Hendricks
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Posts posted by Hendricks
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This seems to be gathering momentum
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All things considered we should have our strongest squad of the season available tomorrow. Basically Halkett, Haring and Boyce long term injuries and everyone else fit. Makes for our strongest bench, by far, we've had in some time.
Assuming he continues to stick with Clark in goals I'd like to see the following, though Forrest may start for either Oda or Vargas the latter of whom only got back from international duty today.
Clark
Rowles Kent Kingsley
Lembikisa Cochrane
Baningime Hoff
Oda Shankland Vargas
Subs:
Gordon
Atkinson
Sibbick
Devlin
Tait
McKay
Grant
Forrest
Tagawa
Fraser and Denholm miss out.
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13 minutes ago, JS_FFC said:
You say that, but I’d be interested to know how often the 24th-26th men even kick a ball in the tournament.
Last time we had Taylor, Fleck, Gallagher and Turnbull as outfield players who took no part in the tournament. Not saying they were necessarily the last three picks but it does imply that Clarke doesn’t see 23 outfielders as necessary.
Even that England team that went all the way to the final didn’t use Ben Chilwell, Ben White or Conor Coady
The thing for them though is because of their options it just means more quality depth so they can cover even more, even unlikely eventualities. Or if they have one or two certain starters struggling - imagine Kane was touch and go they can just have him in the squad even if he might not play till the semi. It's a big advantage for the top tier teams.
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6 minutes ago, JS_FFC said:
Piece in the daily mail this evening that Gareth Southgate and other coaches are lobbying for 26.
If that’s the case I’d love to see a wildcard pick (Doak?) but I’d imagine it just solidifies Taylor, Jack and another centre half
Doak isn't expected to play again this season. Had knee surgery on meniscus.
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5 minutes ago, underdogunderdog underdog said:
Have UEFA said it will only be 23 man squads?
At AFCON, countries were allowed up to 27 in the squad.
England keen to make it 26 man! Favours the big countries if that happens!
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38 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:
Che Adams is our best striker and I'm not sure why people are so determined to just ignore him.
I mean Steve Clarke just ignored him. Gave him 45 minutes combined over the 2 games so he obviously isn't overly thrilled with him either as he played many of his other first choice players.. I'd much rather have Adams starting than Dykes.
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15 minutes ago, Stevie Kirk said:
Ok you can have Henry Smith in as well.
Great stuff. Kelly makes big Henry look prime Buffon.
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31 minutes ago, Stevie Kirk said:
I agree . I also think we should bring Walter Kidd and Wayne Foster into the squad. Sure I know Kidd is 66 and Foster is English but they would bring bags of experience to the team.
Foster should be great at deliveries into the box seeing as how he has been a postman the past 20 years.
Your humour is to comedy what Liam Kelly is to goalkeeping.
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21 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:
You said Souttar was an absolute certainty for the squad and should be a first choice. He's neither. I was slightly exaggerating with "best centre half available" granted but you said he should be starting.
You're entitled to think that about Dykes. The paragraph above is fair enough opinion. Suggesting he could still be playing now and not have had a shot and comparing to Shankland having three (which didn't seriously threaten to go in) in 15 minutes when the latter was playing in a front two against an encamped defence, isn't.
I believe Souttar is a certainty for the squad. On the balance of performances my preferred back 3 right now would probably be Hendry Hanley Tierney but I have big concerns as to Hanley’s availability. Souttar for me is a much better footballer than Cooper and he’s going back to play for Rangers whilst Cooper will be back on the Leeds bench.
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18 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:
Yeah again, you're just making things up and not helping the cause of your own argument one bit. A bit like your steadfast refusal to accept that John Souttar just might not be the best centre back we have available. Indeed your view is somewhat contradictory on that where you would have us ignore the evidence of his last Scotland game because he's better than he showed but not apply the same logic to Dykes. And even if Shankland should be ahead of him (debatable), the suggestion that Adams did anything more significant than him last night, or any Scotland match in the last 18 months is spurious.
We get it, you think Shankland's better than Dykes. You may be right. Wild takes in incomparable circumstances are not evidence however.
I’m making things up!!! I’ve never once said Souttar is “the best centre back available”. Try again.
And I stand by my comment re Dykes - he is simply nowhere near enough of a goal threat. The entire Sportsound panel literally made exactly the same point last night, he offers f**k all when we are trying to break defensive sides down. Use him off the bench if we need an out against top teams or a better physical presence but not if we are looking for goals. It’s also my opinion that the likes of McGinn, Gilmour and McTominay are over playing with him give how limited it makes us.
