Scotlands last genuine world class player?

[Scary Bear]

...maybe if Robertson got a perm.

[craigkillie]

I'm pretty sure that Andy Robertson could win a Colombian League or a French Cup if he had decided to go to those leagues instead of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

[morrison1982]

There's quite a few in the Liverpool team right now who are arguably world class, but have only won honours in relatively minor leagues to date. Virgil van Dijk with Celtic, Mo Salah with Basel and Sadio Mane with RB Salzburg. Roberto Firmino and Harry Kane are more arguable on the "world class" score,  but they haven't won anything yet.

Any discussion about whether Robertson is (or is not) world class misses the point that it's nice having a top-class left back, but it would be a lot nicer to have a reliable goalie, two very good centre-backs and a top centre-forward. Scotland have often had the goalie in recent times, but not the other two (Griffiths in 2017 was the closest). We don't need "world-class", we just need good, solid EPL players in those key positions. Right now, we don't have any.

Robertson plays an important role for Liverpool, but in truth they went from being inconsistent to real contenders with the additions of van Dijk and Alisson. Put Lovren and Karius back in instead of those two and Liverpool would be struggling for top four and Robertson wouldn't be getting nearly as much praise from their fans.

Edited April 15, 2019 by morrison1982

[MarkoRaj]

14 hours ago, morrison1982 said:

There's quite a few in the Liverpool team right now who are arguably world class, but have only won honours in relatively minor leagues to date. Virgil van Dijk with Celtic, Mo Salah with Basel and Sadio Mane with RB Salzburg. Roberto Firmino and Harry Kane are more arguable on the "world class" score,  but they haven't won anything yet.

Any discussion about whether Robertson is (or is not) world class misses the point that it's nice having a top-class left back, but it would be a lot nicer to have a reliable goalie, two very good centre-backs and a top centre-forward. Scotland have often had the goalie in recent times, but not the other two (Griffiths in 2017 was the closest). We don't need "world-class", we just need good, solid EPL players in those key positions. Right now, we don't have any.

Robertson plays an important role for Liverpool, but in truth they went from being inconsistent to real contenders with the additions of van Dijk and Alisson. Put Lovren and Karius back in instead of those two and Liverpool would be struggling for top four and Robertson wouldn't be getting nearly as much praise from their fans.

Except they got to the champions League final last season and he was getting praised to high heaven from the moment he started playing regularly

[morrison1982]

 

10 hours ago, MarkoRaj said:

Except they got to the champions League final last season and he was getting praised to high heaven from the moment he started playing regularly

Robertson breaking into the team happily coincided with van Dijk coming in. By the end of November, he had played more often for Scotland (5 games) than Liverpool (3) in 2017/18. He played most of the games in December, then van Dijk came in at the start of January.

I'm not saying Robertson's a bad player. He fills a role in that team, much as Alexander-Arnold does on the other side of the pitch. Van Dijk and Alisson were much more important in transforming Liverpool from being an entertaining, but flawed, side into one that can compete for top honours.

You can't expect him to do that with Scotland because we don't have the top-class centre back to cover for him if/when the team loses possession, or the top-class forward to put away the chances he creates.

Edited April 16, 2019 by morrison1982

[Kuro]

9 minutes ago, morrison1982 said:

 

Robertson breaking into the team happily coincided with van Dijk coming in. By the end of November, he had played more often for Scotland (5 games) than Liverpool (3) in 2017/18. He played most of the games in December, then van Dijk came in at the start of January.

I'm not saying Robertson's a bad player. He fills a role in that team, much as Alexander-Arnold does on the other side of the pitch. Van Dijk and Alisson were much more important in transforming Liverpool from being an entertaining, but flawed, side into one that can compete for top honours.

You can't expect him to do that with Scotland because we don't have the top-class centre back to cover for him if/when the team loses possession, or the top-class forward to put away the chances he creates.

Scotland aren't as good as Liverpool haud the press.  Robertson is one of the world's top fullbacks regardless of anything else.  If Barca were looking to replace Alba he is one of the.handful they would be interested in, that's how good he is.  You put VVD in Scotland's team he wouldn't look as good either as he doesn't have the same protection in front of him.

[DAFC.]

