Squad announced for June fixtures

[Donathan]

Goalkeepers: Gordon, Marshall, Kelly, Clarke

 

Defenders: McTominay, Hanley, McKenna, Cooper, Hendry, Souttar, Patterson, Robertson, Hickey, O’Donnell, Taylor, Ralston

 

Midfielders: Gilmour, McGregor, Jack, Ferguson, McGinn, Armstrong, Turnbull

 

Forwards: Dykes, Adams, Christie, Brown, Stewart

[nessies long lost ghost]

Tierney out  

[Donathan]

Armenia game will be the rotation game imo

 

A team:

Gordon

 

McTominay-Hanley-McKenna

 

Patterson-Gilmour-McGregor-Robertson

 

McGinn

 

Adams-Dykes

 

B team:

 

Marshall

 

Hendry-Souttar-Cooper

SOD-Jack-Ferguson-Hickey

 

Armstrong

 

Christie-Brown

 

 

Leaves Ralston, Taylor, Turnbull, Stewart and the two young keepers as ringers 

[nessies long lost ghost]

          Assuming all are fit enough to start against Ukraine - I would go             

 

                                          Gordon

                  Hendry Cooper McKenna 

Patterson                                                       Robertson

                         Gilmour McGregor

           McGinn                                    Armstrong / Christie

                                        Adams

 

[Donathan]

Just now, nessies long lost ghost said:

          Assuming all are fit enough to start against Ukraine - I would go             

 

                                          Gordon

                  Hendry Cooper McKenna 

Patterson                                                       Robertson

                         Gilmour McGregor

           McGinn                                    Armstrong / Christie

                                        Adams

 

When was the last time we left a fit Lyndon Dykes out in a competitive game? Never a great idea to leave your goal machine on the bench 

[nessies long lost ghost]

1 minute ago, Donathan said:

When was the last time we left a fit Lyndon Dykes out in a competitive game? Never a great idea to leave your goal machine on the bench 

Dunno

I think Adams is a better player

[eez-eh]

No Tierney is a huge blow.

[Donathan]

1 minute ago, nessies long lost ghost said:

Dunno

I think Adams is a better player

Agreed, but we usually play both when they are available. 

[Clown Job]

No Tierney

[therewasacoo]

Glad Gilmour is in the squad after the rumours of an injury 

[nessies long lost ghost]

4 minutes ago, Donathan said:

Agreed, but we usually play both when they are available. 

Possibly

I did say in my original post the 11 I would play if all fit - not what I think Clarke will play

I would go for Armstrong over Christie too

[dezz]

Good to see Patterson is considered fit enough to be included although who knows if the Ukraine game might be a bit too early for him. No KT is a massive blow because there's simply no one else in the squad that can do what he does.

Other than that, no real surprises as you'd expect with a Steve Clarke squad.

[Donathan]

3 options for what to do about Tierney, do you directly replace him with McKenna/Cooper/Hendry/Souttar, bring Robertson into LCB (with Taylor or Hickey at LWB) or change the formation altogether and have Robertson on the left side of a back four? 

[accies1874]

Glad Gilmour is in the squad after the rumours of an injury 

Could still miss the play-offs. But the fact that Patterson and Gilmour are there and Tierney and McLean aren't gives me a wee bit more hope that the the former two are fitter than expected.

[Lyle Lanley]

19 minutes ago, Clown Job said:

No Tierney

This. 

[Wee-Bey]

Souttar in for Tierney imo.

[Jacky1990]

22 minutes ago, Donathan said:

Agreed, but we usually play both when they are available. 

And we rarely play well with the two of them together.

Both Adams and Dykes play better as a lone front man in a battle against the centre backs with someone like Christie floating off them and McGinn charging from deep.

The way he played against Denmark, Adams has to start this game. Dykes has been in and out the QPR team the last few months so I'd start him on the bench and at least we know we have a very capable Plan B.

[Jacky1990]

1 minute ago, Detective Jimmy McNulty said:

Souttar in for Tierney imo.

When has Souttar ever played on the left of a three? Not the time to play players in positions they have never played before.

It'll be McKenna or Cooper that play in that position. Since McKenna has been playing left of a three all season, I'd be tempted to go with him, despite Cooper probably being the better player and being brilliant v Denmark.

[monthefife]

I was quietly hopeful that Tierney would be fit in time for this, seeing as it wasn't a "major knee injury". 

But now that's confirmed, it's a huge loss for the team. No other player can replicate what he offers to the team.  

[2426255]

23 hours ago, 2426255 said:

I don't think there is a case to drop anyone from the original March camp, I'd carry everyone over who is available from March and return Ryan Fraser, David Turnbull and Liam Cooper to the group as they are well placed to help the team immediately. 

I'd consider also adding to the squad from the likes of Ross Stewart, John Souttar or Anthony Ralston - but not at the expense of more established players.

Due to the number of games, short turnaround times and increased length of the camp I'd rather have a few of the less established guys training and participating with the group in case they're needed rather than have them sitting at home on standby. That's what would make sense to me without knowing all the ins and outs.

Not a bad analysis, can someone give me a pat on the back or do I have to do it myself?

Good squad, makes sense - happy with it given the circumstances. LCB still unsettles me a little, but I've more or less made peace with Liam Cooper and Scott McKenna being the designated replacements.