MickeyPaul

I was genuinely really pleased with the Clarke appointment until seeing this at 0:24 :( Here we go again...

It's weird having Scottish "Star Players!" again and I'm glad assists stats became a thing. James Forrest is someone I'd love to see in the EPL incidentally, with a decent team before he's past it. The white Sadio Mané! I genuinely think he'd do quite well. We're so close to being a decent side... I can feel it... through the embittered numbness and relentless kicks to the balls... we're close!

Scotland! Scotland! https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/goal_assist

John Fleck is another guy that when I've seen him, he really doesn't seem to give the ball away. I like that in a player. I honestly think Scotland's stats for incomplete passes since we last qualified for a tournament will be among the worst in the world. Once we make 3 passes my brain focuses "How are we going to lose possession here? Who and how?" You know it's coming and usually it's because no one wants the fucking ball. Nobody moves. Static. So the guy on the ball just goes "Waaaaaaa!" and the commentator says "Careless again in possession" and it never ends. Go watch every Scotland game from the last 20 years and notice when one of our players is on the ball.... nae options. Everyone hiding. No one fucking moves. Spaces open up all the time but our guys are still man marking for when we lose it. Bah!

I also confess to not seeing a great deal of him but every time I have, just generally on the ball and in tight situations, he usually finds a team mate or makes something happen rather than blindly punting the ball in a general direction. Controversial statement here but... every time I've seen Barry Bannan too.. I love how he can keep the ball with 2 or 3 guys on him and find a pass. He was superb when he came on for Sheffield Wednesday last night against Norwich, in my opinion. We absolutely (imo) want players like that. Players that can pass to teammates I mean. It's quite important.

I couldn't find a thread for "The Wee Man" sorry. Maybe he isn't worthy of one but there's a chance he could be off to one of England's "Big" clubs in the summer according to rumours; Arsenal being the club talked about most. I've noticed his stats being mentioned a few times this season mainly with regards assists and it's pretty damn impressive when you consider he's ahead of everyone except for Hazard (he might even be tied with him now, not sure) in one of the top leagues not just in Europe but on EARTH itself! Anyway... I had a wee browse through an Arsenal forum trying to gauge their opinion and it was pretty predictable stuff much like the Liverpool fans with Robertson: "Not good enough for us" and "Meh" being the general consensus. That's fine and understandable but I bet they didnae see this! https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/13/ryan-fraser-callum-wilson-equal-record-held-iconic-arsenal-strike-partnership-9197594/ Pretty good eh?

He's been excellent against 3 of the best teams in the world. That's some evidence there to suggest he can do it against teams that aren't the best in the world too. I don't think the questions are necessarily about him and more about his team mates. As we all know... football is a lot easier when your teammates are really good. When they're shite.... you're gonna look shite too because they'll never make the run for your pass and they'll never show for the ball so you lose possession and so on. Great players are absolutely reliant on good or at the least, average team mates. c***s that can at least pass the fucking ball towards "GIANT TARGET STAR PLAYER!" Scotland still haven't worked out how to even pass the ball and I know these players can pass. I'm on that bandwagon. We're far more shite than we... are? Joking. I think we're far better than we show and I absolutely believe we can give the top teams a proper game. Going into games thinking you're shite isn't a good start. f**k it.

Improving... see.... 22... Billy Bremner at 22... this forum woulda spat oan him. Dalglish "Oooo bum like one of them Benny Hill tarts" Jimmy Johnstone "Hahaha get back tae Harry Potter!" As Gordon Strachan once said... "Yer no a paedo if ye shag a 15 yer ald wummin" and I agree with that because it's fact. I'm no' saying it's right.... but I'm also saying it's no wrang. Sorry, was doing an impression of a Glaswegian there.

He's improving with each game, man. He really has looked assured in the big Man Utd games I've seen... there's hope!

He's looked pretty good 1st half in my opinion although he runs like a.... ehhm.. trying to think of something really slow and lumbering.... he runs like a Scottish footballer. edit: he's looking really good 2nd half too. I love watching a young player progress. You can tell his confidence is building with every game. Go on boy!

He's only been in Garth Crooks team of the week once this season which says a lot in my opinion. He's had one good game all season.

You do eventually see there... he's got the awareness around the box at a young age. He's looking for movement and would often find a pass or would manage to skip a tackle and find time. He did look good I thought. Definitely not writing him off.

Probably my fav Ryan Gauld (I actually wrote Guald there like in Stargate: Ryan G'uald) video this. I was intending to show how skilful and aware he was at a young age and shouldn't be written off but most of the highlights here are him being fucking fouled by St Johnstone players to pop music lol Sorry. This really made me laugh. The audio cuts out completely half-way.. I guess copyright? Mini Messi in the title. I loved this, sorry

What I've seen of Henderson, he's always looked really tidy and technically competent and even quite athletic without being spectacular. Jurgen Klopp would make him great I bet. Get some belief into our players. A wee swagger that we seem to have lost. Imagine playing football thinking the whole time "I'm shite. I'm gonna f**k this up. I don't want to mess up. Give it to him instead.. boo hoo... I'm crying inside... thank f**k the crowd can't see this... Eeeeeee get the ball away! Waaaa! It's a spider!"

The Scottish press calling him "Mini Messi" is the most cringe I can recall in recent times. I get so embarrassed by that shite. The English media pick it up then the European press are reading "Mini Messi!" and watch a few youtube vids of a wee guy slicing open Scottish defences. Genius! I think I'm on the side of... it's time to step up! You've served your apprenticeship.. you should be a key player now. If he can pass the ball he's an improvement. He is very small though. Bah!

I've spent a lot of time in Keercawldy!. I aint afraid to admit it! My ex lived there. 40 minute train and she'd greet me and we'd both realise it was a waste of money then... wander the high street pretending we were interested in things. Bad times. Burke must be... ehhhm... I'm worried about Burke

He's probably going to end up a centre-half. I remember Jim McLean many moons ago, touting Christian Dailly as the new Charlie Nicholas which obviously seems ridiculous now but... I played football with Christian as a kid and he was a lot like Burke in that he was big, powerful and quick and could run the whole pitch through an entire team before scoring. He was a beast in the early years and capable of magic I thought (swoon). Then... I don't know what happened. Suddenly he was a centre-half. Burke's pace and power looks a fantastic offensive weapon for Scotland on paper (toilet paper!) and I still have high hopes for the young Englishman (mini-troll) as long as he keeps learning, hopefully under a coach such as Jürgen Klopp. He sounds reasonably intelligent (probs the accent) and I do think he cares about progressing for club and country. Check the quality of this goal for example (at 2:54) and ignore the level of the opposition -- look at the speed and finish: