What was the point in that?

[thewelk]

I fear for thr French match now. The French are already in an English style 'football's coming home' frenzy and they're ready to batter people in the friendlies as the fans are demanding it. We'll see how they treat Cameroon tonight...

[Orraloon]

1 hour ago, smiler82 said:

Pointless if we only go there to defend... Surely we need to practice opening up and attacking teams even if we do end up with a heavier defeat.

Is this the stadium where we play Malta? If so, familiarisation with the surroundings (avoiding another Georgia) for the game vs Maltais the main positive I can think of as it would have done zero for player confidence.

I think it might have given Maltese confidence a boost. They will probably be expecting to beat us in September.

[macy37]

It amazes me the amount of folk saying that it was good to familiarize ourselves with the Malta stadium ahead of September.

It's Malta ffs. If we can beat them playing the stadium blind then the baws burst.

[smiler82]

17 minutes ago, macy37 said:

It amazes me the amount of folk saying that it was good to familiarize ourselves with the Malta stadium ahead of September.

It's Malta ffs. If we can beat them playing the stadium blind then the baws burst.

I do agree to an extent but unfortunately these games are no longer the fairly certain 3 points they were 10-15 years ago. 

The manager/ SFA have been slated before for bad preparation - we are normally awful in these type of matches so at least we are now thinking ahead and obviously doing all they can to prepare to get off to a good start 

[Dodger]

1 hour ago, macy37 said:

It amazes me the amount of folk saying that it was good to familiarize ourselves with the Malta stadium ahead of September.

It's Malta ffs. If we can beat them playing the stadium blind then the baws burst.

I'm amazed that people still have this attitude. Clearly been watching a different Scotland team to me for the last 20 years to think we can turn up in Malta and stroll our way to a 4-0 win.

Its not the 1980s any more. They've got a lot better and we've got a lot worse.

[bonny78]

what's the point in any friendlies. they all suck, i never plan to watch them and only do if i happen to flick the tv on.

 

Football has to matter for it to be exciting.   league,  cup,  play off, etc..   Screw the friendlie rubbish.

 

 

[wanderer]

1 hour ago, macy37 said:

It amazes me the amount of folk saying that it was good to familiarize ourselves with the Malta stadium ahead of September.

It's Malta ffs. If we can beat them playing the stadium blind then the baws burst.

For their lowly FIFA rankings, Malta are a tricky team to beat (similar vain that the Faroes have been a pain in the bum to us over the years!).... In their last qualifying campaign they only lost 1-0 to Italy, Croatia and Bulgaria at home  (the Czech's hammered them the other night, but this was a glorified B game with both teams making over the limited 6 subs each, so FIFA will scrap the game and it will not count towards the world rankings).

So this is a potential banana skin for us, but the heat is going to be a major factor (someone was telling me that it will be hotter in September than what it was this week!) and think we will only scrape this one by 1 or 2 goals (certainly a different standard than Gibraltar)

[TDYER63]

I never post on any of the football topics but last night was so bad i thought i would put in my tuppence worth.

 I usually try to see something positive in all our games but honeslty struggling this time. If there was a stat for the number of pass backs  we would be crowned champions of Europe. We could have been playing rugby last night. We were so totally dominated it was embarrassing . It could have been 8-0 if Italy's finishing wasnt so incredibly shit. Canny wait for Metz, the only thing worse than watching them on Tv is seeing the carnage unfold in real life. Hope i am so very wrong. 

[TDYER63]

15 minutes ago, wanderer said:

For their lowly FIFA rankings, Malta are a tricky team to beat (similar vain that the Faroes have been a pain in the bum to us over the years!).... In their last qualifying campaign they only lost 1-0 to Italy, Croatia and Bulgaria at home  (the Czech's hammered them the other night, but this was a glorified B game with both teams making over the limited 6 subs each, so FIFA will scrap the game and it will not count towards the world rankings).

