Skyline Drifter

Looks like about 1,500 tickets for Away fans via the SFA.

Indeed. But if we're at a stage where he genuinely thinks he's not going to play those extra 3 players in nearly any circumstance, then might he simply use the three spaces to reward loyal servants who might otherwise not make it such as Taylor, Souttar and Jack if they weren't in the initial 23? Hence my slightly mischievous suggestion that he might use one of the extra three to take a 4th keeper and save him disappointing one of his most loyal. I don't seriously expect him to do that as he can call a goalkeeper up in the event of a tournament ending injury so it's pointless, but it would save him a decision.

Stating the bleeding obvious here but if Patterson and Hickey are out and he replaces them with two RWB's (Ralston and McCrorie most likely) then that's not relevant to how he's using the extra spaces. Taking two more right backs PLUS Hickey and Patterson because they are a doubt would be him using the extra spaces though.

I considered listing McCrorie but in reality he's only got a chance of going if two of the other four are injured in the next month. He's not a consideration to be actually picked and all four keepers are currently fit so I deliberately didn't even mention him. I concede I completely forgot about Hyam but the last thing we need right now is another centre back. Even if Hanley doesn't make it Hyam's on the outside looking in for the summer I think. I think if we'd had everyone fit and the widely accepted 23 picked (allowing for the debate about Jack / Souttar / Taylor for the 23rd shirt) then the "26" would simply have seen all three of those go and one other from Ralston, Brown, Nisbet, etc. Even Anderson or Barnes if they'd declared late. The injuries to Ferguson and probably Patterson have opened up another couple of spots to play with. If Armstrong or Hickey don't make it either (I'm assuming Gilmour should be fine) it becomes really difficult. He's had such a settled squad for so long you have to go back a distance to find three or four more names, or he bloods youngsters. Ralston would clearly have to come in, probably with another right back be it McCrorie or Johnston. Otherwise anything is possible. Might he even take all four keepers despite saying previously he wouldn't? It saves making a decision on one of his more loyal players and given the lack of an obvious replacement it's possible. I doubt it because it would be a purely sentimental pick but.........

Patterson's done. He's playing with Sheffield Wednesday but although he's involved most weeks, he's not a regular starter now. And when I've seen him come on it's been as an attacker (mainly because Wednesday are usually chasing a game perhaps). I'd call up Stephen O'Donnell before Callum Paterson to be honest but I wouldn't be calling up either ahead of McCrorie or Johnston.

In a 23, with Hickey first choice right back and 2nd choice left back, plus Tierney already in as a centre back but 3rd choice left back I don't think you need an extra left back. You obviously have Patterson (if fit) as 2nd choice right back and you take another (presumably Ralston) to cover if Hickey has to go over to the left. If Patterson doesn't make it you take another (presumably McCrorie but Johnston is a more outside shout). If Hickey doesn't make it then it's a bigger pain because you lose the flexibility and maybe need Taylor too. In a 26 of course I don't think it matters, we'll take Taylor anyway.

Well that's not embarrassing at all is it? I looked at it and looked at it and thought I'm missing someone and still couldn't see it! I've edited and added him. I've taken Brown off the italics list of likely squad fillers as a result though it might just as easily be Jack.

I think the first one's a foul. There's a pretty clear kick to the ankle of Reyna. Twelve months ago VAR is giving that every game. I accept however they've throttled back on the overturns for incidental contact and it's a legitimate opinion to say there's not enough in it to overturn as 'clear and obvious error'. The handball's one of the more blatant ones. His hand's well out from his body and it's a trailing hand. He also appears to lean towards the ball at the last moment. That VAR apparently called it a natural position is fairly incredible to me. There are absolutely no excuses for the third. There's an argument it's also a red card though I imagine they'd claim he's making an effort to play the ball and ends up near enough to doing so to avoid that. But he doesn't play the ball and clearly takes Hudson-Odoi down. I'm not one for conspiracy theories, and I think the Forest statement was utterly embarrassing and amateur. However, I cannot understand what Stuart Attwell thinks he saw in that one. It just IS a penalty. There's not even an argument to the contrary. I assume he will be sat down this weekend because that's fundamentally dreadful refereeing. It's not corrupt, it's just rubbish.

