oh well finally a home game!
hoping for a win but of course that depends on what team he puts out.
should be very interesting as norway will be very difficult to break down but sinceits at hampden i think scotland will edge it 2-1

First home game of the campaign at a packed full Hampden. Opposition regardless, if we can't do something here inevitably we'll struggle. Three points is patently a must Vs. the Norwegians. Looks unlikely that Hutton or Ferguson will be available which is a hindrance obviously but the win is well doable even still. Right fired up for this one actually. Should be buzzing on the day. Can't wait to get back to Hampden for a proper high stakes international. Nothing beats it for me.

We'll be coming.

We'll need a big CB playing alongside Caldwell because of the Carew threat either Weir or Wilkie to make their combacks.

Us 3-1

2-1 Scotland and we are back in contention.

Hopefully we can generate the same atmosphere that we did at the Euro qualifiers.

I'm very confident we'll win. I'll go for 2-0

Norway are gash but no doubt we'll make them look good (see also Iceland). Still think we should have enough to beat them by the odd goal though. 2-1 the Scots, McFadden and Miller with the goals.

Norway are pish, and if we are to have any chance of qualifying we have to do them at Hampden. I think we will to be honest, Scotland 2 - 0 Norway.

Anyone got an idea as to when the ballot draw is to see if they have been allocated a ticket for the Norway game.I registered for the ballot on the SFA website but for some strange reason the date of the draw has been set for the 1/1/08. The registration closed last night at midnight.

Someone mentioned on the other thread that we will hopefully find out on Wednesday. Knowing the SFA I can see that being delayed.

I think we'll win this one. I can see it being similar to the Hampden Georgia game from last campaign, with us getting a winner at the end of the game after a scare from their "star" striker (Carew).

Scotland 2 - 1 Norway.
I think Faddy might score, but I could see a young striker (if we have any in the squad, such as Fletcher or McCormack etc) getting one too.

Although Norway are playing well below their normal level, suspect this will be one of those chewing fingernails to the elbows kind of games. Normally the concern for us is goals, but the defence is the concern this time. My best guess is that we will be leading 2nil and lose a soft goal 8 mins from time and then struggle to hold...but just make it for a much needed 3 pts.

are the tickets on sale? where can i get them?

Public Sale ballot closed on the 28th.

so the game is sold out ?

how silly of me missing the sell dates

Yeah its sold out now im afraid.

If I dont get one I will actually cry.

With McManus suspended, I think Kirk Broadfoot (easy with the laughter) should get a shout at centre half alongside Gary Caldwell. You have to admit he's playing really well at the moment. He performed well against Iceland, so why not?

Nah i think if anythin Burley will go with Berra and Caldwell at centre half with Broadfoot to slot in at right back.

Fancy Scotland for a win, 2-0 Boyd and Commons.

Didn't know Davie Weir had retired

when did weir reitre?!

Did not know that either. Not sure if I am happy or sad about that. I worry abuot Mcmanus being the guy to hold it all together in defence as he is prone to moments of Pressley style madness. I like him tho and he will develop into the role.

For me Norway are simply not a good team in comparison to us (in theory!). They have very few notable players. Carew is obvisouly their big one but he is a player who, without a good team around him, seems to really struggle.

Has to be a 2-0 win at least.

And Burley better play a formation and team like he did against Iceland and not against Macedonia.

Thoughts on the strike force? Personaly I want to see McFadden with anyone but Miller. Its harsh but he has nowhere for scotland of late. Would like to see either Boyd get a good run or give someone a chance like fletcher or clarkson.

Edge it 2-1??

Norway are the worst team in our group. I would say Iceland are better than them.

Hammer throwers from norway. We will beat them home and away without too much trouble

Definately mate.

Mon the scots

Aye, because this Scotland team is known throughout the world for its silky soccer!

Scotland 1-2 Norway

Tartan Idiots shame the nation once again.

And when do Scotland ever do anything the easy way ? We are past masters and making things tough for ourselves.

Are you sure Davie Weir has retired?

If that is the case, were struggling a little bit. Wouldn't play Boradfoot at right back, where he plays for his club, let alone center back. Berra? I'm not so sure. Wilkie has some experience, so he would get the nod for me ahead of the other two. We've always got Dailly...

