November Squad (vs Cyprus & Kazakhstan)

[Stellaboz]

Armstrong has to start whenever possible, he's an absolute baller.

[skippy2015]

 
I think that's the best defence we can put out. I've been against Tierney at RB as I think it takes away his attacking threat but I don't think O'Donnell or Palmer are at the level required. Unless we do 3 at the back and put Tierney as the LCB I think it's RB or the bench for him.
Midfield, I'd like to try Jack instead of McTominay as I'm not sure what the latter offers us aside from being one of the least bad performers in a terrible Man Utd side. If Armstrong doesn't get first team football I'd leave him on the bench but otherwise he'd be in the first XI. Basically we've got 6 players for 3 spots in the centre and I think it's McTominay/Jack +2 others. I'd go

Jack McGregor

Forrest Christie/McGinn Fraser

Up front I'd play anyone that can hold the ball up. Shite that Fletcher doesn't want to play as I thought while not being the best striker in the world, he's the best option we have at helping the 3 behind the striker (our strongest positions) get into the game.
Also thought Hornby looked a handful for the U21s against Lithuania but still looks quite raw. This is his first season of first team football so hopefully he keeps in the first team and keeps scoring.

Mctominay was one of our best players against Russia at home and the San Marino game. He is one of our best players full stop if we were to drop a centre midfielder for jack due to performance this campaign it would be McGregor.

[RandomGuy.]

On 14/10/2019 at 19:12, capt_oats said:

See folk who seem to be trying to start a Caulker hype train...have they actually watched him recently? Specifically when he was being pretty underwhelming for Dundee?

He was awful, just awful, whenever we played Dundee.

First game he couldnt catch up with Tony Watt, who was at jogging speed at best.

Last game I can remember he got absolutely rag dolled by Chris Kane. Chris Kane.

This "he wasnt bothered that's why" myth Dundee fans have come up with is just bizarre, tbh, his complete lack of pace and physicality was more than just effort.

He turns 28 this year, and his team has kept one clean sheet all season with him in the team (6 goals conceded in 6 games), with him being dropped for the latest fixture. Last season he played 11 games for them, and they conceded 17, as they finished mid-table.

Really struggling to see exactly, with his age and previous issues, what hes been doing that makes him so deserving of a call up. 

Edited October 16, 2019 by RandomGuy.

[54_and_counting]

6 hours ago, The Moonster said:

We drop deep and resort to long balls because we aren't very good at football, not because we're not playing with two strikers. We're struggling to field one, single striker that is of International quality right now and we're suggesting throwing someone else up there. Having 2 isolated strikers isn't a solution to having 1 isolated striker. We also have a plethora of central midfielders who are among our best players (regardless of their performances in a Scotland jersey). Dropping someone like McTominay, McGinn or Christie in favour of playing Johnny Russell or Oli McBurnie next to Lawrence Shankland doesn't sound like an improvement to the team to me.

I keep saying play 352, keeps the midfield as it is but at least gives the striker some company, in recent games the striker has been so isolated he's used whatsapp to communicate with the rest of the team

[Smokie joe 🐟🇱🇻]

Cyprus
McLaughlin
Palmer caulker/Hanley McKenna Robertson
Mctominay fleck mcginn
Forrest Burke Fraser

Kazakhstan
Same back 5
Mctominay mcginn Armstrong
Christie shankland Fraser

[The Moonster]

10 hours ago, 54_and_counting said:

I keep saying play 352, keeps the midfield as it is but at least gives the striker some company, in recent games the striker has been so isolated he's used whatsapp to communicate with the rest of the team

We dont have 3 centre backs that are good enough.

[Marshmallo]

This Caulker patter is the ultimate Abroad League ever. 6 games into a Turkish league season that no one has seen a minute of or even read match reports on, after being a midcard Scottish Premiership talent who was bombed out of the English Championship. 

[Radford]

13 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Last game I can remember he got absolutely rag dolled by Chris Kane. Chris Kane.

This "he wasnt bothered that's why" myth Dundee fans have come up with is just bizarre, tbh, his complete lack of pace and physicality was more than just effort.

A fair analysis... 

Edited October 17, 2019 by Radford

[54_and_counting]

1 hour ago, The Moonster said:

We dont have 3 centre backs that are good enough.

