DA Baracus Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Lots of folk really downplaying Griffiths here. He made a big impact when Strachan finally picked him. Many players have small dips in form but bounce back, and he's no different (pretty sure he's done so before). Also worth noting that only 2 players in the squad have scored more goals than him for Scotland, and both have played more games than he has for the national team (Naismith, who has 8 in 47 and Snodgrass, who has 7 in 26). Folk who are saying Griffiths has done nothing for Scotland must then surely level the same accusation at Naismith? He has been a fanny here though and has played it very badly indeed, and deserves a punishment for it. I would have him back as soon as possible though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DAVIDB69 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Losing Fraser is a blow, and I fear he's likely to be a sicknote player at best - a 19 caps, 1 goal type record when he finishes up. Anyway, Fraser and Griffiths can gtf for now. Just means McBurnie has a better chance of a game, and he's probably a better option longer term, and Forrest is the obvious replacement for Fraser (though McLeish might go for O'Donnell just to be a bit more defensively minded). My team:Mcburnie probably has to play now , but he doesn’t look the greatest quality and I am not sure if he is international standard, but let’s see what he can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bernardblack Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Please not Forrest at wing back. Just get him going forward and not worry about going back the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewDon Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 I'm not sure what "international standard" even means. Obviously the standard of player and performance required to beat, say, Cyprus or Lithuania is going to be quite different to, for example, Belgium or France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie S Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 2 hours ago, craigkillie said: Jurgen Klopp has just come out and been very critical of the Nations League, but how do you think Andy Robertson would react if he asked him to sit out these games? Robertson seems like one of the more commited members of the squad. I suspect he’d play if at all possible, but if he was carrying a niggling injury and Klopp strongly suggested he take a rest over the international break to recover, who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 28 minutes ago, DA Baracus said: Lots of folk really downplaying Griffiths here. He made a big impact when Strachan finally picked him. Many players have small dips in form but bounce back, and he's no different (pretty sure he's done so before). Also worth noting that only 2 players in the squad have scored more goals than him for Scotland, and both have played more games than he has for the national team (Naismith, who has 8 in 47 and Snodgrass, who has 7 in 26). Folk who are saying Griffiths has done nothing for Scotland must then surely level the same accusation at Naismith? He has been a fanny here though and has played it very badly indeed, and deserves a punishment for it. I would have him back as soon as possible though. Naismith should have a better goalscoring record than he does, but a lot of his appearances have been out wide. Every single one of Griffiths' caps has been at centre-forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 4 hours ago, Kyle said: Players making themselves unavailable and dropping out of squads left right and centre. Not a good look for McLeish really - losing Fraser is more of a blow than losing an off colour Griffiths I'd say though. I don't really get this angle. These players aren't being asked to represent McLeish, they're being asked to represent Scotland. If these players can't put their dislikes to one side for a few weeks each year to gain caps for their country then it looks far worse for them than it does for McLeish IMO. I wasn't enamoured with McLeish when he was appointed but I really don't think he's done much wrong in the job so far. Griffiths being a petulant wee fanny doesn't affect McLeish's reputation for me. Fraser being injured is a blow, but it's Israel we're playing and we should still have cover for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 A fair point well made. It feels like a stark contrast between the number of drop outs we seem to be getting under McLeish and Strachan. It might just be my own perception but I always felt that Strachan's full squad would turn up whereas McLeish is having problems with more or less every squad he's picking. The likes of Marshall, McArthur and Snodgrass (although he seems to have changed his mind again) all declaring themselves unavailable doesn't inspire much confidence either. I'm of a similar view as you in respect of how I felt when he was appointed and how I feel now but I want us to field the best possible team and losing these guys so often feels very limiting. Call offs have given Souttar and O'Donnell a chance and they've shown themselves to be capable for Scotland so hopefully the door will open up for more of these guys who want to play for Scotland and impress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameus Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 16 minutes ago, Kyle said: A fair point well made. It feels like a stark contrast between the number of drop outs we seem to be getting under McLeish and Strachan. It might just be my own perception but I always felt that Strachan's full squad would turn up whereas McLeish is having problems with more or less every squad he's picking. The likes of Marshall, McArthur and Snodgrass (although he seems to have changed his mind again) all declaring themselves unavailable doesn't inspire much confidence either. I'm of a similar view as you in respect of how I felt when he was appointed and how I feel now but I want us to field the best possible team and losing these guys so often feels very limiting. Call offs have given Souttar and O'Donnell a chance and they've shown themselves to be capable for Scotland so hopefully the door will open up for more of these guys who want to play for Scotland and impress. It's not really fair to compare the two just yet, as McLeish has had to contend with the "ooft, it's aw just so coooomplicated" UEFA Nations League. It does seem like players (or their clubs) don't care so much about that, so expect Strachan would have had similar issues. I'm not a huge fan of him, but for all that he's dour, and not particularly inspiring, I don't think you can really blame him for drop-outs. If he is the problem, then I'd be more inclined to tell whatever players had that problem to grow the f**k up, before I started blaming the manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger29 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 We played well against Albania and ended up with 25+ shots, with nearly outfield player having at least 1, so I don't see a need to change much. McTominay in for McDonald as he is quicker on the ball, a better tackler and uses his physical presence more. McKenna in for Mulgrew as well. We've got a bunch of young players who are looking decent. Get them in the same team together consistently and see if we can build something over the next couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Gaines Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Well, Griffiths definitely seems to be his own fault. Naismith has earned his spot, and Griffiths doesn't like it. Ryan Fraser is a serial dropout so again, you can't put that on McLeish either. So the conclusion? These drop outs have nothing to do with McLeish, unless you're a striker with ideas above your station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 I'd go baws oot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The new Kia Ceed Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 33 minutes ago, tree house tam said: I'd go baws oot That's the team I'd play from what remains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest_Ally Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 I think that will be pretty close to the team, but I'm sure Mulgrew will start ahead of McKenna and O'Donnell for Forrest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewDon Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 I'd probably play Forrest instead of Russell, although I'd have wanted Fraser and McGregor supporting Naismith if Fraser hadn't dropped out. O'Donnell deserves to retain his place at right wing-back - played well against Albania and has done nothing to suggest that he should be dropped. I like the dynamism of McGinn and Armstrong, but I think McLeish might prefer to have a more natural anchor in there to provide some balance - McDonald being the only plausible option from those available, unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munro7 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Regardless of how he’s playing for Celtic at the time, Forrest has been utterly rank every single time he’s put on a Scotland shirt. Plus we don’t really play with wingers, the boy O’Donnell looks a better fit at wing back, McGregor, Armstrong, McGinn etc offer far more in midfield and both Russell & McBurnie look better options up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Kebab Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 With regards to Fraser, are the Scotland Team Doctors not supposed to assess any players pulling out of squads with regards to injury or do they just go on the players say so now??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabianKnight Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Russell coming on for Naismith in the second half, McGregor for who ever tires between Armstrong or McGinn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binos Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 50 minutes ago, ArabianKnight said: Russell coming on for Naismith in the second half, McGregor for who ever tires between Armstrong or McGinn Two target men away from home Unlikely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Steven Naismith is not a target man. Oli McBurnie is barely a target man either, come to think of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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