I'm always confident when Scotland play at Hampden against anyone, but as has been posted on here we never do anything the easy way. Scotland to win 2-1.

I really hope Mark Wilson gets a call up to the squad on Thurday with Hutton out. Best full back Celtic have IMO. McCormack aswell, doing well down at Cardiff. I see Richard Hughes was playing against Spurs last weekend aswell...

jesus!! have you an eyesight disorder?? the guy is nothing short of horriffic,he got a doing again last night,mind you your quote of 'best full back celtic have' may not be that far from the truth!

The boy has definetly got talent. Who would you rather have in the squad, him or Broadfoot? Just think he is worth a shout with Hutton out. Hopfully McNaughton will be in the squad aswell.

Here we are, five days to the big game at Hampden.

Let the doom-mongering begin....

Our defence looks abolutely terrible, Carew will have a field day. I'd honestly feel more confidend if we played Stenny's back 4 on Saturday.

We look ok in midfield and upfront and if Norway are as bad as people seem to be making out then we could nick a result, but I get the feeling a defensive error will cost us dear.

Think you have to remember that Carew won't get the quality service he has been getting at Villa though.

I do agree that this will be a hard 'un though, can just see us lining up with that dreaded midfield which contains Brown/Hartley, two players I have not seen perform for about a year at least.

With fullbacks of Graham Alexander, Kirk Broadfoot, Jamie Mcallister and Gary Naysmith the Norway wide players don't exactly have to be of startling quality to put us under pressure and get a few balls into the box. I haven't checked but I'm presuming Riise will be in their squad and playing left mid, so he could cause a bit of trouble.

Even if they are gash, and hump it long tp Carew, none of our defenders will be able to cope with his high and strength and in what is a rather shambolic back forur, flick ons and lay backs could cause carnage. I really hope I'm wrong though.

Without wanting to cause more panic, it should probably be noted that Carew is deceptively quick as well. Big Carew should be looking to fill his boots against us.

I'm really not sure what to expect on saturday. This time last year I would've been extremely confident but I just don't trust Burley. However, as per usual when it comes to Scotland, the heart rules the head and i'm going for a very decent 2-1 victory.

I have no idea what to expect on Saturday, something says we'll go 2-0 up around the 60th mark and then sit back for the rest of the game with Norway getting a goal in the 70th minute leaving us with 20 nail biting minutes.

A huge incentive that Burley must be looking at and telling the lads is if we get the 3pts, Norway then have Holland in Oslo and if they only manage a point in that, they'll be on 2 points out of 9 although not out of it, a very difficult task left for them to qualify with Macedonia, Iceland and Holland all away still to play.

I suppose should wait til Saturday to assess the group but I suppose both coaches will know this, well hopefully Burley does

1-1 I reckon, don't think Scotland will cope with Carew.

Is Carew not nursing a neck injury?

Keep the faith!

Yes, it'll be a tough game. However David Weir has played against better players in his time than Carew (Look at the last qualifying group) and although he is not everyones cup of tea, Gary Caldwell has been Celtic's best player so far this season. Gary Naysmith has a lot of experience and will be fine, and Broadfoot hopfully wont have to deal too much with Carew playing at right back.

Scotland need to concentrate more on getting in about the Norwegians early doors and presuming Burley goes 4-5-1/4-3-3, making that extra man in midfield count.

Not to mention, we have big Craig Gordon in goals even if they do somehow manage to get through!

That's more like it, someone posting positively about the team!

This will be my first Scotland game since we beat Moldova 2-0 at Hampden. That was just after my 16th birthday, 3 years since I've been at Hampden, christ!

I'm not really confident about this tbh. We've looked poor the last few games, we need a marked improvement if we're to do the business here.

I hope we have a right good go at them with a positive formation, I'd go with............


----------------------------------McFadden---------------Iwelumo-------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Robson------------Brown---------------------Fletcher----------Maloney------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------Naysmith--------------Caldwell----------------Weir--------------Boradfoot---------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------Gordon---------------------------------------------------

Get the balls out wide and hammer in crosses for Iwelumo to get his head on, or cut backs to the penalty spot/edge of the area for McFadden, Brown and Flecther to run onto and get a few shots on goal.

