Scotland v Ukraine

[Albertlegend]

Was at the game last night and haven't watched the highlights so probably couldn't see the whole picture but it was just really really awful in every area except Gordon. But for Craig Gordon could have been 4-0 at half time. 

Its not the fact we lost, its that we lost so passively, we gave them so much time on the ball we made Zinchenko look like prime Pirlo. 

McGinn spent more time on his arse than he did with the ball, an absolute horror show from him although not the only one. 

Is it genuinely our tactic to go long to Dykes? Has that ever worked! 

It looked for long spells that Ukraine had an extra man all over the pitch. They were a good side, well coached and technically really good but we made it so easy for them. 

All the if we had to lose to anyone glad it was them stuff can get to f**k too

[lochgellyPAR]

The build up, the shite over the top friendliness with Ukraine fans in the stadium before the match, the ‘lion of the match’ vote at half time when we’ve not even put a finger on them. This is all before an absolutely gutless performance.

I lost count the amount of times their mediocre players were allowed to waltz right through the middle. To not start pressing them until way in to the second half was fuckin criminal, that goalie gave us about 3 opportunities for a goal once the press was on as well but it was too late

[LondonHMFC]

Still not over those fucking corners last night. Outswinging floated balls to the far post when it was quite clear their keeper was petrified of the ball.

[Donathan]

We seem to have a problem at Hampden in home games against “Tier 2” type sides. We waltz in thinking we have a divine right to beat the likes of the Czechs, Croatia and Ukraine, whereas the one time that a genuinely world class team came to Hampden in the Danes, we showed them the respect they deserve and ultimately had a well-earned 2-0 victory. 

[Binos]

10 minutes ago, Albertlegend said:

Was at the game last night and haven't watched the highlights so probably couldn't see the whole picture but it was just really really awful in every area except Gordon. But for Craig Gordon could have been 4-0 at half time. 

Its not the fact we lost, its that we lost so passively, we gave them so much time on the ball we made Zinchenko look like prime Pirlo. 

McGinn spent more time on his arse than he did with the ball, an absolute horror show from him although not the only one. 

Is it genuinely our tactic to go long to Dykes? Has that ever worked! 

It looked for long spells that Ukraine had an extra man all over the pitch. They were a good side, well coached and technically really good but we made it so easy for them. 

All the if we had to lose to anyone glad it was them stuff can get to f**k too

They're a bang average side

England humped them 

[Phillips455]

After last night's result, I think I have finally given up on the Scotland team. A chance to get to the world cup, against a weakened oppoment at home and nearly no one shows up for the game.

 

Players like Robertson and Hickey were just awful. People moaned about SOD but atleast he would have tried.

 

The trust in the scotland squad that has been built over the past few years has gone for me. And I don't see where it can be fixed.

Edited June 2, 2022 by Phillips455

[Andy groundhopper]

A pity that the Scots couldn't start the game,the way they ended. Go at them 100mph and get the first goal, but tbh the Ukraine had decent technical players,always causing a threat. Saying that, put a top quality spine in the team and it could look different, just can't carry players who don't perform on the day. Keep building with the youngsters who need the support.

[TheScarf]

11 minutes ago, LondonHMFC said:

Still not over those fucking corners last night. Outswinging floated balls to the far post when it was quite clear their keeper was petrified of the ball.

All for Grant Hanley to meekly head 10 yards wide.

[Self-raising Lazarus]

That's the most gutted I've been in a long time watching Scotland, probably Italy in 07 levels. Brilliant qualifying campaign and into a play-off for a good chance at the world cup, at home too.

Players looked so leggy and played as though THEY were the away team, and unsurprisingly when they woke up at 0-2 Ukraine looked bang average, until we retreat into our shell again. Playing 2 similar old-fashioned CB's doesn't work in the 3 defenders, we needed another ball playing defender to give more options, which seemed pretty clear from the stands. But to watch the midfield as passive as that after routing Denmark is beyond disappointing, as others have pointed out the similarities with Czech and Croatia game, we need to have a plan B for dealing with teams who circumvent our formation.

Had we pressed and ran our legs off from KO the crowd would have been hounding Ukraine out the stadium, and most likely we would be playing Wales.

[Donathan]

Just now, Self-raising Lazarus said:

That's the most gutted I've been in a long time watching Scotland, probably Italy in 07 levels. Brilliant qualifying campaign and into a play-off for a good chance at the world cup, at home too.

Players looked so leggy and played as though THEY were the away team, and unsurprisingly when they woke up at 0-2 Ukraine looked bang average, until we retreat into our shell again. Playing 2 similar old-fashioned CB's doesn't work in the 3 defenders, we needed another ball playing defender to give more options, which seemed pretty clear from the stands. But to watch the midfield as passive as that after routing Denmark is beyond disappointing, as others have pointed out the similarities with Czech and Croatia game, we need to have a plan B for dealing with teams who circumvent our formation.

Had we pressed and ran our legs off from KO the crowd would have been hounding Ukraine out the stadium, and most likely we would be playing Wales.

