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Scotland v Czech


GW34

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Some of the reaction has been a bit OTT as disappointing as that was. It was a relatively even game between two fairly even teams (who we've beaten the past three games) and we had more than enough chances to score at least two goals. We've certainly played worse and created less than that in recent games and got a result.

Clarke fucked up the initial selection and was too slow to change things - certainly it was bizarre sticking with the back 5 into the second half - I think we saw what a miss Tierney is to that team, especially when we have no options on the right.

Although I think its harsh to blame picking O'Donnell initially given O'Donnell is defensively better than Patterson, Clarke should have changed much earlier given how easy it was for the Czechs to block off our attacks down that side. Bringing on McGregor instead of Turnbull or Gilmour was fairly bewildering too.

The second goal was a combination of shit decisions and errors though can't just be blamed on the one person. Firstly, it doesn't happen if Hendry picked the only option that was on and passed out wide or at least recognised there was no cover and a striker behind him. Marshall is too far forward or too slow to react (would be interested to see where he is when Hendry takes the shot though). And Hanley (who I was pleasantly surprised by despite his contributions to both goals) should have recognised sooner that Hendry was stepping out and covered across. 

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The third placed teams who qualified in 2016. It's still not impossible that we'll qualify despite some of the more dramatic posts though we'd realistically need at least four points given I can't see us winning both games or beating either team by two goals. However, it's far from a given England and Croatia will beat the Czechs given the Czechs beat England in WC qualifying recently and Croatia are far from the team they were in 2018.

We need to take chances though if we have any chance - we can beat Croatia, but we need to still have a chance to qualify come Saturday morning and that's realistically going to be by drawing on Friday. As bad as Dykes was in front of goal, I thought we created less once he'd been subbed off though I just can't see us playing two up top away to England.

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Some of the reaction has been a bit OTT as disappointing as that was. It was a relatively even game between two fairly even teams (who we've beaten the past three games) and we had more than enough chances to score at least two goals. We've certainly played worse and created less than that in recent games and got a result.
Clarke fucked up the initial selection and was too slow to change things - certainly it was bizarre sticking with the back 5 into the second half - I think we saw what a miss Tierney is to that team, especially when we have no options on the right.
Although I think its harsh to blame picking O'Donnell initially given O'Donnell is defensively better than Patterson, Clarke should have changed much earlier given how easy it was for the Czechs to block off our attacks down that side. Bringing on McGregor instead of Turnbull or Gilmour was fairly bewildering too.
The second goal was a combination of shit decisions and errors though can't just be blamed on the one person. Firstly, it doesn't happen if Hendry picked the only option that was on and passed out wide or at least recognised there was no cover and a striker behind him. Marshall is too far forward or too slow to react (would be interested to see where he is when Hendry takes the shot though). And Hanley (who I was pleasantly surprised by despite his contributions to both goals) should have recognised sooner that Hendry was stepping out and covered across. 
image.png.072dbc711d329ca231adba6907b6c2ad.png
The third placed teams who qualified in 2016. It's still not impossible that we'll qualify despite some of the more dramatic posts though we'd realistically need at least four points given I can't see us winning both games or beating either team by two goals. However, it's far from a given England and Croatia will beat the Czechs given the Czechs beat England in WC qualifying recently and Croatia are far from the team they were in 2018.
We need to take chances though if we have any chance - we can beat Croatia, but we need to still have a chance to qualify come Saturday morning and that's realistically going to be by drawing on Friday. As bad as Dykes was in front of goal, I thought we created less once he'd been subbed off though I just can't see us playing two up top away to England.
If we get a draw on Friday and beat the Croats if results go our way we can qualify in second place. A big ask though
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3 minutes ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

Why would you go to a tournament/party  and employ a 'damage limitation' tactic? Kind of defeats the purpose of making the effort.

Well, i am with you on that.   The point I was sorta making, is: We are not gonna win this thing, so lets have some fun.

A bold 4-4-2 was required this afternoon.

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32 minutes ago, harry94 said:

The stuff we've been hearing about this being a real golden generation etc is just far from the truth IMO. The 2008 qualifying campaign squad were far stronger and more balanced than this team and would have given anyone in the world a game.

I can remember as far back as Italia 90, and I reckon any of our teams from them until France 98 would have battered the the team we had out today.

There is plenty of potential in this team, but at the moment we're fairly average at best.

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Guest Bob Mahelp

No way in a million years we'll qualify with only 3 points. Our only realistic chance of getting through is by taking at least 4 points from England and Croatia. 

It would be utterly humiliating, that in a tournament where it's difficult not to qualify for the next round, we would be effectively eliminated after only 2 games. 

I trust that Clarke is aware of this fact. 

 

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12 minutes ago, AngusTheBull said:

 

image.png.072dbc711d329ca231adba6907b6c2ad.png

This table sums up the problem. Northern Ireland qualified because they beat Ukraine by 2 goals and kept their losses to Poland and Germany to single goal defeats. We are already -2 after today’s game. So if we only get three points then we’ll have lost another game so we’d be looking to make up at least -3 to get to where Northern Ireland were and that assuming we’d only lost by one goal in our other defeat. There is no way we are beating anyone 3-0. So we most likely need 4 points, meaning we can’t lose to England on Friday. 

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30 minutes ago, HeartsOfficialMoaner said:

Levein just picked the best players for the next game. The best team we have.

which included S. O'D !

Just remember , when Tavernier (?) is back fully fit Nathan will struggle to get a game !

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34 minutes ago, Thorongil said:

Can’t believe anyone genuinely has the view that Marshall was not at fault for the second goal.

His only defence (no pun intended) is that Clarke told him to position himself so high, to allow the centre-backs to occasionally get forward.

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1 minute ago, Gordopolis said:

WTF is the score with Tierney?
With him in the side today, the humiliating 2nd goal doesn't happen and I'd wager wed score at least one.
Really hoping we're not without him for the England game.

Agreed, but it’s not sounding good.

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We qualified for the finals. We have two game to play.We were competitive today. Not everyone had their best game but every one of them worked their backsides off. This Scottish cringe pish on here is utterly pathetic. 

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I thought we played quite well today (for us). Not the best performance from the past few years, but nothing close to the worst either. Unfortunately, we made more individual errors than (probably) any other team at the tournament so far, and we must surely be the most toothless side in attack, to the surprise of nobody.

Depressing as f**k that we've just lost 2-0 at home to another of the worst sides to qualify, but there's a reason we had to squeeze through the Nations League. Hopefully Clarke and this group of players will improve over the coming years and can be more competitive at a future tournament.

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I hope to f**k Clarke is just engaging in some minds games about Tierney’s availability for the England game.

Shocked more isn’t being made of Tierney playing both friendly games in full. The boy’s made of glass and just back from an injury. Absolute madness.

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'Nick a goal'
'Sit in'
'Grab something'
'Keep it tight'
 
How often do we hear shite like this from folk involved in Scottish football. So negative. It permeates throughout our game and coaches. It's almost like negativity is taught here.


Absolutely this. It’s our mentality that holds us back more than anything else.
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