Scotland v Albania

[Gaz]

4 minutes ago, dumpweed said:

Is anybody in agreement with me that Tierney is a better full back than Robertson?

In a Scotland jersey, possibly.

Not in general.

[harry94]

2 minutes ago, dumpweed said:

Is anybody in agreement with me that Tierney is a better full back than Robertson?

Robertson doesn't get to play in the same way for Scotland but at club level, he gets to watch the game in front of him and develop attacks from deeper.

Fair enough if you are basing this on something else but I don't really think seeing them both play for Scotland provides a comparison of their full back ability when they are playing in different roles. Tierney on the left of the back three is much closer to that role when the team push up.

[JamesM82]

50 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Need to call up and play Jack Harper in the Israel game now IMO.

Steady. I don't think Spain will give Harper a sideways look unless he does something of note in a top division (e.g. if Malaga get promoted this year and he continues to play well for them). It's a lower risk than kids who are already at top division clubs, like McTominay.

England are being bolshie because so few of their players are getting time in the EPL. A few are even taking the unusual step (for English kids) of moving abroad, e.g. Jadon Sancho at Dortmund.

[Doonhamer doon south]

I always think the price is a bit of a red herring.  Ultimately, football costs what it costs.  I paid £25 for my ticket last night, that's broadly the same price as a top division ticket in this country - I'm not sure what else you would really expect?
For me, the attendance is pretty much solely down to a real lack of enthusiasm in the way that this competition has been marketed to the support, both by the SFA and the BBC.  Guarantee that now we're looking likely to win the group that the attendance at the Israel game will be about double what was there last night.

Im going off last night so there is an element of hindsight going on. I think £20 would of been fair given the day the fixture was played and the weather. For every person happy with the price there is probably 10 unhappy. And its those unhappy souls that need winning back. Not looking to argue.

[FullTimePint]

10 minutes ago, dumpweed said:

Is anybody in agreement with me that Tierney is a better full back than Robertson?

Debateable, both offer a lot going forward and defend well playing full-back, its great to have that type of talent in the sqaud. 

I definitely think if you are to try and shoe-horn both into the same back-line, Tierney 100% has to be the one that comes inside to LCB. He has the frame and the build for it to be able to compete, where as Robertson would get bullied playing that role. I do tierney is probably better in our system as a LCB, than switching wings and going in at RB

[woof!]

1 minute ago, FullTimePint said:

Debateable, both offer a lot going forward and defend well playing full-back, its great to have that type of talent in the sqaud. 

I definitely think if you are to try and shoe-horn both into the same back-line, Tierney 100% has to be the one that comes inside to LCB. He has the frame and the build for it to be able to compete, where as Robertson would get bullied playing that role. I do tierney is probably better in our system as a LCB, than switching wings and going in at RB

What about midfield? He could play the MacDonald role quite easily and protect the centre halves.  After all McKenna is to come back in and is also left footed. 

[The Moonster]

39 minutes ago, Estragon said:

I always think the price is a bit of a red herring.  Ultimately, football costs what it costs.  I paid £25 for my ticket last night, that's broadly the same price as a top division ticket in this country - I'm not sure what else you would really expect?

For me, the attendance is pretty much solely down to a real lack of enthusiasm in the way that this competition has been marketed to the support, both by the SFA and the BBC.  Guarantee that now we're looking likely to win the group that the attendance at the Israel game will be about double what was there last night.

I don't think it is a red herring. The SFA must've been aware of the apathy towards the national team right now, if they aren't then they're even more incompetent than we feared.  They could've dropped the price to £15 last night and (as you rightly point out) hammered home the message about how important these games are for us. I think £25 is too much when you consider the apathy, the fact it's Monday night and the fact we were playing a fairly unglamorous team in Albania.

As for the game, we did well enough and got what we needed.  I don't think I'll ever be convinced that 3-5-2 is the best suited formation and it seems to me we're playing that way to try and fit Tierney and Robertson down one side. I just don't think it suits either player. Tierney showed last night that he's quite capable of kicking the ball with his right foot, so I fail to see why sticking him at right back in a 4-2-3-1 or similar formation would be a problem. Yes, it's not his preferred position, but he's at least playing the same role that he's used to and it allows Andy Robertson to do what he does from his favoured left back. 

In midfield, we have good potential. McGregor, McGinn and Armstong would be my preferred central 3, probably with Fraser and Forrest wide of them, but I thought all bar McDonald did well last night. McDonald just seems so laboured on the ball, I can't say I've ever been impressed with him when I've seen him play for Scotland. Up front we've got a real issue IMO. McBurnie shows promise but outside of Griffiths we appear to be scraping the barrel, even though I did think Naismith did quite well last night and will be fine against teams like Albania, he's obviously not a solution for future tournaments. Johnny Russell is a decent enough squad player and did reasonably well in spells last night.

[The Saintee]

I was hugely sceptical before kick off with what seemed like a bizarre team selection.

 

Ultimately it paid off and I won't be so quick to judge next time.

 

An enjoyable game all round imo.

 

McGinn was good but maybe needs to calm down a wee bit.

[TheScarf]

8 minutes ago, The Saintee said:

McGinn was good but maybe needs to calm down a wee bit.

