PrestersKTID Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 1 hour ago, NickMcG said: But it's never really come together for Hendry at club level and I'm not sure it ever will. If Porteous keeps playing well for Watford, he might replace Hendry as first choice. Could well be, Hendry has been excellent for Scotland though. Could well be the next Hutton, not a lot of game time for club but turns up for country. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accies1874 Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 1 hour ago, NickMcG said: Have we played four at the back with Robertson instead of Tierney in recent times? I know in the last triple header, Tierney played against Ukraine and was subbed off against Ireland. I'd be curious to see how we'd get on as, much as Tierney has been a great player for us, he might not often be available if he moves clubs. Don't think Robertson's started at LB for Scotland since San Marino at home in 2019. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donathan Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 If everyone was available, IMO First XI Gordon Porteous-Hanley-Tierney Hickey-McTominay-McGregor-Robertson McGinn-Christie Adams Second XI Gunn Souttar-Hendry-McKenna Patterson-Jack-Gilmour-Doig Ferguson-Armstrong Dykes Third XI Kelly Hyam-Gallagher-Cooper Ralston-Campbell-McLean-Taylor Fraser-Brown Stewart Plenty of good squad options don't even make our second best XI 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 1 hour ago, NickMcG said: Have we played four at the back with Robertson instead of Tierney in recent times? I know in the last triple header, Tierney played against Ukraine and was subbed off against Ireland. I'd be curious to see how we'd get on as, much as Tierney has been a great player for us, he might not often be available if he moves clubs. Why would moving clubs make him less available to Scotland? I don't think there's much doubt we'll generally play a back five, certainly when both Robertson and Tierney are available as it's the only way to realistically get both in the side. It's clearly Clarke's favoured formation and he's played it usually even when one or other was unavailable. He has occasionally used a four when one isn't though, usually against lesser sides where he's started two strikers, but most notably against Ukraine away. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Donathan said: If everyone was available, IMO First XI Gordon Porteous-Hanley-Tierney Hickey-McTominay-McGregor-Robertson McGinn-Christie Adams Second XI Gunn Souttar-Hendry-McKenna Patterson-Jack-Gilmour-Doig Ferguson-Armstrong Dykes Third XI Kelly Hyam-Gallagher-Cooper Ralston-Campbell-McLean-Taylor Fraser-Brown Stewart Plenty of good squad options don't even make our second best XI I'd have Armstrong and Dykes over Christie and Adams personally. And Porteous / Hendry is an absolute coinflip. And Zander Clark over Liam Kelly for 3rd keeper. We've got incredible depth right now though, particularly at wing back but also actually at centre back now when it was our weakest position over the previous couple of decades (maybe other than striker). Remarkable that English Premiership regulars like Cooper and Fraser don't even make our second XI. Edited March 31, 2023 by Skyline Drifter 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elgin Macca Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 2 hours ago, NickMcG said: But it's never really come together for Hendry at club level and I'm not sure it ever will. If Porteous keeps playing well for Watford, he might replace Hendry as first choice. Everyone has their own opinions but i just don't get the hype about Jack Hendry and him being a starter for us. I always think he looks a bit lightweight and not very consistent ( and it looks like the majority of his club managers feel the same). He did play well the last games he was involved but out of all our squad if people were dropping out through injuries he would be one of the ones I wouldn't be that worried about replacing. I think its Porteous' position to lose now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeMan Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 (edited) I would put Gunn as first choice now even when Gordon comes back. The latter is an absolute legend but at his age, even before the injury, his powers must be on the wane. I don't see the point of dragging out the change over now we have someone that appears to be a decent successor. Edited March 31, 2023 by TeeMan 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accies1874 Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 51 minutes ago, NickMcG said: So given he does it for Liverpool if we don't have Tierney, we'd probably go to four at the back and the NL showed we could still play well with that. I always felt that we were pretty toothless with 5 at the back when Tierney wasn't playing. It'll be interesting to see what happens the next time one of them is unavailable. Did we go with a four because we didn't have Tierney + Robertson, or was it because we were so bad against the same opposition in June? 36 minutes ago, Elgin Macca said: Everyone has their own opinions but i just don't get the hype about Jack Hendry and him being a starter for us. I always think he looks a bit lightweight and not very consistent ( and it looks like the majority of his club managers feel the same). He did play well the last games he was involved but out of all our squad if people were dropping out through injuries he would be one of the ones I wouldn't be that worried about replacing. I think its Porteous' position to lose now. 26 minutes ago, NickMcG said: He's definitely inconsistent. He went from being a stand-out perfomer in the last triple header to making careless mistakes when he played in Italy. I think he has the physical and technical attributes but his game his lacking. Bizarre player. Even ignoring his club form, he goes from stinkers to being imperious from international break to international break. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince sinclair Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 49 minutes ago, accies1874 said: It'll be interesting to see what happens the next time one of them is unavailable. Did we go with a four because we didn't have Tierney + Robertson, or was it because we were so bad against the same opposition in June? Bizarre player. Even ignoring his club form, he goes from stinkers to being imperious from international break to international break. If one becomes unavailable, then Patterson in on right and Hickey over to left? