Craig McCulloch Burley Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 The optimism thread got me thinking.. What is our depth actually like across the pitch, as center mid actually has a lot more options than I'd recognised in my own head to keeper, Right full back, left full back, centre back, winger, midfielder, attack midfielder and striker for Scotland manager plan to squad of current pool with bloody younger, over 25 and old players? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostZapper Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 I've got a listing of players that have been called up in past year, those on the fringes of a call up, and those who have impressed in the U21s. There will be some in the list that are still a bit away, and others that are prob done... but they are all there anyway.... GK McGregor Bain Gordon McLaughlin Archer Marshall Hamilton Clark McCrorie Fulton Def Robertson McKenna Souttar Mulgrew Teirney Bates Paterson Hanley Hendry Stevenson Douglas O'Donnell R. Martin Berra Lindsay Kingsley Wallace McCrorie Cooper Anya Tait Hanlon Wilson Porteous Taylor Smith Mid McGinn McGregor Christie Armstrong Forrest Fraser Fleck Shinnie McTominay Adam Cadden Cairney Cochrane D. Fletcher Gauld Jack MacDonald McArthur McGeough McLean Morrison Murphy Mackay-Stevens Ritchie Snodgrass Morgan M Johnstone Mallan Campbell Att McBurnie Fletcher Naismith Phillips Russell Cummings Griffiths Rhodes Martin Burke Watt Harper Hardie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostZapper Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 In terms of where we have depth and where we don't.... GK we have ample cover just now, but we desperately need a few of the young guys to kick on. We've been lucky to have 3 keepers of the quality of McGregor, Marshall, and Gordon - they'll all be retiring in the next few years, and need that gap filled. Archer is a bombsccare. McCrorie looks a player but whether he'll be given the opportunity at Rangers Left Back - fine! we've got 2 of the best left backs you could wish for, and Douglas and Taylor would be capable as stand in's Right Back - short. very short. Patterson hasn't played RB for a couple of seasons now, and Teirney maybe isn't the answer. ODonnell impressed last year, but we've not got a massive amount after that. Centre Half. With McKenna, Bates and Souttar all breaking into the team last year, we're fine here. We've got experienced guys like Mulgrew and Berra still kicking about, Lindsay and Cooper have been kicking about the fringes, and with guys like McCrorie, Hendry and Porteous all coming through, its not as worrying as it once looked. Surely no need outwith a major injury crisis to need to rely on Russell Martin or Grant Hanley any more Midfielders - Probably our position with most depth. McGregor was outstanding in the games v Albania and Israel, alongside Armstrong who is now thankfully getting game time! Plenty options after that - loads of names there. I'd have Fleck in. Has impressed massively past few seasons. On the attacking midfielders, Ryan Christie was fantastic in the Autumn, but you've got the option of playing a number of players off the striker depending on how attacking we are going, or stick in a 3rd central midfielder if we are playing stronger opposition. Wingers - Fraser and Forrest were outstanding and no change required here. Johnny Russell continues to turn up and can play wide or up top. A few options either side if needed, with guys like Lewis Morgan, Mikey Johnstone looks a player, GMS is still deserving, and Jamie Murphy probably would be in the squad had he not got injured. Oli Burke could play wide, as could Callum Patterson. You've got Matt "call off" Ritchie and Snodgrass as further options. Forwards. With Griffiths out, it does leave things a wee bit short. McBurnie scoring goals in the championship, Naismith and Phlllips both likely get back in the squad, Burke/Christie/Forrest have all played up top for Celtic... Cummings was on the fringes, then you've got guys like Rhodes and Martin who still aren't done yet. After that, Ryan Hardie could eventually break in, maybe the young lad Jack Harper. Theres also Lewis Hornby and Oli Shaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy2015 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 If we look back the last 15 years this is probably the most depth we have had. We also have a pretty young team which is good for the future. What’s missing is a top international player in an attacking position a bale hamsik modric dzeco type that can move us to the next level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Ferguson's Hat Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Our players are pish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameus Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Depth looks better than it has done in a while, but that's not really saying much. Way I see it, the big questions we're going to have over the next few years are Do we have a goalkeeper good enough to step in when McGregor/Gordon/Marshall go to the big six yard box in the sky (or retire, whatever)? Do we have a right-back who may not be as handsome, but has the potential to be better at football than Stephen O'Donnell? Do we have anyone coming through up front that will be more than "Fine, I guess we'll play Leigh Griffiths if we have to"*? But most importantly, can we rely on the players who are currently our best players to keep up their form or hopefully get better? We're certainly in a better position than in previous years. The pool we have now can easily be moulded into a group in the same vein as Northern Ireland - that is "We're by definition shite, but we'll still surpass expectations". * I have nothing against Griffiths, and would agree that, on-form, he is our best option. But he is pretty far from that level at the moment, and even when he is, it's not that big a gap. He's the best of a collection of very poor options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 1 minute ago, forameus said: Depth looks better than it has done in a while, but that's not really saying much. Way I see it, the big questions we're going to have over the next few years are Do we have a goalkeeper good enough to step in when McGregor/Gordon/Marshall go to the big six yard box in the sky (or retire, whatever)? Do we have a right-back who may not be as handsome, but has the potential to be better at football than Stephen O'Donnell? Do we have anyone coming through up front that will be more than "Fine, I guess we'll play Leigh Griffiths if we have to"*? But most importantly, can we rely on the players who are currently our best players to keep up their form or hopefully get better? We're certainly in a better position than in previous years. The pool we have now can easily be moulded into a group in the same vein as Northern Ireland - that is "We're by definition shite, but we'll still surpass expectations". * I have nothing against Griffiths, and would agree that, on-form, he is our best option. But he is pretty far from that level at the moment, and even when he is, it's not that big a gap. He's the best of a collection of very poor options. Bain looked really good against Valencia last night but I've not seen anything like enough of him to know if he can step up. Looking further ahead, our own (well Celtics) Ross Doohan will be a future national keeper if he keeps developing at his current rate as he's as good a keeper as I've ever seen at our level given his age. Sounding biased again but if Liam Smith makes the correct move in the summer (we've no chance of keeping him) and adds a better delivery to his game then he's another one who could make the RB position his own. I'd mention Shankland for up front but you'd really think I was at it !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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