Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 v 🇫🇮 Finland

[Theroadlesstravelled]

2 minutes ago, Central Belt Caley said:

Hope all you doubters are having some humble pie now 

Which one is he again?

[Alan Twelve]

Just now, MazzyStar said:

Scotland have been shite for at least the last 10 games and every time someone comes along to tell everyone to calm down. 

It's genuinely worrying just how much worse we are when a few key players get subbed off, but at the same time we were miles better than Finalnd before key players were subbed off. I think we'll be fine next Friday - maybe we'll still get beat, but we'll give a good account of ourselves.

[HuttonDressedAsLahm]

Just back in. Very frustrating, but at least the overall performance was much better than some others from recent times. The subs killed it - not for the first time. See also v Poland; Austria; Norway; Netherlands and a few others.

Positives: Gilmour looked superb. Tierney and Robertson did well throughout. Similarly thought McGregor had a good game. Ralston not bad. Christie lively.

Conway and Morgan looked fast and keen. Certainly something we don’t have elsewhere.

Concerns: someone is going to have to convince me that Shankland is it. Looks slow, and immobile. Looks like getting around the pitch is an effort. Took his goal well, but unimpressed overall.

Jack looks like a competition winner. Clearly overweight and touch/decision-making brutal. 

Concerned over McGinn and have been for a while. Had some nice turns and finds some space, but touch seems to let him down more and his passes not accurate enough. Feels like he’s not been at his level for us this season. 

Perhaps this is all harsh, and TV made it look very different. 

At least the Germans aren’t being too convincing. Reckon we’ll step it up over the next couple of weeks, and we do play far better against teams that don’t play a low block.

Had that been a competitive match we’d have seen them out of sight - easily. None of our games this month will be like Northern Ireland.

Time for Conway to announce himself like Owen in 98.

[Steve Carrella]

2 hours ago, sophia said:

Hiya Bill Shankly, hiya pal. 

Mr Shankly, laddie. Mr.

[Theroadlesstravelled]

Just now, HuttonDressedAsLahm said:

Just back in. Very frustrating, but at least the overall performance was much better than some others from recent times. The subs killed it - not for the first time. See also v Poland; Austria; Norway; Netherlands and a few others.

Positives: Gilmour looked superb. Tierney and Robertson did well throughout. Similarly thought McGregor had a good game. Ralston not bad. Christie lively.

Conway and Morgan looked fast and keen. Certainly something we don’t have elsewhere.

Concerns: someone is going to have to convince me that Shankland is it. Looks slow, and immobile. Looks like getting around the pitch is an effort. Took his goal well, but unimpressed overall.

Jack looks like a competition winner. Clearly overweight and touch/decision-making brutal. 

Concerned over McGinn and have been for a while. Had some nice turns and finds some space, but touch seems to let him down more and his passes not accurate enough. Feels like he’s not been at his level for us this season. 

Perhaps this is all harsh, and TV made it look very different. 

At least the Germans aren’t being too convincing. Reckon we’ll step it up over the next couple of weeks, and we do play far better against teams that don’t play a low block.

Had that been a competitive match we’d have seen them out of sight - easily. None of our games this month will be like Northern Ireland.

Time for Conway to announce himself like Owen in 98.

Not a popular comment on here.

[unitedbino]

He obviously didn't get much time on the pitch, but liked what I saw of Conway. He's got pace and looked sharp. An option in behind that German high line? Maybe not as a starter, but off the bench?

[Melanius Mullarkey]

I reckon Conway will score. Hungary or maybe the Swiss.

[Alan Twelve]

4 minutes ago, HuttonDressedAsLahm said:

Just back in. Very frustrating, but at least the overall performance was much better than some others from recent times. The subs killed it - not for the first time. See also v Poland; Austria; Norway; Netherlands and a few others.

Positives: Gilmour looked superb. Tierney and Robertson did well throughout. Similarly thought McGregor had a good game. Ralston not bad. Christie lively.

Conway and Morgan looked fast and keen. Certainly something we don’t have elsewhere.

Concerns: someone is going to have to convince me that Shankland is it. Looks slow, and immobile. Looks like getting around the pitch is an effort. Took his goal well, but unimpressed overall.

Jack looks like a competition winner. Clearly overweight and touch/decision-making brutal. 

Concerned over McGinn and have been for a while. Had some nice turns and finds some space, but touch seems to let him down more and his passes not accurate enough. Feels like he’s not been at his level for us this season. 

Perhaps this is all harsh, and TV made it look very different. 

At least the Germans aren’t being too convincing. Reckon we’ll step it up over the next couple of weeks, and we do play far better against teams that don’t play a low block.

Had that been a competitive match we’d have seen them out of sight - easily. None of our games this month will be like Northern Ireland.

Time for Conway to announce himself like Owen in 98.

Only thing I'd disagree with there is that I thought McGinn had a really good first half. I don't think it's a coincidence that when Christie got moved over to Robbo and Tierney's side suddenly he was fantastic and McGinn was less effective on the right.

Gilmour was great. It's notable that Hanley and Hendry are both very reluctant to pass to him when he's got opponents around him though, even though this is when he's often most effective, and that's why I think he probably starts on the bench next week.

Shankland can't play that lone striker role - not his fault, he just doesn't have the skillset. Took his goal really well and I'm glad he's in the squad for when we need to chase the game, but we have to hope Adams is fit next Friday.

[accies1874]

I quite enjoyed it. We played nice football in the first half without creating anything, but Finland seemed to manipulate our press a few times. 

Second half was great until the second couple of subs, and even then we still worked the ball down the left very well. Some of our football overall was a demonstration of what we've done best under Clarke (Robertson and Tierney are delights), but there's still a development from where we were 3/4 years ago. I think we're a better team than we were at the last Euros in just about every sense and I hope they show it this month.

