Scotland squad

[Ten Caat]

If Tierney plays centre back it'll be with Mulgrew, at least in the Albania game. With the Belgium game being a friendly McLeish might try Souttar and Tierney together but I doubt it. Would make more sense to give Souttar his debut alongside Mulgrew, who's familiar with the position and has plenty experience.

 

I disagree as that (in a back 4) would have 3 left footers with O' Donnell at right back as the only right footer. Now that I think of it I think it is a lot more likely he will go with a back 3 and 5 across the midfield. Find out soon enough.

[RicoS321]

If Tierney plays centre back it'll be with Mulgrew, at least in the Albania game. With the Belgium game being a friendly McLeish might try Souttar and Tierney together but I doubt it. Would make more sense to give Souttar his debut alongside Mulgrew, who's familiar with the position and has plenty experience.

 

I would think that McLeish will play a 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 or variation of that. It'll almost definitely be a back 3 of Souttar, Mulgrew and Tiernery in my opinion. Robertson as wing back and Patterson or Jack on the other side. I could actually see Naismith starting in behind Griffiths too. Surprised that McArthur isn't in the squad on recent form but youngsters seem to be the order of the day for McLeish which is no bad thing.

[Jute]

I would think that McLeish will play a 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 or variation of that. It'll almost definitely be a back 3 of Souttar, Mulgrew and Tiernery in my opinion. Robertson as wing back and Patterson or Jack on the other side. I could actually see Naismith starting in behind Griffiths too. Surprised that McArthur isn't in the squad on recent form but youngsters seem to be the order of the day for McLeish which is no bad thing.

 

McAurthur asked not to be selected as he is dealing with back injury and wants to concentrate on his club football just now.

[RicoS321]

McAurthur asked not to be selected as he is dealing with back injury and wants to concentrate on his club football just now.

 

Makes sense. Seems to be playing pretty well at the minute so a bit of a loss. Especially as guys like McDonald are clearly inferior.

 

Forgot Fraser was in the squad, he'll be at right wing back I reckon

 

 

----------------------McGregor----------------------

-------Souttar-------Mulgrew--------Tierney-------

Fraser--McTominay--Cairney--McGinn--Robertson

----------------Naismith------------------------------

----------------------Griffiths-------------------------

 

That's what I'm guessing. Although, in reality, I have nae idea about any of those English based midfielders.

 

[Jute]

Makes sense. Seems to be playing pretty well at the minute so a bit of a loss. Especially as guys like McDonald are clearly inferior.

 

Forgot Fraser was in the squad, he'll be at right wing back I reckon

 

 

----------------------McGregor----------------------

-------Souttar-------Mulgrew--------Tierney-------

Fraser--McTominay--Cairney--McGinn--Robertson

----------------Naismith------------------------------

----------------------Griffiths-------------------------

 

That's what I'm guessing. Although, in reality, I have nae idea about any of those English based midfielders.

 

Ciarney has withdrawn as injured but apart from that I don't think you are going to be far wrong with that team. Snodgrass in for Cairney maybe.

[Ten Caat]

I also think Ryhun will be slotted in, probably in place of McTominay.

 

[tlg1903]

I still don't understand why kt doesn't play lb as part of a 4 and ar plays left mid. Given how much tierney trys to hit the byline ar would be lb half the game anyway

[Jute]

Team for tonight.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmgkyktX0AEAsr2?format=jpg

 

5-4-1 I think.

[Kowalski]

Bring back Strachan.

[tom_widdows]

Should have hired Jim Duffy as opposed to a guy who wreaked havoc in both sides of Birmingham and considers cheating to win the League title as a manager a greater achievement than winning it honestly as a player or lifting a european trophy after beating two of the biggest teams in the world.

 

Who the fuck thought it was a good idea to arrange a 'friendly' against the 3rd best team in the world?

[Ten Caat]

Could easily have been 6 or 7. At least we learned Souttar is definitely not international class, alongside Fraser and McDonald. I know the teams we face in the Nations League will be nowhere near the level of Belgium but they also won't be the minnows that they were in the 70s and 80s.......and there is no doubt also that we have fallen every bit as much as they have gotten better.