No but playing 2 and a weak right back isnt working, plus robertson defensivsly hasnt set the world on fire

What's the point in praying that scotland keep a clean sheet because the chances are they will barely threaten up front (san marino aside) why not turn round and say "f**k it, lets go for it up top, pressure the opposition and try keep the ball away from the defence as much as possible" 

Scotland with any back 4 isnt working at all, so surely its time to try something different, something unseen for scotland 

[Dunning1874]

15 hours ago, Stellaboz said:

Armstrong has to start whenever possible, he's an absolute baller.

Agreed, but the big issue is how to fit both Armstrong and Christie into the team, as the two players who are clearly on another level creatively.

Assuming that McGinn’s always going to start and we’ll always have a holding player behind too - one of McTominay/McLean/Fleck/Jack - then to fit them both in you’re either dropping one of Forrest and Fraser to put Christie out wide or playing without a natural centre forward and putting Christie there. Which is undoubtedly a considerably superior option to having Burke anywhere near the team.

I’d honestly prefer to drop McGinn as I don’t think what he brings in energy makes up for what he costs us in positional discipline, but I think that’s the least likely option Clarke will go for, particularly after he’s just scored a hat-trick. As it is I think he’s just going to continue leaving Armstrong out of the starting eleven - I just hope he doesn’t persist with McGregor ahead of Christie as well.

McGregor’s capable of being an excellent player but I don’t think he should even be considered for a start at the moment. His form is suffering because he’s burnt out and Celtic seem to be as determined to limit his effectiveness by playing him into the ground as they were with Tierney last season, so continuing to start him will probably just see games continue to pass him by. A fine example of how we shouldn’t always say that players have to be playing for their club to play for Scotland - Armstrong’s in much better shape than McGregor for hardly playing.

[Dunning1874]

19 minutes ago, 54_and_counting said:

No but playing 2 and a weak right back isnt working, plus robertson defensivsly hasnt set the world on fire

What's the point in praying that scotland keep a clean sheet because the chances are they will barely threaten up front (san marino aside) why not turn round and say "f**k it, lets go for it up top, pressure the opposition and try keep the ball away from the defence as much as possible" 

Scotland with any back 4 isnt working at all, so surely its time to try something different, something unseen for scotland 

Yes, deviating from a back four is completely unseen for Scotland.

Apart from when we played a back three in five of our first seven games just last year, before chucking it as we got absolutely outclassed and lost two pathetic goals in a defeat to Israel.

Edited October 17, 2019 by Dunning1874

[gonzohiggy]

13 minutes ago, Dunning1874 said:

Agreed, but the big issue is how to fit both Armstrong and Christie into the team, as the two players who are clearly on another level creatively.

Assuming that McGinn’s always going to start and we’ll always have a holding player behind too - one of McTominay/McLean/Fleck/Jack - then to fit them both in you’re either dropping one of Forrest and Fraser to put Christie out wide or playing without a natural centre forward and putting Christie there. Which is undoubtedly a considerably superior option to having Burke anywhere near the team.

I’d honestly prefer to drop McGinn as I don’t think what he brings in energy makes up for what he costs us in positional discipline, but I think that’s the least likely option Clarke will go for, particularly after he’s just scored a hat-trick. As it is I think he’s just going to continue leaving Armstrong out of the starting eleven - I just hope he doesn’t persist with McGregor ahead of Christie as well.

McGregor’s capable of being an excellent player but I don’t think he should even be considered for a start at the moment. His form is suffering because he’s burnt out and Celtic seem to be as determined to limit his effectiveness by playing him into the ground as they were with Tierney last season, so continuing to start him will probably just see games continue to pass him by. A fine example of how we shouldn’t always say that players have to be playing for their club to play for Scotland - Armstrong’s in much better shape than McGregor for hardly playing.

I think the way to fit Armstrong and Christie in is play Christie on the right. In that position Christie can be creative, cut inside for shots, passes or cross field passes to Fraser on the other side. He also provides protection to one of our crap right backs as he works like f**k. 

[The Moonster]

1 hour ago, 54_and_counting said:

No but playing 2 and a weak right back isnt working, plus robertson defensivsly hasnt set the world on fire

What's the point in praying that scotland keep a clean sheet because the chances are they will barely threaten up front (san marino aside) why not turn round and say "f**k it, lets go for it up top, pressure the opposition and try keep the ball away from the defence as much as possible" 

Scotland with any back 4 isnt working at all, so surely its time to try something different, something unseen for scotland 

As Dunning has said...

1 hour ago, Dunning1874 said:

Yes, deviating from a back four is completely unseen for Scotland.

