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Forwards for November


daviebee

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This'll be interesting when we're left with Adams and Nisbet.

Drop a level and you've got McBurnie, Shankland and Griffiths.  Drop another one and you've got Stewart and Hardie.  If Clarke overlooks any of the former 3 then it pretty much looks like it's game over for their international careers.  After all, if you can't get into a squad v one of the minnows of world fitba when there's no prolific strikers in there then when can you?

I don't see anyone at U21 level either.  Maybe he'll shove McTominay up front as I think he started off as a striker.  Worrying problem when a win will guarantee you a play-off.

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1 minute ago, daviebee said:

This'll be interesting when we're left with Adams and Nisbet.

Drop a level and you've got McBurnie, Shankland and Griffiths.  Drop another one and you've got Stewart and Hardie.  If Clarke overlooks any of the former 3 then it pretty much looks like it's game over for their international careers.  After all, if you can't get into a squad v one of the minnows of world fitba when there's no prolific strikers in there then when can you?

I don't see anyone at U21 level either.  Maybe he'll shove McTominay up front as I think he started off as a striker.  Worrying problem when a win will guarantee you a play-off.

Remember we have 2 games in November. Dykes and Christie will only miss Moldova. I wouldn't be surprised if Clarke calls up no new forwards.

Although, if, for example, Tony Watt scored another 5 goals in the next month he might be called up just to have a look at. But I really don't see it. Adams and Nisbet deserve a chance to prove themselves against Moldova.

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4 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

Remember we have 2 games in November. Dykes and Christie will only miss Moldova. I wouldn't be surprised if Clarke calls up no new forwards.

Although, if, for example, Tony Watt scored another 5 goals in the next month he might be called up just to have a look at. But I really don't see it. Adams and Nisbet deserve a chance to prove themselves against Moldova.

Aye that's true enough - wasn't really thinking that way.  Risky strategy all the same.  A lot of fitba to be played between now and then as well.  I'm just concerned at our alternative options as we basically dinnae have any!

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11 minutes ago, daviebee said:

This'll be interesting when we're left with Adams and Nisbet.

Drop a level and you've got McBurnie, Shankland and Griffiths.  Drop another one and you've got Stewart and Hardie.  If Clarke overlooks any of the former 3 then it pretty much looks like it's game over for their international careers.  After all, if you can't get into a squad v one of the minnows of world fitba when there's no prolific strikers in there then when can you?

I don't see anyone at U21 level either.  Maybe he'll shove McTominay up front as I think he started off as a striker.  Worrying problem when a win will guarantee you a play-off.

Nisbet and/or Adams will play up front against Moldova. That’s why they are in the squad. Fraser can also play as a striker.

God knows what Clarke will do if one or both of Nisbet and Adams don’t make the squad due to injury or Covid etc. I would imagine Shankland would be in ahead of Griffiths or McBurnie. 

I doubt Griffiths will play for Scotland again and he certainly won’t be selected while he’s still under police investigation. 

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55 minutes ago, daviebee said:

Aye that's true enough - wasn't really thinking that way.  Risky strategy all the same.  A lot of fitba to be played between now and then as well.  I'm just concerned at our alternative options as we basically dinnae have any!

There is a lot of football to be played, but, at least lately, Clarke has shown he's not one to call the flavour of the month up in a knee jerk reaction. Which I kind of agree with. We are trying to create a settled squad, so he won't want to affect group dynamics by picking a couple of randoms just because we are short on numbers.

Normally I'd say promote an u19/u21 to the squad for exposure, but I honestly don't know who could justifiably make a claim for inclusion. (Up front, I mean)

 

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1 hour ago, daviebee said:

This'll be interesting when we're left with Adams and Nisbet.

Drop a level and you've got McBurnie, Shankland and Griffiths.  Drop another one and you've got Stewart and Hardie.  If Clarke overlooks any of the former 3 then it pretty much looks like it's game over for their international careers.  After all, if you can't get into a squad v one of the minnows of world fitba when there's no prolific strikers in there then when can you?

I don't see anyone at U21 level either.  Maybe he'll shove McTominay up front as I think he started off as a striker.  Worrying problem when a win will guarantee you a play-off.

He would put mctominay in goal if that was the only way of getting him in the side.

is shankland getting a game for beerschot he has only had 3 games I see.

 

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Why would Clarke call up another striker?? Against Moldova Adams and perhpas Fraser starting with Nisbet on the bench as back-up. For the Denmark match Dykes and Christie will be back. No way will Clarke call up Tony Watt. If he has to call-up a back-up striker it will be Shankland who has proven he can score at international level and has international experience.

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5 hours ago, DAVIDB46 said:

He would put mctominay in goal if that was the only way of getting him in the side.

is shankland getting a game for beerschot he has only had 3 games I see.

 

From what I've read online, Beerschot have been playing well and creating chances but can't finish so keep losing games and the fans are getting frustrated at the manager leaving Shankland on the bench or bringing him on with 10 mins to go.

