in spells with the ball at our feet. But as soon as there's something on the line, we shite ourselves.

For me, we should come out the blocks and absolutely run ourselves into the ground for 10 minutes. Dont give the opposition a second, give them a little kick, let them know they are in a game. And hopefully make them think twice. The opposite is happening in games - we look like bairns in front of the opposition and good teams assert themselves because we let them. 

I can handle losing a goal to a team that has earned it. But it's infuriating watching us roll over time and time again. 

Exactly.We did f..ing nothing at all in that first half,and i really mean  nothing.A total and absolute disgrace for an international team.They just looked like the wee guys at school who couldn't play,and just spent their time running about at the back of the good players,scared in case the ball might actually come to them,and they wouldn't know what to do with it.Shameful.

[gkm_vancouver]

They were talkikng on Radio Scotland about how the squad/management are making too much about squad togertheness meeting up again when they should be bawling and shouting at each other on the pitch when there's a bad pass or tackle.They certainly didn't look together last night more like a bunch of strangers. Hanley was at least having a go and putting himself about a bit - would have liked him to have been shouting at the others in the team also.

They should be playing each game like its a cup final and not like a league game where they might sneak a draw. There's got to be someone out there that can get more out of this squad.

[er yir macaroon]

15 minutes ago, gkm_vancouver said:

They were talkikng on Radio Scotland about how the squad/management are making too much about squad togertheness meeting up again when they should be bawling and shouting at each other on the pitch when there's a bad pass or tackle.They certainly didn't look together last night more like a bunch of strangers. Hanley was at least having a go and putting himself about a bit - would have liked him to have been shouting at the others in the team also.

They should be playing each game like its a cup final and not like a league game where they might sneak a draw. There's got to be someone out there that can get more out of this squad.

It’s all too touchy feely and nice. Some of these players need a rocket. They need to show aggression and self belief. 

[exile]

Not sure what else to add. Anyone can make mistakes and lose a goal (or two) out of nothing, but it is disappointing when there are still too many unforced errors, giving the ball away, and/or failing to do anything creative from set pieces, that at least makes the opposition think and know they've been in a game. Even the most limited team should surely be able to work at keeping possession and having a plan for set pieces including thow-ins and corners.

[ceudmilefailte]

18 minutes ago, gkm_vancouver said:

They were talkikng on Radio Scotland about how the squad/management are making too much about squad togertheness meeting up again when they should be bawling and shouting at each other on the pitch when there's a bad pass or tackle.They certainly didn't look together last night more like a bunch of strangers. Hanley was at least having a go and putting himself about a bit - would have liked him to have been shouting at the others in the team also.

They should be playing each game like its a cup final and not like a league game where they might sneak a draw. There's got to be someone out there that can get more out of this squad.

Agree with you about Hanley. I think he did a lot of good defending and it is a bit unfair to include him as part of a poor defensive performance.

As for the last part, it is pretty obvious that all Clarke does is try and avoid defeat in every game that we aren't long odds on to win. He did it to get us to the Euro's thanks to two wins on penalties.

If we beat Austria he will been seen as a mastermind and all this will be forgotten. Talk about papering over cracks.

[Malcolm]

We lack an out and out captain….   A screamer that shouts at folk.  

[bigfingers]

12 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

We lack an out and out captain….   A screamer that shouts at folk.  

Could do with a leader in the middle of the park, like a Barry Ferguson or Scot brown 

[duncan II]

1 hour ago, Malcolm said:

We lack an out and out captain….   A screamer that shouts at folk.  

That’s exactly what we don’t need. Did the Danes have a screamer? No, they had 11 guys comfortable on the ball, pass and move, pass and move. And with upper body strength to out muscle our wee guys when it ever got to a one-on-one. As someone said earlier, we really need to get away from the hard man, who shouts loudest, who kicks the ball hardest culture that starts in school. Get that to fuck. You can have a desire to win and and be a motivational teammate without screaming in your defensive partners face.

[todd]

On 9/1/2021 at 10:03 PM, weekevie04 said:

Much improved second half, but give yourself a shake if you think that wasn't Denmark allowing us/sitting off us to rest up for the next two games. Still, there were some moments during that last 25-30 mins that can be put down as promising, but in truth, we are a poor team threatening to be average in short spells of a game.

TBH, I think Clarke has had a fair bit of luck as well both in getting us to the Euros by a lottery ; the ref certainly did us a favour tonight, we seemed to get a lot of the decisions.

Our attacking choices are horrible at this level. Lydon Dykes isn't the answer, he's nowhere near good enough to play at this level. Our attacking prose from corners is on par with the likes of Moldova! Absolutely terribly out of depth.

We cannot come back either. If we go, 1-0 against a top team, chances are the game is over, but t 2-0, it is! Even 1-0 down against a minnow, we might well win the game but we'll really struggle and it'll only be 2-1.

Then again, 2-0 isn't a bad result on the scheme of things. Denmark are waltzing this group. So in losses to Denmark we are +2 in GD against the Austrians, but that will count for nothing if we don't get at least a win on Saturday ; and a positive result in Austria.

Just watching the end of the Moldova game, and Austria are leading 1-0 yet still pushing on. You just know when we go there, if we are 2-1 up or so, we'll be hanging on by the skin of our teeth like we were against Israel, Cyprus away, and not attacking at all.

 

Austria must be really shite then if Denmark 'sit off' after going 2-0 up, as they still went on to score another 2 goals after 'sitting off', 'taking their foot off the gas', shifting down a gear' or whatever well worn wanky phrase people feel the need to use whenever we improve our performance during a game!

Edited September 2, 2021 by todd

[mccaughey85]

1 hour ago, todd said:

Austria must be really shite then if Denmark 'sit off' after going 2-0 up, as they still went on to score another 2 goals after 'sitting off', 'taking their foot off the gas', shifting down a gear' or whatever well worn wanky phrase people feel the need to use whenever we improve our performance during a game!

There was definitely positives to take from the second half performance but the first half was really terrible. These two upcoming games are make or break in terms of this group. If we get anything less than 4 points then the fans will really start to question whether Clarke should be the manager. 

 

[ProudScot]

7 hours ago, mccaughey85 said:

There was definitely positives to take from the second half performance but the first half was really terrible. These two upcoming games are make or break in terms of this group. If we get anything less than 4 points then the fans will really start to question whether Clarke should be the manager. 

 

If we don’t win on Saturday it’s curtains for him

[vanderark14]

15 minutes ago, ProudScot said:

If we don’t win on Saturday it’s curtains for him

I think we will win which sets up a huge game next week but sadly I don't think the manager or the players have the balls to grab such an opportunity 

[ProudScot]

20 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

I think we will win which sets up a huge game next week but sadly I don't think the manager or the players have the balls to grab such an opportunity 

The manager has zero charisma to inspire the fans and clearly doesn’t know how to, or is capable of motivating and organising the players at his disposal.

What would Berti Vogts have done with a host of EPL players. 

[Third Lanark]

23 hours ago, Mazda said:

Awful defending for 1st goal

also

Why isn't Ramsay in as RB  , seems an obvious first choice.

 

He's had no experience at this level; let him play for the U21s and see how he gets on.