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Ireland Saturday


ProudScot

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1 hour ago, ProudScot said:

I would say given Gordon is almost 40 & Marshall is a pretty poor goalkeeper that both the Edinburgh clubs would be keen on him also.

The problem is they probably couldn’t afford him if Rangers sold him as he would command a decent sized fee of a couple of million. 

Hopefully McGregor retires and McCrorie can usurp McLoughlin next season, ideally placing him to take over the gloves from Craig Gordon in a couple of years time for us. 

I think McCrorie has done enough waiting and hoping. 

We thought we had more time with having Marshall to fall back on. But now it's just 40 year old Gordon. I know he is basically Benjamin Button, but he's one injury away from ending his career. McCrorie may be needed sooner than we thought.

Edited by Tartan blood
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1 hour ago, wanderer said:

Clarke just said that Cooper and Clark have left the squad for their weddings, so looks like McCrorie was in to replace Clark and not Marshall

That makes sense, not sure why we had 4 goalies anyway unless Marshall was up front about his plans. Leaving a camp like he did was strange IMO. 

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1 hour ago, wanderer said:

Clarke just said that Cooper and Clark have left the squad for their weddings, so looks like McCrorie was in to replace Clark and not Marshall

Wishing Zander Clark & Liam Cooper many happy returns on their civil Union 

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41 minutes ago, romanticscot said:

That makes sense, not sure why we had 4 goalies anyway unless Marshall was up front about his plans. Leaving a camp like he did was strange IMO. 

Probably included Marshall solely for a more experienced backup for the Ukraine (and potentially Wales) games in case Gordon picked up an injury/was sent off.

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2 hours ago, wanderer said:

Clarke just said that Cooper and Clark have left the squad for their weddings, so looks like McCrorie was in to replace Clark and not Marshall

I guess that simplifies the back 3 conundrum a little. You'd imagine McKenna will keep his spot at LCB, Hanley back in at CCB and (hopefully) Souttar at RCB

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Hopefully Gordon stays injury free, so we are not forced at any stage to play an inexperienced keeper. Ralston deserves to keep his place, though it is great to have Patterson in reserve, and maybe on for the last 20 minutes. I was against a back 3 for Armenia and felt it should have been altered against Ukraine, but against Ireland away I am all for it, and it is what Clarke will pick anyway. My preference would be Hendry, McKenna, Souttar as Hanley is more likely to get tangled up with an Ireland forward and concede a bad free kick or penalty. McTominay will likely be moved to midfield. Up front Stewart is the best goal-scorer, and I would like to see him supported by either Adams or Christie, though less confident this will happen.
But if my assumptions are correct imagine Scotland having 6 aerial players (3 centre backs, Ralston, McTominay, Stewart) to defend and attack set pieces. Ok McTominay is not so great in the air as even if he connects he is not good at directing his headers, but on account of his height alone he is going to cause problems. With that aerial power we minimise the risk of losing to a header by Shane Duffy who is slow and vulnerable on the ground, but a definite threat in the air.
All the noises from the camp are this is a must win match, and on paper we are superior to Ireland. Get in tae them!

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18 hours ago, DAVIDB46 said:

Did they forget they were getting married 

Of course not.

The original fixture list dates were changed just three months ago whereas weddings are planned around six months in advance. Blame the fixture dates change not the players. They set dates that suited them - after the football season and our fixtures [originally} ended. No doubt Clarke was aware of this and explains why he named the extra keeper from the outset and the larger squad. He had no doubt already accepted they would be unavailable for the tail end of the fixtures just as he named Patterson in the knowledge he would most likely not be available for the Ukraine match.

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23 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Of course not.

The original fixture list dates were changed just three months ago whereas weddings are planned around six months in advance. Blame the fixture dates change not the players. They set dates that suited them - after the football season and our fixtures [originally} ended. No doubt Clarke was aware of this and explains why he named the extra keeper from the outset and the larger squad. He had no doubt already accepted they would be unavailable for the tail end of the fixtures just as he named Patterson in the knowledge he would most likely not be available for the Ukraine match.

I'd still advise them to cancel the wedding.

 

But that's just from my personal experience 

Edited by Och Aye
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It is pretty hard to predict what the side will be today. No doubting it will be a 5-4-1 I reckon with Craig Gordon starting in goal. Back five {from right to left} I think will be Ralston, Souttar, Hanley, McKenna and Robertson. The midfield could line-up with McTominay, McGinn, McGregor and Gilmour in there with Che Adams ploughing a lone furrow up front but somehow feel Christie will get the nod ahead of McTominay.

