RicoS321

I'd say that Judas Wright was a better right back than McNaughton

Not a terrible result, when you make heaps of changes in a friendly you can expect shakiness to occur. That has been a huge part in a lot of our recent games. Never a pen either. Great to see Shankland score, and a lovely finish. Morgan looked good when he came on, and Conway wasn't pish, unlucky not to score.

Not a brilliant half. We've moved the ball about quite nicely at times, even quick at times, but just not doing it in the final third. Shankland being served poorly, not much he can do if we don't get balls into the box. Ralston probably a little disappointing. Hanley looks unfit, which is very worrying. Clarke likes him, and he's fantastic when he's fit, but I've lost count over the years of the number of times I've made the point that Hanley always makes a mistake when he's not match sharp. I hope he either gets fit or gets dropped.

Paterson only got injured recently, and McRorie coming in makes complete sense. That's what would have happened if there were injuries in qualifying, as McRorie and Ralston are the natural challengers for that role. The McTominay shout is fairly terrible. You're not just playing a guy out of position, you're negating all the positives you get from playing him in his actual position. Right wing back isn't a difficult position, technically, but it requires total discipline, which certainly isn't McTominay's strong point. However, it's a 26 man squad, so if he wants to give that a try, there's nothing stopping him. Bringing Conway in doesn't rip up a game plan, but Dykes getting injured does. Again, Conway is just the next logical choice for that position, so if we lose one or both of Adams and Shankland then we have backup. The guys making up the numbers for that fourth (including Dykes) forward role will come and go as form dictates (Nisbet at the last Euros for example), so it's not surprising we're looking at an uncapped player. It is good that he's making the step up through the ranks though, a bit of natural evolution. As for Doak, I suspect he's been wanting to take him to a squad for some time now, but for injury. We're lacking in directness, and Forrest hasn't been that guy for some time (unless given 300 acres of space playing for the Tims), as was evidenced in the Gibraltar game. I have no doubt Clarke has been searching for someone that can offer something different for some time, hence all the rumours about random Englishmen, hence why he was keen to get Doak involved. Morgan is just a free hit in a large squad that is lacking in his role. It's not his first cap, he'll play if he's good enough. Overall, I don't expect our first eleven to change much. For Germany, I think he'll go: --------------- Gunn -------Porteous, Hendry, Tierney McRorie, MacGregor, Gilmour, Robertson ------- McTominay, McGinn --------------- Adams

Aye, I'd like to have seen Gordon be given a chance. To be honest, I'd have no problem with him being number one at Pittodrie. I quite like Kelly as a goalie, but Motherwell fans don't seem to rate him at all (that dislike coincides with him being made captain, which Lewis never recovered from here). I'm not sure he's got much of a future for Scotland, but I guess he's young enough to be around for the next Euros. I'm surprised by Souttar and assume it must be a fitness thing. Although he was pap against the Netherlands (on his wrong side, in fairness), he's only 27 and will surely be around for the qualifiers, whereas Cooper and Hanley will probably retire. Of course, it could be because he's a Hun, which would make sense. With Jack a free agent, the squad is now Hun free.

You think he'll still be here in September? That's a good sign. Anytime I start a new job, I put my start date back by a week if possible. It's good to come in fresh.

Apparently he's agreed to let them tell their wives that they are totally still in the squad so that they can go out on the lash with Porteous for a couple of weeks.

That's a shame, I think he'd have made a good coach, he's certainly got the enthusiasm. He's always going to have the issue of the language barrier of course.

Would be quite amusing, but you're right. I think Clarke clearly recognises there's something missing from his squad, which is why Doak was included originally. With him out, we need a different option from the bench that will break the sideways, slow passing, shite and be direct. I don't think he'll start against Germany, where we need the solidity of a four man midfield, but he'll be needed in the other two games, I'm certain. Clarke clearly reads this forum.

It was always going to be a promotion from within after Malky was appointed. Going for the young manager with experienced director is probably not a bad idea. If that experienced guy wasn't a failed Ross County manager of course.