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16 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:
You're comparing apples and pears though. Dykes played 60 odd minutes as the sole striker in a match that Northern Ireland at least bothered to occasionally attack in at that stage. Shankland came on to make it two up front in a contest by then being played in the final third of the pitch pretty much exclusively as Northern Ireland had ceased any ambition to add a second. And he didn't come close to scoring with his three efforts.
I'm not knocking Shankland. I think he did reasonably well in the Netherlands. His run of form in the last 6 months has taken him from a situation where he was competing for the 3rd striker role to one where he's comfortably clinched that and is now in a debate for whether he's 1st or 2nd. Which he might be. Last night's game added not one thing to that debate though in either direction.
Dykes could still be playing now and not have had an effort at goal. The desire to cling on to what he has provided in previous years, at times he’s contributed tremendously, is just bizarre. The reality is he’s barely been getting a game for QPR recently and they are shit! The team looks ponderous and slow with him up front and there was an immediate uplift and buzz when Shankland came on given he actually provides a goal threat. That’s not to say Dykes is not a useful option at certain times but him starting shows a total lack of ambition and handicaps the side going forward. Shankland and Adams should be comfortably ahead of him in terms of starting.0 -
39 minutes ago, Elixir said:
Serious teams don't suffer abject humiliation at home to Larkhall Loyal.
Still, whatever makes you sleep better.
Your lack of answers, given your hilarious rants, says it all
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47 minutes ago, GHF-23 said:
Why should a striker consistently (albeit not constantly) performing well, doing what he is expected to do and putting the ball in the net on a regular basis for Scotland be the past? Why would you then replace him with a striker 2 months older? You're presenting a version of the situation which is not in line with objective reality
“Putting the ball in the net on a regular basis”……
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Is this thread parody?!
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25 minutes ago, 2426255 said:
I don't get the whole thing with Shankland. He's decent, very good at Scottish Premiership level but he hasn't stood out amongst the strikers in this camp - he's been on par. On the one hand the narrative going into the camp was one chance one goal, he's a goal scorer and that's why he needs to be on the plane and starting against Germany, especially off the back of the Georgia game where it really was one chance, one goal.
Coming out the other side of the camp it's he's a striker and strikers miss chances and it's about getting back in for another chance. I mean do make up your mind.
If I wanted to lower myself to the one dimensional arguments that were used in the build up around his Hearts "form" I'd probably say he's had his chance against The Netherlands and he fluffed it, couldn't step up and is mentally scarred. I don't believe that though, he's in the mix - a good player, not a great one and we'll see what happens in the Summer.
And you are entitled to your opinion, no problem with that. I disagree with it though and it has hee haw to do with my club allegiances. Scotland look a better more threatening team with Shankland over Dykes. That's my view. It's also my opinion that the likes of McGinn and McTominay enjoy playing with him up front more than the big carthorse type, again just an opinion. Shankland was on the park 15 minutes last night and had 3 efforts, Dykes could still be playing now and not have touched the ball in the box 3 times! And I reiterate I do believe he has a part to play in the Euro's, I just think if that is him starting then it handicaps us these days.
My prediction for what it's worth is that Clarke will go pragmatic against Germany in what will be a decent team performance and a 2-0 type defeat but Dykes will have little influence up front as he will be starved of any service. The clamour will then be huge for Shankland to start against the Swiss, in a game we should be looking to win, that will happen and he'll inevitably score in a famous Scottish victory
Regardless of team selection I'm going to enjoy it, this is all just noise for us to occupy time with. I fully believe we will turn up and do ourselves justice over the 3 matches. I still expect us to get out of the group with this squad of players.
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1 hour ago, kmc dafc said:
Does this mean you either get a safe ticket or get a refund?
Not sure I understand your question but if you are talking about Live Football Tickets policy then yes you will be refunded if they don't get you the tickets you've ordered, which has never happened in my experience.
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3 hours ago, GHF-23 said:
There is nowhere like a big enough sample size to suggest this is the case, and even if there were it is far from open and close. Add in the way the striker is expected to play in Clarke's system, and the currently ignored fact that Dykes actually has a pretty decent goalscoring record compared to most Scotland strikers - including goals against the likes of Czech Republic, Ukraine and Norway, this is a ridiculously overconfident way to present your argument.
Being truthful I'd be surprised if, if the other two are fully fit, he gets much more than another start in a friendly and a few cameo appearances prior to and during the Euros.
That being the case, should we fail in Germany, I'll confidently predict Clarke will get dogs abuse. Dykes has done well for Scotland at certain times but that should the past and he should be the one coming off the bench. His threat is negligible in the opponents box.
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Scotland have won 15 out of our last 21 competitive games and 2 out of our last 19 friendlies.