So with media reporting that a change to 26 man squads is to be rubber stamped this week I thought it worth looking at where we are on this now. For purposes I've assumed only Lewis Ferguson is formally ruled out at this point. I accept Nathan Patterson is probably a long shot though: Certain Picks (unless injured before then) Angus Gunn, Zander Clark, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Ryan Porteous, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, John McGinn, Calum McGregor, Scott McTominay, Kenny McLean, Ryan Christie, Lyndon Dykes, Che Adams, Lawrence Shankland (15) Currently Injured but Certain Picks if fit Billy Gilmour, Aaron Hickey, Grant Hanley, Stuart Armstrong, Nathan Patterson (5) Near Certain to Now Go due to Doubts over Others Anthony Ralston (1) Candidates for the Remaining Spots Craig Gordon, Liam Kelly Liam Cooper, John Souttar, Greg Taylor, Ross McCrorie, Max Johnston Ryan Jack, Ryan Fraser, Tom Cairney, Ryan Gauld Jacob Brown, Kevin Nisbet, Tommy Conway I've put in italics the ones I think will end up picked in a 26 man squad if everyone makes it. In the likely event of Patterson not doing so, I think McCrorie comes in as a straight switch. I've said often enough that Gordon needs to play regular football for Hearts over the last month to get in. There are signs he's going to do so, but if he doesn't play again I think Kelly goes. I suppose in a 26 man squad he could take 4 keepers but if he does that it's pure sentimentality. There's no football reason to take 4 keepers. Obviously there are also doubts about Jack and Brown at this point and they may end up ruled out also. Fraser, Cairney, Gauld and Conway are of course just based on musings on here rather than any particular recent evidence but Fraser's the most likely of them I assume. There are further left field shouts recently such as Lewis Morgan, Josh Doig, Danny Armstrong, etc who I think are even further out of the picture. Given the lack of obvious clear candidates to take the extra three spots, I do think he's more likely to take a gamble on the likes of Hickey and Armstrong, or even Patterson. God alone knows what happens if the Currently injured 4 AND Jack and Brown don't make it! Or others get injured. We'd need 6 other players from somewhere. Guys who haven't been involved in the last 3 or 4 years or future stars from the 21s will end up called up.

If Hickey's fit you don't need "A N Other" left back. If Robertson is unavailable Hickey would switch wings and if he's unavailable Tierney would step out of central. No reason to take Taylor, Doig or anyone else. Of course that goalpost moves if Hickey doesn't make it or indeed if the squad size is moved to 26 as now appears likely. We all know there's no world in which Clarke is picking Doig over Taylor right now. We don't, but that doesn't mean we won't take 12, particularly now it looks likely we're going to 26 players. You'll be more conscious of Clarke's loyalty than I but you see him as the sort of manager likely to pass over picking Cooper, Souttar and Taylor for a left field shout or two at this stage of Fraser, Gauld, Cairney etc?

Yeah, as debated on the other thread, if we're in a situation where 6,500 had at least 12 points a year or so ago and over 18,000 may have 12 points within the next 6 months or so then those extra points will matter. I just thought logically if the Hampden App provides this technology then it makes sense to actively use it. Didn't actually occur to me they wouldn't be using it for home games. Does it specifically say somewhere that they aren't?

I think that's a slightly left field one. Although they didn't actually "attend" the game in such circumstances if they can prove they were booked on a cancelled flight I think they should get the points. A bigger concern as @Pie Of The Month says below is we know of at least two instances of fans who were at the game not being credited with points as the Dutch haven't scanned them in properly. Surely they now could very easily apply the same rule to home games? It's all scanned entry now on the new Hampden app. It should be able to tell if a ticket is used or not and update accordingly, or if it was transferred to a non member to use. Whilst I doubt it makes much odds to anything significant, I'd say they should be using it at home games if the technology is there. Well the issue is so far they are resisting any manual adjustment for those who weren't scanned in properly, but that's a different debate. I'd support using the technology if it is reliably there to use. We all know there are points harvesters out there and this will go at least part way to addressing that (nothing to stop harvesters buying for the Dutch game and giving to someone else to use of course). Gibraltar is going to be 100% collection so it amounts to the same thing.

I'll see that and raise you that we ended up in a Championship relegation playoff in a season we played Dobbie and Dykes up front together! Despite Dobbie scoring 43 goals in it even though he missed two months injured.

The away game cant possibly be the reason to any significant extent. The number on 12 points or more is up by more than 2,500 and the number on 11 or more is up by over 3,000. We only got 2,400 for Netherlands and about 1800 of them were sold on day one to those who were already on points above that level. It certainly drifted down to 7 pts though so probably about 500 or so of the lift can be attributed to people taking a chance to go to an easy away trip when it was there. No, the rise is in the home member attendance. As I said before, qualifying for Euro 20 re-ignited a lot of interest. The SSC sold out and a lot of the newer members stated going every game (or they may have been going every game before but not members because they didnt need to be). It maybe wont go quite as high as I thought given the number on 10 hasnt really moved but it looks fairly likely up to 18,000 people might have 12 points shortly. Compared to 8,000 6 months ago. If I recall correctly the discussion was about how easy it may be to get away tickets and tournament tickets in future. Its likely going to get harder and for qualifiers with any sort of rationing people are going to need the mid teens to have a chance. I'm seriously considering heading to the Gibraltar game to get the points. Otherwise my ceiling any time soon is likely 14 points.

That's ridiculous. They should have facility to manually edit a member's points (I accept it may need some sort of management countersignatory to stop someone just adding point to their mates accounts). If they don't have then the system isn't fit for purpose. I'd be complaining higher up the chain if you are able to provide photographic proof of you inside the stadium.

