1. Gordon - 10/10. Let down badly at the goal by his defense after a great save. 2 or 3 other great stops after that. Gets 10 as i have to give some points to us atleast - and the rest won't get much.
2. Alexander - didn't have much to do defensively, and looked lost going forward. Unfortunately for him he is going to be compared to Hutton. 3/10.
3. Naysmith - had a good 2nd half. 2 great crosses, how Fletcher missed the header i dunno. 6/10.
4. Caldwell - 2 great tackles, terrible on the ball however. 5/10.
5. McManus - hardly saw him all game. 4/10.
6. Brown - had a good 5minutes at the start of hte 2nd half, then disappeared again. 3/10.
7. Fletcher - Crap. Simply crap. Worst pass of hte game when we were in a good position - and blamed the other player for it. Not good enough for the supposed "star" of the midfield. 3/10.
8. Hartley - did nothing. 2/10.
9. Miller - ran around a lot. Should have got a penalty. Thats it. 4/10.
10. McFadden - Greedy. Can't pick out a team-mate to save himself it seems. Atleast he showed up a bit. 5/10.
11. Robson - didn't skin his man 1 time. Corners weren't anything special. I saw him run up, down, up, down, up, down the wing 5 or so times, and do nothing. Waste of energy. 4/10.

Subs:-
Maloney - did well and looked lively when he came on - however that wasn't hard. Also had the stupid long range attempted lob - great if it goes in but in the situation we were in another waste. 6/10.
Commons - skinned his man more often than not. Didn't pick out a player however with a cross. Looked promising in the first time i have ever seen him. 5/10 for the bad crossing however.
Boyd - didn't get much of a chance - brought on way too late when we needed a goal. Great knock down in the only time he really got involved. 5/10 due to the short time he was on, can't really give him more.

Burley- not a good start at all. He had the difficult task of continueing a good run with an over-achieving team in the last campaign. unfortunate to be missing the 2 most important outfield players (it seems). Must do better however, and should have changed it earlier. If we had gone for it and lost 3-0 it wouldn't be any worse than the 1-0 loss. 3/10.

I think your ratings are more or less spot on.

Gordon = MOM

McFadden = 4, looked slightly interested

The rest = 3 or less

Enough said

Gordon - 8/10 played well, although besides the goal and the rocket left foot shot, didn't have anything else clear cut to do that I can think of. Was very quick off his line as well right enough....

Naysmith - 6/10 - Anonymous first half, picked up second
McManus - 3/10 - Slow and cumbersome
Caldwell - 5/10 - Caught out a few times, but a few good tackles as well
Alexander - 2/10 - Predictable distribution, slow, awful going forward

Robson - 3/10 - Good delivery at corners, shocking free kicks, clueless in open play
Fletcher - 0/10 - Not interested, blaming others, awful passing, I could go on
Hartley - 0/10 - Forgot he was playing
Brown - 2/10 - Managed to actually get on the ball, but always either lost it or played a pass resulting in us going back to square 1.

Miller - 3/10 - Could run all day with no end product
McFadden - 5/10 - Looked like he could create something, but his lack of killer instinct shone

Commons - 7/10 - Took the game to them and his service was decent
Maloney - 7/10 - As above
Boyd - 6/10 - Not a lot of time to make an impact, but did manage to make the most of what of the ball he got with some good knock downs and hold up play

Gordon 8 - Great save before the goal and was unlucky to be beaten by the rebound. Another couple of good saves, but he didn't really have much to do.

Alexander 5 - Didn't really do anything wrong, but he's no Hutton and doesn't get forward enough. Knows his limits, and generally defends well.

Naysmith 6 - One of his better displays. A few good crosses and tried to make up for a lack of width on the left by getting forward.

McManus 4 - Daft foul to give away the free-kick and generally looked panicky. Poorest I've seen him play for Scotland.

Caldwell 7 - Two great last ditch challenges and won a lot in the air. Tried to push out of defence and start attacks towards the end when we were chasing it.

Hartley 3 - Completely anonymous. Could have been taken off at half-time. A far cry from his performance in Paris.

Fletcher 5 - Not his best game, but he always tried to keep it on the deck and play football. Would have been more effective on the right.