 

The leggy point is something that needs hammered home. A lot of us, myself include, had complacently believed that half the Ukrainian side not kicking a ball in a competitive game since December was a disadvantage from their perspective. In reality, our side were absolutely knackered at the end of a long season and they were fresh and raring to go. 

[Binos]

3 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

All for Grant Hanley to meekly head 10 yards wide.

He's an expert at mistimed jumps

[Aufc]

Might be completely wrong here but I felt we missed Ryan Jack last night

[Neilly]

1 minute ago, Phillips455 said:

After last night's result, I think I have finally given up on the Scotland team. A chance to get to the world cup, against a weakened oppoment at home and nearly no one shows up for the game.

 

Players like Robertson and Hickey were just awful. People moaned about SOD but atleast he would have tried.

 

The trust in the scotland squad that has been built over the past few years has gone for me. And I don't see where it can be fixed.

Aye the lads out there never tried right enough. What absolute toffee such a lazy view.

The usual mass hysteria will ensue and likely Robertson made a scapegoat but let's be honest apart from possibly McGregor not one outfield player turned up last night. It wasn't for lack of trying they were all just utterly honking technically and tactically.

Clarke will get a bit of the blame but he made a change at half time that anyone watching the game would call for - Christie or Armstrong for a striker to plug the midfield gaps by dropping in. Within a minute or so we are 2-0 down due to dog shit defending and the manager can't legislate for that. Two of our lads out muscled by one of theirs, basic stuff.

You can go on about X,Y and Z until the coos come hame but ultimately we were a mile off it and the best team by an absolute mile won the game. Their four players of real quality turned up and put on a clinic (Yarmo, Zinchenko, Malinovsky, Yeremchuk) and we just didn't have an answer. We go on about all our great midfield options but really none of what we have are on the level of Zinchenko or Malinovsky and that was brutally exposed last night.

[Glennie]

4 minutes ago, Donathan said:

The leggy point is something that needs hammered home. A lot of us, myself include, had complacently believed that half the Ukrainian side not kicking a ball in a competitive game since December was a disadvantage from their perspective. In reality, our side were absolutely knackered at the end of a long season and they were fresh and raring to go. 

look at the Wales Poland game i posted earlier

why were neither of them leggy and knackered after a long season?

[TheScarf]

7 minutes ago, Neilly said:

Aye the lads out there never tried right enough. What absolute toffee such a lazy view.

The usual mass hysteria will ensue and likely Robertson made a scapegoat but let's be honest apart from possibly McGregor not one outfield player turned up last night. It wasn't for lack of trying they were all just utterly honking technically and tactically.

Clarke will get a bit of the blame but he made a change at half time that anyone watching the game would call for - Christie or Armstrong for a striker to plug the midfield gaps by dropping in. Within a minute or so we are 2-0 down due to dog shit defending and the manager can't legislate for that. Two of our lads out muscled by one of theirs, basic stuff.

You can go on about X,Y and Z until the coos come hame but ultimately we were a mile off it and the best team by an absolute mile won the game. Their four players of real quality turned up and put on a clinic (Yarmo, Zinchenko, Malinovsky, Yeremchuk) and we just didn't have an answer. We go on about all our great midfield options but really none of what we have are on the level of Zinchenko or Malinovsky and that was brutally exposed last night.

Kille and Motherwell fans would defend SOD if he shouted fuck you and blootered the ball in his own net whilst playing for Scotland.  Some hold he's got over them.

[Donathan]

1 minute ago, TheScarf said:

Kille and Motherwell fans would defend SOD if he shouted f**k you and blootered the ball in his own net whilst playing for Scotland.  Some hold he's got over them.

He’s barely put a foot wrong for Scotland and was particularly impressive in the Denmark victory and at Wembley. He remains our best RB/RWB option apart from Nathan Patterson and given that NP is rotting on the bench at Everton, he might well be the best one full stop. 

[TheScarf]

Just now, Donathan said:

He’s barely put a foot wrong for Scotland and was particularly impressive in the Denmark victory and at Wembley. He remains our best RB/RWB option apart from Nathan Patterson and given that NP is rotting on the bench at Everton, he might well be the best one full stop. 

I'm not debating that.  But he's immune to criticism from some of those clubs fans.

[Donathan]

1 minute ago, TheScarf said:

I'm not debating that.  But he's immune to criticism from some of those clubs fans.

I mean if he actually fucked up then by all means criticise him. I’m not exactly sure what criticism he deserves though. 

[G51]

Hickey wasn’t the problem last night. When we switched to the back four, he was fine. The problem was we were in the wrong setup to begin with, which exposed our full backs and midfield time and time again. 

[TheScarf]

2 minutes ago, Donathan said:

I mean if he actually fucked up then by all means criticise him. I’m not exactly sure what criticism he deserves though. 

The comment was Robertson and Hickey didn't give a fuck and SOD would.  A completely daft thing to say and screams SOD can do no wrong in some peoples eyes.