Starting Xi V Germany

[Squirrelhumper]

We'll play one up front and it'll quite rightly be Naismith.

[PASTA Mick]

We'll play one up front and it'll quite rightly be Naismith.

Why?

Naismith has impressed playing off a big forward. If he played on his own upfront, he'd be doing a job that is different from the role that's he's doing so well for his club.

[mariokempes56]

We'll play one up front and it'll quite rightly be Naismith.

Why?

Naismith has impressed playing off a big forward. If he played on his own upfront, he'd be doing a job that is different from the role that's he's doing so well for his club.

Because he will run his arse off and the German defence is shite.

[Squirrelhumper]

Why?

Naismith has impressed playing off a big forward. If he played on his own upfront, he'd be doing a job that is different from the role that's he's doing so well for his club.

As I think he's better suited playing a lone striker than Fletcher, who's form for Scotland is erratic at best.

Naismiith is bang on form, Fletcher isn't.

Nismith has played as a lone striker tons in his career. He's excellent in the air.

[andyD]

I was at the QPR sunderland game last week and paid a lot of attention to Fletcher.

He was a level above the rest of the attackers Sunderland had.

He worked hard, even dropping deeper to start moves when QPR gained the upper hand.

Touch was good, made the right runs, looked to work angle and laid if off well.

He was very much let down by the lack of quality around him.

Johnson was out of position and lacks any pace or will to be adventurous.

Nothing came off for Wickham at all, he just gave the ball away when it went to him.

Rodwell dropped way too deep and never played aforward ball the entire game.

Meanwhile Larsson just disappeared completely. You'd have been forgiven for not knowing he was even playing.

Fletcher was the only player really looking to make a difference and get something going. His substitution made no sense to me or the friend i went with.

I'd start with him, with Naismith behind. If Sunderland had better player arond Fletcher they've had easily beaten QPR.

[betsy123]

As any Irish fan I would much rather play Germany away in the first game considering all their injuries as opposed to a dodgy game that we have to win vs georgia,on the plus side for us if we beat Georgia which we should and beat Gibraltar,provided you lot lose to the Germans we will have 6 points by the time we play yous,and yous could well only have 1 or 3 points.

[Tartacus]

As any Irish fan I would much rather play Germany away in the first game considering all their injuries as opposed to a dodgy game that we have to win vs georgia,on the plus side for us if we beat Georgia which we should and beat Gibraltar,provided you lot lose to the Germans we will have 6 points by the time we play yous,and yous could well only have 1 or 3 points.

Not sure you will beat Georgia.

[ProudScot]

Not sure you will beat Georgia.

Ireland are mince. Take away Robbie Keanes goals (which will happen very soon) and Ireland are definitely inferior to us

[PASTA Mick]

Ireland will beat Georgia.

[betsy123]

Not sure you will beat Georgia.

Not sure that we will either, but if we do the pressure is immediately back on you lads. Same applys to us if yous beat Germany which is far more unlikely.

[betsy123]

Ireland are mince. Take away Robbie Keanes goals (which will happen very soon) and Ireland are definitely inferior to us

Not that we are inferior to you in anyway without Robbie Keanes goals,Robbie will play throughout this campaign and his goals wont go away.

[Goozay]

Not that we are inferior to you in anyway without Robbie Keanes goals,Robbie will play throughout this campaign and his goals wont go away.

Well, we've clearly got the superior Message Board...

[ProudScot]

Not that we are inferior to you in anyway without Robbie Keanes goals,Robbie will play throughout this campaign and his goals wont go away.

A win over Oman doesn't make you a good side. We will see come the end of the campaign but I think Scotland are a level above Ireland

[Green_Tide_Rising]

Betsy never said beating Oman made us a good side.

Oman are pants for gods sake - it was a pointless match to play.

While of course we have our flaws - we do have some good players and deserve to be respected ... the same applies to scotland.

Edited September 6, 2014 by Green_Tide_Rising

[betsy123]

Betsy never said beating Oman made us a good side.

Oman are pants for gods sake - it was a pointless match to play.

While of course we have our flaws - we do have some good players and deserve to be respected ... the same applies to scotland.

I know I have a name for putting the scots down on here, but really theres not much between the sides if I'm to be honest. However Robbie Keanes goals and Seamus Colemans world class abilty is the thing dividing us, McCarthys a fantastic player too which is why he plays for Everton and cost 13 million pounds,and the likes of Morrison,Mulgrew,Dorrans,McCarthur play for mid-lower table teams. Coleman could be the difference between the two sides in my opinion,if he plays to his ability he has the skill to get assists and goals against anyone in this group,including Germany.

[PASTA Mick]

I know I have a name for putting the scots down on here, but really theres not much between the sides if I'm to be honest. However Robbie Keanes goals and Seamus Colemans world class abilty is the thing dividing us, McCarthys a fantastic player too which is why he plays for Everton and cost 13 million pounds,and the likes of Morrison,Mulgrew,Dorrans,McCarthur play for mid-lower table teams. Coleman could be the difference between the two sides in my opinion,if he plays to his ability he has the skill to get assists and goals against anyone in this group,including Germany.

