Scotland v England...

[BerwickMad]

I'd agree with most of what is being said. 12th to 16th is about the level at the moment.

Away from England, I think Belgium are a bit over rated too in 4th.

[Billy Jean King]

Rhodes and McCormack have been equally harshly treated IMO. McCormack could work really well in our current system. With Martin, I think in time he could be a useful player to have. A different option from the bench if we need to be a bit more direct. I wouldn't start him ahead of some of the others, I just think it's far too soon in his international career to say he's not good enough.

Agree 100% a fit and on form McCormack is a superior player from what I have seen of Martin who looks very immobile and offers little tracking back. Where Martin might come into his own is against lesser teams as he looks a pen box predator who given chances from 6 yards or so will score goals. Neither games over the last few days suited that style of player.

[Supras]

Cahill's a player I used to slag off, who's left me looking a fanny for doing so.

Quite clear in recent times that he's an excellent defender.

Looked great in the England Scotland game at Wembley, and the England Italy game in Maunas,

[Supras]

A few myths being identified? Strachan? Possibly. Mulgrew, very probably. The actual quality of the Scotland side? Most definitely.

I still have no idea what the point of that friendly was.

Some myths confirmed too, Scotland - home to the most self hating, negative people on earth.

Yay! We played poorly, in a friendly, and lost to a side who should be beating us anyway regardless of how well we play.The extra 45 million people gives them just that slightest of advantages in increasing their selection pool by a factor of 10.

[sergie's no1 fan]

A few myths being identified? Strachan? Possibly. Mulgrew, very probably. The actual quality of the Scotland side? Most definitely.

I still have no idea what the point of that friendly was.

£££.

There would have been an agreement between the 2 FA's. They have 1 down South and we get a return game up here.

Hopefully thats the last of them for at least a couple more years.

I think the tickets were a bit extra because Celtic would have taken a cut. That would have added on a extra £5 maybe £10 per ticket imo.

Can't believe i'm saying this but I can't wait till we are back at Hampden.Feels weird watching Scotland play at Parkhead and Ibrox.

[thisal]

Looking at the European teams ranked above England I would say another Quarter final place in 2 years is likely.

They should beat Portugal, Switzerland,Croatia, Greece and Ukraine. With a bit of luck they could get to the semis. The seeding should be enough to see Scotland fail at the group stage again, if we make it.

[SANTAN]

Clyne, Cahill, Ox, Wilshere, Rooney were good.

Robertson was good again.

England outclassed Scotland in general though as was to be expected, i can't see you guys making it to the Euros unfortunately, players like Hanlon and Brown are dire, were you playing a striker before May?

McLeod could've helped with your creativity.

"You're British til you die" - Class night.

Oh yeah and surely England have every right to dislike the i.r.a. Disgraceful Woy actually apologised for that.

[SANTAN]

Some myths confirmed too, Scotland - 1.home to the most self hating, negative people on earth.

2.Yay! We played poorly, in a friendly, and lost to a side who should be beating us anyway regardless of how well we play.The extra 45 million people gives them just that slightest of advantages in increasing their selection pool by a factor of 10.

Was point 2 an example of point 1 yeah? I'm just reading this thread but you're all over the place. I'm still at the early stages of the thread where you had some hope

[Savage Henry]

£££.

There would have been an agreement between the 2 FA's. They have 1 down South and we get a return game up here.

Hopefully thats the last of them for at least a couple more years.

I think the tickets were a bit extra because Celtic would have taken a cut. That would have added on a extra £5 maybe £10 per ticket imo.

Can't believe i'm saying this but I can't wait till we are back at Hampden.Feels weird watching Scotland play at Parkhead and Ibrox.

If it's just about money, then we'll be seeing a few more of those games in the next few years. I'd like to think someone at the SFA actually has a clue about the potential benefit from playing friendlies we can actually win.

[SodjesSixteenIncher]

Looked great in the England Scotland game at Wembley, and the England Italy game in Maunas,

He's been excellent this season. If a World Cup performance for a team that all played shite and a friendly a year ago is the only thing you can use against him, he's obviously doing pretty well atm.

[yoda]

Just a few observations:

Chris Martin is good at holding the ball up and is physically strong, unfortunately he's not even half the player Steven Fletcher is.

Maloney is a good player but I'm still not convinced by having him out wide.

Russell's performance when he came on was one of the positives for me. I'd like to see both him and Anya start against Gibraltar.

Morrison played reasonably well when he came on. Fletcher grew into the game alongside him.

