Austria v Scotland

[GordonS]

As far as I understand it, Austria will get a play-off place regardless of where they finish in out group so long as France, Belgium, Italy and Spain all finish in the top two in their groups, which looks nailed-on. This is because they won their Nations League group and were the second-best group winner in League B (behind Wales).

I know it's grasping at straws, but maybe that takes the edge off their need to win against us.

[jagfox]

They certainly let their guard down last night!

[Binos]

We basically need at least a draw Tuesday 

We need to get on front foot to do it

Watch Clarke set up unbelievably defensive and us just get pounded all night

[accies1874]

Gordon
Hanley Cooper Tierney
SOD Gilmour McGregor Robertson
McGinn
Dykes Adams

Maybe Hendry will play instead of Cooper and there'll no doubt be another surprising selection or two. Clarke will probably stick with the 3-2 as opposed to 2-1-2.

Imo this is the kind of game we appointed Clarke for and he needs a big performance after the last two.

[Insert Amusing Pseudonym]

We don't need to win, but it would certainly be preferable.   If we draw, even a win against Israel leaves us vulnerable to Israel finishing above us.  Plus any chance we have of qualifying from a play-off path is surely 100% dependent on a seeding and a kind draw, which means finishing in the top 6 runners up.  

I fully expect we'll go and play for a point though

[Binos]

14 minutes ago, accies1874 said:

Gordon
Hanley Cooper Tierney
SOD Gilmour McGregor Robertson
McGinn
Dykes Adams

Maybe Hendry will play instead of Cooper and there'll no doubt be another surprising selection or two. Clarke will probably stick with the 3-2 as opposed to 2-1-2.

Imo this is the kind of game we appointed Clarke for and he needs a big performance after the last two.

So leaving ourselves completely outnumbered in midfield 

[Salt n Vinegar]

To look for the most optimistic outcome, I'm expecting an awful game and hoping for a 1-0 Scotland win. 

What a depressingly familiar outlook. 

[G51]

Don’t think it’s must-win yet, but it’s definitely can’t-lose.

[No_Problemo]

Dykes has been absolutely woeful for us recently, and shouldn’t be playing. Fraser off of Adams didn’t work v Denmark, but if we actually keep the ball on the deck and play to their strengths it would work. We need to get right at them from the start, not sit in like we normally do. 
 

If he isn’t willing to play Patterson at RWB, then play Fraser there - completely fed up of having a lop sided attack that only offers threat down one side. Our wing backs need to provide us quality in the final third and SOD can’t do it. There’s absolutely no point in playing with wing backs otherwise. 

[2426255]

I think realistically a draw or a win is good as is Denmark beating Israel, I'm not sure what the best way to achieve that is, but we have a few things working in our favour:

• Israel beating Austria means that Denmark can't really afford to take their game at home to Israel lightly otherwise they might face a challenge for first place.
• Austria are missing several of their first team players: Baumgartlinger, Schlager, Sabitzer, Kalajdzic, Lainer.

Edited September 5, 2021 by 2426255

[Lex]

Funny group this, top spot is decided and the bottom two spots are decided. We therefore find ourselves in a three way tussle for the playoff.
Don’t think many people would have had pot four Israel two points and a handsome goal difference advantage clear in second spot at the half way point, but here we are.
They now look the most likely to get that playoff spot, so we need to hope that Denmark keep up their 100% record in the group against them on Wednesday.
Assuming they lose in Copenhagen we have a great chance of putting ourselves in the driving seat here, simply by beating a hapless Austria.
If we do beat Austria and Israel lose against the Danes, we would be three wins away from guaranteeing second spot.
All we’d have to do in that scenario is beat the Faroes, beat Moldova and beat Israel at home next month, job done. Easy, right?
We’d get humped in the playoffs of course, but at least we will have something to cling to.

[Lurkst]

25 minutes ago, G51 said:

Don’t think it’s must-win yet, but it’s definitely can’t-lose.

While I agree a loss would be disastrous it wouldn't eliminate us as long as the Danes keep cuffing everyone.

 

[Lex]

While I agree a loss would be disastrous it wouldn't eliminate us as long as the Danes keep cuffing everyone.
 

