Squad for Lithuania and Malta

[Archiepluff]

10 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

 

 

 

Well that didn't happen
 

 

Spot on. That's a fantasy tweet. Mr M 1872 is shit stirring. 

[troopio]

2 hours ago, Dunning1874 said:

Admittedly it was only Malta and we'll need to be far better against Slovakia and Slovenia, but I think it's telling that both Phillips and Forrest had poor games and we were still comfortable with those two offering very little.

Even with them doing nothing in possession they're still direct players who can run at a defence with pace, create space for Robertson and Tierney to get forward off the ball by occupying defenders and offer an easy pass for them. We didn't have that earlier in the campaign with the likes of Ritchie or Bannan as the concept of making a run outside a full back and trying to beat them for pace is alien to them, while all they want to do every time they get the ball is cut inside and we end up congested in the middle of the park.

Obviously you need to adjust your style based on the opposition at times, but we're clearly a far better team with more conventional, pacy wingers on the pitch. If Forrest or Phillips are dropped or unavailable for any reason, it should be another player in that mould replacing them in Fraser or Burke. Reverting to Ritchie, Bannan or Snodgrass will only see us become more pedestrian and struggle to break teams down.

BIB, This.

[troopio]

11 hours ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

Anyone that thought Brown was shite needs their head looked at. Covered for everyone else on numerous occasions. He's not much of an attacking threat but that's not his job. 

Yes..covering round for his own mistakes most of the time, he was awful last night and only got away with it because it was Malta....He is a good leader but as a Player not so much these days.

[KillieCon]

I'd be happy going into the next two games with the same team other than Fraser in for Forrest but we know there's no chance Forrest gets dropped if he's fit.

[Pearbuyerbell]

3 hours ago, harry94 said:

I reckon Forrest isn't really as suited to games like that but can be effective against better teams in the group. He's one of these players who I think always seems to look much better when you're at the game and his influence on the game in terms of how he changes the team shape and flow of the game feels more apparent. To counter Malta, I'd have gone with a different sort of player there but I get why Strachan wanted to keep the team together and it's got the job done.

Ideally, Fraser is probably a better player and can offer more in that role but right now, Celtic are in really great form and familiarity is an important thing in international football. It's pretty easy to reduce the role to a simple 'turn and sprint' but we've had dozens of players who have failed to assert anything on the game and seen matches completely pass them by, despite playing at a decent level.

I reckon Forrest isn't really suited to football.    

[Salvo Montalbano]

Everyone is saying that our last match could be easier for us as it would be a dead rubber for Slovenia but while they wouldn't be able to make the play offs if they lose in England, they could still finish above us surely, which would be better for their ranking points and seeding in the next round of qualifiers?

[Greenlantern]

Came away from the stadium feeling a bit underwhelmed, having paid £45 for a ticket, I'd have liked a bit more urgency in that last 20 minutes rather than sideways and backward passes,

If you'd have paid £20 would you have came away feeling overwhelmed?

[1320Lichtie]

Thought Tierney looked pretty poor tonight, so much more one footed than normal imo. Still love him though. Other than that everybody was ok. Robertson and Armstrong probably top boys.

Hopefully Roberts breaks into the Celtic team ahead of Forrest so Fraser can take over there.

[Savage Henry]

Thought Tierney looked pretty poor tonight, so much more one footed than normal imo. Still love him though. Other than that everybody was ok. Robertson and Armstrong probably top boys.

 

Hopefully Roberts breaks into the Celtic team ahead of Forrest so Fraser can take over there.

 

 

He looked tentative. But that was partly because Forrest was also lost. The Scottish left side was excellent. Right side not so great.

 

ETA Robertson is just buzzing with confidence, whereas Tierney is still getting used to playing right back.

[AyrTroopMajor]

1 hour ago, Greenlantern said:

 

If you'd have paid £20 would you have came away feeling overwhelmed?

 

Probably just the right amount of whelmed.

[Greenlantern]

Probably just the right amount of whelmed.

It's amazing how money can change your opinions.

[professor challenger]

Seems I'm alone but I think Ritchie is a cracking player and I just don't understand why he's getting a hard time on this thread.    

