donsdaft Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Exactly. (CvB) Look back at the amount of top class players with only a handful of caps because someone else deemed better played in their position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RicoS321 Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Not sure of McLeish's thinking on a number of things last night. Our side did not even look like a good team on paper, never mind grass. A couple of games ago it looked like we had the makings of a decent defence with Mulgrew, Hendry and McKenna with McKenna even named as captain. Why then leave McKenna and Hendry on the bench? And surely he should be starting with Forrest and Armstrong and get McDonald out of that team. Up front Griffiths is clearly our best hope of getting a goal yet he is sitting at home. Looked like Strachan was not far off getting it right towards the end of his spell as manager where the basis of the team was made up of dhim players, now it is just a shambles again. Strachan was playing Tierney at right back in order to shoehorn him in. I would agree mind you, but I also see the strengths of a back 3 when played correctly and I think it's something that will come more prevalent in the international (then club) scene in the coming years). Tierney and Robertson should be kept apart in that system though (Tierney in the centre) as they nullify each other by occupying similar spaces. They were both gash last night, and I'm not sure if Robertson is that good as a wing back as he doesn't actually take people on particularly well (he overlaps, which he's fantastic at). He didn't get any crosses in last night. MacDonald was our best midfielder last night. I don't really like him, I think he's too slow, but Forrest has 22 of the shittest Scotland caps in history (last night no exception) without scoring and Armstrong has made 5 sub appearances this season. Neither are an adequate replacement (we should be kidnapping McArthur and forcing him to play). Last night's team would have been fine if we'd played the back 3 correctly. I don't think McLeish got it right, and he didn't change to a back 4 until Souttar (who was also pish) got red carded. That said, we had 7 SPFL players on the pitch last night and no players who aren't playing regularly for their team. Chris Martin has been consigned to history, Hanley been put down and so has every other no-mark championship wank who ever played 3 seconds for Reading or some shite and had an English granny. We're giving young players an opportunity too (McKenna wouldn't have been near a Strachan squad). He's not got it right, and far from it, but he does seem to have addressed a lot of the things that supporters took issue with under every manager this century (including McLeish). I want this team to succeed as I think we're doing things the right way. Hopefully McLeish will be given the chance and that'll happen. I think the handling of the Griffiths thing was poor and that can't happen again. He's been average this season, so hopefully the rest will give him the boot up the arse for the next set of matches (not before then...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lencarl Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 After my post earlier on the mental health of McLeish some one on Twitter posted this: just listened to all McLeish's post match comments.. i'm even more concerned now than i was last night. came across as confused and worryingly oblivious to what actually went on last night. I can see him quitting soon on health reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Didn't see his interview but I did watch the game and it was clear that our manager hasn't got a clue. He was drinking heavily before he got the job (allegedly) so it wouldn't surprise me if his mental faculties have been drowned, not having been great in the first place. He certainly seems to have lost a lot in any interviews I've seen in recent months. Great posts about Tierney. He was pish again last night and no way should he be in that team, Robertson being the far superior LB. The promise he showed as a teenager never really kicked on. I don't watch him every week obviously but the boyfriend of one of my daughters does and even he says he's not actually that good. Beaten by Israel and deservedly so. It doesn't get much worse. We should apologise to the Palestinians. Scotland, fucking up for human rights in various and different ways. Insulting Gazza is one thing, and quite amusing since he's such a hun guffy fuck-up and he played an imaginary flute at Ibrox once, but failing to show solidarity with Gaza and Hamas is quite another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Caat Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Devlin and GMS get well deserved call ups to the squad for the Portugal game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LA-Don Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Obviously I'm biased but who is better than Devlin and McKenna in the middle? Neither are outstanding but good players. Sadly a shit time to start establish themselves with the way the national team is, but also an opportunity I suppose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Caat Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 McLeish sees Mulgrew at his first choice centre back, at least for the time being. (I think if we fail to get out of the Nations League group, Mulgrew will retire from international duty and McLeish will be fired if he doesn't resign) The system McLeish is going with....3/5/2....is forced upon him "by the media" who apparently insist on Tierney playing with Robertson somewhere in the same team. So that's 2 left sided centre backs (in reality one centre back and one left back who isn't very good playing anywhere other than left back). McKenna would make up a triumvirate of left sided centre backs so unless it's a dire emergency, he aint gonna get picked right now automatically. Souttar is now suspended for the next NL game so it will be Hendry alongside the other 2 unless one of them gets injured or McLeish suddenly grows a pair, ignores the press and puts Tierney on the bench. Hopefully Devlin will get some game time against Portugal and keeps his place in the squad in November. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jute Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Team for Portugal. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpeeqDZWwAEMnKz?format=jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc_don Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Another pumping I see. How did the dons players play? Saw Shinnie / GMS essentially created the consolation goal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Another pumping I see. How did the dons players play? Saw Shinnie / GMS essentially created the consolation goal GMS created a goal out of nothing, from an exceptional back heel. It's what he's got. He's a very intelligent footballer. Is he robust enough to contribute to a winning cause? Possibly. He's ageing like fine wine, the twinkle toes cunt. Seriously, it was sublime. Overall Scotland looked good until they scored. It was a bad result but not an unfair scoreline. 