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16 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Why would Clarke call up another striker?? Against Moldova Adams and perhpas Fraser starting with Nisbet on the bench as back-up. For the Denmark match Dykes and Christie will be back. No way will Clarke call up Tony Watt. If he has to call-up a back-up striker it will be Shankland who has proven he can score at international level and has international experience.

It would mean going into the Moldova game with only 2 centre forwards available, both of whom might start the game. Doesn't leave us with many options if we get an injury/illness issue or if we're needing a goal with 20 minutes left. 

If there was someone knocking on the door then I've no doubt we would call up an extra forward. Unfortunately there's not though so it's a difficult decision for Clarke. 

What's for certain is that we desperately need Adams and Nisbet to be fit for Moldova. 

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59 minutes ago, Dodger said:

It would mean going into the Moldova game with only 2 centre forwards available, both of whom might start the game. Doesn't leave us with many options if we get an injury/illness issue or if we're needing a goal with 20 minutes left. 

If there was someone knocking on the door then I've no doubt we would call up an extra forward. Unfortunately there's not though so it's a difficult decision for Clarke. 

What's for certain is that we desperately need Adams and Nisbet to be fit for Moldova. 

If both of those 2 are fit, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd probably prefer to bring on Turnbull or Fraser if we were really struggling to score a goal. No way is Clarke going to call up any of the names suggested and then chuck them into our most important game.

Possibly if McBurnie or Burke suddenly went on a scoring streak, simply because they are already somewhat integrated. But I'd be shocked if that happened. Neither are even certain starters for Sheffield Utd.

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22 hours ago, daviebee said:

This'll be interesting when we're left with Adams and Nisbet.

Drop a level and you've got McBurnie, Shankland and Griffiths.  Drop another one and you've got Stewart and Hardie.  If Clarke overlooks any of the former 3 then it pretty much looks like it's game over for their international careers.  After all, if you can't get into a squad v one of the minnows of world fitba when there's no prolific strikers in there then when can you?

I don't see anyone at U21 level either.  Maybe he'll shove McTominay up front as I think he started off as a striker.  Worrying problem when a win will guarantee you a play-off.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58897386

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16 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

If both of those 2 are fit, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd probably prefer to bring on Turnbull or Fraser if we were really struggling to score a goal. No way is Clarke going to call up any of the names suggested and then chuck them into our most important game.

Possibly if McBurnie or Burke suddenly went on a scoring streak, simply because they are already somewhat integrated. But I'd be shocked if that happened. Neither are even certain starters for Sheffield Utd.

I think those two belong in this list of players who have at one time or another been used by Clarke: Liam Palmer, David Bates, Andy Considine, Eamonn Brophy, Stuart Findlay and others who I can't think of right now. That list alone just shows you how far we have come in two years. Soon to be joined by Greg Taylor I would guess. 

Ryan Hardie and Ross Stewart ("The Loch Ness Drogba") have been attracting comment; rather than selecting Shankland as cover, I wouldn't mind seeing either of those called into the pool - now is a good time to start integrating any possible future players, now that we have a settled squad.

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7 minutes ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Ross Stewart has scored 10 goals in 13 League one starts 

Ryan Hardie has scored 13 goals in 38 League one starts.

Stewart is also miles better better in the air.

Possible that one or both of them are in the middle of a purple patch but on paper the former is a far better pick.

Regardless of the stats, Hardie is by far and away the more natural finisher of the two, although that doesn’t necessarily make him a better player. 

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2 hours ago, Third Lanark said:

I think those two belong in this list of players who have at one time or another been used by Clarke: Liam Palmer, David Bates, Andy Considine, Eamonn Brophy, Stuart Findlay and others who I can't think of right now. That list alone just shows you how far we have come in two years. Soon to be joined by Greg Taylor I would guess. 

Ryan Hardie and Ross Stewart ("The Loch Ness Drogba") have been attracting comment; rather than selecting Shankland as cover, I wouldn't mind seeing either of those called into the pool - now is a good time to start integrating any possible future players, now that we have a settled squad.

You're right, they are indicative of the previous era. We are quickly moving away from these types of players. The type that are squad fillers and are introduced based on a purple patch of form. There are virtually no extra slots available in our squad at present.

This is exactly why I don't think Hardie or Stewart will be called up. Rhodes couldn't get a cap in league 1 when he scored 45 goals, so I don't think these 2 will either. If they are scoring in the championship next year, then we can take a closer look. But we're not as desperate as some people think.

Saying all that, I would never write anyone off. If Burke can find a team where he is the main man and they build the team around him, I believe he can develop and prosper. Big IF though.

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At the moment Ryan Hardie and Ross Stewart are scoring freely, albeit at quite a poor standard. Tony Watt has made a good start to the season (is he finally fulfilling his potential?). I'd forget about Lawrence Shankland though, at least until he can show that he's capable of scoring regularly at a higher level than the Scottish Championship.

In any case though, I don't think he'll call up another forward just for the Moldova game, not unless there are any injury concerns anyway.

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