Scotland V Norway

[Skyline Drifter]

Doesn't really seem to be a proper thread on the game yet (maybe the "Well Done" one ), presumably because everyone's out celebrating it!

A few comments from me to start one then:-

Thought it was the best showing from a Scotland team in a long long time. Yes, Norway are one dimensional and not absolutely top drawer but they still have a record of being very difficult to beat and we went there and did it. Ultimately I suspect it's too late for us but credit to every man on that park tonight.

We started slowly and I have to say I saw hee-haw wrong with the one the Norwegians had chalked off early on. But for 20 minutes in the first half from the first goal onward we were excellent. Best since Craig Brown's 98World Cup campaign anyway, possibly even further back. The opener was a superbly crafted goal, in its own way every bit as good as the goal against Italy. McFadden has no right to win back post headers against bigger defenders but he did and there was our own Mr Sharp to nip in and flick home. The second was just ridiculous defending but it still needed finished.

I sincerely hope all you people from the "Kenny Miller should NEVER play for Scotland" brigade post Italy and Belarus away games are hanging their heads in shame tonight. You know who you are................ Miller is looking the real deal at the moment and possibly the sharpest Scottish striker since Mo Johnstone at his peak, certainly since Kevin Gallacher dropped out anyway.

Second half was nervy but we coped admirably with almost everything they threw at us and when the odd thing did get through it was Craig Gordon, also really looking the real deal now, to the rescue. We could even have killed the game off with first McCann's chance and then Fletcher flagged offside when clean through on goal and clearly onside on replays.

To throw a slightly more depressing note at it though that consolation could yet turn out to be vital. At 2-0 we had the tiebreaker sewn up if we end up on the same points as Norway somehow (2 wins for us and a win and draw for them). Sadly at 2-1, though still three points, they now are likely to win the tiebreaker as, with the head to head record tied, it will revert to group goal difference and we're three adrift at the moment. That could turn out yet to be a crucial goal.

Still, let's be positive. I would have taken any win tonight and genuinely didn't think we'd get more than a point. We go into the next round of fixtures still with hope and, if we beat Belarus at home, we will at least still be involved in the possibilities right up to the final week. Couldn't see that being the case when Walter Smith came in.

It is looking much better for us now and most of this squad will move on to the next qualification campaign as its predominantly young. I guess David Weir will drop out after Slovenia (presuming of course we don't make it to a play-off) and possibly McNamara, McCann and even Pressley too. Otherwise most should be ok for another campaign or two.

Great showing. I hope the TA in Oslo are enjoying themselves tonight.

[rupert the bairn]

great result, might be a bit late, but Walter and Coisty appear to be getting us back on the right track................the future is bright, the future is orange

[Lex]

Great performance from the lads tonight. Kenny Millar looks the real deal, can see a move to the Premiership from him in January.

Don't think we'll qualify, but the future looks birght, bring on Austria-Hungary '08

[codfish]

I've been critical of Kenny in the past, but the last 3 games have shown exactly why he's kept his place. Is world-class going a wee bit overboard?

Again, no failures tonight in a sky blue jersey, with the defence playing very well, midfield dominating for long periods, and an unfit Faddy causing the Norwegians no end of problems

Special mention to Darren Fletcher though - IMO he was man of the match, and that was probably his best performance for Scotland. The boy is a class act, and he can only get better

[gretna_ed]

Kenny Miller always struck me as a confidence player and the the 4 in his last 3 at international level wont have done any harm for club or country. It pains me to say it but I think Glenn Hoddle has to take a fair bit of credit for the work he has done with Miller at Wolves. There are 2 ways you can look at his second tonight. Miller has either thought that he didnt have a chance of getting to the ball and it was lucky the way it fell to him or he has anticipated that the defender thinks he is on his blind side and will try to do something clever to avoid the corner.

Either way we can go away from home now and play well and we are strong at home again. I hope all the people that doubted Smiths tactical knowledge are choking on that result. Why play with 2 strikers when we dont need to, there was enough support from the midfield to Miller from McFadden, Hartley and Fletcher that we can still go with 5 in midfield and make it extremely difficult for teams to break us down

[gretna_ed]

Special mention to Darren Fletcher though - IMO he was man of the match, and that was probably his best performance for Scotland. The boy is a class act, and he can only get better

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Starting regularly at Man Utd will certainly help him become a great international. I hope he can continue getting a start their. He's still got a bit to learn but he is only 21 so has plenty of time to learn.

I thought Webster had a great game at the back tonight. No one in the Scottish back line was ever going to win many balls against Carew but they did brilliantly to get to just about every second ball which was vital

[wagonwheel]

I've got to admit i was one of the people saying Kenny Miller isn't good enough for Internationals and i'm so happy i've been proven wrong. Another superb performance by the ex-Stenhousemuir player (ok he was on loan from hibs but thats where he's learned to score the goals ) and it was dissappointing that he didn't get his hat-trick due to Riseths face block right before he was taken off. At the end of the first half we were playing sexy football and the midfield really showed how good they are with Fergie, Fletch and Hartley really working well together. Second half we were still the better team and were unlucky not to wrap tha game up with the McCann chance. Still, overall we were brilliant. The dream is still alive!!!!!

[StewartyMac]

I sincerely hope all you people from the "Kenny Miller should NEVER play for Scotland" brigade post Italy and Belarus away games are hanging their heads in shame tonight. You know who you are................ Miller is looking the real deal at the moment and possibly the sharpest Scottish striker since Mo Johnstone at his peak, certainly since Kevin Gallacher dropped out anyway.

