Scotland squad face March 2021

[Rob1885]

The night wee Jimmy Forrest tore them to bits they were absolutely turgid and we still nearly fucked it.

[Marshmallo]

Wales have gone with a 31 man squad. With a squad of that size I think it would be great to see us give a couple of young lads like Gilmour, Hornby, Harper or Bain a chance.

[Stellaboz]

At no point in the last 20 or so games against them in the past 2-3 years have they looked any better than us. We should be getting in their faces and playing high press. They have a couple of decent players but so have we. 

[Aufc]

"bUt ThEy'Re 81sT iN tHe WoRlD"
 
Anyone still writing this Israel team off is a complete fucking dunce. Imagine STILL putting that much credence on the FIFA rankings after watching this lot cause us all manner of problems in 5 separate matches. They are not " fucking garbage" in the slightest. They're far better than us in the attacking department, and have 4 or 5 players who, individually, would make our strongest XI without breaking sweat. Their front 3/4 is a massive, massive threat.

They have two good players. We should beat them but equally they will say the same about us. Id rather our squad than theirs

[Scumjob]

Austria B.

Israel.

Faroe Islands.

A very realistic potential 9 points on paper therefore the normal Scotland would draw the first game in a shameful soul sapping display. Get humped absolutely senseless by Israel before salvaging a last minute winner for an undeserved win over the Faroes.

Stevie Clark's boys on the other hand, there is nae stopping them.

[craigkillie]

This is a massive opportunity - if we don't take at least 10 points from these games then we're going to regret it later in the campaign.

[ewan14]

8 hours ago, G51 said:

Let's be honest here: this forum has far too much pessimism in it. Full of opinions like "Oh, we'll never get through the Nations League playoffs with titans like Israel and Serbia in it!" "Oh, the Faroes and Moldova, those are tough fifth and sixth seeds to get!"

What this forum needs is a substantial injection of hubris. We're playing Austria 'B', the Faroes and Israel this month. That's nine points almost guaranteed. We could even afford to call up absolute haddies like Andy Considine and expect to win those games.

As we have found to our cost the occupiers of Palestine cannot be underestimated

 

[G51]

2 hours ago, craigkillie said:

This is a massive opportunity - if we don't take at least 10 points from these games then we're going to regret it later in the campaign.

That’s the spirit, although even if we somehow failed to secure all 12 points, I doubt it would impact the rest of the campaign. We’ll still qualify with games to spare.

[HalfCutNinja]

Apparently Gauld won't be in the squad.  Seems a strange decision to me.

[DAFC.]

Apparently Gauld won't be in the squad.  Seems a strange decision to me.

Will be to do with travel restrictions.

[HalfCutNinja]

Just now, DAFC. said:

 

Will be to do with travel restrictions.

 

No actually, apparently he is free to travel from Portugal under elite sports people rule.

It seems its for footballing reasons, which imo is bizarre. Or maybe something else.

You never know what's going on, maybe Clarke has heard he's an absolute fanny, maybe they fell out on the phone who knows. For all we know Gauld runs about Faro flinging it about and Clarke heard about it.

[DAFC.]

"bUt ThEy'Re 81sT iN tHe WoRlD"
 
Anyone still writing this Israel team off is a complete fucking dunce. Imagine STILL putting that much credence on the FIFA rankings after watching this lot cause us all manner of problems in 5 separate matches. They are not " fucking garbage" in the slightest. They're far better than us in the attacking department, and have 4 or 5 players who, individually, would make our strongest XI without breaking sweat. Their front 3/4 is a massive, massive threat.

Who are the 4 or 5 players? Solomon and Zahavi would walk in to our team, which doesn’t say much as our striking options are fucking woeful. Apart from that, they don’t have any stand-out players. There is a reason they are in pot 4 and traditionally have been there or thereabouts: they are not very good at football.

Typical Scottish fans; giving the trash opposition far too much respect and not seeing the strength in our own squad. We should be beating them, comfortably. End of.