So this is a potential banana skin for us, but the heat is going to be a major factor (someone was telling me that it will be hotter in September than what it was this week!) and think we will only scrape this one by 1 or 2 goals (certainly a different standard than Gibraltar)

steven naismith was on the park less than 5 mins last night. the tv camera cut into his face and he was covered in sweat. In this sense this game may not have been a complete and utter waste of time. 

[scotlad]

15 hours ago, bossman4 said:

Mulgrew should not be near the left back spot again, sad to say but I think Darren Fletcher is finished at that level.

Really dont know where we go from here. I can understand the clamour for older heads like Hutton, Brown, Morrison, Maloney, the Fletcher's and others to move aside but at the same time I just don't see anyone else who can fill their shoes that will still have is competing, McArthur was shocking tonight. We need to get a balance though and the likes of Burke, McGinn, Patterson and Tierney need to be kept in the squad going forward.

As for Strachan, I really want it to work for him but fail to win in Malta and I can see him being under real presure.

 

You're spot on there.  Ideally those players would have been ditched already for guys between 5 and 10 years younger of similar (or preferably superior) quality.  The sad fact is though that at the moment they are among the best we've got.

Hopefully, over the next couple of seasons, the likes of Burke, McGinn and Tierney, and maybe Gauld, Fraser and Watt too, can continue to improve and get close to reaching their potential.  Until then the approach Strachan appears to be taking - introducing one or two promising youngsters alongside older, more experienced players - is probably sensible.

54 minutes ago, Dodger said:

I'm amazed that people still have this attitude. Clearly been watching a different Scotland team to me for the last 20 years to think we can turn up in Malta and stroll our way to a 4-0 win.

Its not the 1980s any more. They've got a lot better and we've got a lot worse.

We have undoubtedly got a lot worse since the 1980s but have Malta really got a lot better?  They are no Gibraltar-style pushovers but they only scored 3 goals in their last qualifying campaign (where they finished bottom of the group) and their last competitive win was nearly 3 years ago.

We ought to capable of beating Malta on their own patch (it's one of only three games I am reasonably confident of us winning) but I don't expect it to be comfortable.  Didn't we beat them 2-1 in a friendly a couple of years ago (Kenny Miller scored a screamer, IIRC)?  I'd take a similar scoreline in our favour again in a heartbeat.

[wanderer]

2 minutes ago, scotlad said:

You're spot on there.  Ideally those players would have been ditched already for guys between 5 and 10 years younger of similar (or preferably superior) quality.  The sad fact is though that at the moment they are among the best we've got.

Hopefully, over the next couple of seasons, the likes of Burke, McGinn and Tierney, and maybe Gauld, Fraser and Watt too, can continue to improve and get close to reaching their potential.  Until then the approach Strachan appears to be taking - introducing one or two promising youngsters alongside older, more experienced players - is probably sensible.

We have undoubtedly got a lot worse since the 1980s but have Malta really got a lot better?  They are no Gibraltar-style pushovers but they only scored 3 goals in their last qualifying campaign (where they finished bottom of the group) and their last competitive win was nearly 3 years ago.

We ought to capable of beating Malta on their own patch (it's one of only three games I am reasonably confident of us winning) but I don't expect it to be comfortable.  Didn't we beat them 2-1 in a friendly a couple of years ago (Kenny Miller scored a screamer, IIRC)?  I'd take a similar scoreline in our favour again in a heartbeat.

That was Cyprus.

Last time we played Malta was in late 90's and sure it was one of those games where we started on cruise control going 2-0, then fell asleep and won something like 3-2 or 3-1 (might have been Christian Daillys debut)

[scotlad]

1 minute ago, wanderer said:

That was Cyprus.

Last time we played Malta was in late 90's and sure it was one of those games where we started on cruise control going 2-0, then fell asleep and won something like 3-2 or 3-1 (might have been Christian Daillys debut)

So it was, thanks.

Aye, I remember playing them 1997, shortly before the qualifier against Belarus.

I'd still be happy with a 2-1 win though.  