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11 hours ago, HighlandScot said:

Hopefully Gordon stays injury free, so we are not forced at any stage to play an inexperienced keeper. Ralston deserves to keep his place, though it is great to have Patterson in reserve, and maybe on for the last 20 minutes. I was against a back 3 for Armenia and felt it should have been altered against Ukraine, but against Ireland away I am all for it, and it is what Clarke will pick anyway. My preference would be Hendry, McKenna, Souttar as Hanley is more likely to get tangled up with an Ireland forward and concede a bad free kick or penalty. McTominay will likely be moved to midfield. Up front Stewart is the best goal-scorer, and I would like to see him supported by either Adams or Christie, though less confident this will happen.
But if my assumptions are correct imagine Scotland having 6 aerial players (3 centre backs, Ralston, McTominay, Stewart) to defend and attack set pieces. Ok McTominay is not so great in the air as even if he connects he is not good at directing his headers, but on account of his height alone he is going to cause problems. With that aerial power we minimise the risk of losing to a header by Shane Duffy who is slow and vulnerable on the ground, but a definite threat in the air.
All the noises from the camp are this is a must win match, and on paper we are superior to Ireland. Get in tae them!

I think against stronger opposition, you'd be onto something. Since our set pieces have improved dramatically since Austin McPhee came on board, it is great to have that as another weapon in our arsenal.

However, no disrespect to Ireland, we have superior players. There is no need to rely on set pieces and aerial duals. Hanley or McKenna will have Duffy pegged. I think this will be a good game for ball playing midfielders like Gilmour, McGregor, McGinn and Christie.

I like your thinking in general though. 

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27 minutes ago, ProudScot said:

Could totally see Billy Gilmour starting ahead of McTominay in CM tonight

Hope he can get back on track today and reaches the levels he’s already set. Too many folk like to write younger  players when it’s just a bump in the road. The Norwich move wasn't good but you’d like to think it was a good learning experience. He’s  performed brilliantly at the top end of the English game for Chelsea, hopefully shows it later

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3 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Of course not.

The original fixture list dates were changed just three months ago whereas weddings are planned around six months in advance. Blame the fixture dates change not the players. They set dates that suited them - after the football season and our fixtures [originally} ended. No doubt Clarke was aware of this and explains why he named the extra keeper from the outset and the larger squad. He had no doubt already accepted they would be unavailable for the tail end of the fixtures just as he named Patterson in the knowledge he would most likely not be available for the Ukraine match.

Don't think the Ireland game got changed? Or, Armenia away for that matter. I could be wrong, but that would mean that in the original draw we would have been the only team not due to play on these dates? If the weddings are today, they could have been available for Tuesday.

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1 hour ago, Orraloon said:

Don't think the Ireland game got changed? Or, Armenia away for that matter. I could be wrong, but that would mean that in the original draw we would have been the only team not due to play on these dates? If the weddings are today, they could have been available for Tuesday.

Well it is quite obvious Clarke was informed hence why four goalkeepers were named in the initial squad. Also we had five players (other than Cooper) who could play central defence. And Clark and Cooper not being available for Armenia (away) is hardly going to cripple our chances. It is odds on Clarke knew about these weddings but chose them knowing full well they were only available for two of the four games. Heck face it Clark was never going to feature in these games anyway.

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On 6/10/2022 at 12:15 PM, ErsatzThistle said:

He turns 21 in November, he needs more regular first team football than that. A loan move to a Championship club would be better for Ashby.

Anderson is an attacking midfielder, not a right back.

I think he just meant Ashby is similar to Anderson because England are interested in him, rather than they play in the same position (which they don't).

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1 hour ago, JECK said:

Hope he can get back on track today and reaches the levels he’s already set. Too many folk like to write younger  players when it’s just a bump in the road. The Norwich move wasn't good but you’d like to think it was a good learning experience. He’s  performed brilliantly at the top end of the English game for Chelsea, hopefully shows it later

Brilliantly is maybe stretching it , he had a very good game against was it against Liverpool in an fa cup tie .

he is still doesn’t offer enough to us as a progressive side , i get his worth in a backs to the wall type set up that we went with in the euros .

we looked more progressive against poor opposition the other night .

until we move away from fitting “names” in irrespective of the opposition or tactics we will only make limited progress .

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