 

I think we will scrape a result against Albania but it won't be pretty. I do worry though that we don't do well overall, McLeish gets the boot and that he is available when DM's reign reaches it's inevitable conclusion in 18-24 months time. Cos I dont think Wiggy could resist if he was.......

[Jute]

I thought Fraser was one of our better players along side Robertson and Tierney. Wrong game last night as Belgium were always likely to beat us even before we decided to gift them goals. Madness to play a team of their quality when we are trying out to play new players in an unfamiliar system. Think McLeish needs to accept he cannot shoe horn both Tierney and Robertson into a back 5 and we need to back to 4-5-1 even if that means dropping one of them.

[KennyFuckinPowers]

Nobody else of the opinion that it's fucking pathetic to see us clamouring to fit Robertson & Tierney into the 11? I appreciate both are very good Left Back's, but Robertson is the superior one, by far. Callum Paterson & Stephen O'Donnell are 2 good enough Right Back's, neither should be forced out of the 11 just to play Tierney at RB, and we shouldn't be adopting a formation we don't suit or can't play in just to accommodate Tierney, boils my piss, can't understand it. Just my opinion and general feeling on the matter.

 

 

[CvB]

Nobody else of the opinion that it's fucking pathetic to see us clamouring to fit Robertson & Tierney into the 11? I appreciate both are very good Left Back's, but Robertson is the superior one, by far. Callum Paterson & Stephen O'Donnell are 2 good enough Right Back's, neither should be forced out of the 11 just to play Tierney at RB, and we shouldn't be adopting a formation we don't suit or can't play in just to accommodate Tierney, boils my piss, can't understand it. Just my opinion and general feeling on the matter.

 

My general feeling is that it's no surprise. Tierney has been touted as the next big thing so it would be suicidal to drop him as the press and no doubt Rodgers would go mental, neither Patterson or O'Donnell are such media darlings, so they are expendable.

I see the hun cunt McGregor is touted to play tonight, not bad for a prick that was given a life ban from the international team.

 

 

 

[RicoS321]

My general feeling is that it's no surprise. Tierney has been touted as the next big thing so it would be suicidal to drop him as the press and no doubt Rodgers would go mental, neither Patterson or O'Donnell are such media darlings, so they are expendable.

I see the hun cunt McGregor is touted to play tonight, not bad for a prick that was given a life ban from the international team.

 

McGregor's a better goalkeeper than Gordon. I'd definitely pick him every time. The pathetic shite with the lifetime ban was a media concocted piece of shite. The notion that any fan was sitting at home was offended by him and Ferguson's childish (and that's all it was) V signs was nonsense. A couple of matches out and an apology would have more than sufficed after such a minor incident.

 

Neither O'Donnell or Patterson can play centre half and McLeish has consistently picked a back 3 (rightly or wrongly), hence why McKenna started the last few. Tierney has played a few games at centre half so he slots in where McKenna isn't. Looking at the other defenders, there aren't any others I'd have ahead of him at the back. O'Donnell is being kept out of right back by Fraser really, and Paterson plays his club fitba in centre mid, so would be in the same style of slight shoe-horning as Tierney at centre half. If we were putting someone at right back who doesn't play there any more then I'd have Jack over Paterson. Basically we're shoe-horning a left back into centre half because we don't have any other left sided centre halfs. Fair enough I'd say. I wouldn't trust a back two of Mulgrew and Souttar either. I'd maybe even have Tierney in the centre of the two in a sweeper role to cover for the numerous inevitable fuck ups those two would make. There's certainly no denying Tierney is a fantastic player and will get a serious move in the future if he wants it.

[tlg1903]

Personally i think Tierney is a much better defender than Robertson and I would play him at LB and AR at LM.  Been saying it for months.  Playing both of them out of position is just bonkers though i concede we are short of CB's at the moment given the injuries.  Paterson would be my choice or RB as he played there for a long time at club level before being moved to midfield.  It's a natural position for him even if it's not his preferred in other words.  Big game tonight and I'm in fucking England, this could be a tough watch.

[KennyFuckinPowers]

Had no idea Paterson had been moved in to Midfield, never saw that coming to be honest, he was a very good RB in my opinion. Fraser is a wide midfielder, but I noticed he was playing RWB against Belgium, we aren't going to get the most out of him, playing there. O'Donnell isn't a bad defender, i'd have him in a heartbeat if Logan wasn't here, he's very consistent and has a decent delivery.

 

My general point was, we shouldn't be clamouring to play both in the same 11, it won't work, they are both natural LB's & I would strongly disagree with you tlg1903, from a purely neutral standpoint, Robertson is far superior to Tierney, but that's not saying Tierney isn't a good player, he clearly is, my opinion is that Robertson is far better.

 

                  McGregor

 

O'Donnell Souttar Mulgrew Robertson

 

          MacDonald  McGinn

 

  Fraser      Armstrong    MacGregor

 

                  Russell

 

I think that could work, MacDonald looked cumbersome, but if he's just protecting the back 4 alongside an energetic player, he'd be useful, he's a big lad and can certainly pass the ball.

 

       

 

 

[Ten Caat]

McGregor's a better goalkeeper than Gordon. I'd definitely pick him every time. The pathetic shite with the lifetime ban was a media concocted piece of shite.

 

He's a brain fart in waiting and there is no way he would get away with assaulting oppo players in the box the way refs at home let him do.....instant red card and a penalty. I agree on pure goalkeeping terms he's better than Gordon but he's lost his marbles and just cannot be trusted. But McLeish has already said he is starting so fingers crossed he has been started on that Ritalin they give to kids with ADHD and just pray for the best.

[Slim]

Doesn't work with a 352 formation, but if we're playing 442 or 451 or similar, I'd have Robertson at LB and Tierney further forward. He's good at getting forward and getting crosses in, and would have no problems on the defensive side of things if Robertson roams forward. Don't see anyone else in the current squad that would give opposition right backs any problems.

[RicoS321]

Had no idea Paterson had been moved in to Midfield, never saw that coming to be honest, he was a very good RB in my opinion. Fraser is a wide midfielder, but I noticed he was playing RWB against Belgium, we aren't going to get the most out of him, playing there. O'Donnell isn't a bad defender, i'd have him in a heartbeat if Logan wasn't here, he's very consistent and has a decent delivery.

 

My general point was, we shouldn't be clamouring to play both in the same 11, it won't work, they are both natural LB's & I would strongly disagree with you tlg1903, from a purely neutral standpoint, Robertson is far superior to Tierney, but that's not saying Tierney isn't a good player, he clearly is, my opinion is that Robertson is far better.

 

                  McGregor

 

O'Donnell Souttar Mulgrew Robertson

 

          MacDonald  McGinn

 

  Fraser      Armstrong    MacGregor

 

                  Russell

 

I think that could work, MacDonald looked cumbersome, but if he's just protecting the back 4 alongside an energetic player, he'd be useful, he's a big lad and can certainly pass the ball.

 

     

 

I'd play the 4 at the back too, but I understand McLeish's preference for a 3 or 5 at international level, especially on wide pitches like Hampden. Fraser has played wing back heaps of times for Bournemouth. Seems to have had all his trickery coached out of him and plays quite deep from what I've seen (admittedly mostly just highlights with the odd game here and there). I think he's the only option for right wing back in a 5 but I'd go with yer suggestion of O'Donnell in a 4 - I just don't see McLeish playing that way anytime soon.

[Jute]

Team for tonight.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dmv9WWnWwAAWTWM?format=jpg

 

Looks like 5-4-1 again.

[RicoS321]

With O'Donnell in, could easily switch to a back four too. Will be interesting. Not paying Sky £8 for it though, so won't be watching unless I can get a decent stream.

[Ten Caat]

Decent enough performance so far, McGinn been excellent although has sold the shirts with a coupe of intercepted passes that Albania should have made more of.

[Jute]

Decent performance tonight but still to many misplaced passes that a better team would have punished (see Friday night). In first half we seemed to always want one touch to many and passed when maybe should have shot. Better in second half and seemed more direct and got the goals. In the end unlucky not to win by more. They and Israel will be different propositions away from home but do think we are more than capable of winning the group.

[Lencarl]

17.500 fans at Hampden yesterday including 1000 Albania supporters.

 

It will be a massive job for the SFA to convince fans to return to the fold.

 

Winning games will help of course, but we really should be beating teams like Albania anyway.

 

If Scotland get through this Group unbeaten and winning all their home games it may bring a few more fans back to cheer the Scotland National Team.