Injuries could obviously impact Leeds between now and then of course but Cooper's not playing for them anyway. And Southampton have already ruled Armstrong out for the rest of the domestic season. Ralston's fairly unlikely to actively feature in the Cup Final for Celtic either. I take your point though. None of those players will be available for early join up.

Wasn't me. Couldn't have told you that.

No. The squad will need to be announced ahead of Finland. I accept there's an argument for having a larger squad go to Gibraltar and trimming it on return, especially if there are fitness proofs to be made by the likes of Hickey and Armstrong. For me though when the games are so close you just name the Euro squad and use them in the friendlies. Possibly with a standby list. Does Stevie Clarke really want to be calling three or four players to his hotel room after Gibraltar (be that in Portugal or back in Scotland, not sure if they'll go direct to the airport post match) and telling them they haven't made it? I'd get that out of the way before they go and take a party that will go to the Euros away.

Has this been said anywhere? We obviously have the two friendlies Gibraltar and Finland but the final squad is to be confirmed on the day of the Finland match (not clear if that means midnight or during daytime hours, and presumably it's CET anyway. Ergo, it'll certainly need confirmed before the Finland game. I'm pretty much assuming he'll name a squad for the two friendlies the usual week or so ahead of the first and that it will be the Euro squad. I suppose it might be slightly larger if there are lingering fitness doubts over a couple and they are given the week / Gibraltar game to prove their fitness.

Your current plane or what you think Stevie Clarke will take? Not necessarily the same thing. I'd take Craig Gordon for instance but I'm not convinced Clarke will unless he plays most of the remaining games for Hearts. For me Grant Hanley's either fit or he's not. If he's fit he goes whether it's 23 or 26. If he's not then he doesn't. I don't think the squad size affects him. Same as Hickey in effect. Is there doubt about McTominay now? I know he went off injured yesterday but I didn't see the game so was not aware it was anything serious. On the positive news front Southampton have confirmed Stuart Armstrong has a quad injury and not a knee one and he has a 'good chance' of being fit for the Euros though he won't play for them again this season. If it's 23 for June and picked today (on the assumption Hickey, Hanley and Armstrong make it but Patterson and Ferguson do not) then: Gunn, Clark and probably Kelly Robertson, Tierney, Hickey, Ralston, Hanley, Hendry, Porteous, McKenna, Cooper McGregor, Gilmour, McGinn, McTominay, McLean, Christie, Armstrong Dykes, Adams, Shankland Which is 22. One more from Souttar, Taylor, McCrorie (Ross), Johnston, Jack, Brown, Nisbet, Conway If Gordon plays 3 or 4 of Hearts remaining games and plays ok then he displaces Kelly. Possible Souttar is preferred to Cooper, that's a coin flip. Armstrong not making it opens the door for a question about Fraser, Gauld, Cairney, etc but it will most likely be Jack or Brown unless both are also not fit. 26 man squad opens up the possibility of more adventurous picks but I guess it's likely to just mean three more from the list above.

All three involved Ashley Young. Thats not even good trolling though. Must try harder.

Not sure if serious? It's not an aggrieved fan. That's directly from the mouth of Marinakis. He's done it deliberately and the club will be charged with bringing the game into disrepute. Again. He's an arse.

It's not that hard to believe. Forest have form for it in the last 12 months or so. I just knew something embarrassing would come having watched the game. They can't just leave well alone for everyone to see for themselves how bad it was. I was expecting something attached to Clattenburg's name later or tomorrow though. Five minutes after full time on the Twitter account smacks as if someone's given Marinakis the account password to deal with it directly from the Boardroom himself.

His hand's well out from his body, and there's a lean into the ball too rather than it just hit him. Even in England that handball is given 90% of the time. And less obvious handballs are frequently given. Young's reaction after the handball is very much that of a guilty man wondering if he's got away with it.

An argument about what? That they were incorrect is surely beyond question. Absolutely anyone would give a penalty for all three surely in isolation? I accept that there's a debate that there's not an obvious enough error to over-turn the onfield call in the first case though I suspect Taylor would give a penalty if he saw the thing again. Beyond that? Forest have been robbed by refereeing in several games this season (most notably previously the one where Willy Boly was sent off after about 10 minutes v Bournemouth for a challenge in which HE was fouled! There was also the infamous late Liverpool goal coming after they got a drop ball which everyone acknowledges should have been a Forest ball (albeit more than a minute earlier and 100 yards away from the Forest goal). That's extremely frustrating. It's not going too far to suggest that referee decisions (and of course FFP) are the only reason Forest are still in a relegation fight. However, none of it excuses such a toys out of the pram Sunday League amateur statement. They'll be doing nothing because fundamentally they CAN do nothing and Marinakis needs to realise this isn't Greece, Forest aren't Olympiakos and he can't bully the FA and everyone else into giving him his own way. Get on with it and win some games. Only Stuart Atwell knows why he denied them all. I'd imagine Dermot Gallagher will appear with yet another apology this week and Atwell will have at least next weekend to do some shopping with his wife. Nothing will change though.