Czech Republic v Scotland

[Beth Paige-Black]

[craigkillie]

This "Cooper looked shite every time he played for us" patter has to stop. He has two caps, against Russia and Belgium. I'm sure he too would have looked decent against Kazakhstan.

[D Angelo Barksdale]

Perfect opportunity to get a settled side in time for the semi final.

[craigkillie]

4 minutes ago, tarapoa said:

 

 

......or we could get relegated and make qualification for Euro 2024 a bit easier as the Nations League only really matters when it’s timed around Euro rather than WC qualifying.

This is a great idea, apart from the fact that:

1) Winning our group here would give us an excellent chance of a World Cup play-off spot
2) Seeding for WC qualifying will incorporate the Nations League results, and finish bottom of our group would likely see us drop into a lower pot.
3) Getting promoted to League A would also almost guarantee us a play-off for the next Euros.
4) Seeding for the next Euro qualifiers will be based entirely on our Nations League ranking, and being in League C will mean we're Pot 4 at best for those.

Edited September 6, 2020 by craigkillie

[greenockraver]

7 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

This "Cooper looked shite every time he played for us" patter has to stop. He has two caps, against Russia and Belgium. I'm sure he too would have looked decent against Kazakhstan.

thats actually fair. i wasnt aware he had only 2 caps . memory failed me there I think im clouded by that russia performance

[Dunning1874]

Armstrong's obviously better further forward, but it's still better to have him sitting deep beside McTominay than not playing at all.

Pish as he was the other night there's an argument that it's worth having Forrest in the team for his defensive workrate when the right side of the defence is where we're weakest, and if you want to have him there then you'd have to drop McGinn or Christie to have Armstrong in a more attacking role. All three of them should be guaranteed starters and Armstrong is still better in a deep role than any of McGregor, Jack or Fleck.

This assumes Clarke was just putting a brave face on that performance on Friday, is fully aware it was really an unmitigated disaster and will be reverting to a back four.

Edited September 6, 2020 by Dunning1874

[Marshmallo]

16 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

This "Cooper looked shite every time he played for us" patter has to stop. He has two caps, against Russia and Belgium. I'm sure he too would have looked decent against Kazakhstan.

He has also improved immeasurably under Bielsa.

[craigkillie]

9 minutes ago, Dunning1874 said:

Armstrong's obviously better further forward, but it's still better to have him sitting deep beside McTominay than not playing at all.

Pish as he was the other night there's an argument that it's worth having Forrest in the team for his defensive workrate when the right side of the defence is where we're weakest, and if you want to have him there then you'd have to drop McGinn or Christie to have Armstrong in a more attacking role. All three of them should be guaranteed starters and Armstrong is still better in a deep role than any of McGregor, Jack or Fleck.

This assumes Clarke was just putting a brave face on that performance on Friday, is fully aware it was really an unmitigated disaster and will be reverting to a back four.

I think it's also fair to give him a bit of a pass given that he seemed a bit stuck between two stools the other night. He wasn't really able to freely get into attacking positions when he had to worry about the defensive side of things too.

[HuttonDressedAsLahm]

1 minute ago, craigkillie said:

I think it's also fair to give him a bit of a pass given that he seemed a bit stuck between two stools the other night. He wasn't really able to freely get into attacking positions when he had to worry about the defensive side of things too.

That’s a fair point. Palmer played CB at times for Sheff Wed last season. Surely he’s an ideal CB/RB in a 3-4-3? 
 

That would give Forrest more comfort in going forward. If McTominay was played on that side of midfield in the 4, he’d provide more cover. Not so much needed on the left where two world class left backs are more comfortable.

[Beth Paige-Black]

21 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

This "Cooper looked shite every time he played for us" patter has to stop. He has two caps, against Russia and Belgium. I'm sure he too would have looked decent against Kazakhstan.

It's also true.   I don't think anyone's writing him off, and I'd play him tomorrow.   Perhaps he was too eager to please in these games but his decision making was rash.   

7 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

He has also improved immeasurably under Bielsa.

Another excellent point from a top poster and Google tells me Bielsa is his club manager so the story checks out.   

[Beth Paige-Black]

4 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

I think it's also fair to give him a bit of a pass given that he seemed a bit stuck between two stools the other night. He wasn't really able to freely get into attacking positions when he had to worry about the defensive side of things too.

Their RB had him for pace.   I we had set up with a back 4 and Forrest playing AMR Clarke would have switched the wingers.    In a 352 that wasn't an option.  

[Marshmallo]

32 minutes ago, Henderson to deliver ..... said:

Perfect opportunity to get a settled side in time for the semi final.

This is the worst yet ffs

[Aufc]

There's the strongest team been picked 

This is my team except swap mcgregor for fleck

[Binos]

8 minutes ago, Aufc said:

 

This is my team except swap mcgregor for fleck

 

How anyone can put 'strongest team' and 'mcgregor' together is baffling

[Aufc]

How anyone can put 'strongest team' and 'mcgregor' together is baffling

Hence why i swapped him out. My team is as below

[Carnoustie Young Guvnor]

I think he might start Declan Gallagher in defence.  Good solid defender, likes defending, can't have too many defenders like that in your defence, especially when defence is a weak spot, its good to strengthen your defence with defenders who like defending. It is the job of a defender after all.

[Guest Jedi]

Reckon that, to win this group we would need to be undefeated....14 points probably required, which realistically means beating the Czechs both away and at home. The Czechs, with a full squad after tomorrow will likely take full points from their other matches, which would put them on 12 ('if' we beat them twice-thats a big 'if'). For us to get to 13 or 14, would mean, 6pts v the Czechs, 4pts from Israel (so an away win), and another 3 or 4 from the Slovaks. A draw on Friday, as ever has made things more difficult.

However.....if we were to finish 2nd in the group, and the Czechs either win their 'normal' group, or finish runners-up, are we back in the hunt for a play-off spot/promotion?

Edited September 6, 2020 by Jedi

[Honest_Man#1]

19 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

This is the worst yet ffs

It’s a joke, I mean it’s got to be a joke, surely?...
 

52 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

This is a great idea, apart from the fact that:

1) Winning our group here would give us an excellent chance of a World Cup play-off spot
2) Seeding for WC qualifying will incorporate the Nations League results, and finish bottom of our group would likely see us drop into a lower pot.
3) Getting promoted to League A would also almost guarantee us a play-off for the next Euros.
4) Seeding for the next Euro qualifiers will be based entirely on our Nations League ranking, and being in League C will mean we're Pot 4 at best for those.

At the risk of sounding like a pathetic kiss arse, these sort of posts that you regularly make in this section of the forum, giving absolute telts to the morons who post here, are fucking glorious. 

[Binos]

30 minutes ago, HuttonDressedAsLahm said:

That’s a fair point. Palmer played CB at times for Sheff Wed last season. Surely he’s an ideal CB/RB in a 3-4-3? 
 

That would give Forrest more comfort in going forward. If McTominay was played on that side of midfield in the 4, he’d provide more cover. Not so much needed on the left where two world class left backs are more comfortable.

As long as Forrest's arse cheeks are comfy on the bench

[Spring Onion]

1 hour ago, G_Man1985 said:

Czech Republic have announced a new squad for their Nations League game against Scotland with only two capped players called up to the 24-man team, including a 36-year-old defender after a four year absence.

 

Close 

They probably still  have got more international goals in the team than we do. 

I'm still thinking 4-0 to us though.