Scotland National Team Discussion

Thought Scotland were a bit unlucky. Had some great chances but poor finishing (And a worldie) fecked them.

Ha to be said though that Dyke and O'Donnell at right back in particular were awful. Is O'Donnell always like that? He really did look like a non league player. (No disrespect to amateur footballers).

The xG of that goal was 0.03.

I think Scotland were the better side in general play but CR defended better and had Schick in top form.
 
If Tierney isn't fit I don't see why we'd continue with the 3 at the back.

Marshall should be dropped too.

Gordon
Patterson - Hanley - Cooper - Robertson
McTominay - Gilmour - McGinn
Armstrong
Adams - Nisbet​
 
For years we were struggling for an international class right-back. And O'Donnell came in and has done okay defensively. In the absence of any real alternatives he did a passable job. The problem is we have since switched to a 3-5-2 which exposes the all-round game of your wing-back: they need to be proper two-way players who can attack and defend. O'Donnell is a decent Scottish Premiership standard full-back, but he's not a wing back, never mind an international one. The other problem is the emergence of Nathan Patterson at Rangers who has played a handful of games at the end of the season, but already looks a couple of levels above O'Donnell and whose dribbling and technical ability would make him a great fit for a wing-back role. Clarke managed O'Donnell at Kilmarnock so he has this overbearing loyalty, but which is actually undermining the player by putting him into a position and against a standard of opposition he's not comfortable with.
That's a fair summary of the situation. O'Donnell is probably unlucky in that at any other time in the past 20 years, he wouldn't have looked so out of place because the overall quality of the team wasn't as good as it is now. Personally, I've seen enough of Patterson (and of O'Donnell) to feel he should definitely be starting.
 
Pretty late to this because I haven’t watched the game just saw the second goal. But the second goal was in the 52nd minute? :lol: for some reason I thought it was late on with Scotland throwing everyone forward
 
Marshall
Patterson Hanley Cooper Robertson
McGinn McGregor/McT and Gilmour
Forrest Adams Frazer

If Tierney is fit then

Marshall
Hanley Cooper Tierney
Patterson Mcgregor/McT Gilmour McGinn Robertson
Forrest Adams Frazer

Could throw in David Turnbull Instead of McGregor/McT aswell.
Patterson and Gilmour have to start. Patterson is the best rb in the squad, he gives an outlet both defensively and offensively. Gilmour even in the little time he played in that last game before the competition started showed how good he is.
 
Got a feeling if Tierney isn’t fit, Clarke is going to put McTominay back at RCB and bring McGregor into midfield rather than switching to a back four
 
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If Tierney isn't fit I don't see why we'd continue with the 3 at the back.

Marshall should be dropped too.

Gordon
Patterson - Hanley - Cooper - Robertson
McTominay - Gilmour - McGinn
Armstrong
Adams - Nisbet​
No way Nisbet should be starting.
 
Got a feeling if Tierney isn’t fit, Clarke is going to put McTominay back at RCB and bring McGregor into midfield rather than switching to a back four
I thought he might have done it against the Czechs. It was obvious how poor our use of the ball at the back was going to be. At least McTominay brings the ability to pass the ball forwards with purpose on the deck, and can offer some of Tierney's overloading ability from deeper areas.
 
A bit nervous ahead of this one. What an opportunity for the players, they could return home heroes. But right now I'd settle for not disgracing ourselves and returning to Hampden for the next match with some dignity intact.
 
Scotland has shit strikers. Honestly, the less striker, probably the better for them. Just move McTominay in the Armstrong's role and then shift Armstrong up front playing next to Adams and play Gilmour in that no 6 role.
 
When Scotland win, I won't laird it over you plebs. It is what it is. On to the next game!
 
Head says England convincing win but heart says draw or Scotland narrow win.

It’s gonna be extremely tough but shocks have happened before.
 
A bit nervous ahead of this one. What an opportunity for the players, they could return home heroes. But right now I'd settle for not disgracing ourselves and returning to Hampden for the next match with some dignity intact.
Right now I'd take either of our Wembley performances at Euro 1996 or the Euro 2000 play-off. Need some sort of bounce back after Clarke's shit show on Monday. I'd be surprised if we are well beaten because we've been so solid over the last two years.
 