Oh yeah, it's easy to say now he's the best thing since sliced bread. Kenny Miller, up until the last three or four games, has been honking for us. He's also nowhere near as good as what Mo Johnston was. He's done really well in the last few games, and I really hope he keeps that kind of form going for the rest of his international career, and then you can compare him to Johnston and the like. Remember, he had scored TWO goals in his first 20-odd games for Scotland, hardly the stuff of legend. I for one said after the away game in Italy that Miller should never play again. I'm certainly not 'hanging my head in shame' as that was my opinion at the time. Just as I said Davie Weir should never play again when he walked out.

Things change though, and I'm glad that Scotland have stuck by him, as he looks like he's turned the corner. Whether that was luck in keeping him in, or tremendous vision, we'll never know. But I don't think you can really have a go at the people who wanted Miller out, as he really was awful at the time.

[Faraday]

I wanted Miller out of the team, good job I don't get to pick the team.

[H_B]

I wanted Miller out of the team, good job I don't get to pick the team.

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To be fair, as Stewart says, the Miller of now bears no resemblance to the Miller of 3 or 4 games ago.

Its not like he was playing well then and not getting the breaks. He was woeful, with a touch like an elephant.

I think Hoddle and Wolves have to take a huge amount of credit, along with Miller himself for the improvement in his overall game.

[joozy]

Another thing i noticed last night is that Kenny Miller is that he appears to be so much stronger now. He looks like he's been working hard in the gym and has turned into a proper athlete.

[Buckie Arab]

Still think there are quite a few pesimistic fans on here thinking we winna qualify for the playoffs. If we win our 2 matches that takes Slovenia out of the equation.And Norway winna go to Belarus and win. They might get a draw but if we are winnin all we need to do is turn round a goal difference of 3 nae bother.Norway arna guaranteed tae beat Moldova either and Carew is suspended for that one.

The futures bright the futures Tartan

[StewartyMac]

If

Only two letters long, but arguably the biggest word in football

[Skyline Drifter]

Oh yeah, it's easy to say now he's the best thing since sliced bread. Kenny Miller, up until the last three or four games, has been honking for us. He's also nowhere near as good as what Mo Johnston was. He's done really well in the last few games, and I really hope he keeps that kind of form going for the rest of his international career, and then you can compare him to Johnston and the like. Remember, he had scored TWO goals in his first 20-odd games for Scotland, hardly the stuff of legend. I for one said after the away game in Italy that Miller should never play again. I'm certainly not 'hanging my head in shame' as that was my opinion at the time. Just as I said Davie Weir should never play again when he walked out.

Things change though, and I'm glad that Scotland have stuck by him, as he looks like he's turned the corner. Whether that was luck in keeping him in, or tremendous vision, we'll never know. But I don't think you can really have a go at the people who wanted Miller out, as he really was awful at the time.

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It maybe is easy to say it now but if you check back my posts you'll find I was saying it then too.

He has not been honking for us and wasn't then. Missing two decent chances against Italy and Belarus didn't make him a bad player any more than scoring four in three games (none of which he played the full 90 mins in) makes him a world beater now. I never said he was as good as Johnstone I said he was potentially the best since which is nothing like the same thing. And his scoring record maybe isn't sensational but the Johnston's and McCoist's of the world were playing in better sides and in different eras than Miller has had to forage in. Many of those 20 games were as a sub for a start.

[Skyline Drifter]

To be fair, as Stewart says, the Miller of now bears no resemblance to the Miller of 3 or 4 games ago.

Its not like he was playing well then and not getting the breaks. He was woeful, with a touch like an elephant.

I think Hoddle and Wolves have to take a huge amount of credit, along with Miller himself for the improvement in his overall game.

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I actually thought he was playing quite well 3 or 4 games ago. It's the whole team that's playing differently, not the one player.

[Mon_The_Bairns]

Feel like a bit of an arsehole now after starting a thread criticising miller though to be fair it has been a total transformation in the player.

Performance last night, in particular, the first half was arguably the best i have seen from a scotland team. Miller and fletcher were the star performers though the whole team played well. Great to see we have a good, reliable keeper in craig gordon as it gives us a great base to build on.

Really hope that faddy leaves everton for first team football though. He showed flashes of his brilliance last night but then looked well short of match practice at times.

[H_B]

I actually thought he was playing quite well 3 or 4 games ago. It's the whole team that's playing differently, not the one player.

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I think his movement is completely different now from before, though obviously helped by the improved team performance. He looks much more composed and is in better form, which may be temporary.

I recall Scott Booth having a similar purple patch when it looked like he was going to be the answer to our goalscoring prayers. It didnt last.

I still dont think Kenny Miller is a great player. He is doing us proud at the moment though.

[Lex]

Always rated Kenny since i saw him score 5 goals against us at Ibrox 4 years ago. He's not very naturally gifted as a player, but he knows where the net is and can cause the best defences lots of problems with his running and general harrying.

I certainly don't think he's world-class, but if he was playing for a decent premiership side i think he'd easily make double figures for the season.

[Mon_The_Bairns]

I think his movement is completely different now from before, though obviously helped by the improved team performance. He looks much more composed and is in better form, which may be temporary.

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He has always worked very hard and tried to get into good positions but now he is making effective runs. It also helped his first touch has improved beyond recognition.

[H_B]

He has always worked very hard and tried to get into good positions but now he is making effective runs.

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I read an interview at the weekend with Hoddle, who says he has been doing intensive work on movement with the Wolves strikers and he cant believe the difference its made to Miller.

He said before that Miller wasted a lot of energy making bad runs and didnt get across the defenders enough. I think that was obvious from his days with the **** and previously Scotland.

Looks like it is paying off.