Scotland v Israel

[Ro Sham Bo]

On 02/09/2020 at 19:19, G51 said:

 

Only fair to put McBurnie's clarification in here.

I think it's fair enough.

It sums up McBurnie's Scotland career that the only photos he could find of himself in a Scotland top show him looking frustrated and dejected. Quite similar to how anyone who's watched him play for Scotland feels when they see him in the starting line up. 

 

 

[DrewDon]

10 hours ago, Les Cabbage said:

I would pretty much go with this, I think. Perhaps would have McGregor playing as more of a creative #6 beside Armstrong if we are expecting to dominate possession, but McTominay is probably the more pragmatic option. 

[Pocketman]

3 hours ago, Theroadlesstravelled said:

We don't have anyone else.

We've seen some complete diddies come from the English Championship to play for Scotland. Chris Martin, Iwelumo, Jordan Rhodes, Oliver Burke, Callum Paterson to name a few.
I'd put Dykes alongside them.

If strong, non-scoring strikers who could rummel up defenders was a good attribute in international football then we'd be set.

yet Championship players/strikers who happen to be Irish, Welsh, Finnish  etc happen to be quite effective for their respective national teams. Just our bad luck that so many Scottish strikers who shine in the Championship turn out to be diddies at international level. 

[Skyline Drifter]

6 hours ago, Frankie S said:

I remember seeing Dykes in one of his early games for Queens in the League Cup at Easter Road in Aug 2016. He scored and played well in a 3-1 victory for Queens, and was a constant nuisance to the Hibs defence. I remember thinking we’ve got a real prospect here, and a few of my Hibs-supporting pals were hugely impressed.  

He’s got a real presence - strong and physical but surprisingly good touch too, and a turn of pace. He always had the raw materials.  If I’m honest it took him a while to fulfil his promise at Palmerston. The one thing that let him down was his finishing - he never really looked like a natural goalscorer, but then again he was playing in the same team as Dobbie, who’d make anyone else look bad in that respect. Dykes might have played second fiddle, but he was one of the main reasons Dobbie scored 43 goals in all comps in 2018-19, and his assist stats were up there with the best in the league.

I believe Dykes was a multi-sports player growing up, and was fairly late to specialise and choose football. At times it looked like he was an athlete learning how to become a footballer. I suspect he hasn’t yet reached his ceiling and still has room for improvement. 

I do think he improved hugely at Queens during his time there, and clearly significantly improved again (including his goalscoring) when he was with Livingston. He’s a confident guy, and I suspect the English Championship will suit his style. He should do well at QPR.

My gut feeling is he’s one of these players that takes a step up in level in his stride, as he’s clearly a hard worker with a positive attitude, and is eager to learn. I think he’ll be relatively unphased by the transition to international football and become a valuable component of the squad, in a position where we’ve been weak for a while.

He may never be a particularly prolific scorer, but he’ll give 100%, work opposition defences hard, and create opportunities for others. He’s a team player, and his confidence should be an asset. Fingers crossed for him. I hope he does well.

I think I'd pretty much agree with every word of that. He certainly played a lot of Aussie Rules as a teenager. I'm not sure if he didn't also play rugby.

Dykes is tall and strong (and getting stronger is the biggest difference in the last 2 or 3 years) but also deceptively quick with a great work ethic. He will chase balls into the corners. He has a delicate touch too. He can cushion a pass and is very good at lobs. His biggest flaw remains as it always has been, his actual finishing. Just occasionally he catches one perfectly like the goal at Raith Rovers in the playoff final or the one against St Johnstone in the League Cup but more often than not the ones he does score are sclaffed in or spectacular lobs (a la the one against Celtic for Livi or the very similar one for Queens v Montrose in the playoff semi final). I appreciate that without being the perfect foil for Dobbie, and becoming the lead attacker for Livi his goalscoring rate has improved but he'll never be prolific. I agree I think he'll do well down South. QPR have a bit of a tradition of big no 9's, most famously Les Ferdinand and most recently Matt Smith.

It would be a surprise to see him scoring for Scotland but if we can get the likes of McGinn, Armstrong, Forrest up around him he'll bring them into play and set up opportunities of the type peak Dobbie would put away for fun at our level.

Edited September 3, 2020 by Skyline Drifter

[RobbieD]

It would be a surprise seeing a number 9 score for Scotland? Did I just read that?

[HuttonDressedAsLahm]

2 minutes ago, RobbieD said:

It would be a surprise seeing a number 9 score for Scotland? Did I just read that?

Prolific striker 18-goals-in-69-games Kenny Miller would like a word 

[TheGoon]

Dykes is more than deserving of a few games to show what he can do. He (could) be the perfect player up top for us given getting the midfield into the game is a necessity and he’s really good at it. 

I’d start Robertson at LB just because it’s Robertson but I definitely don’t want to leave Tierney out. Unsure of him at RCB in a back four so I’d give him another shot at right back. Don’t mind Palmer, but if Tierney can adjust to that side it’s a no-brainer. 

[BB_Bino]

We don't have anyone else.
We've seen some complete diddies come from the English Championship to play for Scotland. Chris Martin, Iwelumo, Jordan Rhodes, Oliver Burke, Callum Paterson to name a few.
I'd put Dykes alongside them.
If strong, non-scoring strikers who could rummel up defenders was a good attribute in international football then we'd be set.