A loss just puts it out our hands. It’s clear us, Austria and Israel are all poor sides. One of us is going to finish second though.

[2426255]

21 minutes ago, Lex said:

Funny group this, top spot is decided

If Israel win in Denmark it won't be decided.

They now look the most likely to get that playoff spot

No they don't, because it's only the halfway point and they still have to go to Denmark, Scotland and Austria. It's too variable to say anyone is favourites yet.

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by 2426255

[Scary Bear]

This campaign is already looking a bit dodgy. Denmark are running away with it and second place is a scramble between us, Austria and Israel. Lose here and it gets a bit more ropey. That Israel result last night mixes things up a bit, but we need to win a few more games if we want to be in with a chance.

Clarke needs his team to put on a big performance soon to put the doubters back in their box. 

[ropy]

Get any 11 on the park, but this time tell them to keep their shots below the height of the bar, just a wee tip.

[2426255]

17 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

This campaign is already looking a bit dodgy. Denmark are running away with it and second place is a scramble between us, Austria and Israel. Lose here and it gets a bit more ropey. That Israel result last night mixes things up a bit, but we need to win a few more games if we want to be in with a chance.

Clarke needs his team to put on a big performance soon to put the doubters back in their box. 

We are in with a chance at the halfway stage. Instead of saying we need this and need that lets look at the potential cases and if qualification is still achievable, so Austria beat Scotland and Israel beat Denmark.

• Israel 13
• Austria 10
• Scotland 8

Now, while it would be possible for us to still qualify we'd really be relying on other results.

Austria and Scotland draw, Denmark and Israel draw

• Israel 11
• Scotland 9
• Austria 8

Now this would leave qualification in our hands with a home game to play against Israel.

Scotland beat Austria and Denmark beat Israel

• Scotland 11
• Israel 10
• Austria 7

The optimal set of results that puts Scotland in the strongest position.

So if we beat Austria we can draw against Israel or Denmark or one of the diddies, but if we draw in Vienna we have to beat Israel. Roughly how I read it.

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by 2426255

[Cardle is Magic]

If we’d have beaten Austria at Hampden or won in Israel, I think our campaign would be right on track. The performances have not been good but the results haven’t been terrible.

Next two games should decide it tbh. If we beat Austria and Israel then it will take a meltdown against Faroes or Moldova to deny us 2nd - although it wouldn’t be unlike Scotland to drop points against diddies.

Austria’s results in this qualifying campaign show they shouldn’t be feared and Clarke needs to set up a side that can win. No messing around thinking a point might be ok.

[Scary Bear]

13 minutes ago, 2426255 said:

We are in with a chance at the halfway stage. Instead of saying we need this and need that lets look at the potential cases and if qualification is still achievable, so Austria beat Scotland and Israel beat Denmark.

• Israel 13
• Austria 10
• Scotland 8

Now, while it would be possible for us to still qualify we'd really be relying on other results.

Austria and Scotland draw, Denmark and Israel draw

• Israel 11
• Scotland 9
• Austria 8

Now this would leave qualification in our hands with a home game to play against Israel.

Scotland beat Austria and Denmark beat Israel

• Scotland 11
• Israel 10
• Austria 7

The optimal set of results that puts Scotland in the strongest position.

So if we beat Austria we can draw against Israel or Denmark or one of the diddies, but if we draw in Vienna we have to beat Israel. Roughly how I read it.

 

We’re still In with a reasonable chance of finishing runners up. 

The must-win, must-not-lose, potential results chat has been doing the rounds on Pie & Bovril as long as I’ve been a member (2005) and the only constant has been Scotland failing to qualify. It would be good to make a decent fist of qualification again.

[2426255]

4 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

We’re still In with a reasonable chance of finishing runners up. 

The must-win, must-not-lose, potential results chat has been doing the rounds on Pie & Bovril as long as I’ve been a member (2005) and the only constant has been Scotland failing to qualify. It would be good to make a decent fist of qualification again.

Fair play, I agree - we have a good fighting chance of getting 2nd, I'd say that's good and I just can't understand where the media and certain fans are coming from that are saying we must beat Austria and that qualifying is a disaster and that Clarke has to go etc.  

Edited September 5, 2021 by 2426255