HuttonDressedAsLahm

I do however worry with your point otherwise, it's just going to be an FA Cup tie by another name. Games like that quickly descend to a level above the 'weaker' side, and below the 'stronger' side. With the way they're playing, a quick goal might kill it. Duffy and Egan, however, give me the fear at set pieces.

That's a bit harsh. Game management, if we're judging by performances and results, was bang on. The defensive changes worked perfectly, and only some profligate shooting by McGinn and the expected pedestrian pace of the last 30 minutes stopped it being 4/5. There's no reason that playing Stewart for the second half would have resulted in anything different. With respect to SC, he's capped three teenagers since he came in. I don't have the data to hand, but I'm pretty sure no one has done that this Century. He's given a chance to plenty of players, and either dropped those who aren't good enough or not looked at them a second time (Shankland, McBurnie, Burke, Griffiths, Findlay, Palmer, Devlin, Brophy...) Brown and Stewart need more game time and given a serious chance, but of all the criticisms of SC, giving opportunity isn't really one of them (also, with the caveat that there isn't a whole lot of opportunities now with the Nations League and Euro/World Cup Qualifiers).

They didn't quite dominate them. Sure, they had more possession but they did very little with it. McGinn had more and better chances last night than Ireland did all game. Armenia sat deep, but had more attacking intent than they did against us. They counter-attacked quickly (like they tried last night). They scored a worldy, and had another brilliant strike chalked off for offside. Ireland could still be playing and wouldn't have scored. Armenia are dreadful. Ireland are a better side, but there's a reason they haven't won a competitive game in three years (10 games).

Have to agree with all of this. He has a certain tendency of trying to create the optimal opportunity rather than shooting early. He does that for Southampton as well. A couple of times we won the ball in their penalty area and the chance was lost. He isn't a brilliant goalscorer, much in the same way that Miller wasn't. He, however, is a better player and adds more to our game. He's still only 25 so there's opportunity to grow, and develop in the position we require. I also imagine that games against Ukraine and ROI will suit him better given the greater space they'll afford. A game like yesterday probably suits a penalty-area striker. The only player we have like that would be Stewart, but unfortunately he hasn't yet been tried enough to start. Perhaps next week will offer that.

I'd start Hendry in every game like that. By having a ball-playing CB, you rid the need of Gilmour/McGregor dropping deep to get the ball. He may have made the odd mistake, but it's not like Hanley has been exactly brilliant in the last few games. Hanley probably necessary against ROI, given the height and strength of their centre backs at set pieces. McTominay to start ahead of Armstrong to give us some extra height. For the same reason, SOD might be preferred for Saturday as well. Patterson would be useful for his pace on Saturday if he's both fit, and we can use him appropriately. Ralston/Patterson to be back in on Tuesday.

It was only in the last year that we had the opportunity to put out a full team with Scotland goals, and last night we achieved it. In the last 15 months or so, these defenders have scored: Hendry x 2 McTominay x 1 Hanley x 1 McKenna x 1 Patterson x 1 Tierney x 1 Ralston x 1 Souttar x 1 Not all have come from set pieces, but a fair number have. Either way, it's extra goals that aren't taken away from midfield/strikers so brilliant to have.

One thing that needs to change is that if we play 3atb with Hendry in games like that, McGregor doesn’t need to drop back and take the ball off his toes. The Armenian defensive line finished at 45 yards from their goal. McGregor dropping deep to take the ball is a poor use of space and bodies. McTominay was a big improvement over Armstrong. He rattles the ball around quicker and get passes through the lines. It also moved McGinn up the pitch. He’s still not himself, but he was much improved in the last 20 minutes over the previous 70+90. Only changes I’d make for Saturday would be McTominay>Armstrong, and potentially starting Patterson. It may be a physical game, so whoever can cope with Duffy/Egan etc I’d start. Ralston was far better than I expected. Difficult to know his ceiling given how bad Armenia are, but I’ll happily have him as second choice behind a fit Patterson. Odd to take so long to make changes. There’s no value at all in giving Brown and Stewart 5 minutes. Other than that, we still can’t shoot, but that wasn’t learned tonight. That’s why a player like Bale/Haaland turns a team like us/Wales/Norway into a side that qualifies for tournaments.

Neither of them are goalscorers. Adams: 4 in 17 Miller: 18 in 69 There’s very little in it, but neither are prolific. Adams is a more talented player, but has the same issue with overdoing it, and taking too many chances to score.

If we’re going to drop Gilmour, and assuming Patterson is fit, this is probably the one game you could afford not to start them at least. Grant you the Ralston point. If he’s going to be mediocre, make it in a game we can survive. 3-1. Game comfortable enough for a change of keeper, and all 5 subs used.

Patterson and Gilmour the only obvious positions where we’re stronger on the bench. Three ball-playing defenders will be interesting to see. I’m thoroughly unconvinced with Ralston, so an opportunity for me to be corrected on that front.

As long as we go out strong, I'm happy. I'd be more than happy with that team. The dream would be coasting at half time, with the ability to see new faces and rest key players in the second half. Unlikely, I know...

Yup, I can absolutely imagine it. Alternatively, us winning all three of these games would be very very very unlike us. That would only just be behind the streak we went in 2021. We rarely ever achieve that.

