vs Netherlands

[Gordopolis]

I’m impressed given the shambles we were not so long ago that we most importantly looked like a good football team who knew what they were doing, scored a couple of great goals, at which point you could tell the Dutch team were absolutely seething with rage to the point that Memphis was diving like f**k to save the draw.
I can remember build ups to tournaments in the 90s where we’d scrape a draw here or there and we were shite.
f**k it, we look good with half a dozen players missing - bring it on.
 

During the game, I kept thinking of the pre Euro 96 warm up Vs Colombia where we lost 1-0 and there was lots of back-slapping pish from pundits and staff as if that was okay.
We could have won tonight, but most importantly we took the game really seriously. The mentality of this squad is one thing that we can be proud of.

[Gordopolis]

I hardly recognise any of those Dutch players. A far cry from what they were in the 90s.
Maupay is a bottom end EPL player.

Maupay [emoji1]

[Gordopolis]

People love to slaughter Forrest at times.
He was absolutely fine tonight, no issues defensively - a couple of bad touches here and there but linked up well high up in the RWB role and offered something a bit different. 

Cracking player, but did you not see sluggishness and lack of sharpness in his play tonight? I thought it was really obvious especially in contrast with Turnbull and Tierney's incisive play.

[Left Back]

24 minutes ago, Theroadlesstravelled said:

I hardly recognise any of those Dutch players. A far cry from what they were in the 90s.

Maupay is a bottom end EPL player.

That’s why he plays for Brighton.  He’s also French so not really relevant to tonights game.

[SlipperyP]

Decent, not getting carried away however if we rest Robertson for the Luxemburg friendly and the Croatia group game (as we will be already qualified) it will be his 50th cap in the Final.

[accies1874]

Yet again, we were at our best when the opposition had the ball in their own third. Add McGinn and maybe McTominay to that and it should be even more effective. One thing that I don't think we've sorted out yet is what to do when defending deeper. There are too many long spells of being pegged back with no means of getting out, and I thought the midfield struggled when receiving the ball with the whole team sitting deep. Again, hopefully McGinn and McTominay help sort that.

McGregor was bad, absolutely, but I did feel bad for him having to do Armstrong and Turnbull's defensive jobs for them.

I thought that the team last night might have confirmed Hendry's starting spot for the Euros unless he dropped a stinker, so yeah he's gonna be starting at the Euros. Cooper did well too - not one but two backheel clearances! I still think Hanley will start all three games though.

Dykes missed having a 10 to lay the ball off to. The 3-5-2 and Christie's poor display didn't do him any favours.

[Monkey Tennis]

9 hours ago, lichtie23 said:

Gordon must to more IMO, or am I being too harsh? 

No, you're spot on.

It wasn't one of those you can accept the goalkeeper not even moving for at all.  

A competent one saves that without fuss.

[accies1874]

What annoyed me was that his previous one hit McGregor at the exact same place as the one that went in. I said just before he hit it that there was a big gap there and, lo and behold, that's exactly where it went. Gordon was definitely too far over as well.

[Tartan Dave]

Not getting the Hendry love. Naive and clumsy defensively. Gallagher looked solid again off bendh. He seems to really raise his game for Scotland. 

[TheScarf]

You could hear about 4 Scotland players shouting no when Depay sat on his arse for the free kick he scored from. Everyone in they stadium knew it was a dive apart from the ref. 

Still, a fairly encouraging performance.

[rainbowrising]

1 hour ago, accies1874 said:

Yet again, we were at our best when the opposition had the ball in their own third. Add McGinn and maybe McTominay to that and it should be even more effective. One thing that I don't think we've sorted out yet is what to do when defending deeper. There are too many long spells of being pegged back with no means of getting out, and I thought the midfield struggled when receiving the ball with the whole team sitting deep. Again, hopefully McGinn and McTominay help sort that.

McGregor was bad, absolutely, but I did feel bad for him having to do Armstrong and Turnbull's defensive jobs for them.

I thought that the team last night might have confirmed Hendry's starting spot for the Euros unless he dropped a stinker, so yeah he's gonna be starting at the Euros. Cooper did well too - not one but two backheel clearances! I still think Hanley will start all three games though.

Dykes missed having a 10 to lay the ball off to. The 3-5-2 and Christie's poor display didn't do him any favours.

Pretty much my thoughts, especially defensively - our defenders were getting pulled around the pitch by the Dutch prior to our opener.

As games go by, Dykes is looking more and more like a player out of his depth. More notable for cheap digs at opponents he should be booked for.

Overall, a decent work out before the Czechs (Luxembourg I assume will be a squad run-out game, no injuries please).