Apart from when we played a back three in five of our first seven games just last year, before chucking it as we got absolutely outclassed and lost two pathetic goals in a defeat to Israel.

Tierney played centre back as we really don't have anyone else and it didn't work. We play a 4-5-1 and variations of it because that's what we've got the players for. 

[Burnie_man]

What we need is a settled back 4, injuries in the CH position really aren't helping Clarke.  McKenna, Bates, Souttar, Cooper all out or struggling, even Halkett who would have got a chance picked up a 3 month lay-off.  We scrape the barrel with Devlin, and Mulgrew is done.

 I'd also like to see Tierney in at left-back, I'm not entirely convinced by Robertson's defensive performances in a Scotland shirt to date.

I doubt these issues will be resolved by the play-off, so we've got to hope that Clarke can find a quick fix that works.

[Aufc]

What we need is a settled back 4, injuries in the CH position really aren't helping Clarke.  McKenna, Bates, Souttar, Cooper all out or struggling, even Halkett who would have got a chance picked up a 3 month lay-off.  We scrape the barrel with Devlin, and Mulgrew is done.
 I'd also like to see Tierney in at left-back, I'm not entirely convinced by Robertson's defensive performances in a Scotland shirt to date.
I doubt these issues will be resolved by the play-off, so we've got to hope that Clarke can find a quick fix that works.

Really good idea to drop our best player and one of the best left backs in the world. Really great idea.

So far we have had

- dropping andy robertson
- playing andy robertson right wing
- going to a back five thus ensuring our best players are played out of position
- doing this so we can accommodate oli burke up front

f**k me

[LiviLion]

3 hours ago, Dunning1874 said:

Yes, deviating from a back four is completely unseen for Scotland.

Apart from when we played a back three in five of our first seven games just last year, before chucking it as we got absolutely outclassed and lost two pathetic goals in a defeat to Israel.

Also played a back 3 when Gibraltar scored their first ever competitive goal. 

[HuttonDressedAsLahm]

1 hour ago, Burnie_man said:

What we need is a settled back 4, injuries in the CH position really aren't helping Clarke.  McKenna, Bates, Souttar, Cooper all out or struggling, even Halkett who would have got a chance picked up a 3 month lay-off.  We scrape the barrel with Devlin, and Mulgrew is done.

 I'd also like to see Tierney in at left-back, I'm not entirely convinced by Robertson's defensive performances in a Scotland shirt to date.

I doubt these issues will be resolved by the play-off, so we've got to hope that Clarke can find a quick fix that works.

Andy Robertson, quite possibly the best left back in the world?

Moved position for a guy who’s barely played in 2019 and done nothing in a Scotland shirt?

Play Tierney at CB or RB. If he’s that good (and he clearly is very good) then he’s significantly better than other options in those positions.

[54_and_counting]

3 hours ago, Dunning1874 said:

Yes, deviating from a back four is completely unseen for Scotland.

Apart from when we played a back three in five of our first seven games just last year, before chucking it as we got absolutely outclassed and lost two pathetic goals in a defeat to Israel.

Other than san marino, when have scotland outclassed anyone oh and incase you forgot, scotland played 451 vs kazakstan and got pumped by a team funnily enough playing 3 at the back 

Just because it didnt work under a previous manager doesnt mean it cant work now, especially as the current setup isnt working whatsoever

[Burnie_man]

1 hour ago, Aufc said:

 

 

Really good idea to drop our best player and one of the best left backs in the world. Really great idea.

So far we have had

- dropping andy robertson
- playing andy robertson right wing
- going to a back five thus ensuring our best players are played out of position
- doing this so we can accommodate oli burke up front

f**k me

 

Do you think Andy Robertson has performed well at left back? I personally do not, and no player, regardless of who they are, should be immune from being dropped particularly when we have an equally as capable player in that very same position.

Try not to be blinded by his reputation.

[Burnie_man]

22 minutes ago, HuttonDressedAsLahm said:

Andy Robertson, quite possibly the best left back in the world?

Moved position for a guy who’s barely played in 2019 and done nothing in a Scotland shirt?

Play Tierney at CB or RB. If he’s that good (and he clearly is very good) then he’s significantly better than other options in those positions.

Reputations in the club game mean nothing if he isn't performing for Scotland, he has been poor, found wanting in both Russia games. 

Tierney should be given a run out in the last 2 games in that position to see what he can offer, he's hardly a poor second is he.