Austria v Scotland - match thread

[ceudmilefailte]

1 hour ago, Och Aye said:

Exactly. Win with a bad performance or a good performance. 

What difference does it make. 

Win with a good performance and you are more likely to win other games if you continue putting in good performances, win with a bad one and you are a lot less likely to win further games with the same type of performance.

[Och Aye]

3 hours ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Win with a good performance and you are more likely to win other games if you continue putting in good performances, win with a bad one and you are a lot less likely to win further games with the same type of performance.

We'll be fine. As long as the players don't panic... 

[Texas Pete]

6 minutes ago, Och Aye said:

We'll be fine. As long as the players don't panic... 

I think that’s less likely now the players have been to a tournament. The monkey is off our back so hopefully they can do the business against Israel. 

[romanticscot]

I just looked at the Tartan Scarfs latest email, our record against Israel in the last three years is rank. I said this last time, bit I still say it - we have seen the best of them, but they have never seen the best of us. 

[Och Aye]

Most Scotland fans are delighted where we are imo, if you were to ask.. 

Edited September 9, 2021 by Och Aye

[Texas Pete]

14 minutes ago, romanticscot said:

I just looked at the Tartan Scarfs latest email, our record against Israel in the last three years is rank. I said this last time, bit I still say it - we have seen the best of them, but they have never seen the best of us. 

Aye we’ve only beaten them once in 90 minutes with 3 draws and 2 defeats. They’ve never beaten us at Hampden though and have never really looked like beating us there either although they were unlucky not to get a draw when we beat them 3-2. 

I’m confident we’ll get at least a draw next month but I’m hoping it’s time we do show them our best and give them a right going over for a change. 

[shaggycoo]

8 hours ago, Texas Pete said:

Aye we’ve only beaten them once in 90 minutes with 3 draws and 2 defeats. They’ve never beaten us at Hampden though and have never really looked like beating us there either although they were unlucky not to get a draw when we beat them 3-2. 

I’m confident we’ll get at least a draw next month but I’m hoping it’s time we do show them our best and give them a right going over for a change. 

Strange, my recollection of that game was we spanked them but gave away 2 cheap long range goals. I might add though this memory might be distorted by alcohol! 

[Texas Pete]

1 hour ago, shaggycoo said:

Strange, my recollection of that game was we spanked them but gave away 2 cheap long range goals. I might add though this memory might be distorted by alcohol! 

My comment was based solely on McGregor’s brilliant late save but thinking back they were all over us for the first 15 minutes and took the lead with a good goal. 

I think we controlled the game after that before allowing them back into it in typical fashion to make us all sweat it out for the last 10 minutes.

 

[ceudmilefailte]

1 hour ago, shaggycoo said:

Strange, my recollection of that game was we spanked them but gave away 2 cheap long range goals. I might add though this memory might be distorted by alcohol! 

That is exactly what happened. 

Mcgregor made a save near the end but anything other than a Scotland win would have been robbery 

[Tartan blood]

10 hours ago, romanticscot said:

I just looked at the Tartan Scarfs latest email, our record against Israel in the last three years is rank. I said this last time, bit I still say it - we have seen the best of them, but they have never seen the best of us. 

Very true. Part of that is them doing their homework and exploiting our achilles heel - closing down on the edge of the box. Israel have us sussed. I hope Clarke spends the next month obsessing over every Israel game and finding a way for us to nullify their threat.

I've said it umpteen times, but they are overdue a doing from us. Israel are better than most give them credit for, but so are we.

[Texas Pete]

6 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

Very true. Part of that is them doing their homework and exploiting our achilles heel - closing down on the edge of the box. Israel have us sussed. I hope Clarke spends the next month obsessing over every Israel game and finding a way for us to nullify their threat.

I've said it umpteen times, but they are overdue a doing from us. Israel are better than most give them credit for, but so are we.

I think the best thing Clarke could do is revert to a back 4. The extra man in midfield and Robertson playing in his natural position could make a big difference and it would be something different for Israel to adapt to.

We don’t play until the Saturday and the squad will presumably be together from the Monday so there will be more time than usual to prepare for this game.  

[Tartan blood]

4 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

I think the best thing Clarke could do is revert to a back 4. The extra man in midfield and Robertson playing in his natural position could make a big difference and it would be something different for Israel to adapt to.

We don’t play until the Saturday and the squad will presumably be together from the Monday so there will be more time than usual to prepare for this game.  

You're right. Having Tierney, for example, as a true anchorman to close down anyone in range of goal could be key.

In general, I like the idea of having a consistent formation that the players are used to. However, that is exactly what our opposition will be expecting. We could take them by surprise and change tactics.

[Caledonian Craig]

For me the key is to play to a high tempo. 

Now the problem with that is that Clarke tends to have us play at a slower tempo building from the back. Watch that 3-2 match V Israel and their defence looked far less comfortable dealing with quick breaks at pace. If it means us resorting to long balls at times then lets do it. Israel has a defence that is well-organised and has shown it can deal pretty well with teams building slowly which gives the defence more time to set itself. That is why they are better  at home by some margin than away because teams tend to set out to play conservatively as it is an away fixture. 

I am more concerned at the prospect of us messing up against the minnows of the group - the Faroe Islands or Moldova.

