Monkey Tennis

Those are ludicrously short odds.

If England get past Germany at Wembley, a pretty simple looking pathway to the final has opened up. All the strength is on the other side of the draw.

I don't think so at all. It's not impossible, but it's a real long shot.

It actually is pretty disastrous, given who we've already played and where. We're very poorly placed already. Suggesting otherwise is daft.

There is very nearly no chance of us pulling off World Cup qualification. Have people forgotten that the campaign is already well underway and that we've made a shit start?

The obvious, predictable post here would be entirely blank and, in truth, it wouldn't be wildly inaccurate. Gilmour looked classy against England - brave on the ball, intelligent and tidy. Hanley looked more comfortable in a Scotland shirt than has usually been the case. Beyond this, I'm struggling. Our much lauded midfield was, in the home games, outplayed by its opponents and bypassed by its teammates. Our striking options remain pitiful. Our goalkeeping situation is a current problem as well as a future one. Still, I'm hearing on the radio about the clamour now to qualify for the next tournament. Just a shame that we're already virtually out of it then. Looking for positives in a tournament where we got to play at Hampden twice, took one point from nine with a goal difference of -4 is quite a challenge.

However you cut it, this has been a dismal display in a tournament.

A very short hop.

Our goal against Iran - a comical own goal - was clearly chosen for the sequence by someone believing it was a goal against us, given where it came in the narrative.

Each to their own I suppose.

What, even if they're pish tonight and get beaten heavily?

Yes, it was ultimately down to another game. In advance, nobody really saw it that way though, as Norway beating Brazil was very unlikely and only went in that direction very late on, long after Morocco were way out of sight in our game. It would have been gutting to have won that game, then found out. I felt sorry for the Moroccans on discovering what had happened. The fact is though that we entered the match needing to win, assuming that would do it, then lost badly.

As well as the other games mentioned, I'd say we looked to have at least as good a chance heading into the Morocco game in 1998.

In fairness, I don't think anyone is. Saying that a win now definitely gets us through is a long way from saying we'll win.

Ah, I see. What StewartyMac said.