No doubt tonight was extremely disappointing but you only need look at the evidence of our competitive record against our friendly record in recent years to understand where our focus lies. We have routinely been turning up when it matters and we will in June. I believe we will see the Scotland of the Spain game at Hampden and our first hour on Friday, helped by the return of the likes of Hickey and McGregor. When we play with intensity and energy we are a much better side and we'll be ready when it starts. This Scotland team has far more about it than not to turn up in Germany, we have captains at numerous clubs and we have leaders who will sort out the mess that was tonight. Unlike some I still retain huge faith in the Head Coach who has got us to back to back Euro's as well. I firmly believe Scotland will get out of the group and into the knock outs for the first time ever. Naysayers can GTF!
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2 minutes ago, Theroadlesstravelled said:
No. They talk absolute shite.
Aye ok.
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1 hour ago, D Angelo Barksdale said:
Kevin Nisbet scores both those Shankland chances imo.
Aye he's a great record of scoring in that goal at Hampden. Oh and he's fucking chocolate.
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1 hour ago, Elixir said:
Which now looks like it's all going to be for naught. Well, other than three more ducks. That's seven without a win since we qualified, and we've just been papped at home to Norn Iron.
Pretty much all the same things we laugh at Southgate and England for isn't too dissimilar to what we're now facing. A stubborn manager that is out of ideas.
Loyalty to the same players also means complacency for said players, and makes those on the periphery become disillusioned.
Clarke deserves immense criticism for how badly things have gone. The fact they were actually going right frankly only makes this situation worse. We should be going to this tournament with the belief that we can really compete - instead we're probably going to be whipping boys again who are there simply to make up the numbers. We should all be buzzing, but it has gone totally sour.
Still, at least we should beat Gibraltar before we go! Dykes and Adams will probably get hat-tricks to show what absolute ballers they are.
Ridiculous overreaction.
Nobody is "disillusioned".
Who are the players he is too loyal too?
What would your team be that is so much better than Clarke's?
We have perfomed very well in competitive fixtures and we will again in June.
f**k me, go to bed.
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5 minutes ago, 2426255 said:
Look mate, with the best will in the world you have a bias, If he was playing for Aberdeen or Hibernian you wouldn't be making this post. Added to that Hearts don't play Germany or any team close to that level.
I'm not saying Shankland shouldn't start, he was decent against the Netherlands, not stand out, but was competent at that level. There's not much to judge him on tonight so I wouldn't hold that against him in any way. Has he put forward a case that he's any better than what else we have? I'd say it's an open question at the moment and it might come down to other factors. Are we going to approach the Germany game like we approached the Netherlands game? or will it be more like the Spain game?
He has taken a step forward in the sense that he could start, but not that he should start, that's how I'd sum it up.
Are Scotland a better team, with more threat, with him up front over Lyndon Dykes? The answer is now, in March 2024, yes we are. That has f**k all to do with me supporting Hearts. Dykes does not look like scoring goals. Shankland does. It is that simple. That does not mean I am writing off Dykes's possible contribution just that for me starting him now in a major tournament reeks of pragmatism and frankly negativity. I appreciate you have a different view on it but the tide has definitely turned and you only need listen to the likes of Faddy and McCann who have been there and done that and know who provides the greater goal threat. Shanks should start in Munich.
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I'll preface this with saying two things; (i) yes I'm a Jambo and (ii) I have sympathy for Dykes this evening give how badly the team played. However surely there has to be a very good argument that not only is Shankland someone worthy of minutes at the Euro's but that he should actually be starting in Munich. Put simply the team looks better with him it. We have far more of a threat in the box when he is on the pitch. He has that instinct like our best goalscorers of the past NB I am not comparing him to more talented players and am under no illusions of his athletic limitations or anything like that but the guy brings a buzz to a side and he is always always a threat.
Dykes has always been terribly limited at international level but has performed admirably for Scotland and can still play a big role at the Euro's but it's time for us to show more ambition and help the good collection of midfielders that we have at our disposal. Shanks managed to have 3 efforts in 15 minutes tonight, he knows where the ball will drop much like a Mcoist or Johnston from the past. He has to now be right at the forefront of Clarke's mind. If he continues to perform and score for Hearts I don't see how you now leave him out.
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Pretty positive stuff from Clarke about Shankland
Scotland manager defends Hearts striker despite Netherlands miss
25th MarchWITH Che Adams only getting on for the final 25 minutes or so against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Friday night and Lyndon Dykes not featuring at all, Steve Clarke may well start with a new striker this evening.
Not that the Scotland manager was giving an awful lot away when he was quizzed by reporters yesterday about his intentions for the meeting with Northern Ireland at Hampden. “Do you want the team?” he said with a raise of his eyebrows. “I’ll sleep on it.”
If Clarke does wake up today and decide to change who plays up front in the friendly international it will be no reflection, none whatsoever, on how Lawrence Shankland performed in attack in the Johan Cruyff Arena last week.