[forameus]

Much the same reason Martin does.  Both of them are a very specific type of player.  Martin isn't shite, but he's made to look as such with what we're asking him to do.  Ritchie is far from shite too, but if we're wanting to play with width and getting players beyond the full-backs rather than cutting back inside, then he's going to look shit too.

 

[John Lambies Doos]

Everyone is saying that our last match could be easier for us as it would be a dead rubber for Slovenia but while they wouldn't be able to make the play offs if they lose in England, they could still finish above us surely, which would be better for their ranking points and seeding in the next round of qualifiers?

 

The Georgians also had fuk all to play for in 2015 and err 2007. But heh that worked out fine

 

[BrigtonClyde]

Last night's performance was disappointing though of course the main thing was the result.  Have to be honest, I can't see us getting into the playoffs or qualifying.  When we come up against a better standard of opposition, that's when the weaknesses become more obvious.  The central defence are pretty decent, but when up against better players we can all see the problems start to develop

And we also need a central creative midfielder who's that level up again in class, has the ability to really control a game, pull the strings, produce some magic.  Again, the guys we've in that area are decent enough, starting to play better one touch and movement, but that's where I don't think we'll have enough when up against a better class of opposition.

There's nobody comes to mind for any of these positions, I think WGS probably is more or less picking the best available and they've done well to get back in it, and they'll certainly give both the remaining teams a game, but from what I saw of Slovakia last night, on the ball with pace and movement they're just technically better.  It's not impossible but I think they'll just come up a bit short.  Personally I'd play Anya and Fraser ahead of Phillips and Forrest, but it's fine margins anyway. 

That said, if Slovakia make the mistake of coming for a draw, sit back and don't press us, that would certainly give us a chance.  But if they come to play for the win, I think they will or at best we'll get a draw.      

[Crùbag]

Have to echo others here.  Despite the happy clappers in the media, we were pretty mediocre for most of the Malta game. Far too reticent and lacking in confidence for most of the match. The last 20 minutes or so were negative and cagey - Malta could've easily nicked at least one goal.

I think the best we can hope for from the Slovakia and Slovenia games are two draws.

Griffiths tries hard but can't replicate his Celtic form against even pisspoor opposition like Malta. Brown did ok - against Malta - but should've seen red for him playing his hardman act again. There were some positives but not enough.

[No_Problemo]

Have to echo others here.  Despite the happy clappers in the media, we were pretty mediocre for most of the Malta game. Far too reticent and lacking in confidence for most of the match. The last 20 minutes or so were negative and cagey - Malta could've easily nicked at least one goal.
I think the best we can hope for from the Slovakia and Slovenia games are two draws.
Griffiths tries hard but can't replicate his Celtic form against even pisspoor opposition like Malta. Brown did ok - against Malta - but should've seen red for him playing his hardman act again. There were some positives but not enough.

He certainly managed to replicate his Celtic form against England, where he was excellent.

Three goals and three assists in three games for us - his Celtic form must be off the scale good!

[pandarilla]

Have to echo others here.  Despite the happy clappers in the media, we were pretty mediocre for most of the Malta game. Far too reticent and lacking in confidence for most of the match. The last 20 minutes or so were negative and cagey - Malta could've easily nicked at least one goal.
I think the best we can hope for from the Slovakia and Slovenia games are two draws.
Griffiths tries hard but can't replicate his Celtic form against even pisspoor opposition like Malta. Brown did ok - against Malta - but should've seen red for him playing his hardman act again. There were some positives but not enough.

Two draws? The best we can hope for?

Wheesht.

It might be what we get, but we're more than capable of winning both of these games. Very tough ask, but certainly not impossible.

[Crùbag]

8 minutes ago, pandarilla said:

 

Two draws? The best we can hope for?

Wheesht.

It might be what we get, but we're more than capable of winning both of these games. Very tough ask, but certainly not impossible.

I don't see much evidence for this. Can you offer any?

I agree it's not impossible though.

[professor challenger]

Absolutely confident we'll manage the win against Slovakia.     England should have won by more last night.

Slovenia away gives me the fear but what a Sunday night in front of the telly that will be.