On paper and squad quality Scotland look well beaten in all fairness

but we all know for these fixtures especially, that all that counts for nothing in these games, passion from the players in these international derbies is hugely amplified making it entirely un predictable

it should be a fiery show case and I can’t wait
 


Pretty much the team I was expecting us to field although would have liked to have seen Patterson start at RB instead of O’Donnell.
 


Pretty much the team I was expecting us to field although would have liked to have seen Patterson start at RB instead of O’Donnell.

Fantastic that Gilmour is in. Cooper is unlucky to miss out, our only EPL centre back, I'd have started him.
O'Donnell at right back... Clarke was defending him saying what does he do wrong? I'd ask what does he do right?
 
Fantastic that Gilmour is in. Cooper is unlucky to miss out, our only EPL centre back, I'd have started him.
O'Donnell at fight back... Clarke was defending him saying what does he do wrong? I'd ask what does he do right?

I’m delighted Gilmour is starting. He’s the one player in the team that can build from midfield and keep possession of the football which we won’t get a lot of tonight.

McTominay back at RCB. Agree Cooper is unlucky to miss out as I would have preferred him over Hanley at CB but not surprised Hanley is still in the squad.

Yeah I seen Clarke defending O’Donnell at the post match presser against the Czechs and from there I just knew he wasn’t going to be dropped. The thought of him up against Shaw & Sterling just gives me the shivers. Needs to have the greatest game of his life tonight if we are to get anything from tonight’s game.
 
Not watched you guys recently at all but both matches so far you played waaay better than I expected (for some reason I had really tumescent bad football in mind from a couple of years ago). Only big issue - and this is sadly massive for going through - is conversion. You create enough chances in both matches but yeah, need to finish them off.
Still, style of play given the overall quality of players was very good I thought.
 
They can't score. Other things are going quite well but won't mean a lot if no one can put the ball in the net.
 
Really pleased for wee Billy. Struggled a little with the pace of the game early on but his maturity and quality on the ball was very clearly evident.
 
Dykes is an odd one. Can see the benefits of him in a team, but heck wish he was a better scorer. There was one moment where we had England in a bad spot and he just had to run across the face of Mings and he was in a good spot but he was planted still not moving but feck me the man works his arse off for the team.

Any chance Bamford has a Scottish Gran?
 
McGinn and Che Adams were excellent. Worked their socks off and had quality too.
 
Absolutely class tonight. So proud of the boys. Better team and a bit unlucky not to win but will take the draw. Gilmour was absolutely class and I thought O’Donnell completely redeemed himself tonight, monster performance.
 
Well done lads, well done. Has put to bed some of the ghosts of 96. We matched England in most areas and put in a good showing. Tonight, I'm proud of the team. No matter what happens on Tuesday, these finals have not been a disaster. Get in.
 
Fancy the Scots to beat Croatia but would they go through with that and If Czechs v England draw? Would they be one of the 3rd best placed teams then?
 
Fancy the Scots to beat Croatia but would they go through with that and If Czechs v England draw? Would they be one of the 3rd best placed teams then?
Surely would be? Would be really unlucky to miss out with 4 points.
 
Don't know if the will go through and England obviously will, but it was nice of them to go to the wembley' England party a dump a really stinky shit in the middle of it.

Good effort.
 
Dykes is an odd one. Can see the benefits of him in a team, but heck wish he was a better scorer. There was one moment where we had England in a bad spot and he just had to run across the face of Mings and he was in a good spot but he was planted still not moving but feck me the man works his arse off for the team.

Any chance Bamford has a Scottish Gran?

Adams will score a few once he gets his first, was a bit like that for Southampton and even Birmingham when he didn't score much for his first 6 months.
 
Fancy the Scots to beat Croatia but would they go through with that and If Czechs v England draw? Would they be one of the 3rd best placed teams then?
Croatia isn’t playing nothing special since 2018 but calm down, individually they still have way better players. As good Scotland was today, they don’t look like to have players who will score a lot of goals from nowhere. Having said it, if Croatia doesn’t raise their level it’s only needed a 1:0 win.