[MikeyGC]

I think it was a sensible move to be based in Malta before these friendlies, hopefully however it's not a complete waste of time and we'll beat them come September. Last nights performance was disappointing, I wasn't expecting to win, but 1 shot off target and 1 corner isn't good enough. Resigned myself to viewing these two matches as defensive training, keeping shape when the opposition has the ball etc. After all it is the one place on the pitch where we need to most work and are weakest so I suppose it's not a bad thing.

[Bonnie Clyde]

3 hours ago, macy37 said:

It amazes me the amount of folk saying that it was good to familiarize ourselves with the Malta stadium ahead of September.

It's Malta ffs. If we can beat them playing the stadium blind then the baws burst.

I said this to a friend last night. 

[scotsgary2]

I have followed the last twenty years qualifiers closely and been to as many games as I could home and away...

But iam seriously thinking of giving the next one a miss sadly.

Cant see any progress under Strachan at all,can be forgiven for last nights end of season game with many out though...

Its the same old same old from Strachan.

Add to that the old Scotland v England bollox which will start up again soon I have no doubt.. 

 

 

 

[macy37]

I wonder if the likes of Ireland would be fretting over playing Malta as much as I and indeed we are?

We are pish, sad but factual.

[Rossy]

We're fuqking rubbish.

Our tactics last night were...sideways pass, miscontrol, desperate hoof up the park.

Beith and Pollock played more fitba than these twats in pink.

Edited May 30, 2016 by Rossy

[Barney Rubble]

Just crashed in the door after spending the best part of 800 notes to be present last night.

2 things I learned:

1) Turkish Airlines' in-flight service is an order of magnitude better than any European or American carrier.

2) Join the Tartan Army and see the world................................while never threatening the opposition goalkeeper.

Edited May 30, 2016 by Barney Rubble

[wee Erchie]

With the amount of calls offs and players not considered due to club commitments it does seem like a pointless exercise other than working out the quickest route for the players bus to travel from the hotel to the stadium. That was lacklustre in the extreme and I'm not sure what the players or management actually got out of it, what did we actually learn ? the ability to beat one player shield the ball from another in order to get a passback on target ?

Let's just go at France and if we get beat we get beat ,we'll still get opportunities to perfect our passbacks

[Clyde1998]

11 hours ago, thewelk said:

I fear for thr French match now. The French are already in an English style 'football's coming home' frenzy and they're ready to batter people in the friendlies as the fans are demanding it. We'll see how they treat Cameroon tonight...

The French only won 3-2 - with a stoppage time winner. Although, I can see it as being a huge game for the Cameroon players, given that they were once a French colony - so they would've been giving 110%. Cameroon are probably better than us as well.

[Return of Yermaw]

Levein-esque.

[hoofitharder]

We all know that we are not the best football team about and so do the French and Italians that is why we are playing them they will have wanted to play a team that sits in and hits on the break (we pulled a fast one by not attacking at all ).I think  this was a good exercise for the squad it will give them an idea of what to expect heat wise come september and also friendlies are usually reciprocated so a couple of nice home games in the future.come September our squad will be refreshed and chomping at the bit.it won't be easy but i am sure we will get the three in malta.

Ian 

[wubbs]

On 29. 5. 2016 at 0:18 AM, gordiewell said:

It may be a painful process in terms of defeats and we could lose ranking points but we could benefit in the long run.

 

Totally agree with you. Sadly the focus is on the next game or the current compaign. With this attitude, we'll never really improve.

There are usually call offs for the friendlies, yet we call up some journey man who can do the job for a one off game, but offers nothing for the future. I'd rather we call up someone under 23, at least they'd be motivated for the game, and will be looking to impress so as to be selected for the next game. Some players know they'll always get a game, irrespective of their club form.

[Parklife]

3 hours ago, Return of Yermaw said:

Levein-esque.

It wisnae even that good. 

Still, if we all keep saying "In Gord we trust", then i'm positive that everything will be okay  

[thewelk]

#oops#

Edited May 31, 2016 by thewelk
the UI (especially the mobile one) is terrible