In all fairness Norway arent the team they used be and we beat them away from home last time out so we should be reasonably confident. Hopefully Carews injury will hamper him as he is defo the marquee player for them. Agree with the earlier post about us getting to 2 nil then conceeding a soft one and sweating for the final minutes. Hope we are positive about this one because frankly if we arent able to win this one it'll be massive struggle to make the play offs.

Scotland Squad Announced
The Scotland squad for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Norway was announced today:

Goalkeepers
Craig Gordon (Sunderland)
Allan McGregor (Rangers)
David Marshall (Norwich City)

Defenders
Graham Alexander (Burnley)
Darren Barr (Falkirk)
Christophe Berra (Heart of Midlothian)
Kirk Broadfoot (Rangers)
Gary Caldwell (Celtic)
Jamie McAllister (Bristol City)
Gary Naysmith (Sheffield United)
David Weir (Rangers)

Midfield
Scott Brown (Celtic)
Kris Commons (Derby County)
Darren Fletcher (Manchester United)
Paul Hartley (Celtic)
Shaun Maloney (Celtic)
James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion)
Barry Robson (Celtic)
Kevin Thomson (Rangers)

Forwards
Kris Boyd (Rangers)
David Clarkson (Motherwell)
Steven Fletcher (Hibernian)
Chris Iwelumo (Wolverhampton W.)
James McFadden (Birmingham City)
Kenny Miller (Rangers)

Think that's probably the ideal formation for me too, but it just seems unlikely Burley would go with that.
Not sure whether Faddy would be better sitting in the hole just behind Iwelumo, or if he's better up front partnering him.
Good to see we have two decent set piece takers in that line up too, with Robson and Maloney.

Heia Norge!

Keepere:

Jon Knudsen
Rune Jarstein
Espen Johnsen

Forsvarsspillere:

Brede Hangeland
John Arne Riise
Tom Høgli
Morten M. Skjønsberg
Atle Roar Håland
Kjetil Wæhler

Midtbanespillere:

Martin Andresen
Fredrik Winsnes
Fredrik Strømstad
Christian Grindheim
Per Ciljan Skjelbred
Morten Gamst Pedersen
Bjørn Helge Riise
Erik Huseklepp
Jan Gunnar Solli

Spisser:

John Carew
Steffen Iversen
Thorstein Helstad
Mohammed Abdellaoue
Daniel Braaten

Norway should line-up:



(But they won't, or Hareide won't.

-----------------Gordon-------------------

Broadfoot---Caldwell----Berra------Naysmith

Fletcher----Brown-----Robson------Maloney

---------Iwelumo------McFadden---------

Subs:
McGregor
Alexander
Wier
Hartley
Morrison
Boyd
Fletcher

The tensions building - I can wait now. These are the games I live for.

I see most people are leaving Paul Hartley out of the midfield. For a bit of balance I think he has to be in there. Hopefully Brown will get left out. I am not saying thi swill be the definate team but this is what I would play.

Gordon

Alexander
Weir
Caldwell
Naysmith

Fletcher
Hartley
Robson
Maloney

McFadden
Boyd

Alba Du Brath

Only change I would make to that team is Broadfoot instead of Alexander.

He did well against Iceland, and has been on good form for his club. Doesn't deserve to be dropped.

Scotland aren't good enough to play 4-4-2 at international level. If we play 4-4-2 against Norway, we'll lose. We should win this game, but it won't be by having two in central midfield, especially if one of those two is Paul Hartley, who is so uncomfortable on the ball it's frightening.

Really?

Here here.

I think Macedonia and Georgia away have already proven we are mince at 4-4-2.

4-5-1/4-3-3 is the way to go. I'd line up the same as in Iceland, with James Morrison coming in for Robson and Iwelumo in for Miller

-------------------------Gordon------------------

Broadfoot-----Caldwell-----Weir-----Naysmith

-------------------------Brown-------------------
--------------Fletcher-----------Morrison

Maloney----------------------------------McFadden
-----------------------Iwelumo----------------------

2-0 Iwelumo with both.

Thats what i'd play.

GK: Gordon

RB: Broadfoot
LB: Naysmith
CB: Weir
CB: Caldwell

CM: Fletcher
CM: Robson
CM: Morrison

AMR: Maloney
AML: McFadden

STR: Iwelumo

Subs

McGregor
Berra
Alexander
Brown
Hartley
Boyd
Fletcher