Match Thread

[saintlyscot]

Was amazed at the lineup tbh. Thought what was really 1 at the back was daft from Strachan, something he adressed at halftime. The boy from Bournemouth experiment has failed. He shouldn't have jumped over people into the team. Despite his penalties Maloney was annonomous for most of the game. Given Strachan's pricklyness at the end I guess he realises it was far from perfect.

[Caledonian Craig]

End of the day it was 6-1. The position we finish in this group was never going to be about the performance level V Gibraltar.

[Sherps]

The formation in the first half was absolutely the reason why we lost a goal.

Martin followed his man out when he dropped off to pick up the ball.

When they both missed it, Robertson did exactly what he's supposed to and moved over one to cover the middle of the park, leaving the Gibraltan player free on our left as Anya was positioned exactly where he should have been also.

If you have a system that's working well and the players are used to, you don't change it, no matter who you are playing.

The fact that Strachan changed it for the second half was tacitly admitting it was wrong.

It's small potatoes, though, as the 3 points were all that mattered, and that's what we got.

It would have been nice to finish with a clean sheet, though.

Also, Matt Ritchie is not an international class player, and Shaun Maloney is a luxury that against better teams we won't be able to afford - and that's nothing to do with his stature - it's just that for 80mns of a game he offers absolutely nothing.

[fringo]

The formation in the first half was absolutely the reason why we lost a goal.

Martin followed his man out when he dropped off to pick up the ball.

When they both missed it, Robertson did exactly what he's supposed to and moved over one to cover the middle of the park, leaving the Gibraltan player free on our left as Anya was positioned exactly where he should have been also.

If you have a system that's working well and the players are used to, you don't change it, no matter who you are playing.

The fact that Strachan changed it for the second half was tacitly admitting it was wrong.

It's small potatoes, though, as the 3 points were all that mattered, and that's what we got.

It would have been nice to finish with a clean sheet, though.

Also, Matt Ritchie is not an international class player, and Shaun Maloney is a luxury that against better teams we won't be able to afford - and that's nothing to do with his stature - it's just that for 80mns of a game he offers absolutely nothing.

Agree with pretty much everything you say re formation, lost goal, Strachan changing it (unlike Levein), 3 points and Ritchie.

Don't agree about Maloney though.

[saintlyscot]

The formation in the first half was absolutely the reason why we lost a goal.

Martin followed his man out when he dropped off to pick up the ball.

When they both missed it, Robertson did exactly what he's supposed to and moved over one to cover the middle of the park, leaving the Gibraltan player free on our left as Anya was positioned exactly where he should have been also.

If you have a system that's working well and the players are used to, you don't change it, no matter who you are playing.

The fact that Strachan changed it for the second half was tacitly admitting it was wrong.

It's small potatoes, though, as the 3 points were all that mattered, and that's what we got.

It would have been nice to finish with a clean sheet, though.

Also, Matt Ritchie is not an international class player, and Shaun Maloney is a luxury that against better teams we won't be able to afford - and that's nothing to do with his stature - it's just that for 80mns of a game he offers absolutely nothing.

Absolutely spot on Mr Sherps. ?

[Return of Yermaw]

The formation in the first half was absolutely the reason why we lost a goal.

Martin followed his man out when he dropped off to pick up the ball.

When they both missed it, Robertson did exactly what he's supposed to and moved over one to cover the middle of the park, leaving the Gibraltan player free on our left as Anya was positioned exactly where he should have been also.

If you have a system that's working well and the players are used to, you don't change it, no matter who you are playing.

The fact that Strachan changed it for the second half was tacitly admitting it was wrong.

It's small potatoes, though, as the 3 points were all that mattered, and that's what we got.

It would have been nice to finish with a clean sheet, though.

Also, Matt Ritchie is not an international class player, and Shaun Maloney is a luxury that against better teams we won't be able to afford - and that's nothing to do with his stature - it's just that for 80mns of a game he offers absolutely nothing.

Re Maloney, you mean apart from his goals?

[Caledonian Craig]

A luxury we can't afford against better teams? Eh? He is our top scorer in this campaign and scored the golden winner V Ireland. Sorry I am struggling to work this one out.

[fringo]

Re Maloney, you mean apart from his goals?

Well, the goals are pretty important considering how crap our strikers are and vital ones v Ireland etc.

He does more than than too.

[Return of Yermaw]

Well, the goals are pretty important considering how crap our strikers are and vital ones v Ireland etc.

He does more than than too.

Totally agree. Maloney is the reason we are still in contention - hence my question against the bizarre statement.......

Although to be fair he didn't have his best game tonight but still won the penalty and score twice from the spot........

Edited March 29, 2015 by Return of Yermaw

[Sherps]

"Re Maloney, you mean apart from his goals?"

No, including his goals.

I would say that unless you're a player like Kris Boyd, it's myopic to say that because you score goals you are therefore excused from contributing anything else to the game.

