GordonS Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 Robertson and Tierney have given us an attacking shape that oppositions aren't used to, and a big proportion of our goals in qualifying and in the Nations League came from the two of them working the left. It's tough to defend against. They're a handful and then some, and between them, the manager and the coaching staff they've found a way to play together that's incredibly effective. Before Clarke, accommodating them both was seen as a problem, now it's one of our biggest strengths. As for McGregor, the way he goes about his business is so impressive. He's not a top class player, he wasn't seen as a particularly exciting young prospect and he never had a big breakthrough moment in his career. He just quietly played his way into the Celtic team over time and almost imperceptibly made himself undroppable. Then he did the same with Scotland. He's a manager's dream, he always carries out the instructions but he can adapt on the pitch too. He's got a great mentality and he'll never hide. Of the five candidates for the four midfield slots he's arguably the least gifted, yet he's probably second in the pecking order. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 The midfield four will be (without a doubt) McGregor, McTominay, McGinn and... either Christie or Gilmour. Does Clarke want McTominay in the middle for increased physicality, or with the freedom to get forward? That's what I reckon it'll boil down to. Christie plays in the former case, Gilmour in the latter. The other choice is RWB. I really can't see Forrest starting there against Germany up against Musiala. Hendry is a possibility, but I'd go Ralston. And I think folk forget bow much Clarke loves Hanley. He starts if deemed ready. So I go... Gunn -- Ralston, Hendry, Hanley, Tierney, Robertson -- McTominay, Gilmour, McGregor, McGinn -- Adams 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 He has also picked Porteous for every meaningful game since he made his debut though. Yes, Hanley wasn't always available for those, but I don't think it's clear cut at all that Hanley is preferred in 2024 just because he was in 2021 and 2022. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 (edited) 5 hours ago, Distant Doonhamer said: Of the players available to Scotland Gunn, Porteous, Tierney, Robertson, McTominay, McGinn, McGregor and Christie all started the 2 pivotal qualifiers at home to Spain and away to Norway. So did Dykes who Adams will surely replace and Hickey who Ralston will most likely replace. That would leave a choice between Hanley and Hendry for the 3rd central defender spot. I don’t see Clarke straying much from that. As others have suggested Gilmour or Christie the other big call. I'd go Gunn Ralston Porteous Hendry Tierney Robertson McTominay Gilmour McGregor McGinn Adams Hendry was unavailable for Spain though and Hanley unavailable for Norway. I'm not sure you can definitely conclude Porteous is a certainty if all available. There are three "calls" to make. I think we can all name 8 starters. Probably 9. He'll need to decide between Hanley and Porteous at centre back (for me anyway, throw Hendry into a three way debate if you wish). Assuming McTominay fit he has to play so which midfielder doesn't? General assumption is a coin toss between Christie and Gilmour. And I don't think it's absolutely clear cut up top. I'm certain Dykes would have started if fit. Adams has barely started a game in a year and didn't start any of the 4 recent friendlies either. He's nursing an injury of some sort and didn't start Southampton's playoff games either. I don't think it's an absolute certainty he starts, though Shankland hasn't shone in the last couple of games despite the goal v Finland and Conway's surely to "new" to throw straight in. Might he go slightly left field and play either McTominay or Christie as the forward? 4 hours ago, craigkillie said: He has also picked Porteous for every meaningful game since he made his debut though. Yes, Hanley wasn't always available for those, but I don't think it's clear cut at all that Hanley is preferred in 2024 just because he was in 2021 and 2022. He's not had the combination of Hendry, Hanley and Tierney available for any of that run of games for Porteous though so I don't think that's a clear conclusion either. It's a question we'll only know the answer to on Friday. I think he wants to play Hanley but I'm not convinced Hanley is match fit and sharp enough for it. Edited June 12 by Skyline Drifter 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distant Doonhamer Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said: Hendry was unavailable for Spain though and Hanley unavailable for Norway. I'm not sure you can definitely conclude Porteous is a certainty if all available. There are three "calls" to make. I think we can all name 8 starters. Probably 9. He'll need to decide between Hanley and Porteous at centre back (for me anyway, throw Hendry into a three way debate if you wish). Assuming McTominay fit he has to play so which midfielder doesn't? General assumption is a coin toss between Christie and Gilmour. And I don't think it's absolutely clear cut up top. I'm certain Dykes would have started if fit. Adams has barely started a game in 2 years and didn't start any of the 4 recent friendlies either. He's nursing an injury of some sort and didn't start Southampton's playoff games either. I don't think it's an absolute certainty he starts, though Shankland hasn't shone in the last couple of games despite the goal v Finland and Conway's surely to "new" to throw straight in. Might he go slightly left field and play either McTominay or Christie as the forward? He's not had the combination of Hendry, Hanley and Tierney available for any of that run of games for Porteous though so I don't think that's a clear conclusion either. It's a question we'll only know the answer to on Friday. I think he wants to play Hanley but I'm not convinced Hanley is match fit and sharp enough for it. Yes some very fair points there. Agree a fully fit and match sharp Hanley would play. I’ll be surprised if he does albeit he’s clearly a Clarke favourite. Agree a fit Dykes would have started this game. I did wonder if he might play Christie as the forward. Still think it’ll be Adams but you make a valid point that he too is nursing an injury. Not long until we know for sure. Edited June 11 by Distant Doonhamer 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonS Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 3 hours ago, craigkillie said: He has also picked Porteous for every meaningful game since he made his debut though. Yes, Hanley wasn't always available for those, but I don't think it's clear cut at all that Hanley is preferred in 2024 just because he was in 2021 and 2022. Looking at the excellent data further up the thread, it seems Clarke has always picked Tierney, Hanley, Porteous and Hendry when fit since Porteous first came into the reckoning. He's just never had all 4 available at the same time. I'd assumed Porteous would be the one to miss out because he really seems to be a big Hanley fan but now the only one I'm sure about starting is Tierney. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkoRaj Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 14 hours ago, Alan Twelve said: I love Gilmour, but I think a mobile high-pressing team like I expect Germany to be will be able to stop the ball getting to him in good areas and he's pretty ineffective when he's forced back to the edge of the area to collect the ball. No he isn't, that's his biggest strength 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2426255 Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 1 hour ago, MarkoRaj said: No he isn't, that's his biggest strength Gilmour's good at receiving the ball and making the right pass under pressure. If we're trying to break a press then he's valuable. If we're playing over the press then it's different. Often it's mixed, more a question of which side the axis tilts to: Spain was tilted to the latter, Netherlands was closer to the former. That's one aspect of the game. In others it's generally accepted Christie is better suited in terms of counter-attack and pressing, but Gilmour is well suited in terms of control and building structured attacks. So all that could come into it, but basically comes down to if we are planning to control the game with or without the ball. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chripper Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 I know the minutes played, etc, but I think Gilmour will start every match at the Euros. I don't think he'll finish mant games. For some reason he rarely finishes a match for club of country. Looking back, it's ironic that our most Spanish type player (Press resistant, immense technique and passing, intelligent, etc) started on the bench for both Spain matches. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 It's worth noting that in that period Gilmour wasn't playing much club football, and as we later discovered also had a lot going on off the pitch. There were even people on here questioning whether he should have been in the squad for the Cyprus/Spain double header in March. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chripper Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 25 minutes ago, craigkillie said: It's worth noting that in that period Gilmour wasn't playing much club football, and as we later discovered also had a lot going on off the pitch. There were even people on here questioning whether he should have been in the squad for the Cyprus/Spain double header in March. Yeah. Good call. I couldn't quite remember that but you're right. There was a lot of mitigating issues that were behind Gilmour's lack of gametime and form. Thankfully it's all behind him. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2426255 Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 1 hour ago, SlayerX said: I know the minutes played, etc, but I think Gilmour will start every match at the Euros. I don't think he'll finish mant games. For some reason he rarely finishes a match for club of country. Looking back, it's ironic that our most Spanish type player (Press resistant, immense technique and passing, intelligent, etc) started on the bench for both Spain matches. In neither game did we attempt to beat the Spanish press, build the play or try to control the game with the ball. It's a chicken or egg scenario: Was the approach based on the players available? (e.g. if Gilmour wasn't in a good place to play in either Spain game or Norway in Oslo) or was it based on the type of game (e.g. it's not a game that suits a player like Gilmour as much as Christie). I think it's the latter, but it's just an opinion. Time will tell how we go on Friday, but probably see both Christie and Gilmour start. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butters Scotch Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 49 minutes ago, craigkillie said: It's worth noting that in that period Gilmour wasn't playing much club football, and as we later discovered also had a lot going on off the pitch. There were even people on here questioning whether he should have been in the squad for the Cyprus/Spain double header in March. Who was saying Gilmour to be dropped for the squad for Cyprus Spain games? The same people proposing Christie LWB I assume or dropping Robertson for the Germany game? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2426255 Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 Just now, Butters Scotch said: Who was saying Gilmour to be dropped for the squad for Cyprus Spain games? The same people proposing Christie LWB I assume or dropping Robertson for the Germany game? The same people obsessed with form and against the loyalty idea. Gilmour hadn't been playing for Brighton at that time and so wasn't in good 'form' 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazzyStar Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 (edited) Tierney against Wirtz doesn’t bear thinking about. Edited June 12 by MazzyStar -2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuttonDressedAsLahm Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 1 minute ago, MazzyStar said: Tierney against Wirtz doesn’t bare thinking about. For balance, do you want a video of Neuer throwing one in to gift Real Madrid a Champions League final? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazzyStar Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 1 minute ago, HuttonDressedAsLahm said: For balance, do you want a video of Neuer throwing one in to gift Real Madrid a Champions League final? Not to sound completely defeatist but I think Scotland will be lucky to have a shot on target on Friday. -2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derryboy62 Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 7 minutes ago, MazzyStar said: Tierney against Wirtz doesn’t bear thinking about. How about showing his assists in the Spanish game too 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binos Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 52 minutes ago, MazzyStar said: Not to sound completely defeatist but I think Scotland will be lucky to have a shot on target on Friday. Are you davie provan 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazzyStar Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 3 minutes ago, Binos said: Are you davie provan Yes 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.