Nor will it mean the free-scoring Hearts captain is being punished for the scoring opportunity he spurned – he was clean through on goal with only goalkeeper Mark Flekken to beat and hit the crossbar - in the second half of the encounter with the Dutch last week.
Many fans and pundits have suggested that Shankland, who was surprisingly given the nod ahead of Tartan Army favourites and proven performers Adams and Dykes, has blown his chances of leading the line for his country in the Euro 2024 finals in Germany in June because of his glaring miss in the 4-0 defeat.
That, though, is not how Clarke views things. He felt the eight-times capped 28-year-old, who has netted on 28 occasions in the 2023/24 campaign, actually proved he could compete against top class international opposition during his time on the park. If anything, he believes the forward has furthered his cause.
“I don’t buy that at all,” he said. “I think that goalscorers are goalscorers. He worked ever so hard to get that chance. Nobody is more disappointed than Lawrence that he didn’t take it. But he knows that there will be another chance and he’ll probably score it.
“No, Lawrence was good. The reason I played Lawrence against Holland was I have to see how he plays against that level of opposition. And he was good. He’s done himself no harm whatsoever.
“Forget the scoreline. Forget the chance that he missed. Lawrence was good in the game. It was a good night for Lawrence. Maybe not a good night for everybody else. It was just one of those nights, wasn’t it? When we had to score goals in qualifying we scored goals. I have got no concerns.”
Clarke, who ordered his Scotland players to press the Netherlands high up the park from kick-off on Friday evening, appreciates that Shankland gives him a different option in the final third. He is not about to disregard such a lethal predator because of a single shot which struck the woodwork.
“The other two boys?” he said. “We know what they can do. It would be nice if one of them at their club started to knock in the goals and became the main man. I’d much rather three of them were doing it going into the Euros. Then it makes it a difficult choice.
“There will always be a little bit of horses for courses in terms of the nature of the striker, the make-up of the opposition and how we are going to approach the game, with a high press or a lower block. There’s always going to be room to manoeuvre with the strikers. And that helps.
“He’s just a different player. Dykesy is different to Che, Che is different to Lawrence and Lawrence is different to Dyksey. They all bring something a little bit different. Dykesy and Che have got their own qualities and Lawrence has got his qualities.”
Clarke, he reminded the assembled media, gave Shankland a call-up when he was playing in the second tier of Scottish football with Dundee United. He feels he has progressed hugely as a player since then and has even more to contribute.
“Lawrence has improved,” he said. “There’s no doubt. I brought Lawrence in to the squad on another dark night (in a 4-0 defeat to Russia in Moscow in a Euro 2020 qualifier in 2019) and he was a Championship player at the time.
“But obviously I saw qualities in him. I thought, ‘If he continues to develop the way he’s developing’. And he has done. He’s got himself now scoring goals for the third best team in Scotland this year in Hearts.
“He’s scoring goals week in week out. It doesn’t matter who he’s playing against. He’ll score against Celtic and Rangers, he’ll score against Livi down at the bottom or St Johnstone. He scores goals.”
Clarke could do with a few of his Scotland players having their shooting boots on tonight.
The national team, who have lost to England, Spain, France and the Netherlands and drawn with Georgia and Norway in the past six months, desperately need to end a six game winless run and start building up a head of steam before the Euro 2024 finals.
However, the manager stressed that he was far from despondent about the loss to Ronald Koemann’s star-studded side despite the final scoreline after watching his men dominate the opening hour.
“I want us to be a team that can play different systems, can play different ways and be confident in whichever way we decide to go on to the pitch,” he said. “Normally against a Pot One team we would be a little bit deeper and wait for our moments to break. We decided that we would go and have a press and it worked pretty well for us.
“We took them on, we went toe to toe with them. If we are clinical in the right moments and get ourselves in front or get ourselves equalised the whole game changes, the whole mood on the night can change.
“Listen, there was a lot to take from the game positively. In the debrief we spent as much time, if not more time, talking about the positives than the ending. We saw one or two things towards the end that we can improve in. And hopefully in the future, when we get to that type of scenario, we know better how to manage a game like that.”
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Who’s on the plane?
in Tartan Army Ramblings
Posted · Edited by Hendricks
Given their depth of players I think overall it benefits the tier one teams big time more than the likes of us. Interesting that England are at the forefront of it in the week when it was blindingly obvious how much they miss their captain and goalscorer. Hypothetically this would allow them to take the likes of Kane if he were injured but with say a chance of being back by a semi-final given the options available to them. For us it's probably far less important though I guess it would provide more cover for the likes of Tierney who may struggle with three 90 minutes in 10 days or if God forbid Robbo/Hickey are struggling to make it for June 14th.