Gordopolis Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Bit of perspective here - Hanley isn't going away. He's looked ropey in these last two games but that must be down, in part, to his lack of club time. Greer and mulgrew would be panic options, Berra a reasonable like for like, cooper totally untried but certainly worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Clip from Strachan's interview in the ITV highlights there. Says "look we're 1pt off a playoff" - but surely ignores the 3 games those 4pts have come from and that 1 runner-up misses-out? If you adhere to the "everyone cut each others throat" theory - which is about the only way we can have a realistic chance of qualifying now! - there's a high chance our group misses-out. Some nonsense from Bruce and McCoist, too. We've good enough players to beat Lithuania at home and avoid a gubbing in Slovakia, and we're clearly in a very sticky situation now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubo_blaha Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Strachan's system is baffling. We try to keep possession but we don't do anything useful with the ball, no incision at all and no good chances created. Meanwhile, at the back our shape and organisation are woeful. Even tonight there was no pace in the side apart from the full backs. Strachan is too stubborn to change it though.The players need to take some responsibility too. Snodgrass continually gave the ball away, Ritchie was quiet, Bannan was wasteful. The centre halves were useless but we don't have much else whilst the midfield 2 were stretched and didn't pick up their men at the goals. Steven Fletcher didn't do much but didn't get the service. Marshall, Tierney and Paterson get pass marks. We need to play Robertson ahead of Tierney as both players are too good to be left out. I understand Griffiths not starting to some extent as he hasn't started a game domestically since August but he should be the main striker for every game but Strachan will probably use tonight as an excuse to start Martin at Wembley. The exclusion of Burke from even the bench is also baffling.The problems surrounding the SFA run deeper than the current manager but this squad of players are better than what they have shown and are better than or at least as good as some of the teams that have qualified recently. Strachan is not getting anywhere near the best out of them and he's too stubborn to accept it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmc Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 You do know who played in Scotland's defence when Gibraltar scored their first ever competitive goal don't you? Thanks to Strachan only the keeper [emoji2] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Dougal McGuire Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 We are pretty shite IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordfishtrombone Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 John Mcginn, a player that has hardly been lighting up Scotland's second tier playing while Olly Burke isn't selected even for the bench. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubo_blaha Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Also, the drop in the level of performance from some of our first games under Strachan (up to Ireland at home) to now has been staggering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Look at Hanley for both the 1st and 2nd goals. Both times, despite there being unmarked Slovakian players in the box, he retreats onto the goal line (along with a few others). A total shirking of responsibility, you're a central defender, go and f**king defend, push out to the ball and stop them getting free shots off 10 yards out with a stranded keeper. Then for the 3rd goal, the one thing that he should be good at, being a thug and winning headers, he can't even do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmc Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 It does seem a bit stupid tbh that we're arguing over what is ultimately our strongest position.[emoji38] The arguing is caused by how feckin frustrating it is but yeah absolutely point taken. Had we binned Strachan after gib game we could have had months to find a new mgr and use friendlies to look at guys like Kingsley n Berra, try different formations (eg Robertson AND Tierney).....but sfa took path of least fucking effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominique Malonga Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I'd go for a John Souttar & Danny Wilson partnership. Danny Wilson is the very definition of a diddy bast. His trademark is picking the ball up in his own half and shanking it out for a throw in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Minor point, but am I correct that we're not playing a friendly after the England game next month? It's the Friday night so we could play the Monday or Tuesday. Always frustrates me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmc Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 You do know who played in Scotland's defence when Gibraltar scored their first ever competitive goal don't you? Slightly too typsy now to seriously argue but we won that game. Generally when Strachan drops Robertson we lose. A smart mgr would find a way to use both.....sadly we have Strachan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eez-eh Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 13 minutes ago, port-ton said: Tierney did actually play in a back three for Celtic in one of their European games i think it was, and looked decent although i'm not sure it was against Red Imps which is hardly a case to judge. I wouldn't be against trying that though with Robertson and Anya at wing backs. It could be an absolute disaster but our central defence is already anyway and we don't score enough goals to counteract it. This is my attitude, basically. f**k it - it's worth a try given how shite we are with a back four. 12 minutes ago, Gordopolis said: Bit of perspective here - Hanley isn't going away. He's looked ropey in these last two games but that must be down, in part, to his lack of club time. Greer and mulgrew would be panic options, Berra a reasonable like for like, cooper totally untried but certainly worth a shot. I was never convinced by him even when he was playing at Blackburn. I don't think Martin is much better but he at least has more pace to try dig himself out oh holes and is playing regular games. It's difficult to see Hanley playing for Newcastle with any sort of regularity all season. Berra is at least match fit, as is Greer. After checking Mulgrew hasn't played much this season but as you say Cooper could be worth a shot. Would also like to see Kingsley (he's - along with Robertson - getting games at a higher level than any of our other defenders). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DAVIDB69 Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 If qualifying ended tonight it would be our group where second place gets nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eez-eh Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Also, f**k Strachan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Brightside Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Martin and Berra should start the next game, James Morrison should also be playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmc Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Also, the drop in the level of performance from some of our first games under Strachan (up to Ireland at home) to now has been staggering. It's been a collapse not a drop. If you watch his interview after the home game v gib it's really uncomfortable to watch and since then selections (and interviews ) have been bizarre to say least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubo_blaha Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 It's been a collapse not a drop. If you watch his interview after the home game v gib it's really uncomfortable to watch and since then selections (and interviews ) have been bizarre to say least. Well I did say it was a staggering drop, so yes, I agree.The interviews don't bother me as they have very little, if any, influence on the games. His interaction with the players is much more important but we obviously don't know what goes on there.I will agree that a number of the selections and performances have been poor since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordopolis Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Minor point, but am I correct that we're not playing a friendly after the England game next month? It's the Friday night so we could play the Monday or Tuesday. Always frustrates me. Don't want to go having friendlies - might be in danger of giving Burke and the like some experience Seriously, I find this infuriating too - no doubt ROI, England etc will play a shrewdly chosen friendly, pick up caps and generally fortify their squad with a bit more experience. The only thing in action for us will be the tumbleweed B!owing through the SFA headquarters. It's all okay though cos we used to be passably decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmc Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Well I did say it was a staggering drop, so yes, I agree. The interviews don't bother me as they have very little, if any, influence on the games. His interaction with the players is much more important but we obviously don't know what goes on there. I will agree that a number of the selections and performances have been poor since then. My point on the interviews was more....not sure how to put this politely...but before n after the home gib game I thought he looked genuinely ill . Looked like he'd gone from shot to nothing post Levein to actually having something to lose and the stress of it had got to him. Still think he's in that zone and trying to bullshit his way out rather than admit it's too much for him. The excuses for increasingly bizarre team and squad selections have made less n less sense as time has gone on and given that he used to be a very coherent analytical pundit it's very odd. Tonight's nonsense about Burke not being experienced insulted every fans intelligence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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