Scotland v Greece & Denmark

[romanticscot]

Pre match discussions.

Who you reckon is in and out of contention? 

...... I just read Angus Gunn has damaged knee ligaments; he is almost certainly out..... @#$%^&

[Malcolm]

what about that young guy at Man City… slicker 

[Tartan blood]

5 hours ago, romanticscot said:

Pre match discussions.

Who you reckon is in and out of contention? 

...... I just read Angus Gunn has damaged knee ligaments; he is almost certainly out..... @#$%^&

It'll almost certainly be Gordon. He may not have played lately but his 81 caps puts him at the front of the queue. He needs to go on loan if we are going to need him for the World Cup.

Shankland is on 10 goals and it's only the start of November. He needs brought in. If he ends up getting around 30 goals this year, he'll be at the world cup and may even be pushing for a start.

[exile]

51 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

Shankland is on 10 goals and it's only the start of November. He needs brought in. If he ends up getting around 30 goals this year, he'll be at the world cup and may even be pushing for a start.

Shankland is our most prolific striker this season. It would seem odd for him to miss out while others, who are not regularly scoring, get in. Adams has scored for both club and country and should be in contention. I would expect Dykes to be in the squad. After that, who knows? 

[Bzzzz]

35 minutes ago, exile said:

Shankland is our most prolific striker this season. It would seem odd for him to miss out while others, who are not regularly scoring, get in. Adams has scored for both club and country and should be in contention. I would expect Dykes to be in the squad. After that, who knows? 

I still think Simon Murray could do a job, he's a real pain in the a$$ for defenders and a decent goalscorer. But then I know nothing about fitba... aye Shankland is def a sensible option as his link up play is excellent but we all know that Clarke doesn't like him.   

[McTeeko]

Shankland a must for me. Hirst got a couple of goals at the weekend so I’d expect Clarke to name him. Bain should be in the squad too if only for the reason he’s the only keeper playing just now.

[bigfingers]

Whens the squad announced? 

[mccaughey85]

28 minutes ago, McTeeko said:

Shankland a must for me. Hirst got a couple of goals at the weekend so I’d expect Clarke to name him. Bain should be in the squad too if only for the reason he’s the only keeper playing just now.

Scott bain might be an option if Gunn is injured. 

Hes got experience and would be less of a risk than alot of other choices.

[BryanBlessed]

3 hours ago, Tartan blood said:

It'll almost certainly be Gordon. He may not have played lately but his 81 caps puts him at the front of the queue. He needs to go on loan if we are going to need him for the World Cup.

Shankland is on 10 goals and it's only the start of November. He needs brought in. If he ends up getting around 30 goals this year, he'll be at the world cup and may even be pushing for a start.

Agree with both points. If Gunn is fit (which apparently isn't out of the question) he plays but Gordon is the obvious replacement.

Bowie might be one for the future but he's not been in great form recently so he would be the obvious one to drop out. I saw Hirst's two goals and was impressed with his first header. I've not really been convinced by him playing for us yet, though.

Shankland has a range of finishing that I haven't seen from our other strikers, even Adams. What he lacks is pace. 

[Johnnyshaker]

Squad announced:

Edited November 3 by Johnnyshaker

[Tartan blood]

7 minutes ago, BryanBlessed said:

Agree with both points. If Gunn is fit (which apparently isn't out of the question) he plays but Gordon is the obvious replacement.

Bowie might be one for the future but he's not been in great form recently so he would be the obvious one to drop out. I saw Hirst's two goals and was impressed with his first header. I've not really been convinced by him playing for us yet, though.

Shankland has a range of finishing that I haven't seen from our other strikers, even Adams. What he lacks is pace. 

4 minutes ago, Johnnyshaker said:

Squad announced:

Looks like Clarke agrees with you.

Because we have so many good attacking options in midfield, I'm not sure our striker necessarily needs to be fast. Don't think Shankland is much slower than the other 3 options anyway. We just need a sharp spearhead which Shankland very much is right now.

[Texas Pete]

4 hours ago, Tartan blood said:

It'll almost certainly be Gordon. He may not have played lately but his 81 caps puts him at the front of the queue. He needs to go on loan if we are going to need him for the World Cup.

Shankland is on 10 goals and it's only the start of November. He needs brought in. If he ends up getting around 30 goals this year, he'll be at the world cup and may even be pushing for a start.

I love your enthusiasm and confidence but we are a long way off qualifying for the World Cup. 

[Texas Pete]

13 minutes ago, Johnnyshaker said:

Squad announced:

No real surprises and good to see Shankland back but the goalkeeping situation is the stuff of nightmares. 

[BryanBlessed]

8 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

Looks like Clarke agrees with you.

Because we have so many good attacking options in midfield, I'm not sure our striker necessarily needs to be fast. Don't think Shankland is much slower than the other 3 options anyway. We just need a sharp spearhead which Shankland very much is right now.

3 RB's tells me either Hickey doesn't play or doesn't manage one of the games.

[vanderark14]

Mcrorie about the only surprise

Our keepers are shite

Nothing else to add

[bdgsct]

29 minutes ago, BryanBlessed said:

3 RB's tells me either Hickey doesn't play or doesn't manage one of the games.

I'd gamble and save him for Denmark. That is the tougher task.

[Tartan blood]

32 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

I love your enthusiasm and confidence but we are a long way off qualifying for the World Cup. 