What he offers when we don't have the ball, his first touch, his ability in the tackle, etc. is all sub-par for an international player.

[ParisInAKilt]

"Re Maloney, you mean apart from his goals?"

No, including his goals.

I would say that unless you're a player like Kris Boyd, it's myopic to say that because you score goals you are therefore excused from contributing anything else to the game.

What he offers when we don't have the ball, his first touch, his ability in the tackle, etc. is all sub-par for an international player.

Granted he was poor today but that's a harsh assessment based on his overall performances this campaign

[fringo]

Totally agree. Maloney is the reason we are still in contention - hence my question against the bizarre statement.......

Although to be fair he didn't have his best game tonight but still won the penalty and score twice from the spot........

Sorry RoY. I misread your reply as I was flicking across the TAMB and watching the Ireland game.

I thought you were replying to my point re WSM rather than sherps.

[fringo]

"Re Maloney, you mean apart from his goals?"

No, including his goals.

I would say that unless you're a player like Kris Boyd, it's myopic to say that because you score goals you are therefore excused from contributing anything else to the game.

What he offers when we don't have the ball, his first touch, his ability in the tackle, etc. is all sub-par for an international player.

Rubbish.

[Auld_Reekie]

Yeah, hard to criticise Maloney. But by moving to the MLS, he's put more pressure on himself and cannot afford games like tonight. Talking a good penalty isn't enough to get you selected.

Could add a number of players to that list though. Horrendous from Brown. For an attacking, creative player, Morrison was missing. Don't want to criticise Robertson again, but he was poor. Despite a hat-trick, Fletcher had some embarrassing moments. Ritchie really struggled. Hutton's most memorable moment was his comedy fall.

No wonder Strachan looked pissed. He's got his work cut out picking the scraps out of that and raises many questions about team selection in the next game.

[Bannannan]

Morrison is also in the wrong position.He plays better further up the park not as a holding midfielder.Our best holding midfielder was left out today Only God or Gord knows why.

[fringo]

Morrison is also in the wrong position.He plays better further up the park not as a holding midfielder.Our best holding midfielder was left out today Only God or Gord knows why.

I take it you mean D Fletcher ? Couldn't believe he was dropped today.

Also agree about Morrison. He's a very could attacking and creative midfielder.

[Caledonian Craig]

Yeah, hard to criticise Maloney. But by moving to the MLS, he's put more pressure on himself and cannot afford games like tonight. Talking a good penalty isn't enough to get you selected.

Could add a number of players to that list though. Horrendous from Brown. For an attacking, creative player, Morrison was missing. Don't want to criticise Robertson again, but he was poor. Despite a hat-trick, Fletcher had some embarrassing moments. Ritchie really struggled. Hutton's most memorable moment was his comedy fall.

No wonder Strachan looked pissed. He's got his work cut out picking the scraps out of that and raises many questions about team selection in the next game.

Yes all that bad stuff and we won 6-1. Doesn't that alone tell you something?

I'd agree with much of what you say in regards of performances but really did you expect anything else against a team set up to frustrate and defend?

[John_B81]

Average performance yet won 6-1!

Was always going to be one of them games where the opposition would put ten men behind the ball and we'd find it difficult to get through but got behind them enough to create plenty of chances and take more than enough of them. One at the back was naive but at least that was rectified.

Bottom line is we got the win and are in a good position at the halfway stage.

[macy37]

It tells me they were rank rotten...

[ParisInAKilt]

I take it you mean D Fletcher ? Couldn't believe he was dropped today.

Also agree about Morrison. He's a very could attacking and creative midfielder.

I could see why Fletcher didn't play. We didn't need two holding midfielders.

Also don't see Morrison as a creative midfielder. More of a box to box type midfielder.

[fringo]

I could see why Fletcher didn't play. We didn't need two holding midfielders.

Also don't see Morrison as a creative midfielder. More of a box to box type midfielder.

I'd have had D Fletcher & Brown at the back but Brown can attack also and DF hold back.

Morrison can be quite attacking ( rather than defensive) is what I meant.

[Bannannan]

I'd have had D Fletcher & Brown at the back but Brown can attack also and DF hold back.

Morrison can be quite attacking ( rather than defensive) is what I meant.

What I meant too.

[ParisInAKilt]

I felt that two holding midfielders against NI was unnecessary and would be similar against Gibraltar, although brown is more attacking that mcarthur so maybe it would have worked. Might not have lost that goal if Fletch was on.

[bossman4]

I'd play Brown and Fletcher in Dublin with Naismith in front and Anya, Maloney and S Fletch as the front 3.

[Boynze]

to be fair, you don't come across teams like gibraltar very often, so new territory for strachan.

games against teams like these will prove nothing really, for anyone playing them, and they will benefit no-one. got the points, scraped a few goals and thats it really.

onwards to dublin (where i think we need to win - and can).