What Squad for the Germany Game?

[Gordopolis]

Rhodes - 11 games - 383 minutes - 3 goals - Goal every 128 minutes

Fletcher - 14 games - 819 minutes - 1 goal - Goal every 819 minutes

Naismith - 28 games - 1,925 minutes - 3 goals - Goal every 642 minutes

Again though, stats mean little in this situation, we're a better side with Naismith up front than Rhodes.

thanks

I'm biased as I always prefer goalscoring strikers, but it feels to me like if the current system could develops to a point where it can utilise/support a striker like Rhodes then we could have quite a special side.

[lesheep]

Spesh? What the f**k are you?

McGregor had an excellent season at Notts County and has had a good start to he season, he deserves the chance to be in there.

Greer > Reynolds, I can think of several CBs that should be in ahead of Reynolds

Notts County? Wow.

He's looks a very promising player, don't get me wrong. Just think there is several others who have been consistently good for a while who deserve it more.

[Moo]

Strachan will likely know his starting line up already if everyone stays injury free.

[Dunning1874]

I can think of several CBs that should be in ahead of Reynolds

So can I, but Christophe Berra isn't one of them. Reynolds isn't good enough, but he's not completely useless.

In games where we can be more attacking (say, Gibraltar as an example) where we can play 4-4-2 (even Georgia at home) then I'd have Rhodes involved with the squad. There's no doubt the boy is a natural finisher and his goal record at club level is fantastic.

But Strachan has moulded a system for the team to play with, and more often than not, it will feature a lone striker with midfield support. Rhodes is a penalty box player, but to play the lone striker in the way we've been playing requires a lot more movement and chasing. Rhodes doesn't provide as much of that as someone like Naismith does - he played the role perfectly when we won in Macedonia. That's why he'll start up front in Dortmund IMO.

I don't think it's anything against Rhodes per se, but his style and our current style of play - particularly away from home - don't quite fit.

While it's good to be tactically flexible and I'd always like to have Rhodes there to give us that option to change thing, I'd be reluctant to deviate massively from our usual style of play from the start of a game in the belief that we're playing some diddy nation that we can pump. Georgia in 2007 still hurts. Obviously a massive amount can change over the campaign I'd be inclined to stick with Naismith on his own in every game, with the option to bring Rhodes off the bench if we need to go for it against the smaller nations: we can still be more attacking where required without sacrificing the balance of the midfield.

[zico10]

Its great to see Gordon back in squad! Disappointed to see Whittaker and Forsyth being selected over Bardsley!

(4-2-3-1)

McGregor

Hutton

Martin

Hanley

Robertson

Mulgrew

Fletcher

Maloney

Naismith

Bannan

Anya

[RobbieD]

I've seen Matt Phillips play twice this season for QPR. He came on as sub vs Hull game of the season and wasn't up to much against Spurs. I like him but right now, he rightfully is out of the squad.

Still baffled by no Cairney or Adam.

Didn't notice Bardsley wasn't in. That's a joke.

[JamieStevenson]

We've gone a bit OTT on midfielders have we not?

Not fussed by the inclusion of Craig Gordon. He's obviously 3rd choice.

Steven Fletcher? He scored 3 goals last season and the last one was in December I think.... That's disgusting. I want someone that knows where the goals are...

[Marshmallo]

He doesn't fit the system so whats the point in calling him up? Until he performs to such a level as we've no choice but to play him then he's not much use to us. Its a fairly simple thing thats been proven in the games he's played for us.

To give us options off the bench. Use your squad to the full advantage to cover as wide a range of possible scenarios as you can.

He's got 11 caps, and in general has struggled when asked to play up front on his own for us.

Which games specifically has this happened in? Give me some examples please, cause right now this statement just looks like generic, made up pish to suit your argument to me.

[Ludo*1]

Not that I'm saying it's right, but a lot of Wolves fans credit McDonald as dragging them kicking and screaming to the title last season and is their best player by a distance. He always was a special talent, hopefully he can kick on at Wolves and become a squad regular as he certainly has the talent.

[Marshmallo]

Really surprised to see you talking up an ex-Dundee player Ludo.

[AberdeenBud]

In normally not a huge fan of Rhodes, but the goal he scored on Saturday was quite un Rhodes-like, completely made it for himself by harrying a defender, exactly the kind of thing he'll have to do if up front on his own for Scotland.

Also, have we ever had a stronger squad of keepers selected?

[Gordopolis]

In normally not a huge fan of Rhodes, but the goal he scored on Saturday was quite un Rhodes-like, completely made it for himself by harrying a defender, exactly the kind of thing he'll have to do if up front on his own for Scotland.

Also, have we ever had a stronger squad of keepers selected?

A lot of Rhodes goals in his time at Huddersfield (admittedly in League One) came from him barging/keeping bigger guys off the ball and making space for himself. He's a goalscorer, yes, but not in the 2009 Kris Boyd, hanging around the penalty spot mould.

[Gordopolis]

To give us options off the bench. Use your squad to the full advantage to cover as wide a range of possible scenarios as you can.

