Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 v 🇵🇹 Portugal - 15th October

[craigkillie]

1 hour ago, The Moonster said:

Who the f**k you playing at the back if not John Souttar?

McKenna and Hendry surely the starters if fit.

[accies1874]

1 hour ago, GordonS said:

A few thoughts this morning.

Anthony Ralston is never going to be better than our third choice right-back, but he gave everything last night and it was notable that he got applauded round half the ground as he walked back after being substituted.

What's the centre-half pecking order now? Porteous sh*t the bed hard in Germany and there doesn't seem much to pick between Hanley, McKenna, Hendry and Souttar.

Hanley and Hendry will probably be above McKenna, Porteous and Souttar, but those guys are all way too inconsistent to establish a pecking order.

Porteous was first choice last year and earlier this year while Souttar put in a "Should Never Play for Scotland Again" performance against the Netherlands in March. Fast forward to October and Porteous isn't getting a kick while Souttar's done very well against two League A sides. 

Inconsistent CBs who are always injured is a big reason for our backline has changed so much.

[joewarkfanclub]

1 minute ago, craigkillie said:

McKenna and Hendry surely the starters if fit.

Never been convinced with Hendry. Sure he looks good with the ball at his feet coming out of defence, but his concentration defensively is suslect and he hung Tony Ralston out to dry at the Euros.

I do like McKenna on the left as he gives us some balance that side, but Souttar and Hanley defended pretty well this camp, albeit both have been prone to brainfarts in the past.

Same can be said for Porteous.

I dont think there is much to choose between most of our centre halves. We just need to find the right pairing.

All down to personal preference and Cĺarke seems to really like Hanley plus one other.

[Alert Mongoose]

I could have bern imagining it but I'm fairly certain I saw at least two examples of Hanley and Ralston about to dive in to a tackle in our box and pull out at the last second.

At least they are learning.

[DukDukGoose]

 

 

[Scary Bear]

I don’t think the crowd were really up for it at the start, then they picked up, and towards the end it was just fingers crossed we could escape with a draw.

Not the greatest game but we managed to get the 0-0 against a better team.

Ronaldo seems to have lost the plot. Someone should have a word.

 

[DukDukGoose]

20 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

McKenna and Hendry surely the starters if fit.

In a back four, yes.

[Jives Miguel]

I think McLean has played himself into keeping his starting berth. There's a good balance to his partnership with Gilmour, and he might actually be the best defensively out of all our midfield options.

[Londonwell]

26 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

McKenna and Hendry surely the starters if fit.

Hanley has always been a stick on starter under Clarke. It’s him plus 1 other I think. Maybe that will change if he continues to miss out on game time with Norwich but Clarke clearly has a lot of faith in him as player and will take a lot for him to drop him. 

[The Moonster]

38 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

McKenna and Hendry surely the starters if fit.

I prefer Souttar over Hendry. 

[AJF]

12 hours ago, Pocketman said:

so many triggered by Ronaldo 

Yeah, you could tell as he stropped off the pitch at full time throwing a tantrum that it was actually Scotland fans triggered, not Ronaldo.

[Skyline Drifter]

12 hours ago, Jives Miguel said:

Must be weird being in the Portugal team. Everyone in the squad, all the players, all the coaches even the manager know Ronaldo is holding them back, but they're not allowed to drop him. He's either got an immense amount of power with the football association, or the association is desperately trying to milk all the sponsorship money out of him whilst they still can. 

This.

I'm not particularly sympathetic for him but Martinez' position is difficult. It's perfectly clear to anyone who's watched football for any length of time that Portugal are now a weaker outfit with Ronaldo than without him but Ronaldo is so powerful that he'll decide when he plays and when he doesn't, not the manager.

I said on the way to the game that I desperately hoped Ronaldo would play, not because I'm some sort of fanboy who wanted to see him play but because I think Portugal are weaker now with him playing. He's still got the skills but he doesn't have the legs or the spring he once had. He's reduced to hanging about offside and trying to dart onside briefly at the right time and it's not working for him. Our much criticised, Championship standard defence dealt with him pretty comfortably all night other than that free header from about 14 yards that Charlie Mulgrew called "point blank". They lost him at that one but he completely mistimed it. He should have been hooked after an hour but he stayed on the whole game. He should probably have been booked for his histrionics but there are regular rules and 'Ronaldo Rules'. Fair play to the ref though for not just giving him what he wanted though.

Edited 1 hour ago by Skyline Drifter

[Skyline Drifter]

2 hours ago, Quentin Taranbino said:

There were lots of players who I don't really think are good enough who stepped up in this game defensively and for that they deserve credit

Kenny McLean was excellent for the most part and won us loads of free kicks when we were escaping danger.

Souttar and Hanley both had good games and remained focused throughout. 

Ralston had maybe his best game for us. Nobody can fault his effort levels. A very Stephen O'Donnell performance from him.

None of these four players would make my strongest starting eleven for Scotland and in reality none of them are good enough at this level but they all stepped up vs Portugal and produced big performances and can't ask for more than that from 'squad' players.

 

2 hours ago, The Moonster said:

Who the f**k you playing at the back if not John Souttar? I also think that's harsh on McLean, I'm no huge fan of him but he was very good in both these games and has been an important squad player for years. 

@Quentin Taranbino and I don't really see eye to eye on a lot of selection issues here but he's not far wrong there to be fair. McLean's been excellent these two games but he's not in our best midfield when everyone's available. That's obvious. If McGinn and Ferguson were in camp he wouldn't start.