Harsh on Dykes but also harsh to label Martin and Paterson as diddies. Martin actually played well for Scotland but was picked when the tartan army wanted Griffiths and Paterson has probably only played 1 or 2 games up front for the national team.

[Savage Henry]

11 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

I think I'd pretty much agree with every word of that. He certainly played a lot of Aussie Rules as a teenager. I'm not sure if he didn't also play rugby.

Dykes is tall and strong (and getting stronger is the biggest difference in the last 2 or 3 years) but also deceptively quick with a great work ethic. He will chase balls into the corners. He has a delicate touch too. He can cushion a pass and is very good at lobs. His biggest flaw remains as it always has been, his actual finishing. Just occasionally he catches one perfectly like the goal at Raith Rovers in the playoff final or the one against St Johnstone in the League Cup but more often than not the ones he does score are sclaffed in or spectacular lobs (a la the one against Celtic for Livi or the very similar one for Queens v Montrose in the playoff semi final). I appreciate that without being the perfect foil for Dobbie, and becoming the lead attacker for Livi his goalscoring rate has improved but he'll never be prolific. I agree I think he'll do well down South. QPR have a bit of a tradition of big no 9's, most famously Les Ferdinand and most recently Matt Smith.

It would be a surprise to see him scoring for Scotland but if we can get the likes of McGinn, Armstrong, Forrest up around him he'll bring them into play and set up opportunities of the type peak Dobbie would put away for fun at our level.

Les Ferdinand is 5 feet 11.  For most of his career, he played with a taller striker partner. Surprising,  I know, but thought it worth mentioned as labelling players by height is grossly unfair.  Chris Martin was much more than a target man, but he got absolute pelters for not winning enough headers.

Dykes is probably as good as anyone else available to play that role, but I would have thought he’d be a candidate for being a one-cap-wonder if he turns out to be not really up to scratch - though O’Donnell has quite a few caps despite not being remotely good enough.  

[Savage Henry]

27 minutes ago, BB_Bino said:

 

 

Harsh on Dykes but also harsh to label Martin and Paterson as diddies. Martin actually played well for Scotland but was picked when the tartan army wanted Griffiths and Paterson has probably only played 1 or 2 games up front for the national team.

 

 

Paterson’s an absolute diddy of a right back, right enough.

[eez-eh]

I’m sure the only time Paterson played up front was against San Marino when he went off injured in the first half.

[craigkillie]

I’m sure the only time Paterson played up front was against San Marino when he went off injured in the first half.

Yes, this is correct.

[Hedgecutter]

10 hours ago, TheGoon said:

I’d start Robertson at LB just because it’s Robertson

... and being a former QP player, he'll feel right at home playing in an empty Hampden.

[Binos]

15 hours ago, greenockraver said:

chris martin done fairly well for scotland

Aye the much maligned Chris Martin

Still playing championship level, still making himself available

[Binos]

I wonder if dykes will come out with a saltire hairdo

[Skyline Drifter]

29 minutes ago, Savage Henry said:

Les Ferdinand is 5 feet 11.  For most of his career, he played with a taller striker partner. Surprising,  I know, but thought it worth mentioned as labelling players by height is grossly unfair.  Chris Martin was much more than a target man, but he got absolute pelters for not winning enough headers.

Dykes is probably as good as anyone else available to play that role, but I would have thought he’d be a candidate for being a one-cap-wonder if he turns out to be not really up to scratch - though O’Donnell has quite a few caps despite not being remotely good enough.  

Is Les Ferdinand really only 5'11"? That genuinely is surprising. He was the archetypal big strong, powerful centre forward who was great in the air. He certainly gave the impression of being taller. Must have had some spring on him. I'm not sure it's true to say he played most of his career alongside a taller partner though. He played one season beside Alan Shearer at Newcastle who is indeed taller, but only by an inch. Klinnsman at Tottenham was the same height (ok, I looked it up) and he doesn't appear generally to have played with a taller partner in his QPR days.

Anyway, doesn't change my point. I think Dykes is better than a one cap wonder but I'm horribly biased. We'll see I guess.

Edited September 4, 2020 by Skyline Drifter

[Guest bernardblack]

Anyone playing Tierney at right back needs their head checked

[craigkillie]

6 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Is Les Ferdinand really only 5'11"? That genuinely is surprising. He was the archetypal big strong, powerful centre forward who was great in the air. He certainly gave the impression of being taller. Must have had some spring on him.

Anyway, doesn't change my point. I think Dykes is better than a one cap wonder but I'm horribly biased. We'll see I guess.

Apart from anything else, he'll probably get two caps this week.

 

Just now, bernardblack said:

Anyone playing Tierney at right back needs their head checked

Why? He's played there successfully for us before - in fact I think we're unbeaten in six matches with him playing there.

[Skyline Drifter]

1 minute ago, bernardblack said:

Anyone playing Tierney at right back needs their head checked

Because?

He's done it successfully before. If he's better than the alternative right back and not as good as the alternative left back why wouldn't you? Or are you suggesteing he's more necessary to cover centre back?

[Gordopolis]

Aye the much maligned Chris Martin
Still playing championship level, still making himself available

I still automatically roll my eyes when thinking if Chris Martin playing for us, but I suppose I can count a few important things he did for us unlike some of the other strikers mentioned: the late winner Vs Slovenia, again vs Slovakia* plus the two collapses that won Griffiths his free kicks Vs England. All competitive games all against good/decent opposition.

*Did that go down as a Skrtel own goal? Martin definitely played a part in it though