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeMan Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 (edited) 54 minutes ago, accies1874 said: It'll be interesting to see what happens the next time one of them is unavailable. Did we go with a four because we didn't have Tierney + Robertson, or was it because we were so bad against the same opposition in June? Did we not have a bit of an injury crisis where as well as losing them we had no other fit centre-halfs? Looking at the squad that day we had Gallagher and Kingsly on the bench both of whom I think were late replacements. If Robertson is missing I can easily see Hickey or Taylor slotting in but if Tierney is out then going to a four becomes a lot more attractive. Edited March 31, 2023 by TeeMan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accies1874 Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 18 minutes ago, vince sinclair said: If one becomes unavailable, then Patterson in on right and Hickey over to left? I honestly don't know. Can't ignore Clarke's trust of Taylor too. 15 minutes ago, TeeMan said: Did we not have a bit of an injury crisis where as well as losing them we had no other fit centre-halfs? Looking at the squad that day we had Gallagher and Kingsly on the bench both of whom I think were late replacements. If Robertson is missing I can easily see Hickey or Taylor slotting in but if Tierney is out then going to a four becomes a lot more attractive. Away to Ukraine we had an injury crisis, yeah, but we had enough to go with 3 CBs in the previous two if Clarke wanted to. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 2 hours ago, TeeMan said: even before the injury, his powers must be on the wane. ^^^ Clearly had seen nothing of Craig Gordon in the year before his injury! He's 40 and he's had a horrific injury. There must be serious doubt about his ability to come back at that same level. But the idea that Gordon was in any way "on the wane" before the injury is nonsense. I saw no evidence of it. He was having an excellent season for Hearts and had been his imperious best in the most recent internationals. He's still the best keeper in the SPFL. Angus Gunn has had a good season with Norwich and had a faultless 1st two caps but we're a bit early for acclaiming him as the new Messiah. He's 27 and has never been any club's established number 1 keeper (not sure he's even definitely established as Norwich's no 1 now though he does seem to have won the nod over Krul currently). Let's be honest though, we could probably have played me in goal these last two games and still go two clean sheets. He wasn't exactly over-exerted. Gordon may never return to the level he was at but unless he decides for himself that he's not returning to international duty then he's still our no 1 till I see evidence otherwise. Gunn might need to wait a year or so to be the actual number 1. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Gordon was excellent in the September internationals, but he had been slightly dropping in terms of form for Hearts before his injury, there were beginning to be a few murmurings about whether he should be getting a wee break to give Clark some time. I'd still have him as Scotland number 1 right now, but clearly he can't go on forever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewanandmoreagain Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, Donathan said: If everyone was available, IMO First XI Gordon Porteous-Hanley-Tierney Hickey-McTominay-McGregor-Robertson McGinn-Christie Adams Second XI Gunn Souttar-Hendry-McKenna Patterson-Jack-Gilmour-Doig Ferguson-Armstrong Dykes Third XI Kelly Hyam-Gallagher-Cooper Ralston-Campbell-McLean-Taylor Fraser-Brown Stewart Plenty of good squad options don't even make our second best XI Is Campbell the Luton player ? How is he getting on ? Shankland was a sub. v. Spain. Nisbet should be fit again ( fingers crossed ) Edited March 31, 2023 by Ewanandmoreagain 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 In terms of our discussion about the depth of the squad and the rotation, I thought it was interesting to note that we have had 25 different starters in our last 10 competitive matches (going back to Denmark). We've also used another 7 players as subs. 2 goalkeepers - Gordon, Gunn 8 centre backs - Cooper, Hanley, Hendry, McKenna, McTominay, Porteous, Souttar, Tierney 3 left (wing) backs - Robertson, Taylor, Tierney 4 right (wing) backs - O'Donnell, Hickey, Patterson, Ralston 5 central midfielders - Gilmour, Jack, McGinn, McGregor, McLean, McTominay 4 attacking midfielders - Armstrong, Christie, Fraser, McGinn 2 strikers - Adams, Dykes Subs: Brown, Campbell, Ferguson, Kingsley, Shankland, Stewart, Turnbull 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2426255 Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 (edited) Just to add to what @craigkillie has written: 44 players have been called into the squad in the same period if my calculations are correct. *Includes friendy International camps Edited April 4, 2023 by 2426255 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordopolis Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 16 hours ago, craigkillie said: In terms of our discussion about the depth of the squad and the rotation, I thought it was interesting to note that we have had 25 different starters in our last 10 competitive matches (going back to Denmark). We've also used another 7 players as subs. 2 goalkeepers - Gordon, Gunn 8 centre backs - Cooper, Hanley, Hendry, McKenna, McTominay, Porteous, Souttar, Tierney 3 left (wing) backs - Robertson, Taylor, Tierney 4 right (wing) backs - O'Donnell, Hickey, Patterson, Ralston 5 central midfielders - Gilmour, Jack, McGinn, McGregor, McLean, McTominay 4 attacking midfielders - Armstrong, Christie, Fraser, McGinn 2 strikers - Adams, Dykes Subs: Brown, Campbell, Ferguson, Kingsley, Shankland, Stewart, Turnbull I realise that you used italics to indicate a secondary mention of Tierney, McTominay and McGinn, but I couldn't help but imagine you reading out those names in a passionate, breathless, lovesick whisper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewanandmoreagain Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 6 hours ago, Gordopolis said: I realise that you used italics to indicate a secondary mention of Tierney, McTominay and McGinn, but I couldn't help but imagine you reading out those names in a passionate, breathless, lovesick whisper. Quite right too 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binos Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 23 hours ago, 2426255 said: Just to add to what @craigkillie has written: 44 players have been called into the squad in the same period if my calculations are correct. *Includes friendy International camps I know we don't have a striker but that squad/player pool should be qualifying 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2426255 Posted April 6, 2023 Share Posted April 6, 2023 13 hours ago, Binos said: I know we don't have a striker but that squad/player pool should be qualifying I think it's understandable that fans are expecting qualification. The manager has said that's the target, we have today moved up to 36th in the World rankings and 19th in UEFA. If you look at the Euro 2020 squad it's clear that the players available has improved considerably even in that short space of time. That said, Spain can reasonably expect to be qualifying as can Norway so with only 2 spots someone isn't going to meet expectations. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.