Scottish Players in action 25/26

[JECK]

I’d have put my mortgage on Shankland scoring at least once v Greece having seen how that match panned out. I just don’t trust Adam’s at all after seeing him in the World Cup campaign, probably on the decline.On Dykes: great servant but his time is very much up. 

[JECK]

20 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

I don't disagree on Dykes, he is playing at a low level like Shankland, however Adams plays at a higher level and I'd be confident he would finish that chance if give as much time and space as shankland has. 

If Shankland is going to start for Scotland, IMO he will need someone upfront with him or a full fit Doak

If you were to present Dykes, Adam’s and Shankland with that chance 10 times each, I’d be willing to be bet serious  dough on Shankland having the best hit rate out the 3 of them, with Adam’s second and Dykes something like 2 or 3 out of 10.

[csinclair]

Given Haiti is a must win really, I'd be tempted to go with both Adams and Shankland up top. Adams as many have said isn't an instinctive finisher, but I think his build up play could make him a good partner for Shankland.

[vanderark14]

33 minutes ago, csinclair said:

Given Haiti is a must win really, I'd be tempted to go with both Adams and Shankland up top. Adams as many have said isn't an instinctive finisher, but I think his build up play could make him a good partner for Shankland.

100% agree with this.

 

[Kev10038]

Also agree with Adams & Shankland both starting must win game against Haiti. Assuming no injuries 🤞🏻🙏🏼 what’s the starting 11 ?

Edited May 5 by Kev10038
typo

[bdgsct]

I think Clarke will go with,

4231

Gunn

Hickey Mckenna Souttar Robertson

Christie Ferguson

BGD McTominay McGinn

Adams

 

[kumnio]

We haven't been blessed with either strikers or goalscorers in a very long time, I dont think any of them are very good TBH.

Adams is the best of the lot, but for various reasons, I wouldnt play him on his own. I dont think his style suits us, no matter what formation we play, he seems to look like a fish out of water. Im also a bit dubious about his interest in playing for us, theres some games that he doesn't look like he cares, and his effort matches that. Of course he almost always turns up, but Im not overly convinced by him * This is just my opinion, like it or lump it, I dont care.

Dykes is technically very poor for this level, but he seems to be a better fit for us when we go with only 1 attacker. I think we look a more complete team with him than Adams. It's a team game, and sometimes the best teams dont have the best players.

Shankland is the best finisher by a country mile, it's not even close, however he has serious flaws to his game. He is comically slow, lacks fitness, lacks link up play and is very much a player at a certain level. My ex boss is a HoM season ticket holder and says he has massively improved this season in his linkup play and stamina, so possibly he has.

I dont think any of them is a nailed on starter, it could be a game by game basis, but can see Clarke thinking Adams is his man. Id go for Adams & Shankland against Haiti if we actually go for it, then tell Dykes to smash the Moroccans in the next game.

I think theres plenty to criticise Clarke for, but the striking issues isnt one of them. Unless Bowie somehow develops massively, that's our only hope.

[thesaint]

Just think we need to move on from Dykes and Adams.People saying Adams is playing in a better league with Torino,but Bowie is playing in the same league with a poorer team at Verona yet he has scored 3 in 11 while Adams has scored 5 in 31.Just seems crazy to ignore guys  who are in good goalscoring form and playing with confidence  to go with guys whose goal returns all season have been poor to say the least.

[Alan C]

Blows my mind that no one talks about the other Scots that have performed week in week out for Hearts. Fannying about with average shite from average leagues elsewhere, and everyone other than Shankland likely to be left out. Kingsley fair enough due to the strength on the left, Marc Leonard likewise due to strength in midfield, but others should be in the equation. Halkett in particular - arguably most consistent centre half this season and doesn’t get a look in. Findlay not far behind. I’m behind Clarke for what he’s achieved but difficult to defend him sticking with the likes of Ralston when these boys have performed well all season. 

[immcinto]

5 hours ago, JECK said:

If you were to present Dykes, Adam’s and Shankland with that chance 10 times each, I’d be willing to be bet serious  dough on Shankland having the best hit rate out the 3 of them, with Adam’s second and Dykes something like 2 or 3 out of 10.

Dykes might manage to make contact with foot rather than his ankle 2 or 3 times out of 10. I have never seen Dykes strike a ball like that in his puff

[Tartan blood]

5 hours ago, csinclair said:

Given Haiti is a must win really, I'd be tempted to go with both Adams and Shankland up top. Adams as many have said isn't an instinctive finisher, but I think his build up play could make him a good partner for Shankland.

In theory, 2 strikers should be more attacking, but it rarely is for us. Dykes and Adams have played up front together a few times and I'm not sure either have scored in those games. England 0-0 and Denmark 0-0 are the two games that spring to mind. Yes, we played well, but we didn't exactly look potent up front.

Also, playing 2 strikers usually means we are sacrificing an attacking midfielder, which is arguably our strongest position. 

[AAAfather]

3 hours ago, thesaint said:

Just think we need to move on from Dykes and Adams.People saying Adams is playing in a better league with Torino,but Bowie is playing in the same league with a poorer team at Verona yet he has scored 3 in 11 while Adams has scored 5 in 31.Just seems crazy to ignore guys  who are in good goalscoring form and playing with confidence  to go with guys whose goal returns all season have been poor to say the least.

I like Bowie.  He's seamlessly moved leagues and countries, and has stepped up to Serie A level well in a struggling side.  Same scoring rate as Hibs.  Suggests he has a high talent ceiling.  Young so still developable into a next Shankland able to bag goals semi-reliably.   Some other team in Serie A will probably poach him next year as he's going to bag a decent number for any side in that league.  I'd put him on the plane.  I hope Steve Clarke left him out of the friendlies for adaptation time, but who knows?!