On 4/15/2019 at 10:31, morrison1982 said:

 

Robertson plays an important role for Liverpool, but in truth they went from being inconsistent to real contenders with the additions of van Dijk and Alisson. Put Lovren and Karius back in instead of those two and Liverpool would be struggling for top four and Robertson wouldn't be getting nearly as much praise from their fans.

Absolute tosh. 

[LondonHMFC]

I liked last year when the Gazzeta Dello Sport said the following about Robertson after his performance against Roma in the first leg of the Semi-Final 

Quote

"He represents the spirit of Anfield," said the paper.

"He does not possess technique of the highest level, but he runs like he's possessed and is never afraid.

"He dominated (Cengiz) Under, who was almost frightened by the energy of the Scotsman. 

"He was born in Glasgow and this explains everything."

I'd tend to agree with the comment about technique, watching him play on Sunday, some of his passes were hit with such power that if he was playing in a team of lesser standard they'd struggle to be controlled.  

Is he World Class? I'm not too sure, but he is the closest thing we have to it. 

[Savage Henry]

1 hour ago, LondonHMFC said:

I liked last year when the Gazzeta Dello Sport said the following about Robertson after his performance against Roma in the first leg of the Semi-Final 

I'd tend to agree with the comment about technique, watching him play on Sunday, some of his passes were hit with such power that if he was playing in a team of lesser standard they'd struggle to be controlled.  

Is he World Class? I'm not too sure, but he is the closest thing we have to it. 

Is that Gazzeta Dello Sport write-up not damning with faint praise?

[Scary Bear]

On 14/04/2019 at 20:41, craigkillie said:

I'm pretty sure that Andy Robertson could win a Colombian League or a French Cup if he had decided to go to those leagues instead of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Chances of him being voted South American Footballer of the Year are pretty slim.

[Scary Bear]

5 hours ago, Kuro said:

Scotland aren't as good as Liverpool haud the press.  Robertson is one of the world's top fullbacks regardless of anything else.  If Barca were looking to replace Alba he is one of the.handful they would be interested in, that's how good he is.  You put VVD in Scotland's team he wouldn't look as good either as he doesn't have the same protection in front of him.

If he goes to Barca, maybe he’ll win something.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

On 09/04/2019 at 22:32, BigFatTabbyDave said:

Have we been particularly poorly served for goalscorers, or does it just seem like most nations end up with a real predator or two in every generation?

We had Goodwillie tbf

[Bing.McCrosby]

On 14/04/2019 at 09:12, Scary Bear said:

As for Valderamma. He’s just a haircut. Are you serious with that comment?

 

 

On 14/04/2019 at 09:43, Scary Bear said:

I have heard of Valderamma. I only really saw him at World Cups and I just never really liked him as a player. 

I despair, I really do

Go watch wrestling or something 

 

[craigkillie]

Anyone wanting to find out about Carlos Valderrama should watch Colombia 5-0 Argentina from 1994 World Cup qualifying. An absolute tour de force.

I can't really think of any player in the last decade or so who was like him. Modric maybe.

[Scary Bear]

56 minutes ago, BingMcCrosby said:

 

I despair, I really do

Go watch wrestling or something 

 

You watch Scotland. Relative to them most South American players look world class.

[Kuro]

35 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

Anyone wanting to find out about Carlos Valderrama should watch Colombia 5-0 Argentina from 1994 World Cup qualifying. An absolute tour de force.

I can't really think of any player in the last decade or so who was like him. Modric maybe.

Veron is the closest I can think of.

[Bing.McCrosby]

24 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

You watch Scotland. Relative to them most South American players look world class.

Do you watch an orchestra and wonder what the guy at the front waving the stick is doing?

[Scary Bear]

2 minutes ago, BingMcCrosby said:

Do you watch an orchestra and wonder what the guy at the front waving the stick is doing?

I’m not that cultured. 

I really liked Maradona. Does that count?

I come and go between liking and not being that fussed for that type of Paul McStay midfielder who plays a good game in 2 or 3 in a good season, but more likely a good game in 7 or 8 most seasons.

Edited April 17, 2019 by Scary Bear

[Bing.McCrosby]

3 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

I’m not that cultured. 

Fair enough, me either tbf

He wasn't much like mcstay tho, more like a big lazy pirlo

[YassinMoutaouakil]

I thought Valderrama was a goalie until approximately 3 minutes ago.