Scotland squad

[OrlandoDon]

1 hour ago, dons8321 said:

Kinda ruined your point by referencing St Mirren who've humped us 3-0 at Pittodrie in the recent seasons and last time could easily have been 6.

Not really. That result is the exception not the norm.

[dons8321]

26 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

Not really. That result is the exception not the norm.

Should have said "twice" in recent seasons - Dec '23 and  Jan '25.

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

It’s just a bit frustrating watching us at times isn’t it? You feel like there are just too many times where we do not do ourselves justice and the team performance is not equal to the sum of the parts. We’re not world beaters but my god, we have such an inferiority complex when playing anybody remotely decent. We really should be aspiring to be at the same level as a Denmark, Sweden or Switzerland, surely that is not unrealistic?

You watch a team like Wales and they always seem to give any opposition a real tough match despite having a team that on paper that ain’t that great at all.

If we are starting a game with the likes of McGinn, McTominay, Robertson, Ferguson, Hickey, Tierney, Gilmour and Christie, why the hell should we feel inferior to what you might call a middle ranking kind of team? Yes, we have a handful of bang average players in there as well but not everyone playing for a Sweden or Denmark is a superstar. I just don’t think we believe in ourselves enough. Setting out with a mentality of “let’s not lose this” is just not very brave and even more so when our central defence and goalie are the weakest parts of the team.

 

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

It’s just a bit frustrating watching us at times isn’t it? You feel like there are just too many times where we do not do ourselves justice and the team performance is not equal to the sum of the parts. We’re not world beaters but my god, we have such an inferiority complex when playing anybody remotely decent. We really should be aspiring to be at the same level as a Denmark, Sweden or Switzerland, surely that is not unrealistic?

You watch a team like Wales and they always seem to give any opposition a real tough match despite having a team that on paper that ain’t that great at all.

If we are starting a game with the likes of McGinn, McTominay, Robertson, Ferguson, Hickey, Tierney, Gilmour and Christie, why the hell should we feel inferior to what you might call a middle ranking kind of team? Yes, we have a handful of bang average players in there as well but not everyone playing for a Sweden or Denmark is a superstar. I just don’t think we believe in ourselves enough. Setting out with a mentality of “let’s not lose this” is just not very brave and even more so when our central defence and goalie are the weakest parts of the team.

 

Last time I watched Wales, they fluked a draw against North Macedonia, with some dirty Hun cunt scoring for the latter. 

I don't think we see ourselves as inferior to any of the teams you mention, more on a par with them. Which means that when you're the away side, setting up to contain and break isn't ridiculous. The only issue I have with the performance, and Scotland performances more generally, is that we don't react and change during games. I think it was an opportunity missed, as they were flat and so was the crowd. 

Another way of looking at it, though, is that Clarke saw the draw as enough, because he believes that we're good enough to beat both Denmark and Greece at Hampden. There can be little other way to interpret it. I think we are good enough to beat them both at Hampden, but I'm also aware that a bird in the hand is worth two in the tree, and that we might have injuries or suspensions and we end up dropping points come the home legs.

[OrlandoDon]

This is the banana skin game, I think we’ll all take any sort of win. Think we’ll see doak in for dykes, Christie in the middle with Ferguson, mcginn and doak wide and mctominnay at 10 behind Adams. Or dykes in and not Adams, but I think only one change. Ferguson has more of a goal threat than gilmour so unless Ferguson has any sort of fitness issue I think he starts. Same reason re goals that I take Christie ahead of Gilmour.

Thinking 2-1 us…hopefully. Wont complain if it’s a bigger win. Adams and mctom.

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

This is the banana skin game, I think we’ll all take any sort of win. Think we’ll see doak in for dykes, Christie in the middle with Ferguson, mcginn and doak wide and mctominnay at 10 behind Adams. Or dykes in and not Adams, but I think only one change. Ferguson has more of a goal threat than gilmour so unless Ferguson has any sort of fitness issue I think he starts. Same reason re goals that I take Christie ahead of Gilmour.

Thinking 2-1 us…hopefully. Wont complain if it’s a bigger win. Adams and mctom.

Aye, that seems reasonable. Could probably even find room for Lennon Miller alongside Ferguson, but think it might be Gilmour. McKenna has to start ahead of Hanley, as we need to carry from defence (Hanley was excellent otherwise, but it's not his type of game tonight). I'm wondering if McTominay might be rested for tonight, as that looked a sore one late in the game on Friday. I'd consider the 4-4-2 with Bowie alongside Dykes if so. 

[Jute]

I think we need to be looking to score a few tonight as think second could be settled on goal difference. Would like to see Doak and Bowie start but can’t see Clarke being that adventurous. 

[Goldie03]

Will they not discount goal difference against last team or not cause only 4? 

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

This was leaked earlier by a member of the backroom staff.  Apparently Clarke insisted on Ralston at right back until Naismith assured him that he was sent home injured.  Plan is to keep it tight until the last seven minutes then bring on Adams for Dykes.

[Jute]

[RicoS321]

Good side. Should have enough to batter them. 

[tlg1903]

I'd forgotten just how shit football without fans actually is 

[Jute]

Not been a great game but 1-0 up at half time.

[OrlandoDon]

Need the Greek’s to score and draw. As was mentioned before, a result away from home against one of the better teams is gold. I suppose the Danes are motivated after dropping points to us.

[Jute]

2-0 with own goal. Probably best bit of football in the game in build up.

[Jute]

Danes 2-0 up on Greeks 

[Jute]

Danes 3-0.

Why put Dykes and McLean on ahead of Bowie and Miller

[Jute]

As I hit post Miller gets on for McTominay for 2 minutes at the end.

[tlg1903]

2 down, 4 to go, 3 at home..... Game on! 

[RicoS321]

Decent performance and a comfortable win. Thought Adams was very good, also McGinn, Gilmour and Doak. 

Subs again were a bit poor. Clarke is playing this campaign ultra safe, and I can see why, but we could have pushed it tonight again. Adams was very good as I said, but that absolute sitter he missed was because he had been running himself into the ground. Bowie deserved 15-20 minutes to show what he could do, and I suspect he'd have buried that. Wouldn't have minded seeing Doak switching wings for a spell too, and obviously Miller on instead of McLean. Clarke made little attempt in the last campaign to transition to the future, and he's doing it again. If Dykes isn't playing much before the next game then we might want to give Bowie a chance, so why not give him a taster? I don't think Dykes as a sub is going to grab a goal against tiring defenders. Again, taking the chances when they arise is vital, and goal difference is also vital. Clarke is really putting his faith on taking everything at Hampden. It's high risk. 

 

[OrlandoDon]

Agreed. Miller and Bowie playing 15 mins has benefit, plus there is plenty of experience around them. At 2-0 I don’t think they’d cost us. No reason at all to play dykes for sure, and I’d like to think miller could have handled the situation instead of McLean. While I understand why, Clarke does himself no favors and could have been more forward thinking.