RicoS321

Decent, if not spectacular, performance tonight. We can play much better. Stand outs were McTominay, Hanley, Robertson and Gilmour (McGregor decent too in spells). As @OrlandoDon mentioned, we looked terrified at times, but that's understandable given Friday's result. Whilst neither team played for the draw, it was clear that both teams were frightened of the loss, with neither willing to just go for it. Our meaningless injury time subs were a good illustration of that, it was disappointing not to see Shankland and Christie on earlier and McGinn off (seems like we're attempting to play him into form/fitness). Calculated caution from Clarke I guess, and stands a decent chance of paying off. I'm guessing that Ralston started tonight due to a combination of factors. One is that Clarke is a defiant character and won't want to be seen to responding to outside pressure (which is why I think Ralston will start on Sunday), the second is that he is a better crosser of the ball than McRorie. It turned out to be a poor decision, as Ralston was terrible. He'd already looked shakey in possession before their goal, it was hot tattie territory. I wouldn't have minded if he'd tried to pick a pass and miscued, but he didn't even look, just panicked and kicked it away. He's a victim (appropriate) of the injuries in the squad, and I don't necessarily think that McRorie has earned a chance, but he should be dropped. We need to win the game, so it wouldn't surprise me to see Forrest or someone play an attacking wing back role. Hopefully Ralston will be dropped before the final.

He seems like an intelligent guy, I suspect that if he didn't have a keeper in mind, he'll have taken the known quantity in the existing league. It's a big one to get off the list, and he can focus his energies elsewhere. Mitov is probably as safe a bet as you could get. I think he'll do well.

Excellent. Now send him out to Keith to get some proper mannies kicking shite oot o' him.

England v England. Home of football. 1966.

Agree regarding Devlin. He's solid enough, and not a priority. Once we sort the other positions and move out some of the dross, then we can review him, likely in January. I'd bin besuijen too, and send Bavidge to the championship for a further loan if possible.

I'll just use this thread, save starting a new one, the title was too narrow in focus anyway. The BBC opens its coverage with England and more England. Everything through the lens of England and English football as always in both channels, with thon tedious prick Souness served up as our Scottish fitba expert. That weird bird doing the VAR specialist chat sounds like she might be an AI bot. Games have been decent so far, excluding that opening ceremony friendly. VAR being just as slow and boring in the big tournaments is good to see. Ramadani featuring tonight the obvious tournament highlight so far.

Possibly too early to predict, but I think we've got a good chance of winning the league next season.

Are you sure? Not seen any mention of that anywhere. He'd be thirteen years younger than him, not that it's impossible. You'd have thought the BBC or someone else would have mentioned it.

Aye, a weird setup tonight. Unlike Clarke to massively overthink it and fuck it up quite so badly. I don't know what he was thinking playing that flat four in midfield, it was ridiculously simple to play through. McGregor and Gilmour sitting, McGinn, McTominay or Christie ahead. It's fairly simple. I don't think McTominay was bad tonight, but his best games have been further forward and leaving others to do the concentration and workrate. He seems to unsettle the others when he plays there. McGinn looked fucked, just like he has in the friendlies. Adams poor. Ralston more out of his depth than O'Donnell ever was. Porteous was probably unfortunate to be missing the rest of the tournament, I just think he threw himself in to prevent the certain goal and didn't sort his feet out. Obviously, a red, just don't think it was malicious - a culmination of multiple errors on the way, leaving him to put in the last ditch. At least we know what the Germans are all about when we face them in the final.

Good to get through that final friendly with no injuries.

Think we'll live to regret letting Stewart go.

Nice. They lack a lot of details in these articles. How big is the centre half, how old are they? Ambrose coming from Hungary means our data should be reasonably accurate, given Ramadani and Miovski came from that league.

Looking at the website, have we also signed a Nigerian striker? Edit: it appears under the Molloy story. Peter Ambrose. I'm guessing they meant to announce on social media at the same time

Never heard of him. In fact, when I first saw the name, I assumed it was someone joining our admin team.

I've heard the place is full of Huns. I think Ralston had a good second half the other night and probably shades it over McRorie for wing back. It's a weak area either way. As is our right side more generally, depending on who's selected. I think he'll put Hanley through the middle with Hendry right, but I'd go Hendry in centre with Porteous right (I'd actually have McKenna over Hendry, but that's very unlikely).

Yes, you're wrong! But not totally. BBC aside, you're currently opting in to a marketing platform. The business of AFC includes women's football, and they would prefer it not to be a loss maker (it maybe currently is). They have a sponsor, Boskalis, who's package likely includes these advertising opportunities. I think that if you were to critically evaluate the updates you get for the men's team, you'd likely find that 99% of it was shite too, so ditching the updates is probably not a bad idea - it's all just marketing. When I use the BBC page, I just check the SPFL premiership page (where there is no women's stuff) and then the Scottish football one (where there is). Occasionally I look at the Dons individually, but not often. I have more interest in Dons' women than who the Huns or Tims signing target from last season has signed for and what Kenny Miller thinks about it. It's rare to get a perfectly curated news feed (you can't follow Scottish football without getting tonnes of shite about the scum). I think the women's game should have taken a separate path from the men's in all avenues, they could have created something much better. The affiliation with clubs is a bad thing in my opinion.

He could turn out to be the flower of Scotland.

Hayes was extremely good at getting his foot round the ball when running at full pace at the line. I'd put Joe Miller in the Jamie Smith category.

If, by similar, you mean much shitter.

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.