[Texas Pete]

27 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said:

For me the key is to play to a high tempo. 

Now the problem with that is that Clarke tends to have us play at a slower tempo building from the back. Watch that 3-2 match V Israel and their defence looked far less comfortable dealing with quick breaks at pace. If it means us resorting to long balls at times then lets do it. Israel has a defence that is well-organised and has shown it can deal pretty well with teams building slowly which gives the defence more time to set itself. That is why they are better  at home by some margin than away because teams tend to set out to play conservatively as it is an away fixture. 

I am more concerned at the prospect of us messing up against the minnows of the group - the Faroe Islands or Moldova.

Funny thing is we could probably afford to draw with Moldova as long as we beat Israel and the Faroes. We would be relying on other results going our way though (Israel not winning in Austria and Austria not winning in Denmark) so let’s hope it doesn’t happen. Does give us a tiny bit of leeway if we have major Covid issues in November though - if we win both games in October obviously. 

[Toepoke]

36 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said:

I am more concerned at the prospect of us messing up against the minnows of the group - the Faroe Islands or Moldova.

Rightly so given our history there!

If we do manage to beat Israel and the Faroes, a point in Moldova would guarantee us 2nd, as long as Israel don't win in Vienna. Not ideal but it's an insurance policy.

Edit...snap Pete 

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by Toepoke

[Texas Pete]

4 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

Rightly so given our history there!

If we do manage to beat Israel and the Faroes, a point in Moldova would guarantee us 2nd, as long as Israel don't win in Vienna. Not ideal but it's an insurance policy.

Edit...snap Pete 

 

😂 Great minds. 

I don’t think it would guarantee us second though as Austria could still get 19 points if they win the rest of their games although it’s very unlikely they will win in Copenhagen. I think they play there next month so at least that possibility should hopefully be ruled out before the November games. 

[mccaughey85]

1 hour ago, Tartan blood said:

Very true. Part of that is them doing their homework and exploiting our achilles heel - closing down on the edge of the box. Israel have us sussed. I hope Clarke spends the next month obsessing over every Israel game and finding a way for us to nullify their threat.

I've said it umpteen times, but they are overdue a doing from us. Israel are better than most give them credit for, but so are we.

Tbf they did just give austria a doing and they are probably thinking that they should be able to beat us. 

[Texas Pete]

1 minute ago, mccaughey85 said:

Tbf they did just give austria a doing and they are probably thinking that they should be able to beat us. 

They gave Austria a doing at home. Their away form isn’t great. I think the score line was also a bit misleading as apparently Austria had a lot of chances but only scored 2. 

Israel battered us over there a few years ago and we beat them at Hampden a few weeks later. I don’t think they travel particularly well which would explain their world ranking when they appear so difficult to beat at home. They didn’t exactly give us a doing over there in March either.

They will obviously fancy their chances as they have a good record against us but if we approach the game properly we should be able to beat them. 

[ThistleWhistle]

Sit in a flat back 5 and it'll be a long night.  If the wing backs engage further up the pitch and everyone else shuffles along one like we did after 15 minutes vs Austria then hopefully it'll be more comfy.  

The wing back pushing up meant there was still four at the back and that the midfield had a line of 4 so wasn't getting swamped.  The two up top could then occupy the centre halves or drop deep to pester the midfield to stop them just dollying about a bit.  

Call me a revolutionary but it looked a lot like 4-4-2 out of possession to me.  

[Third Lanark]

1 hour ago, Tartan blood said:

Very true. Part of that is them doing their homework and exploiting our achilles heel - closing down on the edge of the box. Israel have us sussed. I hope Clarke spends the next month obsessing over every Israel game and finding a way for us to nullify their threat.

I've said it umpteen times, but they are overdue a doing from us. Israel are better than most give them credit for, but so are we.

100% this. Plus Israel have not yet experienced Gilmour and Patterson. And I think Dykes and Adams could terrorise them at the back.

[ThistleWhistle]

10 minutes ago, Third Lanark said:

100% this. Plus Israel have not yet experienced Gilmour and Patterson. And I think Dykes and Adams could terrorise them at the back.

Personally I think there are three things we need to do:

1) Make Dasa play as a full back defending instead of charging down the line like Cafu unopposed

2) Stop Nacho spraying balls about like Pirlo 

3) Make their front 3 trackback vs our wingbacks rather than them standing flat and inviting pressure.  

If we're passive with our back five playing flat because they're scared on their front 3 then it leaves oceans of space for the midfield 3 to cover.  

If the wing backs get out and make it two banks of four like vs Austria plus one of the top two dropping in to be a pain in the arse for Nacho (plus Gilmour should beat him in a straight footballing battle) we ask them questions rather than constantly other way around as per the last 26 encounters.  It would also mean two of their front three are going to need to track back which gets them further away from our goal and they're not very good at that.  

[weekevie04]

On 9/9/2021 at 4:34 PM, thesaint said:

 

Maybe,but to be honest i couldn't give a rats arse what neutrals think.Their opinion doesn't matter to me.I loved it.End of.

Agreed. 

I was meaning the same like the Greeks didn't care at all what is or others thought of watching them if they won every game 1-0.