[No_Problemo]

19 minutes ago, MazzyStar said:

Scotland have been shite for at least the last 10 games and every time someone comes along to tell everyone to calm down. 

For at least the last ten games? Really… 

Maybe you just need to chill out tbh. 

[HuttonDressedAsLahm]

2 minutes ago, Alan Twelve said:

Only thing I'd disagree with there is that I thought McGinn had a really good first half. I don't think it's a coincidence that when Christie got moved over to Robbo and Tierney's side suddenly he was fantastic and McGinn was less effective on the right.

Gilmour was great. It's notable that Hanley and Hendry are both very reluctant to pass to him when he's got opponents around him though, even though this is when he's often most effective, and that's why I think he probably starts on the bench next week.

Shankland can't play that lone striker role - not his fault, he just doesn't have the skillset. Took his goal really well and I'm glad he's in the squad for when we need to chase the game, but we have to hope Adams is fit next Friday.

I’d certainly agree that a lone striking role doesn’t suit Shankland - he doesn’t have the pace or movement that Dykes, and certainly Adams has.

Gilmour’s touch is something to behold. For the first 20 minutes he was pressed every time he took the ball - at no point did he look like losing it. As the Finns stepped off he was able to take the ball on the turn. It’s no surprise that his subbing in both this game and the Netherlands match is when we surrendered control of the game.

Happy to be wrong on McGinn - I was at the other end first half so depth perception more difficult.

No injuries the main thing - and very pleased at the pace and confidence Morgan and Conway showed. We need alternatives for the Euros and ongoing.

[C4mmy31]

45 minutes ago, Central Belt Caley said:

Hope all you doubters are having some humble pie now 

In what was effectively a training match 

[Stylish Kid]

2 hours ago, Central Belt Caley said:

I love it, genuinely one of my favourite bits of patter from this site 

Sorry to be a pain but I obviously missed some quality in the past?!

[GAD]

I was at the game earlier, to be honest, I thought it was quite a strange match. First half certainly looked every bit like a training exercise where Scotland were under a self imposed restriction to only play short and through the middle at all times. When they lost the ball they all dropped back to the halfway line, very little pressing, won the ball back, then started again. They didn't use any width, even when the ball did go wide it went short back into the middle, and there were hardly any crosses. To be honest, it was pretty boring.

Second half was a lot better as a spectacle, when they worked it wide a lot more and started getting the ball into the box, until the subs kind of killed it a bit. I'm not sure you can really take much from tonight on how we will play in Germany.

[FrankChickens1]

I'd rather play Craig Gordon in midfield than Ryan Jack 

[Central Belt Caley]

8 minutes ago, Stylish Kid said:

Sorry to be a pain but I obviously missed some quality in the past?!

Think it was the Raith Partick playoff semi a few weeks back, went to extra time and the commentary team and Jonathan Sutherland kept reiterating Rebus would be on following the football. Cue the rest of the thread turning into folk talking about Rebus  It’s popped up in a few threads since and gives me a good laugh 

Have a look through the original thread I had a great time! 

[Alan Twelve]

45 minutes ago, HuttonDressedAsLahm said:

I’d certainly agree that a lone striking role doesn’t suit Shankland - he doesn’t have the pace or movement that Dykes, and certainly Adams has.

Gilmour’s touch is something to behold. For the first 20 minutes he was pressed every time he took the ball - at no point did he look like losing it. As the Finns stepped off he was able to take the ball on the turn. It’s no surprise that his subbing in both this game and the Netherlands match is when we surrendered control of the game.

Happy to be wrong on McGinn - I was at the other end first half so depth perception more difficult.

No injuries the main thing - and very pleased at the pace and confidence Morgan and Conway showed. We need alternatives for the Euros and ongoing.

I could be overstating how good McGinn was just because he was much better than we've seen him for Scotland for a while. He definitely did some good stuff though and I do think that his being on the left rather than his usual station out on the right was a huge factor - Robertson and Tierney are great players and must be a joy to link up with. Are there still Scotland fans who think Robertson should be dropped or that he doesn't perform for Scotland or some other shite?

[Bogbrush1903]

On 04/06/2024 at 20:10, JS_FFC said:

If we are 1-0 up on Hungary with 10 minutes to go I’m 100% bringing Ryan Jack on to park the bus. 

@craigkillie@FFC_GJSworked out well tonight didn't it...2-0 up, enter Ryan Jack

[Bogbrush1903]

2 hours ago, KirkieRR said:

The likes of Brazil and Argentina give out sympathy caps. Kinda works for them.

Gordon shouldn't have played, no need, no argument really, comparing what Brazil and Argentina do against Scottish decisions is a irrelevant defence, they have world class players as protection, we don't 

Edited June 7 by Bogbrush1903

[Replays]

Was a last minute attendee tonight albeit I missed the first ten minutes. Agree it’s hard to take too much from that really, but I felt Tierney and Robertson both had some really nice moments down the left. McGinn was okay for me, some good, some bad but I still reckon he’ll be able to lift his game come next Friday. Ralston was fine and whilst not close to Hickey’s level, seemed solid enough. Shankland took his goal well, which ultimately is the key thing we’re looking for him to offer, but wasn't involved an awful lot otherwise. Conway and Morgan both looked quite lively in their brief cameos. The defending for both goals was a concern, far too much space from both crosses into the box. Craig Gordon will always be a legend in my eyes despite the slightly sad end to his Scotland career (I assume) tonight. I’m unsure how we’ll do at the Euros as I fear injuries have scuppered us, but I am hopeful we’ll give a better account of ourselves this time around.