craigkillie Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 Fleck is worth a shot. Ever since Morrison started to fade out of the picture we've really struggled for a midfielder who can put a foot on the ball and retain possession - McLean has tried to do it a wee bit but lacks proper grit, so this might force Clarke's hand a wee bit. The midfield can't be full of bull in a china shop players like McGinn and McGregor otherwise we end up with teams running over the top of us as has happened pretty much every game since McLeish took over, with the exception of maybe Albania and Cyprus. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poet of the Macabre Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 First time I've thought about these games tbh. I'm guessing it's just essentially a couple of friendlies before the play-offs? Worrying to hear Clarke talk about struggling with the gaps between matches. I was concerned he wouldn't be able to handle that having been a coach on the training ground for so long. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewan14 Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 5 hours ago, DavidMcG said: Little quiz for you.... Which uncapped Scotland eligible player played 14 times in Ligue 1 in France last season before moving to a champions league club this season (although has been an unused sub so far in champions league group games) Liam Henderson . O.K. ? -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewan14 Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 52 minutes ago, craigkillie said: Fleck is worth a shot. Ever since Morrison started to fade out of the picture we've really struggled for a midfielder who can put a foot on the ball and retain possession - McLean has tried to do it a wee bit but lacks proper grit, so this might force Clarke's hand a wee bit. The midfield can't be full of bull in a china shop players like McGinn and McGregor otherwise we end up with teams running over the top of us as has happened pretty much every game since McLeish took over, with the exception of maybe Albania and Cyprus. Seconded 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blootoon87 Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Oliver Burke and Mike Devlin apparently starting tonight. We are (more) fucked. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scumjob Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I dont think Devlin is that bad he's always struck me as a good all round and solid centre back with some leadership qualities and no obvious Scottish bombscare centre back ones. Injury derailed his development a bit but he should be solid enough. And Burke...well he played in the abroad league. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewDon Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I'm surprised that Devlin is apparently starting, even factoring in our lack of quality in his position. He has been poor for us for about a year now, when he has actually played. He has mostly, and deservedly, been kept out of the team by Considine, who is a better defender. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accies1874 Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Oliver Burke and Mike Devlin apparently starting tonight. We are (more) fucked. I expected Burke and thought Devlin might've started due to being in the original squad. He's been honking since his first Aberdeen injury, yet Clarke has had him in two squads for some reason. I've seen very, very little of Fleck but I thought he was more of a box-to-box midfielder for Sheffield United? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTG_03 Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 42 minutes ago, DrewDon said: I'm surprised that Devlin is apparently starting, even factoring in our lack of quality in his position. He has been poor for us for about a year now, when he has actually played. He has mostly, and deservedly, been kept out of the team by Considine, who is a better defender. That's harsh on Devlin. He was by far our best defender when he first arrived. He's been poor since he's come back from injury though. Scotland really do have a problem in centre defence at the moment. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 How much of an injury does it actually take to get withdrawn from a squad? The number of call offs we have these days is fucking laughable. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishZizou Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I really think our team would have more balance without John Mcginn playing. I think he's the kind of player that looks brilliant in highlight reels and looks like he is putting in a lot of effort but he just isn't tactically disciplined enough. The amount of times he just empties centre midfield is astonishing. He's off chasing the left back or something daft and international teams just play it around him. I think we sorely need Armstrong to find more minutes so that we can depend on him to play. I would play Mctominay with mcgregor and Christie but still don't think that has the correct balance to it. Forrest and Fraser are locks out wide. As much as people moan about them we need a guy like Fletcher or Martin to play up there to help get us up the pitch. Unless you have the ability of a fully firing Griffiths which you can't not play then I think our striker should be a foil sort like Giroud was for France. I don't even want to talk about our defence. It's borderline funny but it also isn't these guys fault. It's not Mulgrew's fault that he is still playing, it isnt the fault of just above average Scottish Premiership players like O'Donnell and Devlin that they play for the national side and I almost sympathise with them because they are so far out of their depth. I think our biggest problem is that to get off with a defence as bad as ours we would ideally sit in deep and break on teams to not expose them. But our central midfield (our strength in terms of personnel) is not suited to this in the slightest. