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Scotland v Israel


Frank Grimes

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17 minutes ago, Donathan said:

4-4-2 with Robertson playing LM to neutralise their RB.

 

 

Gordon

SOD-Hendry-Cooper-Tierney

McGinn-McGregor-Gilmour-Robertson

Dykes-Adams

McGinn at right mid? 

I would play that line up for this game but in the usual formation. 

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Just now, harry94 said:


 

 


I would argue we're weak with centre back options. We've got some decent players there with two Premier League CBs but both don't really form that natural a partnership and then beyond that, I think the likes of Hendry and McKenna are potentially decent but wouldn't be trusted in a pairing right now.

Beyond that, we have depth issues at right back and even in goal, I think we're a bit poorer than we've been for years (that's no slight on Craig Gordon who has been playing very well but he's about to turn 39).

In midfield, we don't really have the traditional ball winners anymore. A few really good technical players who can sit deep but aside from Ryan Jack, I don't think there's anyone who is that natural at breaking up attacks and protecting the backline.

I think drilling our defenders to play in that type defensive system has been effective in making us a lot harder to beat in these types of games against the 'League B' type sides who are around our level (but have been our kryptonite in the past) and papered over these issues.

Having someone like Considine or Gallagher can come in for a pivotal game and look solid shows how much we've improved on that side of the game IMO.

I think the issue we've got is really just the directness of play and how we press and I don't really see the change in formation doing much for that tbh. Some days we've ended up trying to play it out too slowly and ended up deep and others the front two have put in a shift and we've went fairly direct and done well.

We probably do persist with it too much against the real minnows but I think Clarke is obsessed with trying to get everyone drilled and suited to the system in the limited time he has which is maybe brutal to watch but a good exercise.

Israel are a team with a lot of quality going forward and a few intelligent players, I wouldn't be wanting a more open game.

 

I'd play Henry and Hanley together, they have the speed to cover each other. And both are on form.

I get what your saying but I think us being more proactive and controlling would actually make the game less open.

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7 minutes ago, BingMcCrosby said:

I'd play Henry and Hanley together, they have the speed to cover each other. And both are on form.

I get what your saying but I think us being more proactive and controlling would actually make the game less open.

You mean going forward in a back 4? Hanley is out for this one.

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Gordon

Patterson -- Hendry -- Cooper -- Tierney

Gilmour -- McGregor

Christie -- McGinn -- Fraser

Adams

I post this line up with the full knowledge that Clarke won't drop Robertson, but I feel he gets extremely nervous or something when he plays for Scotland. I watch him for Liverpool and he's composed on the ball but there seems to be an element of panic in a Scotland shirt. As has been mentioned previously, Eli Dasa has had Robbo's card marked in previous games so I'd play Tierney there for this game. If McTominay is back I'd consider him in midfield over McGregor, but again I feel Clarke won't do that. Ultimately I think Clarke will stick to 3-5-2 with Hendry, Cooper and Tierney in the back 3 but I think this plays into Israel's hands. 

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9 minutes ago, ropy said:

You wouldn’t play Patterson in a 4 if all his attributes are going forward 

I don't really agree with the notion that Patterson can't defend, he's got improvements to make definitely but he's not dreadful at defending. In any case, I feel in previous matches against Israel we've sat in and conceded possession to Israel, looking to break on them. I don't think it's worked. We should be looking to control the game here and I think we can do that with 5 in midfield as opposed to at the back. If we've got control of the ball in midfield then we need the full backs to push on and I think Patterson is more capable of providing an effective overlap of the winger than SOD. All of that said, I wouldn't be all that fussed if SOD plays, I'm sure he'll be fine. 

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You wouldn’t play Patterson in a 4 if all his attributes are going forward 
It would be fine if he had someone like Jack or maybe McTominay inside of him and/or Forrest ahead.

We probably do have the players to play a system similar to Rangers', but I'm not sure how the front three would look.
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3 hours ago, ropy said:

I am so used to our back 5, what would a back 4 look like?  One of Tierney, Robertson.  SOD on the right? We have a number of central defenders, is Tierney better than them all in that position?

We played a back 4 second half last time we played Israel with Tierney as one of the centre halfs

We dominated after half time using that system 

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2 hours ago, The Moonster said:

I don't really agree with the notion that Patterson can't defend, he's got improvements to make definitely but he's not dreadful at defending. 

I haven't seen enough of Patterson to make such a claim either but surely if he was only good at attacking then he would be a winger and not a full back and that his where he would be getting played. He must have some defensive attributes or he himself and his coaches would have identified him as a forward player not a defensive one.

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I haven't seen enough of Patterson to make such a claim either but surely if he was only good at attacking then he would be a winger and not a full back and that his where he would be getting played. He must have some defensive attributes or he himself and his coaches would have identified him as a forward player not a defensive one.

If you watch him play it's quite clear that he basically is a winger, but because he plays at Rangers and won't have to defend a lot anyway they think they can convert him to play full-back.
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35 minutes ago, craigkillie said:


If you watch him play it's quite clear that he basically is a winger, but because he plays at Rangers and won't have to defend a lot anyway they think they can convert him to play full-back.

Is that the case or is it a conclusion you've come to based on your own observations?

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Based on my own observations, I don't know for sure. He reminds me of Frimpong who was at Celtic in that respect - they've spotted some incredible potential and tried to mould him to play a different position to improve his chances of making it. He's previously played as a winger for the U21s too I'm sure.

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I think Carragher said full-backs are either failed center backs or failed wingers.  IMO that's an overly harsh box to fit them in,  but there's certainly an element where the guys that play there are deficient somewhere,  but the 'strong' part of their game is enough to make up for the 'weak' part. 

There's quite a few fullbacks you'd be comfortable as wingers,  quite a few who can do a decent job at center back.  I don't think there's too many who can only play fullback. 

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3 hours ago, parsforlife said:

I think Carragher said full-backs are either failed center backs or failed wingers.  IMO that's an overly harsh box to fit them in,  but there's certainly an element where the guys that play there are deficient somewhere,  but the 'strong' part of their game is enough to make up for the 'weak' part. 

There's quite a few fullbacks you'd be comfortable as wingers,  quite a few who can do a decent job at center back.  I don't think there's too many who can only play fullback. 

Is everyone not a failed striker really 🤷‍♂️

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