[craigkillie]

8 minutes ago, HalfCutNinja said:

No actually, apparently he is free to travel from Portugal under elite sports people rule.

It seems its for footballing reasons, which imo is bizarre. Or maybe something else.

You never know what's going on, maybe Clarke has heard he's an absolute fanny, maybe they fell out on the phone who knows. For all we know Gauld runs about Faro flinging it about and Clarke heard about it.

Portugal is still on the acute risk list on the Scottish Government website - this was the reason the women's team had to move their game against Portugal to a neutral venue in Cyprus.

[HalfCutNinja]

4 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

Portugal is still on the acute risk list on the Scottish Government website - this was the reason the women's team had to move their game against Portugal to a neutral venue in Cyprus.

I know, but it was confirmed a couple of weeks ago he is free to travel here if selected. 

I get most of this from a guy called Byron Hutchison on Twitter, he seems fairly ITK about these things.

I would imagine he knows Gauld personally, as he has posted tonight that Gauld won't be named in the squad tomorrow. How he could know that without having heard it from Gauld or someone close to him I don't know.

Hopefully he's wrong but I doubt it tbh.

 

Edited to add

 

Edited to add

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by HalfCutNinja

[Fratelli]

5 minutes ago, DAFC. said:

 

Who are the 4 or 5 players? Solomon and Zahavi would walk in to our team, which doesn’t say much as our striking options are fucking woeful. Apart from that, they don’t have any stand-out players. There is a reason they are in pot 4 and traditionally have been there or thereabouts: they are not very good at football.

Typical Scottish fans; giving the trash opposition far too much respect and not seeing the strength in our own squad. We should be beating them, comfortably. End of.

 

Have thought about this recently - opponents will now be looking at us and thinking about the fact that we have players who start for Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal, and also have one of Chelsea's most promising youngsters hovering about the squad, as well as other prominent Premier League players like McGinn and Armstrong. We're now one of those typical wee countries with a good few recognisable names, as well as a captain who is one of the best in the world in his position, plays at the very highest level and isn't far off being a household name amongst football fans. Felt like we were constantly coming up against sides like that in the 2000s. Know we had Fletcher at United but wasn't as prominent a name as Robertson is now.

Having said all that i'm still filled with the usual Scottish pessimism, and thought Mitrovic was going to run rings around us (despite basically just being a Championship level striker) and will likely still feel the same way whenever i look at opposing team sheets and see a name i am even remotely familiar with. 

[Craigieboy86]

A fresh campaign brings hopes of a bright new beginning for Scotland, with a return to a major tournament now just months away.

On Tuesday, head coach Steve Clarke will name his squad for the start of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, which will also act as the last chance for him to cast an eye over those on the periphery of his Euro 2020 plans.

So might there be any surprise choices, or omissions, in the party who will host Austria on 25 March, visit Israel three days later then entertain Faroe Islands on 31 March?

Central midfield

For a spell last year, Billy Gilmour looked poised to thrust himself into the senior set-up. However, a serious injury, a change of manager and the Chelsea 19-year-old is not presently occupying the regular first-team spot Clarke had suggested was necessary.

Ryan Gauld was the Gilmour of his time and the 25-year-old has shown signs he might live up to his early promise after helping Farense win promotion to the top flight. Seven goals in 23 games this season is not a bad return considering his side - a Portuguese version of Ross County - are now battling against relegation.

David Turnbull has emerged from his own injury woes to become perhaps the only Celtic player to enhance his reputation during a season of turmoil in Glasgow's east end and the 21-year-old will surely be in Clarke's sights.

However, it's sod's law that the one area where young Scots are making a mark is in central midfield, one from which Clarke could already field a team of top operators.

Left-back

Much has been made of Scotland having two world class left-backs, not to mention an over-abundance of centre-backs who kick with that foot.

