Scotland squad

[tlg1903]

As I said on sm, don't see why given how many don't even follow Scotland.

[Ten Caat]

Certainly casts doubt on the “Devlin is finished” stories that are going about.

 

I'm sure the club and player himself wouldn't let on for now if there is indeed a problem. Maybe a late withdrawal?

 

No matter what...it is certainly the most bizarre selection in the squad, ahead of the Killie contingent. The Devlin of 6 months ago absolutely deserved a call up. The Devlin of the past 3 months...….the one that couldn't for whatever reason displace Consi? No siree

[Slim]

I don't think there's a deep conspiracy theory, I think it's just a case of McInnes thinking that Considine was playing well enough to keep his place in the team.

[donsdaft]

How many of the squad are English?

[tlg1903]

Clarke will likely have clocked that Devlin and mckenna looked excellent together at the start of the season and has called him up more to see how he fits in with the squad etc.  Clarke himself said is was a big squad that he expects to thin by a few closer to the time.

 

Regardless though I think it's very encouraging to see the national manager picking players on form regardless of their club Jersey and long may it continue.  I know a lot of you out there ain't so keen on following Scotland, and that's fair enough support whoever you want, but I support Scotland as much as I do the dons and I'm really excited by Clarke getting the job. Truth be told I've never been so happy about a Scotland appointment before.  Fingers crossed there could be some good times ahead, we really need Griffiths back though. 

[donsdaft]

If he picks Scots then fine.

 

Apparently there are 3 Englishmen in the squad, I'm not supporting that.

[tlg1903]

 

Some ping! 

[Ten Caat]

How many of the squad are English?

 

The day is coming where players will just be able to announce they're whatever nationality they like. After all they're trying to push through legislation (and I think the Scottish Government has already accepted it) that you can now declare you are whatever sex you want to be without the need to bother a medical professional, no need for hormones and/or surgery (and theres apparently a wide variety of choices of "sex" to choose from as well. 'O' Grade biology taught me there was only male or female but hey, what does science know)

[donsdaft]

 

Don't take truth into the argument or you will be in BIG trouble.

 

 

[Jute]

Well new manager same Pish performance. Actually I thought we were slightly better in Nations League home games under McLeish. Positives were Fraser and Robertson on the left and a wonder strike by Robertson for the goal. Oh and we won. Just. Desperately need to find a right back and a striker. Also Clarke needs to stop playing McLean as a holding mid.

[manc_don]

decent hit from Robertson for the goal

[DantheDon]

Having snuck a 2-1 win against Cyprus at Hampden are we not a stick on to go and beat Belgium on Tuesday. We will then beat Russia home and away, draw with Belgium at home before finishing off with a draw away at Cyprus and a loss at home to Kazakhstan. Final position in the group third on goal difference....

[RicoS321]

Well new manager same Pish performance. Actually I thought we were slightly better in Nations League home games under McLeish. Positives were Fraser and Robertson on the left and a wonder strike by Robertson for the goal. Oh and we won. Just. Desperately need to find a right back and a striker. Also Clarke needs to stop playing McLean as a holding mid.

 

Agree with most of that, but I thought McLean had a decent game. He seems to prefer playing that holding role. The problem I thought was that we had 3 midfielders of similar style and ability playing it very safe for 90 minutes. Never breaking from midfield into their box and the late runs were too late or not at all.

 

Overall, it was a very cautious performance and Clarke is going to have to do much better than that if he's going to qualify for a tournament. You only get one chance, and that chance is made by winning games against the pish teams. Clarke just needs to look back at the last ten or so years of Scotland qualification to see that there is always a single game (Georgia, Lithuania, Czech Rep, Ukraine etc) where we just needed to take a risk and go for it to get 3 points that allow us the glorious failures against the big teams and still progress. It's simple stuff. If Brophy is shite for 45 minutes then fucking hook him (or give him 5-10 minutes to turn it round). If the midfield is too static and not threatining then change it. But do it in 50 minutes and give yourself a good length of time to fix it. Accept it when your starting 11 aren't doing what you wanted and deal with it. In the end, Clarke was let off the hook last night as 1-0 isn't enough to sit on in an international match (unless it's backs to the wall against a bigger team). I hope he's very quick to learn. Belgium is a free pass on Tuesday. I think Clarke is capable of setting us up not to get totally humped.

[donsdaft]

I didn't even know that there was a game on until the postie asked me if I was going to watch it when he came into the shop yesterday.

 

I did watch it and admit to being disappointed when they scored the lucky winner.