Which games specifically has this happened in? Give me some examples please, cause right now this statement just looks like generic, made up pish to suit your argument to me.

He looked sublime vs Australia and clinical vs Luxembourg ("only" Luxembourg - well without his two goals we could have suffered an embarrassing defeat from them). The rest of his caps have been scraps of minutes here and there....barring the Serbia away game.

He was pish in that game - no two ways about it. He fluffed the one clear chance we had and looked really out of sorts (kept pulling out of headers?!?).

However, I'm not willing to consign any striker to the bin after one shite performance. Steven Fletcher has had 13 very uninspiring performances for us, hasn't scored in ages yet still seems to be an automatic pick. Naismith too, until his recent burst of form, has been anonymous for Scotland in many of his 29 caps. Leigh Griffiths looks like he has a bit to go before being up to international football given his performances in his 4 caps so far, but could still break through.

If we write Rhodes or any other player off based on one bad game (where the other 10 were equally rank) we're quickly going to run out of players.

[Ludo*1]

Marshmallo, on 26 Aug 2014 - 08:15, said:Marshmallo, on 26 Aug 2014 - 08:15, said:

Really surprised to see you talking up an ex-Dundee player Ludo.

Other than saying he was a special talent, I've just stated what Wolve's fans have been saying about him. For all I know he could be pish performer these days and wasted his talent due to his suspect attitude that he seems to have developed whilst in England.

[Guest]

I still don't know how anyone can justify Callum McGregor being picked ahead of Charlie Adam. There's no doubt that Adam changed the game for Stoke when coming on against Hull on Sunday.

Ok, I'd take Snodgrass & Brown ahead of him all the time, however especially with Snodgrass out, we require someone who can pass a ball and dictate play and I just can't understand why Strachan hasn't got him in the squad.

As for Jordan Rhodes, his goalscoring record speaks for itself and I always thought you were supposed to be picked for international football as a result of your club form, however that clearly is not the case when Fletcher is picked and Rhodes not even in the squad.

[Dryhorce]

I still don't know how anyone can justify Callum McGregor being picked ahead of Charlie Adam. There's no doubt that Adam changed the game for Stoke when coming on against Hull on Sunday.

Ok, I'd take Snodgrass & Brown ahead of him all the time, however especially with Snodgrass out, we require someone who can pass a ball and dictate play and I just can't understand why Strachan hasn't got him in the squad.

As for Jordan Rhodes, his goalscoring record speaks for itself and I always thought you were supposed to be picked for international football as a result of your club form, however that clearly is not the case when Fletcher is picked and Rhodes not even in the squad.

You know what I never though he would be in to.but having watched him he looks a good player getting goals in Europe

International football cant be all that higher to scoring against teams on the continent

Be great to have a Lampard type that gets in on the goals for Scotland.so lets see what he comes up with

Guys there on merit but lets not just build him on to knock him down.least he is on form

[Quentin Taranbino]

Starting line up I assume will almost certainly be:

------------------McGregor---------------------

Hutton------Martin-----Hanley-----Robertson

---------Fletcher-------Mulgrew---------------

Maloney----------Morrison--------------Anya

-------------------Naismith-------------------------

[Guest]

I've nothing against McGregor, however nobody can say he's there on merit. He's only played a couple of games including an absolute thrashing by a mediocre Polish side and a ground out win away to a pub team.

Yes, he did have a god season for Notts County last year, however the likes of Chris Erskine did great on loan to Partick and I'm not hearing a clamour to get him capped !!

I hope the boy turns out to be a great player, however let's keep what he's done to date in perspective !!

[calum_gers]

In normally not a huge fan of Rhodes, but the goal he scored on Saturday was quite un Rhodes-like, completely made it for himself by harrying a defender, exactly the kind of thing he'll have to do if up front on his own for Scotland.

Also, have we ever had a stronger squad of keepers selected?

Italia 90 perhaps, Leighton, Goram & Bryan Gunn.

I still don't know how anyone can justify Callum McGregor being picked ahead of Charlie Adam. There's no doubt that Adam changed the game for Stoke when coming on against Hull on Sunday.

Ok, I'd take Snodgrass & Brown ahead of him all the time, however especially with Snodgrass out, we require someone who can pass a ball and dictate play and I just can't understand why Strachan hasn't got him in the squad.

As for Jordan Rhodes, his goalscoring record speaks for itself and I always thought you were supposed to be picked for international football as a result of your club form, however that clearly is not the case when Fletcher is picked and Rhodes not even in the squad.

They're different players. Adam doesn't fit in the three behind the striker and hasn't excelled himself in the holding role.

His passing might be good but he isn't the type of player we need in there, Brown, Fletcher, Mulgrew etc. He seems more suited to playing in a midfield four, which we don't do.

[Guest]

Players can change games though and in a 28 man squad I would have expected someone like Charlie Adam to figure as an option ahead of many of the players picked. Likewise with Jordan Rhodes.

As someone mentioned earlier, the whole point of a 28 man squad is to give options and unfortunately I'm just not seeing it with the players selected.

Personally I rate Adam far higher than Mulgrew although against Germany I can see how Mulgrew would be preferred for his defensive abilities.