John Souttar was also excellent in both games but I'd still have him behind Hanley, Hendry and McKenna (and Tierney if we're in a five). He's got himself ahead of Porteous now though.

1 hour ago, The Moonster said:

I'd also like to say, because I don't think I've seen much mention of it, that Scott McTominay was probably our worst player across these two games and I'm amazed he played the full 90 in both. 

I agree with this, though given his propensity to score goals, I understand why he remained on the pitch. A bit like McGinn when he was going through a poor spell in the games before and during the Euros. He wasn't as effective as he usually is and the header 4 mins in last night was bordering on 'sitter' territory. He should be scoring that.

[Jaggy McJagface]

35 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

I don’t think the crowd were really up for it at the start, then they picked up, and towards the end it was just fingers crossed we could escape with a draw.

Not the greatest game but we managed to get the 0-0 against a better team.

Ronaldo seems to have lost the plot. Someone should have a word.

 

The Hampden atmosphere has been shite for ages. We have the John McGinn and McTominay songs and that’s it.

 

I really think the SFA should consider introducing a singing section.

[ArabFC]

56 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

McKenna and Hendry surely the starters if fit.

We haven't had nailed on starters at CB (over several games) for a while now. New players keep coming in and impressing.

I don't think Hendry is at a level where he automatically displaces Souttar. 

[Skyline Drifter]

57 minutes ago, accies1874 said:

Hanley and Hendry will probably be above McKenna, Porteous and Souttar, but those guys are all way too inconsistent to establish a pecking order.

Porteous was first choice last year and earlier this year while Souttar put in a "Should Never Play for Scotland Again" performance against the Netherlands in March. Fast forward to October and Porteous isn't getting a kick while Souttar's done very well against two League A sides. 

Inconsistent CBs who are always injured is a big reason for our backline has changed so much.

I think this is probably true to be honest. The consistencies since Clarke was appointed are largely that Hanley plays when fit and we'll play a five if both Tierney and Robertson are available to get them both on the pitch. The latter is probably still true but we'll not know till Tierney returns. The former is also currently true probably but Hanley's getting older and he's not starting regularly for Norwich so this isn't helping. He was left out of the Germany game by choice (though he was less fit then than he is now) but Porteous' red card let him back in and apart from the stupid tackle against Poland that cost us a draw, he's not done anything else wrong in the last 7 games. I think he's pretty nailed on still for now.

Elsewhere Hendry, Porteous, McKenna and now Souttar have at times been the favoured other starter. I still think it's probably Hendry if we're in a five with Tierney involved as he's a better ball player than the others. Hanley will likely sweep between the other two. If we stick with a four moving forward (which will then bring about the Tierney v Robertson question again) then Souttar and McKenna have a better chance of starting alongside Hanley than they do in a three imo but a lot of it will come down to who is available and who is playing at club level and who isn't.

[deadasdillinger]

46 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

Ronaldo seems to have lost the plot. Someone should have a word.

 

Having always been a greeting faced twat, I think you're now seeing him being extra huffy about things as he deals with the frustration of massively waning powers. 

A couple of years ago you could have bet your house, life savings and everything else on him burying that second half chance. He has 5 yards of space and he's at the pen spot. 

Lovely to see. 

[Fletchers Saucy Manbun]

12 hours ago, velo army said:

No problem with Ronaldo behaving like that at the end. It's pretty cool that he still cares so much about winning games. Aye, he wants to make it a lot about him, but that egotism has got him where he is.

Also my read 100%. Wish we produced more bad losers rather than guys raised on the glorious defeat mantra.

[Skyline Drifter]

As for last night, pleased with a hard won and well deserved point. We didn't offer too much in an attacking sense after the first ten minutes but we largely stopped them doing so too. McTominay should have scored with his close range header 4 minutes in. Adams had half a chance late on but opted to look for McTominay rather than head at goal, and McTominay should have done better with the knock down. Also the one Ralston fired across just in front of McTominay but I'm not sure either could have done any more there. Gordon makes that great late save but otherwise Portugal didn't really hurt us for all their possession.

Team and manager were due the plaudits for their efforts in the last two and a half games which were unrewarded. This is a punishing level to be playing at.

It says it all though that I thought the best three things about last night were in order:

• Ronaldo's hissy fit histrionics at full time. I'm not even sure what he's moaning about. The referee having the temerity to blow for full time instead of let them take a corner when we're already 20 seconds or so beyond the signalled overtime? He's a 40 year old man and he's acting like a primary school kid told he can't get a toy at the shops!
• The spear tackle by the steward on that pitch invader. Assessed where he was heading (we all knew that), took an angle, sprung from behind a Scotland player and just absolutely planted the boy. Outstanding effort sir!
• That Portugal free kick in the first half. Hilarity ensued. 

The worst thing was the number of "Can I have your shirt Ronaldo?" posters being held by kids. (kudos in a sarcastic way to whoever had the Ralston one though).

[GordonS]

59 minutes ago, Jives Miguel said:

I think McLean has played himself into keeping his starting berth. There's a good balance to his partnership with Gilmour, and he might actually be the best defensively out of all our midfield options.

I know it's not his position but I really want to see what Lewis Ferguson can do in there. If he doesn't fit then he doesn't fit, but there's unlikely to be anywhere else for him in the starting line-up.