World Cup 23 qualifiers

[Tattie36]

The 8-0 score line is awful but just look at the stats for a full reflection of the game. Spain had 37 goal attempts (17 on target) that’s an effort every 2.5 minutes. I’m pretty sure they had even more than that, do they count blocked shots at the edge of the box for example? Having watched the entire game, the fact they didn’t score a lot more is almost unbelievable. I have never seen a more one sided game at any level, beyond some kids games. Heads should roll.

[Highlandmagar]

Oh dear! How embarrassing. 

[Bonksy+HisChristianParade]

2 hours ago, Thereisalight.. said:

We're defending really well here. It might be early but I can see us getting at least a point from this 

 Great prediction.

Do we not have the players to at least make us hard to beat? To lose 8 goals against anyone is shocking. A lot of the blame for this defeat surely has to lie at the manager’s door.

[Lurkst]

On 17/09/2021 at 19:59, Lurkst said:

Quite impressed with Pedro watching his interview here. Hopefully he knows how to do a number on Spain 

Well that was clearly a forlorn hope 

 

 

[roman_bairn]

What puts this into perspective for me is that Wales with 10 men are holding France to 1-0…..

Note that no one yet has pointed out the obvious error here [emoji23]

[Thereisalight..]

2 hours ago, Bonksy+HisChristianParade said:

 Great prediction.

Do we not have the players to at least make us hard to beat? To lose 8 goals against anyone is shocking. A lot of the blame for this defeat surely has to lie at the manager’s door.

It was all going so well for the first 18 mins...

The defence had a shocker tonight. Even steady heads like Corsie and Docherty were all at sea. We missed Beattie at the back. Midfield was non existent leading to the likes of Cuthbert and Evans getting no spark to be creative. A blessing really that it was "only" 8-0 Spain dominated and could easily have won 13-0. Not a single Spain player looked knackered at the end and I dont believe they were playing to their full pelt. We dodged a bullet and that's embarrassing to say after an 8-0 defeat 

[Lurkst]

The goal difference taking a scudding is also a hammer blow to getting one of the top seeded spots in the playoffs. Probably now need to pull of an extraordinary result v Spain at Hampden.

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Lurkst

[dirty dingus]

Turned it off at 3-0. The whole qualifying has been poor with late goals the previous 2 games papering over cracks. Outside Weir, Cuthbert, Beattie and to a lesser extent Emslie the rest of the team are haddies. What were the tactics? Defend on the 18 yrd line and hope for the best. The rate Scotland have went backward is frightening.

[KirkieRR]

Thing is, it's just a few years since we could give Spain (and other major sides) a game - and we're supposed to have improved?

 

I think the women's game is improving in a very few countries (the u,sual suspects) and shortly we'll find ourselves among those shut out as competitions are tightened up to prevent embarassing mismatches like those infuriating LIONESSES!!!! v Latvia (or whoever it was) and, er ours.

 

Bit worried that our manager may not know how to set up more limited players v the better teams. Second place still looks likely (though confidence must have taken a sore one) but even if we get that, and a favurable draw gets us into the finals, unless things improve radically it could just be to get more hidings like this one.

 

It would be reluctantly, since she threw in the towel just after playing for TEAMGEEBEE!!! in the Olympics, but we could do with persuading Kim Little out of retirement.

[SpoonTon]

9 hours ago, Thereisalight.. said:

It was all going so well for the first 18 mins...

The defence had a shocker tonight. Even steady heads like Corsie and Docherty were all at sea. We missed Beattie at the back. Midfield was non existent leading to the likes of Cuthbert and Evans getting no spark to be creative. A blessing really that it was "only" 8-0 Spain dominated and could easily have won 13-0. Not a single Spain player looked knackered at the end and I dont believe they were playing to their full pelt. We dodged a bullet and that's embarrassing to say after an 8-0 defeat 

This. The midfield was non existent against Ukraine and Hungary as well. And I mean that in a very literal way - we're playing without a recognisable midfield. There's a massive empty space in the middle of the pitch where the midfield should be. At times against Ukraine on Friday we had a line of 4 at the back and a straight line of 6 up the pitch. It's really weird and it isn't working. The players look like they don't really know what they're meant to be doing. It comes across as an experimental mess - and a huge part of that is down to a manager who seem doesn't know how to get the most out of the players we have.  

Edited December 1, 2021 by SpoonTon

[Bonksy+HisChristianParade]

I see your man GordonS is all over the Twitter comments stating ‘Scotland weren’t poor tonight’. Yes, this Spain side might well be very good but the game last night matches our heaviest ever defeat I believe? To put it in context the mens team have never been beaten by 8 goals in the entire 100+ year history of football. It’s a dreadful result.

[KirkieRR]

1 hour ago, SpoonTon said:

At times against Ukraine on Friday we had a line of 4 at the back and a straight line of 6 up the pitch

Even last night the commentator (the one speaking English) did remark that our setup looked a bit Craig Levein v Czech.

 

Yes, Spain are good, but we have to ask why things have changed so much since previous games against them.

[Thereisalight..]