Even if we make a royal arse out of it this month, and say get 4 or 5 points, two wins v Ukraine in September probably still wins the group. That's a long shot, but whilst we're still in it, there's everything to play for. It's a hard group to predict because 1) Armenia are both awful and effective 2) Ireland are dire, but quite capable of being stuffy and used to stealing points and scoreless draws, 3) Ukraine are a good outfit, but may struggle with fitness in June, and again in September, and 4) we are both capable of winning every game, and dropping points everywhere. If I was a neutral I'd watch our group, but wouldn't be putting money on anything. For us, a boring draw between ROI and Ukraine tonight (and again next week) would be helpful.

Ciaran Slicker plays for the u21s. Did you mean someone else? Unfortunately, he doesn’t look like making it at City (who does?) Are there any young lads in the Championship or League One? I’m always conscious that keepers mature late, and academy keepers rarely make the first team as there’s not often space.

Given we’ve played them in three games where it actually matters and won 3-2 twice, and once on penalties, we do edge it. Keeping the academic point going, ability isn’t measured only versus each other. We have out-performed them in each and every group, and finished higher when in different groups. In what possibly comparison would we not be better?

I’d like to think we’re coasting with 20 minutes to go, and we can get another keeper on in one of these games.

Correct. It's mildly infuriating that they can seemingly seamlessly switch between relatively inexperienced managers, with no ill effects. None of their managers in recent times have exactly struck anyone as exceptional, but something clearly works. Makes a mockery of some of the obsessions that we have north of the border, but then our mediocre managers return mediocre results... They have actually been remarkably consistent since 2013-2014. That coincides pretty closely to when Bale and Ramsey started banging them in. It is incredibly petty, but I do look forward to the inevitable collapse when those two start winding up. I have convinced myself that it's coming. If they're able to keep qualifying with the likes of Dan James and Kieffer Moore leading the line, then we seriously need to test the water down there.

Are we really doing this? The English language allows for emphasis where the literal value is clearly not true, but the underlying point is observably correct. For your benefit, I’ll re-phrase: Wales have a valuable habit of winning games with the odds stacked against them. On occasion, any team can do that, but they seem to be able to ride their luck when needed. That better?

The point is pretty clear. If you’d prefer I’d put it more eloquently, then fine, but the point isn’t that hard to understand.

I may be recalling this incorrectly, but I believe Vogts had to re-instate youth sides below the u21s. We were quite the backward state back then, and the shocking lack of quality players Vogts had to work with wasn't his fault. It's quite possible that it took 10 years from his appointment for us to make any decent progress in the coaching and training of young players. Whether that's simply coincidental, I wouldn't know. We did after all qualify in 2008 for the U17 final, and then not again until four consecutive qualifications in 2014-2017. Rebuilding after the Brown era, with the excepted blip in 2007, took until Strachan before we had anything resembling a competitive team. Whilst we benefited from poor quality groups in the early 2000s (and we were a 1st seed for the group including Belgium and Croatia) we really had almost nothing to work with. Klopp (or insert other world class coach) would have struggled to get a tune of some of those sides we had.

If playing 3atb is about getting Tierney and our best players into the team, then logically 4atb is also true when he’s not available. That’s my logic. I’d rather lose, Cooper for instance, and gain McTominay/Armstrong in midfield, than keep that extra defender that doesn’t really give us much, particularly at home against a poorer opposition. Otherwise, I do agree. We could win convincingly with 3atb, or we could struggle. Both are quite possible.

Dykes out for all three, confirmed. Patterson back is a massive plus however. I’d be much more positive with Patterson starting, given the balance it gives the team and his attacking threat. The risk of playing Stewart would be reduced as well, as the danger of being isolated is reduced. I expect we’ll be playing 3atb, but I do have an outside hope that we try 4 again to provide more impetus. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be surprised to see McKenna and Souttar starting, with McTominay replacing Gilmour if he’s still struggling, and Christie on from the beginning. Don’t see Stewart and Taylor starting, if there’s more changes elsewhere.

It's going to be interesting to watch the ROI's rebuilding. This UNL has probably come too early, but despite the Armenia result, I suspect you'll remain in League B, and a 3rd seed for ECQ. You're probably 2 years away from having a strong team for qualification again? I imagine the Welsh will be in a similar place in 2 years, though I doubt they'll hit the lows that either ROI or Scotland reached.

This is sailing remarkably close to the incessant Messi v Ronaldo debates that carry through every football forum. Quite frankly, who cares? Denmark and Wales have both performed better than us, and achieved more in the last 10 years or so, and quite honestly, that's all that ever matters. Their history is as irrelevant as ours. Our position in Europe is that we are very much a 3rd seed/2nd tier team. Whilst that doesn't feel great, it's still an improvement on performing like a 4th seed/3rd tier team that we have for much of the 2000s, and 2010s. We are at least competitive against countries like Austria and by extension, our results/league standings are better than the likes of Slovenia, Slovakia, or the other 'also rans' in UNL Group B. We should be going into the next Euro qualifiers as a minimum of a 3rd seed, with a decent expectation of pushing for automatic promotion in 2nd place. If we can win this UNL group, which isn't some sort of Craig Levein "we-can-still-win-every-remaining-game" nonsense, that would make us both a 2nd seed, and effectively guarantee a playoff for both ECQ and WCQ. However you measure it, that's manifestly an improvement on the last 20 years. Whilst it's still a push, neither is it some sort of pipe dream. We have a good and competitive squad, and we generally play like it.

That is just nonsense. Wales are a very good side, but player for player, they are distinctly below many of ours. Again, if that’s not the case, then the agents of some of these Championship and League One players need fired.