1-2 might have been more fair but it was 0-3 until the last move of the match. Scotland is in the toilet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 OMG. Just seen McLeish's post-match comments. He is either insane or more likely, in denial, for reasons that probably include holding on to his job. It's a total shit show, from top to bottom with no way back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jute Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Looked far more comfortable playing a 4 at the back. Was never a 3-0 game but individual errors cost us. Desperately need to find a right back as O’Donnell is clearly not good enough for this level. Was disappointed Devlin never got a game ahead of Hendry as he is a far better player. Hendry at fault for all of the goals. Thought GMS did more in his 20 minutes than Forrest has done in his 23 caps for Scotland. Still another defeat and knives are well and truly out for McLeish amongst support. No way he survives if we do not win next 2 games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Desperately need to find a right back as O’Donnell is clearly not good enough for this level. Malky Mackay played Ryan Jack at RB at Pittodrie v. Holland. He was brilliant in that position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lencarl Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Alex McLeish is now fighting for his job big time. He spouts some shite at his post match interviews. With Israel beating Albania to top Scotland's Nations League group McLeish must win the remaining fixtures or he will be back on Sky and BT advertising himself for another job...... again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 We can afford to draw with Albania if we beat Israel at home can’t we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 We can afford to draw with Albania if we beat Israel at home can’t we? Yes sir. Topping the group means what? What happens next? I don't understand this competition. 16 groups A1 to D4. Then what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lencarl Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Yes sir. Topping the group means what? What happens next? I don't understand this competition. 16 groups A1 to D4. Then what? We won't have to worry about that Don't quote me on it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee toon red Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Yes sir. Topping the group means what? What happens next? I don't understand this competition. 16 groups A1 to D4. Then what? We would go into mini playoff with the winners of the other League C groups. Straightforward knockout, to be played after the "normal" Euro qualifiers are finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RicoS321 Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Yes sir. Topping the group means what? What happens next? I don't understand this competition. 16 groups A1 to D4. Then what? Further to wee toon's explanation. It means that you are guaranteed at least a play-off spot for the euros. There will be a normal qualfication campaign too, which if you win yer group you go through without a playoff. Winning the nation's league will mean that there is less pressure for the normal euro qualifiers as you will have a fall back. It's a good thing to win I'd say, we showed in the last campaign that we can be a good team when the pressure is completely off (we'd all but failed to qualify after the Lithuania game). The problem being - as it was in the Slovenia game - when we face the pressure of the "nned to win" games again and we fuck it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Thx for explanation. I take it that the A to D group teams are the seeds for the real qualifying, so they can some practise matches and the back up of a play-off too if they win the group. So there's 16 teams for the play-offs, less the teams who automatically qualified through the groups proper (presumably only by winning their qualifying group), plus those who came second in the groups proper not already in the play offs by way of this Nations League stuff. I'm sure they would have thought this through but how many groups in the real qualifying, how many teams per group, how many in the competition proper and how many play offs? I'm guessing there may be room for a 3rd placed team (from the groups proper) to make up the 16 teams who play-off, assuming that is the intent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee toon red Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 I'm sure they would have thought this through but how many groups in the real qualifying, how many teams per group, how many in the competition proper and how many play offs? I'm guessing there may be room for a 3rd placed team (from the groups proper) to make up the 16 teams who play-off, assuming that is the intent. Not quite. 10 groups for the normal qualifiers. Top two from each group qualify. If any of those teams are due to take part in the Nations League playoffs, their playoff place will fall to another, non-qualified, team from the Nations League. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2020_qualifying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Not quite. 10 groups for the normal qualifiers. Top two from each group qualify. If any of those teams are due to take part in the Nations League playoffs, their playoff place will fall to another, non-qualified, team from the Nations League. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2020_qualifying Why do only some teams get to play for the right to get one of the four play off spots? There's 55 teams in the 10 groups but not 55 teams in the European Nations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee toon red Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Why do only some teams get to play for the right to get one of the four play off spots? There's 55 teams in the 10 groups but not 55 teams in the European Nations. As far as I can see there are 55 teams in the Nations League. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket_scientist Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 As far as I can see there are 55 teams in the Nations League. So there are. Just scrolled through the tables. Thanks for your info and link. Whilst I've now got a better handle on it all, still not 100% sure how the play offs work but will cross that bridge when we get there, which we may not anyway so will be blissful in my ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee toon red Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 So there are. Just scrolled through the tables. Thanks for your info and link. Whilst I've now got a better handle on it all, still not 100% sure how the play offs work but will cross that bridge when we get there, which we may not anyway so will be blissful in my ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
️ Come on you Reds! 
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