 

[No_Problemo]

8 hours ago, Gordopolis said:

Cracking player, but did you not see sluggishness and lack of sharpness in his play tonight? I thought it was really obvious especially in contrast with Turnbull and Tierney's incisive play.

I’m not saying he was at his absolute best, but ultimately for players like him it was about getting minutes. However, he did link up well when he got the ball in decent areas. Something that our other RWB’s aren’t particularly able to do. 

[8MileBU]

9 hours ago, Empty It said:

9 hours ago, Marshmallo said:

Wot

Just don't rate that England team in any way shape or form, Kane is the only player they class as good who is actually good. Full of jobbers like Maguire and Sterling

^^^ England thread for this pish. 

FWIW anyone who doesn’t rate Bellingham as a real talent currently should probably go start following rugby or a similarly awful sport.

1 hour ago, accies1874 said:

What annoyed me was that his previous one hit McGregor at the exact same place as the one that went in. I said just before he hit it that there was a big gap there and, lo and behold, that's exactly where it went. Gordon was definitely too far over as well.

Can’t remember who I seen talking about how goalkeepers tend to position themselves on the opposite side of goal from their wall for free kicks, but I remember agreeing that the goalkeeper staying central is a far better option as taking opposing sides just gives the free kick taker a big open gap to aim at. 

Edited June 3, 2021 by 8MileBU

[SANTAN]

10 hours ago, Empty It said:

That Holland team was arguably stronger than any team England can put out against us and they scraped a draw because we took off Robertson and Tierney and a very dodgy free kick decision. Gordon should've done better for the free kick but still a better option than Marshall and both are much better than McLaughlin.

Very positive game which has made me much more buzzing for the Euros.

Some of you are getting a tad carried away here. 

Someone laughing at Wales for losing 3-0 to France, what would the Scotland score be against France? 

[oneteaminglasgow]

14 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

Some of you are getting a tad carried away here. 

Someone laughing at Wales for losing 3-0 to France, what would the Scotland score be against France? 

We’ll need to wait for the final to find out, but probably 1-0 to Scotland as per usual. 

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

A decent run out last night. 

I'm pleased that it looks like we're going to pressure opponents in their half of the park, and not sit back 30 yards and allow them to dictate play 100% of the time. 

Nobody really had a bad game, although there's a concern that McGregor and Christie are both out of form.  Like many, I'm not convinced by Hendry, and I would imagine that either McKenna or Gallagher will start against the Czechs. 

Good to see Forrest back in action, although it would seem unlikely that he'll be a starter in 10 days. I  also thought Dykes put a decent shift in, and first half especially the Dutch looked uncomfortable against him. 

He'll start against the Czechs, to be replaced by Adams later on. 

[Empty It]

Shocked to find the most critical of Scotland last night are Rangers fans.

[TheScarf]

Thought Gallagher had the cigars out when he came on last night.  Put in a couple of great tackles.

[Marten]

10 hours ago, BucksburnDandy said:

It was a bloody good game for a friendly. Would agree totally with your assessment, Depay the real quality in your team.

Got to be content as a Scotland fan with that performance. Really good stuff for so long. Second goal was just chef's kiss.

Onwards to Sunday which will be a tough test again

Depay is a class act indeed, but we can't expect him to carry the team on his own.

Are some of the players who were out last night back on Sunday? In that case it's going to be interesting to watch. Obviously Scotland should beat Luxembourg, but they're nowhere near the minnows they once were so they should still provide a very decent test.

[AJF]

I don't think last night gave us many surprises in terms of individual players, however I do feel we played collectively a lot better than recent performances, in my opinion at least.

I think the game also confirmed a few things for me:

1. Hendry is fine. He seems to be getting mixed reviews but I don't think he looked out of place at all and I think most of our centre backs are much of a muchness with the exception of one, which brings me on to my next point...
2. Kieran Tierney is outstanding. He brings so much to the team in both attack and defence. If we can regularly get Robertson and our midfielders to drag the opposition a little wider, then Tierney bringing the ball out of defence is going to be a real asset for us.
3. Dykes is not a starter. He's a nuisance and he may not have had enough support last night, but I think we need to go with Adams in his place - he's just not doing enough for me. He also seems to be a very real risk of getting himself sent off. We will have varying degrees of officiating at the Euros and if you throw VAR into the mix, then I think he is a bit of a gamble.
4. Robertson is far too inconsistent for us. You see his quality last night with a world class ball in behind for Nisbet's goal, but he doesn't do it often enough.

Edited June 3, 2021 by AJF