Coleman? Are you trying to be funny?

[betsy123]

Coleman? Are you trying to be funny?

Best right back in the Premier league. Whats funny about that?

[betsy123]

Coleman? Are you trying to be funny?

Judging how you lads up the likes of Bardsley and Robertson I'd love to see your reactions on here if Coleman was Scottish. "Aye hes a top wee player,apperantly Real Madrid have bid for the wee lad"

[davew]

Best right back in the Premier league. Whats funny about that?

Ivanovic is probably the best right back in the EPL. Coleman is probably on the same level as Hutton.

[Hertsscot]

Ivanovic is probably the best right back in the EPL. Coleman is probably on the same level as Hutton.

Disagree about Coleman. I think most neutrals watching the EPL would see Coleman as being the better player, he would certainly command a much higher transfer fee. However most people haven't seen the Alan Hutton that we know and love, not least because he's seen very litle first team action in the EPL for a season or two. We know what the White Cafu is capable of and it's great to see him getting back to regular first team action.

I think the group's going to be very tight, certainly I don't think there's a lot between us and the Irish even if they are not a strong as they once were.

[betsy123]

Ivanovic is probably the best right back in the EPL. Coleman is probably on the same level as Hutton.

Are you actually serious? Like I thought yous were deluded from reading how condfident you lot are of getting a result in Germany, but I put that down to understandable optomism,however I've seen someone say that Scotland are a level,yes a full level above Ireland and that Alan Hutton and Seamus Coleman are on the same level? Is this forum serious or is it one big piss take?

Scotland and Ireland are on similar levels, however most neutrals would agree that Ireland have a slightly better first xi and a far stronger squad. I have asked the posters of Grandoldteam,which is Evertons forum who they think is the better side and I think 80 percent said Ireland, go over and check if you want, its under "Ireland squad vs Scottish squad" thread on the "world football forum".

[ProudScot]

Coleman world class? Erm.... Naw

[girvanTA]

Guess we will find out sooner or later on who's better. Naismith is on fire at the moment, Hutton is playing again, we have 3 top class goalkeepers who wouldnt look out of place in any side on their day. We have a squad that has been picking up momentum and graffting out results.

we have scored away goals against croatia, england, macedonia, norway, poland, and nigeria.

Ireland have mcgeadey a 1 trick pony turncoat, mcarthy is another turncoat but a good player, at least 1 will pull out before our game in october if not both

[ProudScot]

Guess we will find out sooner or later on who's better. Naismith is on fire at the moment, Hutton is playing again, we have 3 top class goalkeepers who wouldnt look out of place in any side on their day. We have a squad that has been picking up momentum and graffting out results.

we have scored away goals against croatia, england, macedonia, norway, poland, and nigeria.

Ireland have mcgeadey a 1 trick pony turncoat, mcarthy is another turncoat but a good player, at least 1 will pull out before our game in october if not both

McCarthy won't have the balls to play against Scotland

[betsy123]

Guess we will find out sooner or later on who's better. Naismith is on fire at the moment, Hutton is playing again, we have 3 top class goalkeepers who wouldnt look out of place in any side on their day. We have a squad that has been picking up momentum and graffting out results.

we have scored away goals against croatia, england, macedonia, norway, poland, and nigeria.

Ireland have mcgeadey a 1 trick pony turncoat, mcarthy is another turncoat but a good player, at least 1 will pull out before our game in october if not both

I guess we will find out soon enough,you have 3 good keepers yes,but only one plays.

Forde

Coleman-O'Shea-Delaney-Wilson

Mcgeady-McCarthy-Gibson-Brady

Keane-Long.

There is no possible XI that yous can pick at the moment that is better than that. We also have a good few premier league subs:Walters,Whelan,Clark,Given,Meyler,Quinn,Doyle,Grealish. Mark noble possibly declaring,along with Will Buckley which will give us two more decent premier league players.

We have scored goals against Germany,Portugal,Croatia,Sweden,Austria,England,Poland over the last two years that doesnt mean much.

This momentum yous love to talk about could well be reversed by the time we play yous, if we beat Georgia then Gibraltar and take a 3/4-0 of Germany we will be in good shape going into the game against Scotland. However if yous lose 3/4-0 against Germany tomorrow yous will struggle to pick it up for the Georgia game which could see yous with 1 point going into your game vs Poland,which you may well leave with a 1 point too. By the time we play yous we will have 6 from 9 (most likely).

One thing Ireland are normally good at is,getting 6 points each off Georgia and Gibraltar,then lose to Germany and draw the rest of our games with yous and Poland which is probably enough to get third spot,one win out of those 4 and the rest draws would probably clinch second spot.

I get the impression that this is Scotlands strongest team in many years,well this is Irelands weakest team in many years yet we still manage to have a higher amount of players in the Premier League than Scotland.