WORLD CUP PLAY-OFFS: the Scottish balls-up scenario. It couldn't happen, could it?!

[John Lambies Doos]

Think we need to have Wales or Sweden in our section of 4

[microdave]

I'd prefer to avoid Poland but any of the rest will do. Then North Macedonia can knock out Sweden before coming to Hampden thinking they've done the hard bit and getting their arses handed to them. That's the dream anyway.

[Insert Amusing Pseudonym]

1 minute ago, John Lambies Doos said:

Think we need to have Wales or Sweden in our section of 4

I'd take Russia tbh, certainly at home

[QwaarJet]

Wales, North Macedonia and Austria in our group please.

[Bully Wee Villa]

1 minute ago, John Lambies Doos said:

Think we need to have Wales or Sweden in our section of 4

Are Russia that great (no Peter/Catherine pun)? They did well when they hosted the World Cup but they had an ageing team then. Wouldn't mind them at Hampden, though I doubt the local police would be pleased.

[bleedingums]

Revenge against the Czechs then revenge against the Russians. Nae tother a baw…..

[Donathan]

Would prefer not to play Poland or Czech Republic at home in the SF but if need be, then so be it.

 

Main thing for me is just avoiding Portugal and Italy. Someone get on the phone to Sturgeon to start a war with them ASAP so we avoid them for geopolitical reasons. 

[invergowrie arab]

If I had the choice of a chance of a home final or pick your opposition I would pick Hampden. Don't see anyone wanting to come there.

I know the Euros was shite but there was only 50 folk in. 

[Skyline Drifter]

5 minutes ago, Pie Of The Month said:

Seeded
Portugal
Scotland
Italy
Russia
Sweden
Wales

Unseeded
Poland
Turkey
North Macedonia
Ukraine
Czech Republic
Austria

Not massively worried about any of those unseeded sides at Hampden. We should be narrow favourites against all of them. Reluctant as I am to pick preferences for fear it comes back to haunt, I'd probably rather miss Poland, but not that bothered about it.

I think it's 'unlikely' we'd come through a final away from home against any of the other top seeds with the potential exception of Wales. I think the Welsh ARE the weakest of the other seeds so hopefully we're in their 3rd of the draw. I wouldn't be massively upset to be in the same section as either Sweden or Russia either but I don't see us winning away to either.

Portugal are an odd one. With Ronaldo's skills on the wane they aren't what they once were but they do have other very good players playing in top leagues now. They should be better than they are. I don't want to draw them but the Republic should have won in Lisbon and got a point off them in Dublin. Serbia just won in Lisbon. Ronaldo will be another 4 months older before we'd play them. It's not insurmountable.

We don't want Italy. Period.

[betting competition]

Russia and Ukraine can't be drawn together

[MarkoDevilovich]

Just now, QwaarJet said:

Wales, North Macedonia and Austria in our group please.

Think if we can avoid Italy we've a great chance. No one wants to be playing us right now.

They can all sense the true Kings of World football are back

[craigkillie]

Not all the seeded sides will win, so if we get "lucky" we might not have to play one of them at all.

[Donathan]

If my calculations are right, all 12 of the sides in the playoffs were in the euros and of the 10 automatic qualifiers, only Serbia weren’t (and as we know, they got very close to making it)

 

The only three teams that were in the euros but are not in WC contention now are Slovakia, Hungary and Finland.

 

Very little change among the top 25 sides in Europe atm, and glad that we seem to be one of them. 

[BillyAnchor]

Beating Wales on a disputed handball penalty would be fun

[Elixir]

1 minute ago, betting competition said:

Russia and Ukraine can't be drawn together

Such a total nonsense. Get them playing in a neutral country behind closed doors if need be.

[Mustafa_sheet]

52 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

I really don’t want to have to play the Welsh at all. Been a bit of a bogey team for us in recent years. They also either seem to play really well and win comfortably or play really badly but still manage to grind out a result. 

My first ever Scotland game at Hampden was a 1-0 defeat to Wales in 1985.

I also saw us play Wales in a 1-0 defeat at Rugby Park in 1997 and the 2-1 defeat in Cardiff 2012!!!

Being drawn to play Wales in the semi final play off would definitely have given me the fear!!

[Donathan]

3 minutes ago, betting competition said:

Russia and Ukraine can't be drawn together

Can we talk about how much of a bullshit rule this is btw?

 

When a national association enters their team into an international competition, it should be on the understanding that they might well be drawn against any of the other entrants. If they’re too snowflake to play against their enemy countries then boot them both out. 

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

My first ever Scotland game at Hampden was a 1-0 defeat to Wales in 1985.
I also saw us play Wales in a 1-0 defeat at Rugby Park in 1997 and the 2-1 defeat in Cardiff 2012!!!
Being drawn to play Wales in the semi final play off would definitely have given me the fear!!

Stay at home please that night.

[Insert Amusing Pseudonym]

1 minute ago, Donathan said:

Can we talk about how much of a bullshit rule this is btw?

 

When a national association enters their team into an international competition, it should be on the understanding that they might well be drawn against any of the other entrants. If they’re too snowflake to play against their enemy countries then boot them both out. 

Will take the winners of that tie in the final

[bleedingums]

To be honest, if we avoid Portugal and Italy, I think we’ve got a decent chance. The game last night needs to be the new standard. Play to that level in the semi and then hopefully the final and I’d fancy us against all of those teams except those two as they just know how to win when they really need to.