Brown 6 - Poor in the first half, but showed determination in the second half and had a couple of shots on target.

Miller 3 - Very poor. Did nothing in the first half, and wasted a couple of great opportunities in the second half. Not helped by poor service, but the game passed him by

McFadden 6 - Drifted in and out of the game, but showed flashes of inspiration when he got the ball. Looked the most likely to break through, and could have won a penalty.

Robson 6 - Worked hard, and delivered a couple of decent crosses, but never really created anything. Almost scored direct from a corner, and hit another few good set pieces.

Subs:

Commons 6 - Had the ball about 3 times, but used it well each time. Not sure he merits a start in Iceland, because he looks too lightweight, and not up for the battle.

Maloney 5 - A few nice touches, and there will no doubt be clamour for him to start on Wednesday, but I think he's most effective as a sub for Scotland.

Boyd - Wasn't on the park long enough, but won a couple of headers in the box, and generally provided presence in attack. I think he should start ahead of Miller in midweek.


Burley 4 - Made a few tactical errors. Didn't start with enough width, and never properly remedied it. Fletcher should have been played wide where he has performed well in the last few games for Man Utd. Hartley should have been hooked at half-time, and Boyd should have been given more time.

Gordon MOTM that is all.

Gordon - 9/10 Steady Eddie, kept the score down wi some great saves.

Alexander - 3/10 - Says something when you end up wishing Clubfoot was playing.
Naysmith - 5/10 - No that bad.
Mcmanus - 3/10 - Should be pulling Steptoes rag'n'bone cart.
Caldwell - 7/10 - Thought he played well and had a terrific challenge in the box that denied a goal.

Robson - 4/10 - No real pace, canny go past folk...gets played on the wing!!!!
Fletcher - 2/10 - Fuckin rubbish, looks like a scarecrow and ended up playing like one
Hartley - 3/10 - Ran about doing heehaw.
Brown - 4/10 - Nothing 1st half (like the rest of them). Livened up a wee bit 2nd half.

McFadden - 5/10 - Nothing fell for him, nothing he tried came off. Unlucky not to get penalty.
Miller - 4/10 - Ran about as usual. Stood wi his thumb up his arse at the free kick while the Macedonians rushed in for the follow up.

Subs:
Commons - 5/10 - Looked lively when he came on.
Maloney - 5/10 - Good shot at goal, thats about it.
Boyd - 5/10 - No his fault he gets chucked on so late, wins a few headers.

Manager:
George Burley - 2/10 - bloody clueless by the looks of it....also seems a right smug b*****d

Burley has to take some responsibilty for the chaotic set pieces. Honestly didnt look like we had practiced any and playing away from home we should have had more threat from them, as they are often our best chance to score.

I think one of our few shots on targets came from a Robson corner which nearly went in there was so much bend on it.

1. Gordon - 10/10. As stated previously let down very badly by his defence for the goal, aside from that had a solid perofrmence 8/10
2. Alexander - not a clue going forward, and not a clue defensively, is this guy really the best we can offer in this position?? 2/10
3. Naysmith - half decent second half, and a couple of decent cross balls, but yet again leaves you asking why he cant do that for 90 mins instead of 45 4/10
4. Caldwell - defensively i thought he wasnt to bad, but his distribution at times leaves you raging at the TV 5/10
5. McManus - did very little for a guy you would expect more from. 4/10
6. Brown - played out of position IMO, and is nowhere near the supposed talent everyone claims he is, poor performence, and his running about in the second half did little to detract from his abysmal first half 3/10
7. Fletcher - Man United star? yeh right, although putting him in a central position didnt help his cause. Hes a right sided player at best, and even then I fail to see what he offers. Shocking performence, 2/10
8. Hartley - another one who should hang his head in shame, he wouldnt get a game for a junior side with this performence yet alone an international side. 1/10
9. Miller - the usual ran around like a headless chicken, but poor service, and poor first touch control let him down 4/10
10. McFadden - One of the few who actually put the wind up the Macedonians. Some nice deft touches and control, but to much of a showman for my liking. Again poor service let him down 5/10
11. Robson - did the simple things, and did at least actually try the first half, which was more than can be said for others. Again another played out of position I felt, he should have played where Hartley was, had some decent touches and passes. 5/10