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarballs Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 We're going to get pumped, aren't we? The only thing I'm looking forward to tonight is the Russian national anthem. It's a bit of a belter, up there with the Italian one. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopio Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 42 minutes ago, ScottishZizou said: I really think our team would have more balance without John Mcginn playing. I think he's the kind of player that looks brilliant in highlight reels and looks like he is putting in a lot of effort but he just isn't tactically disciplined enough. The amount of times he just empties centre midfield is astonishing. He's off chasing the left back or something daft and international teams just play it around him. I think we sorely need Armstrong to find more minutes so that we can depend on him to play. I would play Mctominay with mcgregor and Christie but still don't think that has the correct balance to it. Forrest and Fraser are locks out wide. As much as people moan about them we need a guy like Fletcher or Martin to play up there to help get us up the pitch. Unless you have the ability of a fully firing Griffiths which you can't not play then I think our striker should be a foil sort like Giroud was for France. I don't even want to talk about our defence. It's borderline funny but it also isn't these guys fault. It's not Mulgrew's fault that he is still playing, it isnt the fault of just above average Scottish Premiership players like O'Donnell and Devlin that they play for the national side and I almost sympathise with them because they are so far out of their depth. I think our biggest problem is that to get off with a defence as bad as ours we would ideally sit in deep and break on teams to not expose them. But our central midfield (our strength in terms of personnel) is not suited to this in the slightest. have said the same about McGinn for ages, ive yet to see him play well for Scotland and doubt I ever will. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adolfo Rios Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I have never bet against Scotland before but Russia -2 is 4/1, -3 is 10/1... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Van Tee Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I do bet against Scotland and certainly made some decent money when McLeish was in charge. Took Russia -1 yesterday at 5/4. Only put on £25, so would be happy enough if it didn't come up. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenlantern Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 With all our players fleeing the sinking ship that is Group I.Is this not the part of the script where we typically bang out a draw in this tough away game leaving us all thinking... wtf?? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameus Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 2 hours ago, The Moonster said: How much of an injury does it actually take to get withdrawn from a squad? The number of call offs we have these days is fucking laughable. While it sounds like a typical "back in my day/players ran through walls etc" argument, it really needs asked. Are we really to believe that, over the past year or so, we've just had that many injuries that would stop players even being called up? Is it the players sacking it off? Is it the clubs? Are our medical team just shitebags? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 18 minutes ago, Greenlantern said: With all our players fleeing the sinking ship that is Group I. Is this not the part of the script where we typically bang out a draw in this tough away game leaving us all thinking... wtf?? A draw is no use to us. A win tonight probably still won't be enough. 13 minutes ago, forameus said: While it sounds like a typical "back in my day/players ran through walls etc" argument, it really needs asked. Are we really to believe that, over the past year or so, we've just had that many injuries that would stop players even being called up? Is it the players sacking it off? Is it the clubs? Are our medical team just shitebags? I've tried to defend players in the past when they've pulled out but it's far too consistent now. Leaving the likes of Tierney and McKenna out I don't really mind, but I do wonder about the severity of some of these injuries. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 McLeish managed to completely ruin the excellent team spirit which had been built up under Strachan, and that has not yet really been built back up. I'm sure that has some part to do with some of the call-offs, rightly or wrongly. In terms of the centre-back position it really has just been bad luck though. McKenna and Souttar have had long-term injuries, and even this time around both Cooper and Hanley picked up injuries with their clubs just before the squad met up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukDukGoose Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 5 hours ago, accies1874 said: I expected Burke and thought Devlin might've started due to being in the original squad. He's been honking since his first Aberdeen injury, yet Clarke has had him in two squads for some reason. I've seen very, very little of Fleck but I thought he was more of a box-to-box midfielder for Sheffield United? Yup. Was fantastic before he got injured. Deserved to play this time last year. Now he shouldn't even be in the squad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.