 

Neither up or down really, happy enough when they win and it's hilarious when they lose.

 

They're never going to achieve anything with that piece if shite Mclean on the park.

 

 

[Guest kiriakovisthenewstrachan]

Big Scotty's inability to pass to one of his own team mates is embarrassing. He is abysmal with the ball at his feet.

[rocket_scientist]

When I saw the Belgium team, I said McKenna is going to get ripped at some point tonight. To be fair, the cross to Carthorse Lookackoo was sublime but Scotland weren't in the game tonight. Scottie isn't international class and never will be. But neither is any other cunt.

[sheepheid]

He IS international class...Scottish international class.

We are pish and he’s a starter if he’s fit.  It’s just where we’re at currently. Accept it.

[Jute]

Didn’t think McKenna played that badly. McLean and Fraser were probably Scotland’s best players on the night. Scotland were out classed by a superb Belgium team. Still cannot believe they failed to win World Cup.

[RicoS321]

Didn’t think McKenna played that badly. McLean and Fraser were probably Scotland’s best players on the night. Scotland were out classed by a superb Belgium team. Still cannot believe they failed to win World Cup.

 

Agree with all this. McKenna's passing was okay. He had to aim long pretty much constantly because of lack of support, with a few of those long ones going too long as expected. He did what was required of a Scotland centre half against Belgium by keeping things simple and at the same time not giving it away in a dangerous position. There was one in the second half where he toe-poked it accross the other side of the pitch in a panic, but otherwise he did well. His partner, Mulgrew, is obviously a much better footballer (with the ball) but he has the downside of switching off at least 3 times in important situations throughout a game so it's swings and roundabouts. The "international class" thing is probably a little out-dated. I suppose what is pertinent these days is if he could play EPL, and I think last night showed that he isn't quite there yet but wouldn't look out of place in the high end championship. He's still young enough that he'll gain a bit more confidence on the ball in future years as his passing isn't shite, it's his reverting to the punt when not called upon that is the issue. Plays with his head down a little, he should learn from McLean.

[Guest kiriakovisthenewstrachan]

Worrying thing for me last night was that we started with three of our best players on the bench in Fraser, Forrest and McGinn.  Not sure of the injury situation but with Robertson also out you are playing with one hand tied behind your back if you are trying to compete with the number one ranked team in the world and four of your best eleven are on the sidelines.

 

If those three players above were fit and ready to go then I don't know what the thinking is in leaving them out. 

[rocket_scientist]

If those three players above were fit and ready to go then I don't know what the thinking is in leaving them out.

 

^ Exactly what we were saying.

[rocket_scientist]

The "international class" thing is probably a little out-dated. I suppose what is pertinent these days is if he could play EPL, and I think last night showed that he isn't quite there yet is the issue.

 

It's only become outdated because the standard in Scotland has been so appalling for over 20 years.

 

McKenna isn't EPL standard now, nor will he ever be. Any professional scouting him for two games only will see this.

 

Kenny McLean will be an EPL player within a few weeks. He had a great season last year and was good for his last few months with us, ever since his pre-contract was announced. The pertinent question was why did he produce mostly average and poor performances for the majority of his games at AFC?

[wee toon red]

Worrying thing for me last night was that we started with three of our best players on the bench in Fraser, Forrest and McGinn.  Not sure of the injury situation but with Robertson also out you are playing with one hand tied behind your back if you are trying to compete with the number one ranked team in the world and four of your best eleven are on the sidelines.

 

If those three players above were fit and ready to go then I don't know what the thinking is in leaving them out.

 

Fraser proved when he came on that he should've started the game and should be the first or second name on the team sheet every time.

 

Disagree about McGinn though, he gives the ball away too much for a game of that importance.

[Tyrant]

In McKenna's defence centre forwards don't get much bigger or stronger and powerful in the air than Lukaku. Also 2 or 3 other Scotland players completely switched off and gave Eden Hazard all the time he needed to pick out Lukaku perfectly. Folk blaming McKenna entirely probably have a pre-existing agenda. I though last night was the least embarrassing of our 4 qualifiers so far. Our opponents are world class in almost every position. I'm never happy with a defeat but frankly I expected worse and for the first time I believe there are positives to take. Fraser played better last night than he did against Cyprus.

[CvB]

McKenna looked to me as though he was playing zonal. Quite often appeared to be isolated in the middle not marking anyone and seemed quite happy to let players drift off him and end up being picked up by somebody else (mainly).

Didn't think he looked very comfortable at any point while I was watching it.