ICTChris Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Ferguson passed fit for Scotland Smith upbeat despite injuries Defiant Fletcher plays on McFadden out to build on win Kick-off 1900 BST - Live coverage on BBC One Scotland, BBC Radio Scotland and this website Skipper Barry Ferguson is fit enough to lead Scotland in the vital World Cup qualifying tie with Belarus. BBC Sport can reveal that Ferguson will line up with Darren Fletcher in central midfield, despite limping out of training on the eve of the match. Hibernian's Gary Caldwell will replace the suspended Paul Hartley, while Kenny Miller plays as a lone striker. Christian Dailly starts the game and Graham Alexander will play with the help of a pain-killing injection. Steven Pressley remains in a three-man central defence with Hearts team-mate Andy Webster and Everton's David Weir, despite a knee injury. And Wolves forward Miller, who has been suffering from a thigh strain, gets the nod ahead of James McFadden. Everton's McFadden had been hoping for a starting role after scoring the second goal in Saturday's 2-0 win over Moldova. Preston defender Alexander has a toe problem but will play, probably in an uncustomary role wide on the left. Dailly, who replaced the injured Jackie McNamara and scored against Moldova, is expected to patrol the right flank. Caldwell, who served a one-match ban on Saturday, will play in front of the defence and may be asked to man-mark Belarus star Aliaksandr Hleb. Wigan's Lee McCulloch will hope to get forward from midfield and support Miller as he did against Moldova at Hampden. Neil McCann and McNamara failed to make the trip to Minsk through injury, while Robert Douglas, Nigel Quashie, David McNamee, Gary Naysmith, Garry O'Connor, Stevie Crawford all withdrew before the Moldova game. Belarus' qualification hopes were dented on Saturday, when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Slovenia. Top striker Maxim Romashchenko, of Dynamo Moscow, missed the match with an injury that has ruled him out until the end of the year. Victory would propel Scotland above their hosts and into fourth place in Group Five, but more significantly it would cut the gap between themselves and play-off rivals Slovenia and Norway to just one point. The Scots won 1-0 on their last visit to Minsk, courtesy of a Gary McAllister penalty in 1997, and went on to reach the World Cup finals the following year. Scotland: (3-1-5-1) Gordon, Pressley, Weir, Webster, Caldwell, Dailly, Fletcher, Ferguson, McCulloch, Alexander, Miller. ------------------Gordon------------------ ---Pressley------Weir--------Webster--- -Dailly----------------------------Alexander ----------------Caldwell---------------------- ------Fletcher--Ferguson--McCullcoh------- ----------------Miller-------------------------- No McFadden, one strikers, three at the back. I'm not confident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledSaint Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Why Miller? Why? Why? Why? Is he polishing Wattys knob or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldie lookin' bairn Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 must...maintain....confidence.... losing....hope...fast........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mon_The_Bairns Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 2 stupid things about that team. Why the fuk miller starts ahead of mcfadden is beyond me. 2 goals compared to 7 in roughly the same number of games tells its own story. Plus mcfadden offers much more to the team as he can hold onto the ball for more than 2 seconds. And what is the point in sticking mcculloch out on the left. I know he has been playing there for wigan but one of the main reasons for playing him is surely to play diagonal balls up to him to knock down to runners. I know we cant be too attacking but it seems like craig brown tactics again. I just hope it works and miller proves me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munro7 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 The worrying thing is just how ridiculously defensive a team that is in a game that we realistically need to win. I'm worried about the lack of width at the top end of the pitch again, not that I suppose it'll matter if we've only got one player in and around the box to try and get near any crosses that do come in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest_Fifer Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 4 central defenders, a right back playing at left wing-back, a 3-1-5-1 formation, the best goalscorer left in the bench....... It's all gone a bit Berti! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinton Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 nil - nil here we come!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 nil - nil here we come!! 541409[/snapback] Yup - can only see two results. 0-0 draw or a Belarus 1-0 win. Hope Im wrong but that isnt the team to pick when you need to win a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munro7 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 4 central defenders, a right back playing at left wing-back, a 3-1-5-1 formation, the best goalscorer left in the bench.......It's all gone a bit Berti! 541390[/snapback] Except it's not really 3-1-5-1, is it? It's more 5-1-3-1 given that both our wide men are actually defenders. And if you class Dailly as a centre half we've really got 5 of them in the starting line up! Plus the aforementioned right back playing on the left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetooner Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Except it's not really 3-1-5-1, is it? It's more 5-1-3-1 given that both our wide men are actually defenders. And if you class Dailly as a centre half we've really got 5 of them in the starting line up! Plus the aforementioned right back playing on the left. 541422[/snapback] And with the players he has available you would all pick who for left back? remember outwith the squad, most people would have been told to go on holiday, and wont be totally fit. Thats the problem with playing the games 2-3 weeks after the season is over. Will see how it goes, to be honest i wont be too dissapointed with a draw, as it is going to be difficult, and if we can nick that goal to get the 1-0 win maybe im just the eternal optimist however Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 It's all gone a bit Berti! Ha! You should trademark that one, I've got a feeling it's going to be said a few times tonight! [edited to say...] Oh, the result? F*ck it, we lose! Stop worrying about Germany and hope that the English don't do well. I was resigned to the fact we were not qualifying after the moldova away game, I don't really want faint hopes rekindled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akritoi Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 I'm not resigning myself to defeat, they could improve and win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Will see how it goes, to be honest i wont be too dissapointed with a draw541518[/snapback] I know where you are coming from and Smith might feel the same, but its win or bust for me. Id feel more gutted with a 0-0 being defensive than a defeat having gone for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetooner Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 I know where you are coming from and Smith might feel the same, but its win or bust for me. Id feel more gutted with a 0-0 being defensive than a defeat having gone for it. 541574[/snapback] I know what you mean, however if we get the draw, as i said, we are still in it. We would have had to go to Norway and Slovenia and get wins anyway. With all the injuries we have had, id be happy with a 0-0, atleast its not a 1-0 defeat like we have been getting away to the likes of lithuania. I dont think we are going to be able to qualify anyway, However the bad results are the 0-0 against Slovenia and 1-0 loss to Norway, not a 0-0 in Belarus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinton Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 nil - nil here we come!! 541409[/snapback] ithangyou! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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