Subs:-
Maloney - why this guy wasnt played from the start is beyond me. One of the few who actually tried in the recent Old Firm match, and again one of the few who actually contributed here 6/10
Commons - had my reservations about this guy, but he showed willingness to attack, get forward, and had some good passes. 6/10
Boyd - not much of a chance to shine, what I did see he did well enough 4/10

Burley- still learning at international level, but hes not animated enough for me, should have been hopping mad during the first half, the way they were playing, and making his point heard from the sideline, stating that the lads played well the second half and deserved more is not good enough, you have to make your own luck. Tactically got the players playing positions all wrong, and made a few dud choices, but to be fair had little to choose from 3/10

Referee - I now understand why this clown was banned for 6 matches for incompetence in the Czech League. Fell for every Macedonian trick, and some of his decisions defied belief 1/10

Did he f**k!

As an aside, can anyone remember the penalty shout Macedonia had in the first half against Gordon? Not sure I ever saw the replay but it looked a decent shout?

I thought so at the time, but the replay showed Gordon playing the ball first.

The ref seemed to give an awful lot of decisions the wrong way (both ways). Very incompetent in many ways, but for/against both sides.

oh right, so I imagined the part where the Mascedonians time wasted, rolled about the ground at every opportunity, and generally looked for fouls at any sign of physical play in the game??



a decent shout?? the guy could have won the gold medal at the olympics with that dive, didnt you see the judges at the side throwing up the cards with 9.5's on them,

I obviously must have watched a different game to you,

Gordon - Cant fault him, actually a decent game, upwards of 8/10

Naysmith - Only gets a game cox we have no other leftbacks. 4/10
Alexander - Woeful. Looked disinterested and slow. 2/10
McManus - Always said he was a bit of a haddy, proved today 3/10
Caldwell - His two great tackles came from him being out of position and very, VERY slow. 3/10

Hartley - Needs shooting. 2/10
Robson - One of the few players who actually tried. Troulbe is, he is rubbish. 4/10
Brown - First ten minutes of the second half - good. Rest of the game. Pish. 4/10

McFadden - Only one that looks like they have any flair or creativity. Still a poor game though. 4/10
Miller - Last week aside, he hasnt had a good game in about 4 years. Terrible, terrible striker. 1/10

And special mention to darren fletcher. Can players be fined for not giving a flying feck about their team? The boy was tragic. The most anonymous, lacklustre, shitty display from a professional footballer ive ever seen. Can i give minus ratings because I actually thought that he hindered the scots more than helped then. feck all outta ten is being generous.

Is james morrison going to be fit for thursay? Id be looking at maloney, morrison and commons all coming into the team. Plus boyd and one of berra, broadfoot and barr. and where the hell is clarkson?

On a general note from a scientific perspective - it appears that temperatures are inversely proportionate to a scotsman masculinity. What a bunch of absolutely pansies I saw playing today. Embarrasing.

1. Gordon - 9/10. Steady as ever, nothing he could do at the goal.
2. Alexander - 4/10 Poor replacement for Hutton.
3. Naysmith - 6/10 Pretty good going forward.
4. Caldwell - 6/10 Great goal saving tackle but poor distribution throughout.
5. McManus - Was he playing? 4/10.
6. Brown - 3/10 Hopeless and out of form badly, although he isn't a wide player?
7. Fletcher - 2/10 Worst player on the park, terrible distribution, lightweight and slow; how on earth does he play for the European Champions?
8. Hartley - 3/10 Contender for the above.
9. Miller - 4/10 Headless chicken.
10. McFadden - 6/10 Our best player at times but was forced to go out wide by poor tactics.
11. Robson - 5/10 Worked hard, plenty endevour but with little reward

Subs:-
Maloney - 5/10 Should have started, caused problems down the flanks and had a few nice runs.
Commons - 5/10 As above although his team-mates didn't give him much of the ball for some reason.
Boyd - ?/? Impossible to judge.

Burley - 2/10
Got the formation and player selection badly wrong.
Played central midfielders out wide and we had no width or creativity as a result.
When he realised this it was too late.
Not impressed at all.