Indeed, he just needs to drop the headless chicken act he sometimes falls into.  Just do what he's great at; winning possession and move the ball quickly.

[CM.]

18 minutes ago, Doonhamer doon south said:

1 hour ago, Estragon said:

I always think the price is a bit of a red herring.  Ultimately, football costs what it costs.  I paid £25 for my ticket last night, that's broadly the same price as a top division ticket in this country - I'm not sure what else you would really expect?
For me, the attendance is pretty much solely down to a real lack of enthusiasm in the way that this competition has been marketed to the support, both by the SFA and the BBC.  Guarantee that now we're looking likely to win the group that the attendance at the Israel game will be about double what was there last night.

Im going off last night so there is an element of hindsight going on. I think £20 would of been fair given the day the fixture was played and the weather. For every person happy with the price there is probably 10 unhappy. And its those unhappy souls that need winning back. Not looking to argue.

I don't think they couldve predicted last nights weather when thinking of the ticket prices.  

I'm happy enough with the prices as a few people have alluded to its similar to get into a Scottish premiership game. Just a bit confused why they made the friendlies dearer than the competitive games. 

[JamesM82]

10 minutes ago, C. Muir said:

I don't think they couldve predicted last nights weather when thinking of the ticket prices.  

I'm happy enough with the prices as a few people have alluded to its similar to get into a Scottish premiership game. Just a bit confused why they made the friendlies dearer than the competitive games. 

Probably thinking that some folk might have wanted to see the opposition players (e.g. Hazard). As McLeish said last night, only reliable way of getting bigger crowds is by having some (relative) success.

[Squirrelhumper]

Wish folk would stop quoting £25. Those were the dearest tickets.

Was £20 for my ticket in the West Stand (section next to north so in line with corner flag) and kids were £5.

Monday night, apathy and weather the main reasons for shite crowds.

[Savage Henry]

Wish folk would stop quoting £25. Those were the dearest tickets.
Was £20 for my ticket in the West Stand (section next to north so in line with corner flag) and kids were £5.
Monday night, apathy and weather the main reasons for shite crowds.

Doesn’t matter whether that’s the most expensive, the cheapest or bang in the middle. £25 for a must-win game against Albania (albeit one which the manager seemed to treat as a friendly) is a scandalous price for the “Hampden Experience”.

£20 is still way, way over the odds.

[1320Lichtie]

A lot of the folk slagging off O Donnell will be the same ones who moan about players not being picked because they don’t play in England or for the Old Firm. What’s up with the snobbery?

He’s had 3 very good international games against Peru, Mexico and Albania.

The fact he plays for Killie or may not look the flashiest doesn’t matter a jot. Reminds me of when Dixon got a call up and went on to have two cracking games.

[accies1874]

11 minutes ago, 1320Lichtie said:

A lot of the folk slagging off O Donnell will be the same ones who moan about players not being picked because they don’t play in England or for the Old Firm. What’s up with the snobbery?

He’s had 3 very good international games against Peru, Mexico and Albania.

The fact he plays for Killie or may not look the flashiest doesn’t matter a jot. Reminds me of when Dixon got a call up and went on to have two cracking games.

I've seen nothing but praise for him? 

Funnily enough, I was actually reminded of Dixon last night. Hopefully O'Donnell can keep it up for a bit longer than him though. 

[Honest_Man#1]

29 minutes ago, Savage Henry said:

 

Doesn’t matter whether that’s the most expensive, the cheapest or bang in the middle. £25 for a must-win game against Albania (albeit one which the manager seemed to treat as a friendly) is a scandalous price for the “Hampden Experience”.

£20 is still way, way over the odds.

 

I don’t feel McLeish treated that game last night as a friendly at all. And I really don’t understand how £20 could be deemed “way, way over the odds” for a competitive international football match.

[itzdrk]

46 minutes ago, Squirrelhumper said:

Wish folk would stop quoting £25. Those were the dearest tickets.

Was £20 for my ticket in the West Stand (section next to north so in line with corner flag) and kids were £5.

Monday night, apathy and weather the main reasons for shite crowds.

£25 wasn't the dearest.  My ticket for the same bit was £25, there were tickets for £30. 

[itzdrk]

27 minutes ago, 1320Lichtie said:

A lot of the folk slagging off O Donnell will be the same ones who moan about players not being picked because they don’t play in England or for the Old Firm. What’s up with the snobbery?

He’s had 3 very good international games against Peru, Mexico and Albania.

The fact he plays for Killie or may not look the flashiest doesn’t matter a jot. Reminds me of when Dixon got a call up and went on to have two cracking games.

Maybe he can win a move to a big team like Motherwell now. 

[Savage Henry]

I don’t feel McLeish treated that game last night as a friendly at all. And I really don’t understand how £20 could be deemed “way, way over the odds” for a competitive international football match.

He picked what was, to put it mildly, an experimental team. There’s no way that team was the strongest available.

£20 is way over the top for any game at Hampden.

[Gaz]

See on games where Hampden isn't going to sell out, why not close off rows from the back instead of sections?

Excuse the poor diagram, but close it off like on the right, and not on the left?

Having empty sections looks terrible. At least that way all fans would be together, they could cover the back rows with something so it didn't look like there are thousands and thousands of empty seats.