We are guaranteed a play off and still have automatic qualification in our own hands. I know we haven't been performing well lately but "a long way off" is inaccurate. 

If our best players get their act together, there is no reason to think we can't pull off some good results. Especially considering we pulled off good results whilst playing pish.

[ceudmilefailte]

33 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

Mcrorie about the only surprise

Our keepers are shite

Nothing else to add

McRorie has been playing on the left as often as the right this season. As a wing back mind you. 

[Yr Alban]

As a Hearts fan, pleased to see Shankland back in there. He is back to his old self, and although he doesn’t have pace, he’s never had it, and so his game isn’t based on it. His goal on Saturday v Dundee was a slide-rule finish from outside the area. I’d say he should start, but Clarke won’t do that.

What baffles me is that the standout SQ CBs this year have been Halkett and Findlay. They’ve conceded 9 goals in 11 games. Halkett’s form in particular has been outstanding, with one brilliant block against Celtic. And yet Hanley gets picked again ahead of both.

[syecosse]

2 minutes ago, Yr Alban said:

As a Hearts fan, pleased to see Shankland back in there. He is back to his old self, and although he doesn’t have pace, he’s never had it, and so his game isn’t based on it. His goal on Saturday v Dundee was a slide-rule finish from outside the area. I’d say he should start, but Clarke won’t do that.

What baffles me is that the standout SQ CBs this year have been Halkett and Findlay. They’ve conceded 9 goals in 11 games. Halkett’s form in particular has been outstanding, with one brilliant block against Celtic. And yet Hanley gets picked again ahead of both.

Clarke has rarely changed CBs, Dom Hyam has been the most consistant CB at a decent level for a number of years and has 1 cap, Liam Morrison is now a regular in the Championship and a need for a young CB also which he is yet to call up, you can also through in Luis Binks in this, Clarke is more than likely to call up Porteus with that been said Halketts career has been unfortunate because of injurys,not watched Findlay but i would have my doubts never kicked on outside Scotland disapointing MLS spell and Oxford was ok but they loaned him out and was only league 1 level.

[BryanBlessed]

40 minutes ago, Yr Alban said:

As a Hearts fan, pleased to see Shankland back in there. He is back to his old self, and although he doesn’t have pace, he’s never had it, and so his game isn’t based on it. His goal on Saturday v Dundee was a slide-rule finish from outside the area. I’d say he should start, but Clarke won’t do that.

What baffles me is that the standout SQ CBs this year have been Halkett and Findlay. They’ve conceded 9 goals in 11 games. Halkett’s form in particular has been outstanding, with one brilliant block against Celtic. And yet Hanley gets picked again ahead of both.

He hasn't played at a higher level than the Scottish league. The other CB's have more international and/or European experience. Is he really that much better that it's worth bringing him in? He might have just made it if Clarke were taking five CB's.

 

1 hour ago, bdgsct said:

I'd gamble and save him for Denmark. That is the tougher task.

I'm not sure that would work especially considering the drop off in quality. Imagine we rest him for Greece, lose and then have a dead rubber at home v Denmark.

Edited November 3 by BryanBlessed

[Texas Pete]

1 hour ago, Tartan blood said:

We are guaranteed a play off and still have automatic qualification in our own hands. I know we haven't been performing well lately but "a long way off" is inaccurate. 

If our best players get their act together, there is no reason to think we can't pull off some good results. Especially considering we pulled off good results whilst playing pish.

Being in the playoffs is a long way off qualifying I’m afraid. Especially since we wouldn’t be amongst the top seeds and it looks like there may be some very tough teams who will be. Semantics really though I suppose but given our bed shitting antics in our last World Cup playoff I wouldn’t be confident of qualifying through that route. 

As for qualifying automatically yeah we still have a good chance but it will be extremely difficult to take something in Greece and then go on to beat Denmark. We certainly aren’t favourites to top the group.

It will be very difficult for us to qualify for the World Cup in our current position although it is doable. 

[exile]

So three of the four strikers scored in their last game, and two scored in the last international break.

[Malcolm]

15 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

Being in the playoffs is a long way off qualifying I’m afraid. Especially since we wouldn’t be amongst the top seeds and it looks like there may be some very tough teams who will be. Semantics really though I suppose but given our bed shitting antics in our last World Cup playoff I wouldn’t be confident of qualifying through that route. 

As for qualifying automatically yeah we still have a good chance but it will be extremely difficult to take something in Greece and then go on to beat Denmark. We certainly aren’t favourites to top the group.

It will be very difficult for us to qualify for the World Cup in our current position although it is doable. 

I think it’s going to be easier getting a draw against a gReece team already out and winning at hampden against Denmark than getting though a semi and final play off against a potentially top tier side.  Don’t fancy us in the play offs at all.

[Malcolm]

18 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

Being in the playoffs is a long way off qualifying I’m afraid. Especially since we wouldn’t be amongst the top seeds and it looks like there may be some very tough teams who will be. Semantics really though I suppose but given our bed shitting antics in our last World Cup playoff I wouldn’t be confident of qualifying through that route. 

As for qualifying automatically yeah we still have a good chance but it will be extremely difficult to take something in Greece and then go on to beat Denmark. We certainly aren’t favourites to top the group.

It will be very difficult for us to qualify for the World Cup in our current position although it is doable. 

I think it’s going to be easier getting a draw against a gReece team already out and winning at hampden against Denmark than getting though a semi and final play off against a potentially top tier side.  Don’t fancy us in the play offs at all.