England's tactic up until their first goal of just letting the Scottish centre-backs pass the ball between themselves worked well. After the goal they obviously pressed higher up and gave them no time on the ball. It was frustrating to see: (a) the defence not see any movement in front of them; and (b) there to not actually be much movement in front of them. For all the criticisms of this being a poor England side (it is, despite having some good quality players) they were very disciplined and kept their shape. They're never going to anything better than a lower end "top" side under Hodgson but they've enough about them to beat the teams below them the majority of the time.

It was a dreadful performance but England were the better team. I've no real complaints about the result and Scotland will lose games anyway, so the result doesn't bother me too much.

Edit: I'm still not entirely sure that Rooney should be a nailed-on starter for England when Sturridge is fit. He had a good game last night and put in "a captain's performance" but a fully fit Sturridge offers more than he does. Not that it is necessarily a choice of one or the other.

[H_B]

Taking both teams to score has softened the blow a little.

Ladbrokes enhanced their "Result Rush" thing to 9/2 for England last night, so I had that along with a 2-2 draw as a saver.

I think I was happier than Robertson when he scored.

[H_B]

For me, England are not a top 10 side at the minute.

England absolute bawhumped Switzerland in a competitive tie (in theory) on their own patch a couple of months ago. I don't think anyone sane thinks Switzerland are a better side than England.

It's all very subjective. You can make a decent case for England being anything from 9-15th.

[Ross.]

England are unarguably better than Greece, Algeria, Switzerland and Ukraine. I reckon you could argue either way for Croatia, Costa Rica and Mexico.

You can't jusge these things on one or two games. England are not a top 10 side at the moment. They're probably around 15th, give or take a few places.

England absolute bawhumped Switzerland in a competitive tie (in theory) on their own patch a couple of months ago. I don't think anyone sane thinks Switzerland are a better side than England.

It's all very subjective. You can make a decent case for England being anything from 9-15th.

I'm not sure they are that much better than Switzerland, if at all. Switzerland performed better in the World Cup, and despite England winning the recent match in Basel there wasn't a great deal between the sides. I think Switzerland are still quite under rated by a lot of people.

[The Ginger Prince]

Clyne, Cahill, Ox, Wilshere, Rooney were good.

Robertson was good again.

England outclassed Scotland in general though as was to be expected, i can't see you guys making it to the Euros unfortunately, players like Hanlon and Brown are dire, were you playing a striker before May?

McLeod could've helped with your creativity.

"You're British til you die" - Class night.

Oh yeah and surely England have every right to dislike the i.r.a. Disgraceful Woy actually apologised for that.

[H_B]

I think Switzerland are still quite under rated by a lot of people.

I'd say they are greatly overrated. England destroyed them in Switzerland.

They had a decent World Cup, but they only beat Ecuador and Honduras. Both of whom are pisspoor.

There's no way Switzerland are one of the top 20 in the world.

[Ross.]

I'd say they are greatly overrated. England destroyed them in Switzerland.

They had a decent World Cup, but they only beat Ecuador and Honduras. Both of whom are pisspoor.

There's no way Switzerland are one of the top 20 in the world.

Their results over the last 4 years would suggest they are where they are quite deservedly.

The World Cup group was kind to them, no question. France did destroy them, but the last 16 game seen Argentina take 120 minutes to see them off.

The game in Basel was their first game under a new coach, and both teams created chances. Hart made a fantastic save not long before England scored their first, Switzerland had one effort hit the bar(might have been the post, memory isn't 100% on that one), and another cleared off the line that should have pulled them level. England were the better team but not by the distance you are suggesting.

I'd say top 20 is definitely where the Swiss should be right now, and going by their results at youth level they will probably be sticking around there or higher for the foreseeable future.

[Distant Doonhamer]

A few myths being identified? Strachan? Possibly. Mulgrew, very probably. The actual quality of the Scotland side? Most definitely.

I still have no idea what the point of that friendly was.

Finance.

[H_B]

I'd say top 20 is definitely where the Swiss should be right now, and going by their results at youth level they will probably be sticking around there or higher for the foreseeable future

Time will tell. I hope so, as I like Switzerland.

[Supras]

Was point 2 an example of point 1 yeah? I'm just reading this thread but you're all over the place. I'm still at the early stages of the thread where you had some hope

Had some hope? I repeatedly predicted a defeat.

You're lying, and have been caught out.

He's been excellent this season. If a World Cup performance for a team that all played shite and a friendly a year ago is the only thing you can use against him, he's obviously doing pretty well atm.

Just for England, he seems to bottle it in international matches. He's decent, but no more for Chelsea, crumbles when Terry isn't there.

There's no way Switzerland are one of the top 20 in the world.

There's no way England are in the top 10 either. They had a horrendous world cup, a few qualifiers won't make up for that.

A top 10 team in the world wouldn't finish bottom with 1 point after three games.