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Scotland Squad for N.Ireland and Gibraltar


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I know alot of people reckon we should be playing young players for this game or giving fringe players a chance but against N.Ireland it's important to win for our ranking points. Someone else will be able to confirm but I don't think there is many more chances to gain points before the World Cup draw. The Gibraltar game should be straight forward, and I think we will win fairly comfortably regardless of the team we put out, but we still gotta be professional and this is Scotland after all......

On that note - I would call up the basis of our strongest line up, along with some important utility players. For these two games, I wouldn't call up the older fringe players/squad fillers and use this as a chance to get some youngsters/uncapped players in about the squad and depending on how the games are going - happy to see them get game time.

Definitely In

Allan McGregor

David Marshall

Craig Gordon

Andrew Robertson

Alan Hutton

Steven Whittaker

Grant Hanley

Russell Martin

Scott Brown

James Morrison

Darren Fletcher

Charlie Mulgrew

Ikechi Anya

Shaun Maloney

Johnny Russell

Steven Naismith

Steven Fletcher

Happy to be called up to fill out squad

Liam Cooper

Liam Palmer

Ryan Gauld

Stuart Armstrong

Alex Mowatt

Tom Cairney

Liam Bridcutt

Scott Arfield

Matt Phillips

Gary Mackay-Steven

Stevie May

Tony Watt

Out (from recent squads over last year)

Matt Gilks

Christophe Berra*

Phil Bardsley

Gordon Greer*

Mark Reynolds

James McArthur

Barry Bannan

Craig Bryson

George Boyd

Chris Burke

Graham Dorrans

Chris Martin

Ross McCormack

Leigh Griffiths

*Ideally it would be great to call up some young centre halves for experience but I can't see any barring Liam Cooper that would even be close to the squad so I suspect Greer or Berra would keep their place in the squad for these games.

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Didn't want to start a thread just for this idea but...See with Scotland's best position probably being centre midfield, the fullbacks generally being better going forward than defending, plus players like Maloney having to be shoehorned in on the wings recently, wouldn't a 4-4-2 diamond be a no-brainer for Scotland? I've seen how well it's worked at Hibs recently, and England looked a different team with this formation. Could make Scotland much more dominant in midfield.

You'd have Brown, Darren Fletcher, Mulgrew, Armstrong, Morrison, Maloney, Gauld and others all going for those positions and all capable of fitting in well. Then when Snodgrass is back he'd also fit in well at the head of it, if not up front with Naismith where he's played well for Scotland before. If they need width they can just chuck someone like Anya or GMS on for one of the midfielders, and providing another of the three remaining CM's can play out wide (many can) you've got a normal 4-4-2/4-5-1 ready to go.

You know it makes sense.

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Indeed. I may of course be forgetting more deserving people. We know what Chris Martin, Ross McCormack and Leigh Griffiths can or can't do. Was struggling to think of other young or untested strikers that may be worth a shot.

Agreed that it is really hard and a bit deflating to look at up and coming striking options.

Feruz is making all the mistakes many other youngsters have

Stevie may is having a dreadful season at Wednesday

Leigh Griffiths is doing okay at Celtic, but he still looks below his form and ability of the goal-frenzy season at hibs

Ross McCormack is so-so in the championship

Jordan Rhodes looks well off colour and seems to have lost his starting place at Blackburn

Chris Martin looks painfully unsuited to our team setup

So it's hard not to get optimistic that Watt's goals at the weekend might be the start of him finally 'making it'

Personally I think he needs to do more than have one good game to get into the national team (a run of five or six scoring games at least), but beggars can't be choosers and all that.

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Craig Gordon

David Marshall

Allan McGregor

Gordon Greer

Grant Hanley

Alan Hutton

Russell Martin

Mark Reynolds

Andrew Robertson

Steven Whittaker

Ikechi Anya

Stuart Armstrong

Barry Bannan

Scott Brown

Darren Fletcher

Gary Mackay-Steven

Shaun Maloney

James McArthur

James Morrison

Charlie Mulgrew

Steven Fletcher

Leigh Griffiths

Chris Martin

Steven Naismith

Johnny Russell

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Your going to feel the wrath from fans of a certain club :whistle

You'd get wrath from Aberdeen fans regardless, you'd have to pick the entire team to keep them happy. I mind arguing with morons on Facebook who were saying Considine/Reynolds/Langfield/Pawlett and Jack should all be in the squad, this was just last year. Think there's something funny in the water up there.

This is the team is start.

Marshall

Hutton

Martin

Hanley

Robertson

Morrison

Brown

Armstrong

Maloney/Naismith

Anya

Naismith/Fletcher

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Can someone give me one good reason for the inclusion of Steven Fletcher?

Chris Martin has been out injured recently. I'd give Watt a go, two cracking goals on Saturday. I think it's been more than one good game.

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Can someone give me one good reason for the inclusion of Steven Fletcher?

Chris Martin has been out injured recently. I'd give Watt a go, two cracking goals on Saturday. I think it's been more than one good game.

His assist against Germany

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Can someone give me one good reason for the inclusion of Steven Fletcher?

Chris Martin has been out injured recently. I'd give Watt a go, two cracking goals on Saturday. I think it's been more than one good game.

This campaign he was very good in Germany when he came on, assisted Anya for his goal brilliantly. He was very good against Georgia. Poland away he played a tremendous pass for Anya who then laid up Maloney.

From being at all games this campaign so far and all friendlies for the past few years he really does make a big difference upfront for us. Martin has been absolutely brutal. Like total brutal. Fletcher holds it up brilliantly and has very good technique. I also think he works well with Naismith running off him.

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Can someone give me one good reason for the inclusion of Steven Fletcher?

Chris Martin has been out injured recently. I'd give Watt a go, two cracking goals on Saturday. I think it's been more than one good game.

He's by far our most important player, and along side Maloney our player of the campaign.

If you couldn't see the difference against Poland and Ireland when he came off there's no hope for you. The England game perfectly illustrated how vital he, with his flicks, strength and hold up play.

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Ten of our strongest plus Ryan Gauld in his favourite position in either one of the matches. With the opposition being complete dross it's probably the best chance we'll have in a good while to give him the confidence boost of breaking into the team and making an effective contribution, in what has been an excellent season for him.

I'm not a big fan of Rhodes and I think it's clear Strachan isn't either, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got called up to this squad.

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