Not even the fact that Andrew Robertson's Liverpool are in freefall and Kieran Tierney's Arsenal are also in a disappointing mid-table position will give anyone hope of displacing them, but Aaron Hickey would have had aspirations of challenging Celtic's Greg Taylor as third choice after his move to Serie A.

However, after impressing in his early appearances for Bologna, the 18-year-old has mostly found himself on the bench since the turn of the year and his only start in their last seven games ended with a red card.

Right centre-back

Scott McTominay has emerged as Clarke's man of choice on the right of central defence, but is there anyone available to step into the breach should the head coach be tempted to move the 24-year-old to his preferred holding midfield role - one he presently occupies with the side sitting second in the Premier League?

Grant Hanley appears to be the favoured candidate. The 29-year-old was recalled last time round only to pull out through injury and is currently a regular in a Norwich City side now 10 points clear at the top of the Championship.

However, Jack Hendry will surely have also caught the eye as the 25-year-old continues to resurrect his career on loan from Celtic by helping Oostende to fourth spot in the Belgian top flight.

Stephen Welsh has made that position his own in recent weeks with Celtic, but Clarke is likely to prefer to test the 21-year-old at under-21 level first.

Right-back

Stephen O'Donnell has performed admirably for Scotland considering he is stepping up from a Motherwell side in the bottom half of the Premiership, but are there any challengers to him and Liam Palmer, who is at relegation-troubled Sheffield Wednesday, on the right of defence?

Liam Smith recently stuck his hand up in the media, but Dundee United's form will not have helped his cause, while Shaun Rooney will probably have to build on his Scottish League Cup heroics with St Johnstone for a while longer to receive recognition.

Nathan Patterson also sprung to prominence with his Europa League goal against Royal Antwerp, but the 19-year-old was given a torrid time in the first half against Slavia Prague before steadying himself. He has promise, but is it too soon?

Striker

Lyndon Dykes was being looked upon as Scotland's saviour in attack after making an immediate impact following his decision to choose the dark blue ahead of the gold of his native Australia.

However, following a similarly instant impression after his transfer from Livingston to Queens Park Rangers, the 25-year-old has failed to score in 20 games since November and has been relegated to the bench in four of their past five games.

Fortunately for Dykes, and unfortunately for Clarke, the alternatives are not faring much better.

The two Olis, McBurnie and Burke, are in a fine mess with Sheffield United at the foot of the Premier League, neither is a regular starter and they have scored a grand total of two goals between them since the turn of the year (the latter with both in January).

Leigh Griffiths has found himself in a similar position with Celtic and, although Lawrence Shankland and Marc McNulty are at least starting regularly for Dundee United, they have looked shadows of their former selves.

 

Steven Naismith had been told he needed more football before earning a recall and the 34-year-old's lack of goals since December for a Hearts side in Scotland's second tier will not have done his chances much good.

Jordan Rhodes, remember him? At least he started and scored at the weekend, but his goal in struggling Sheffield Wednesday's 2-1 defeat by Norwich has probably come too late to earn the 31-year-old a recall.

Maybe it's time to make another approach to Southampton's England-born Che Adams? It will certainly be no surprise to see Ryan Fraser back starting for Newcastle United, being handed a more forward role this month, as might fellow winger James Forrest had his return from long-term injury with Celtic come sooner.

[RandomGuy.]

Being reported Che Adams has accepted a call up...

[the snudge]

Just now, RandomGuy. said:

Being reported Che Adams has accepted a call up...

If true that's massive for us. I've seen quite a few of Southamptons games and he's looked really good. 

[RandomGuy.]

1 minute ago, the snudge said:

If true that's massive for us. I've seen quite a few of Southamptons games and he's looked really good. 

Scott Burns reporting it, so it sounds concrete.

Massive upgrade on anything we have. Never know how he'll react to International football etc., but it's brilliant Clarke is able to talk him into it, and also shows the power of actually qualifying for things.

[HalfCutNinja]

5 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Being reported Che Adams has accepted a call up...

That would be brilliant, he could make a massive difference for us.