[daviebee]

3 hours ago, Alan C said:

Blows my mind that no one talks about the other Scots that have performed week in week out for Hearts. Fannying about with average shite from average leagues elsewhere, and everyone other than Shankland likely to be left out. Kingsley fair enough due to the strength on the left, Marc Leonard likewise due to strength in midfield, but others should be in the equation. Halkett in particular - arguably most consistent centre half this season and doesn’t get a look in. Findlay not far behind. I’m behind Clarke for what he’s achieved but difficult to defend him sticking with the likes of Ralston when these boys have performed well all season. 

Could have a title-winning centre-back pairing sitting at home while Clarke starts with a Hanley-Souttar partnership. Pretty mad when you think about it.

[syecosse]

See Ireland have named what seems to be a B squad to look at the future including a winger on the fringes of the Benfica team and former u16 Scots call up and in team of the year for L1  Cardiffs Joel Bagan. 

[csinclair]

14 hours ago, Tartan blood said:

In theory, 2 strikers should be more attacking, but it rarely is for us. Dykes and Adams have played up front together a few times and I'm not sure either have scored in those games. England 0-0 and Denmark 0-0 are the two games that spring to mind. Yes, we played well, but we didn't exactly look potent up front.

Also, playing 2 strikers usually means we are sacrificing an attacking midfielder, which is arguably our strongest position. 

 For this game I’d like to see something like this. McGinn isn’t exactly and out and out winger so would still bolster the midfield whilst Robertson can overlap.

Adams can run the channels to help bring others into play and hopefully the likes of Shankland and McTominay can get on the end of some BGD crosses.

[vanderark14]

1 minute ago, csinclair said:

 For this game I’d like to see something like this. McGinn isn’t exactly and out and out winger so would still bolster the midfield whilst Robertson can overlap.

Adams can run the channels to help bring others into play and hopefully the likes of Shankland and McTominay can get on the end of some BGD crosses.

I would love to see this line up

[AAAfather]

18 hours ago, bdgsct said:

I think Clarke will go with,

4231

Gunn

Hickey Mckenna Souttar Robertson

Christie Ferguson

BGD McTominay McGinn

Adams

 

Sounds about right for Morocco/Brazil.  Gilmour at half time if the midfield isnt working. 

Souttar form a worry, so maybe Hendry.

Haiti - its got to be a striker partner for Adams and only one of Ferguson/Christie

 

 

[Burj_Alba]

What's wrong with Soutter? Injured or just completely out of the picture. Not even on the bench the other night. 

[Tartan blood]

2 hours ago, csinclair said:

 For this game I’d like to see something like this. McGinn isn’t exactly and out and out winger so would still bolster the midfield whilst Robertson can overlap.

Adams can run the channels to help bring others into play and hopefully the likes of Shankland and McTominay can get on the end of some BGD crosses.

I'd be fine with this against Haiti, otherwise that would be a heck of a lot of work for Gilmour to do in the middle of the park.

John McGinn can and does play centre-mid, but then you get less of his attacking presence.

I'm just not sure why Adams should play at all. Hirst outperformed him in the most recent game, and I don't want him playing either.

[bdgsct]

1 hour ago, AAAfather said:

Sounds about right for Morocco/Brazil.  Gilmour at half time if the midfield isnt working. 

Souttar form a worry, so maybe Hendry.

Haiti - its got to be a striker partner for Adams and only one of Ferguson/Christie

 

 

That was what I expect rather than my choice. I think he will go cautious with plenty experience until we are desperate for a goal. I can't see him playing Doak plus 2 strikers from the start. Mctominay will probably be given fre reign to support the striker.

[Scots_Wha_Hae]

4 hours ago, vanderark14 said:

I would love to see this line up

Dunno, it leaves Gilmour to pretty much run the midfield himself with McGinn, McTominay and BGD all seeking to push forward as much as possible. I love Gilmour but I'm not sure he's up to that role.

[theabsentee]

On 5/5/2026 at 9:00 AM, Burj_Alba said:

I would equate this chance with Adams three chances in Greece when it appeared we would need a draw to have a chance of qualifying. As he did then, Adams would have taken two or three touches and the defenders would have regrouped and blocked. Adams and Dykes bring other qualities to the table, but instinctive finishing is not one of them. 

Your right about them not being natural finishers, but Adams has a good shot on him when he does shoot. He has other attributes as he's relatively quick and has possibly the best technique of our centre-forward choices.

   As for Dykes, well I'm struggling to think of any game changing attributes. Someone on here mentioned he has presence. Well that may be true, but he's no bigger than Ross Stewart, Bowie or McBurnie and all 3 of them are better all round players, so unless you consider his neck tattoos to be intimidating to the opposition, I really don't see what he will bring to this summer's party apart from disappointment. 

[syecosse]

Ceiran Slicker sent an X post about the end of his loan at Barnet, fans singing his praise with replys, very good loan hopefully a higher up loan next  maybe SPL. 

[ghorne67]

On 5/6/2026 at 11:37 AM, csinclair said:

 For this game I’d like to see something like this. McGinn isn’t exactly and out and out winger so would still bolster the midfield whilst Robertson can overlap.

Adams can run the channels to help bring others into play and hopefully the likes of Shankland and McTominay can get on the end of some BGD crosses.

McTominay is a liability in a 4 man midfield. Be better playing up upfront and just giving up a free role, so more of a 4-4-1-1

[mccaughey85]

3 hours ago, syecosse said:

Ceiran Slicker sent an X post about the end of his loan at Barnet, fans singing his praise with replys, very good loan hopefully a higher up loan next  maybe SPL. 

Another season there might do him some good. Plenty of first team experience and then move up a level or two after that.