2 hours ago, SpoonTon said:

This. The midfield was non existent against Ukraine and Hungary as well. And I mean that in a very literal way - we're playing without a recognisable midfield. There's a massive empty space in the middle of the pitch where the midfield should be. At times against Ukraine on Friday we had a line of 4 at the back and a straight line of 6 up the pitch. It's really weird and it isn't working. The players look like they don't really know what they're meant to be doing. It comes across as an experimental mess - and a huge part of that is down to a manager who seem doesn't know how to get the most out of the players we have.  

Pedro talks a good game and has a good CV but his problem is chopping and changing the starting eleven too much. It was almost a completely different defence from Fridays game to last nights. Robertson and Boyle are not up to standards required and I’d include Howard and a few others in that. 

2 hours ago, Bonksy+HisChristianParade said:

I see your man GordonS is all over the Twitter comments stating ‘Scotland weren’t poor tonight’. Yes, this Spain side might well be very good but the game last night matches our heaviest ever defeat I believe? To put it in context the mens team have never been beaten by 8 goals in the entire 100+ year history of football. It’s a dreadful result.

Scotland were piss poor last night, some of the defending was hilariously bad. That goal where the Spanish lassie glided past 3 or 4 Scottish players leaving a few on their arse was so bad. As was Sophie Howard dithering with the ball about 4 years from goal. Not even the most ardent Scotland fan could call that anything but poor 

[craigkillie]

I see your man GordonS is all over the Twitter comments stating ‘Scotland weren’t poor tonight’. Yes, this Spain side might well be very good but the game last night matches our heaviest ever defeat I believe? To put it in context the mens team have never been beaten by 8 goals in the entire 100+ year history of football. It’s a dreadful result.

If we want to start taking the women's team seriously, and I think we all do, then it's important to stop this patronising simping when they lose. Spain are a really good team, and if we'd lost by 3 or 4 you'd have just accepted the gulf in quality and moved on. But losing 8-0 given the level we've been at recently is an absolute embarrassment and at times it looked like the towel had been chucked in.

[roman_bairn]

If we want to start taking the women's team seriously, and I think we all do, then it's important to stop this patronising simping when they lose. Spain are a really good team, and if we'd lost by 3 or 4 you'd have just accepted the gulf in quality and moved on. But losing 8-0 given the level we've been at recently is an absolute embarrassment and at times it looked like the towel had been chucked in.

Agree. If anything, 8-0 flattered Scotland as the stats below reaffirm:

[Lurkst]

1 hour ago, roman_bairn said:

Agree. If anything, 8-0 flattered Scotland as the stats below reaffirm:

I hadn't actually seen the match stats, that is truly horrendous! 

 

[nate]

My knowledge of women’s football is limited to latter stage games in the big two international tourneys, so I’m no authority on it. However I thought that Spain display was among the best I’ve ever seen in the women’s game. Accurate passing, impressive physicality, great finishing, a really cohesive team effort.

Three questions for the more knowledgable punter…

1) how serious a contender are Spain to win the next Euros (which I’ll be watching)?

2) is there a touch of the Bertie Vogts about Pedro ( he’s a foreigner so he MUST be good)?

3) was this a glitch, or are Scotland regressing generally?

[Lurkst]

On 03/12/2021 at 17:45, nate said:

Three questions for the more knowledgable punter…

1) how serious a contender are Spain to win the next Euros (which I’ll be watching)?

2) is there a touch of the Bertie Vogts about Pedro ( he’s a foreigner so he MUST be good)?

3) was this a glitch, or are Scotland regressing generally?

1) Even with England playing at home, Spain must be favourites for the Euros and, IMO, they have a great chance of deposing the USA as world champions as well. Their skipper just won the Ballon d'Or, and half the team play for Barcelona who strolled to the Champions League. 

2) Pedro certainly doesn't have track record Berti did but I'd be prepared to give him some more time, he's not had long to acquaint himself with the squad nevermind make his mark on the style of play.

3) I don't think Scotland are regressing, more a case that women's football being further established in other countries has boosted to competition. Coupled with the players at the top end clubs starting to really benefit from increased investment. The difference in athleticism of Spain's players compared to ours was frightening. As others have said above, Scotland playing England right now could potentially be a similar level of mismatch. 

[nate]

19 hours ago, Lurkst said:

1) Even with England playing at home, Spain must be favourites for the Euros and, IMO, they have a great chance of deposing the USA as world champions as well. Their skipper just won the Ballon d'Or, and half the team play for Barcelona who strolled to the Champions League. 

2) Pedro certainly doesn't have track record Berti did but I'd be prepared to give him some more time, he's not had long to acquaint himself with the squad nevermind make his mark on the style of play.

3) I don't think Scotland are regressing, more a case that women's football being further established in other countries has boosted to competition. Coupled with the players at the top end clubs starting to really benefit from increased investment. The difference in athleticism of Spain's players compared to ours was frightening. As others have said above, Scotland playing England right now could potentially be a similar level of mismatch. 

Thanks for the insights. I’ll be keeping a keen eye on this over the next 6 months or so.

[Lurkst]

Future qualification competitions to move to a format similar to the Nations League to avoid seeing as many mismatches as at present...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/dec/03/uefa-confirms-womens-football-qualifying-to-change-after-mismatches