He might still get a shout, as Dykes still hasn't been replaced. I like the idea of bringing guys like Conway into the squad, but it's a huge blow not to have Doak, who does offer something different. I think Doak would have been akin to Gilmour in the last tournament, with Conway being more like Nisbet. I don't think Clarke will do anything further unfortunately. He'll just stick with Jack and send one of the goalies home. Real shame, as I think it's a very limited squad with a real lack of diversity. James Forrest certainly the answer to anything.

Foreign pish.

McRorie did okay, and I think he's the obvious choice over Ralston. He's more athletic, despite being technically limited, and I think that'll get him the nod. I've a feeling we'll go 3-4-2-1 against Germany, and that will suit McRorie better than Ralston I think. Tonight did highlight the obvious deficiencies in our squad though. We've got a lot of very average players. Hopefully Doak brings something with his directness, as that's missing from that squad (guys like Forrest are pretty much nothing players).

Assuming there's no live feed of the u21s?

At Cormack park putting pen to paper on a new 8 year deal. Or on the plane to meet up with the big team. That was a fairly honking performance by Scotland tonight. A nice finish from Adams the only highlight. They looked like they were running through treacle at times. I guess it's been a long season. Cooper perhaps out? Would be no bad thing in my opinion, we're sorted in that area.

Morecambe rehire Adams. Again. I'm guessing they didn't watch his county cameo. Although he was very complimentary about them.

Don't call me "nae fucker".

Fuck it, unleash the Simon Murray. Be a laugh.

It's not too late to bring them both along is it? I assumed that we could do what we like for these friendlies? I'm guessing Clarke would have a fair idea who he thought was the better player and can just bring one along with Dykes out. I don't see him doing it though, I think he'll go the safe route of just having Jack as another midfield backup and let Kelly go home on his own. The only way I can see him doing something is if he has an arbitrary figure of X number of forwards (four) that he feels he has to have in his squad. It's a real shame that Scotland legend Oli McBurnie isn't fit.

But those aren't the reasons for the ban, and weren't even mentioned. Whether the rule actually goes or not is irrelevant. This is the 10,000 seat rule again, and because that rule went, there will be a decision to be made on whether it's worth replacing or waiting a few years. If I were a team in the playoffs - say Falkirk or Raith - at present income levels, I'd be politely declining to be involved in them. The investment required to get promoted would ensure straight relegation and the subsequent income loss in the championship through no longer having the pitch resource would be too heavy a risk. We'll be in the position where clubs decide that their ceiling will only be championship for financial reasons only, furthering the closed shop that is the SPFL top league. It's akin to the current situation getting into the SPFL. We're going through the worst period in Scottish football history, and the answer is to shut more teams out. Fairly rank like.

I agree about Stewart, but assumed he was the most Dykes-like of the options. I've not seen anything of Hardie. Didn't Clarke play Russell a few times when he was in the MLS? I guess Gauld maybe suffers from having several in that position, but with Ferguson out he'd be a decent shout.

Or, more likely, just remain in the championship and wait for the shite rule to go the way of the 10,000 seats rule. Plastic pitches is such a minor issue with the game. I can only assume Killie beating the scum was a step too far.

I believe Stojan Lekovic is Serbian for Neil Simpson.

It's Clarke. He'll probably just stick with the squad he's got, meaning one less to throw out before the final squad announcement. Maybe an extra keeper? Would it be Ross Stewart favourite for the striker position if he takes another? Conway? Or go wild and take Simon Murray?

Those caveats weren't put it in place though, and were never going to be, so why would you agree with the decision? That's like saying that you agree with the council's decision to knock down your house because they're replacing it with a new house with a pool, even though they're not replacing it at all. The decision has to be taken as a whole. They are banning plastic pitches with zero compensation or assistance to those who might aspire to play in the league. We could well be in a position in a few year's time where half the league below can't be promoted. The question was never, and isn't: do you prefer grass or plastic? That would be obvious. Yet that's what people seem to be answering. It's football gerrymandering basically. Fucking rancid behaviour from the SPFL premier clubs.