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The Midfield.


2426255

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Patterson's inclusion has obviously helped. O'Donnell was certainly useful but Patterson's quicker, more adventurous with the ball and just better in general.

I also wonder if playing with a midfield three (most of 2021) or inside forwards (Moldova and Denmark in November) has helped get McGinn into positions where he can link with the right a bit more. It certainly worked against Moldova away but couldn't say for sure in the other games. McTominay breaking the lines to McGinn holding it up for Patterson could be useful.

Gilmour being a better forward option than Jack won't have harmed things either. Better progressive passer and more likely to get things going on that side similar to McGregor on the left.

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5 minutes ago, accies1874 said:

Patterson's inclusion has obviously helped. O'Donnell was certainly useful but Patterson's quicker, more adventurous with the ball and just better in general.

I also wonder if playing with a midfield three (most of 2021) or inside forwards (Moldova and Denmark in November) has helped get McGinn into positions where he can link with the right a bit more. It certainly worked against Moldova away but couldn't say for sure in the other games. McTominay breaking the lines to McGinn holding it up for Patterson could be useful.

Gilmour being a better forward option than Jack won't have harmed things either. Better progressive passer and more likely to get things going on that side similar to McGregor on the left.

Do we have good midfield equivalents on the left hand side to John McGinn? who is a big part of the development in our attacks down the right hand side along with Billy Gilmour, Nathan Patterson and to an extent Scott McTominay etc. Who fits there? Ryan Christie? Stuart Armstrong? Ryan Fraser? - they all play on the right primarily for their clubs. Is it fair to say there are a few questions around that part of the team?

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I'm not sure we need it. McGregor/Tierney/Robertson link-up is really good and Christie and Armstrong are capable of drawing defenders and threading a pass to Robertson on the outside. It would be a different solution but one that suits the players available. I don't think they need to do that for their clubs for us to know they can do it for Scotland.

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Stuart Armstrong has played 423 minutes of the 660 available at Southampton in 2022. Great to see he's getting back to his best in recent weeks after quite a pesky injury especially given Ryan Christie is currently out injured.

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Ryan Christie, initial scans are positive. He will see a specialist on Monday, but at this present moment in time, I’m hoping it’s not as bad as first thought and it’s not too serious.

Scott Parker

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/19920424.scott-parker-injury-update-gary-cahill-ryan-christie/

Edited by 2426255
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21 hours ago, Captain Saintsible said:

Guys like McGinn, Adams & Hanley have all done time in the Championship, Dykes is still in it. 

Robertson as well at Hull City and Snodgrass with Leeds and Dorrans at WBA its the level they usually play a few years at then get picked up or go up,unless they do exceptionally good and get bought 

I would still see players join teams like Bolonga or Udinese or Caligari if they had the chance and a few have according to the media Ramsay Welsh Ferguson 

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Ryan Christie is progressing well. He’s seen specialists and the prognosis that we received is better than we originally first thought which we’re pleased with. We’ll work over the next ten days to two weeks and see exactly where the injury is, it’s settling down, moving in the right direction and we’re pleased with what we’ve heard back.

Scott Parker

https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/injury-news-cahill-and-moore-to-miss-forest-clash/

Also I noticed Wales striker Kieffer Moore may miss the play off games, which may be handy should we face them for a place in the World Cup.

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We have a few other injuries, it’s such a shame for Kieffer and he’s been desperately unlucky. He’s come off the bench for five minutes and landed on his foot and broke his foot, so it’s really unlucky for Kieffer and he’ll be missing for at least eight to ten weeks.

Scott Parker

https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/injury-news-cahill-and-moore-to-miss-forest-clash/

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On 17/02/2022 at 23:45, 2426255 said:

https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/injury-news-cahill-and-moore-to-miss-forest-clash/

Also I noticed Wales striker Kieffer Moore may miss the play off games, which may be handy should we face them for a place in the World Cup.

https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/injury-news-cahill-and-moore-to-miss-forest-clash/

Luton Town 2 WBA

4th of the season for Alan Campbell 

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17 hours ago, General dissaray said:

Luton Town 2 WBA

4th of the season for Alan Campbell 

Not a bad goal from Campbell.

And I must admit I didn't realise he'd been cultivating something of a beard, is this an area of the squad where he could be a handy addition? McGregor and McTominay are both very smooth faced and Gilmour probably can't grow one yet given he's only 12.

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8 hours ago, Scumjob said:

Not a bad goal from Campbell.

And I must admit I didn't realise he'd been cultivating something of a beard, is this an area of the squad where he could be a handy addition? McGregor and McTominay are both very smooth faced and Gilmour probably can't grow one yet given he's only 12.

This is a great shout.

Hanley and Souttar look the most likely. Robbo looks capable too. McTominay with a beard would be dreamy tbf 😍.

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32 minutes ago, Gordopolis said:

What about Armstrong - if he grew a beard would it be all lustrous and full of life like his barnet... or would it be all ginger and shite and thin?

That man is so handsome he could grow a wispy Fu Manchu effort and still be an absolute ride.

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On 11/02/2022 at 14:37, 2426255 said:

Do we have good midfield equivalents on the left hand side to John McGinn? who is a big part of the development in our attacks down the right hand side along with Billy Gilmour, Nathan Patterson and to an extent Scott McTominay etc. Who fits there? Ryan Christie? Stuart Armstrong? Ryan Fraser? - they all play on the right primarily for their clubs. Is it fair to say there are a few questions around that part of the team?

I looked at the Scotland 3 - 2 Israel game again, we had a right sided dominance - despite the fact (which was well pointed out) two of our goals came from the left.

image.png.c588a832f0c3fd8b6f02e579ef242d66.png     image.png.ef681e3c509ece6d3b7d9714dd126d86.png

The team tended to attack with more players on the right hand side, including 2 of our 3 central midfielders in John McGinn and Billy Gilmour. I think this has been a fairly common theme towards the back end of 2021. I think we have a more balanced attack when we play with a left sided attacking midfielder. I'm not really sure if the right sided dominance seen in this and other games was by design.

image.png.c1e2242d503bef7f0bbfc925fee55a37.png

Touches of the ball, Scotland 3 - 2 Israel. 

It's a bit unexpected given that our left side has been seen as our strength, but it's very handy that the team isn't one dimensional.

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  • 1 month later...

We saw some different variations in midfield against Austria. One change of shape, several changes of personnel, shifting them around positionally and Lewis Ferguson made his first start in there.

  • [00 - 20'] 3-4-3 - Jack (L), Ferguson (R) 
  • [20 - 57'] 3-5-2 - McGinn (L), Jack (C), Ferguson (R)
  • [57 - 77'] 3-5-2 - McGinn (L), McTominay (C), Ferguson (R)
  • [77 - 90'] 3-5-2 - McGinn (L), Gilmour (C), McTominay (R)

I think all of those adjustments might have affected our fluency and I suppose as a guess Steve Clarke was trying to get better control of the midfield area by putting three players in there. We also got a another taste of a McGinn, Gilmour and McTominay midfield for those who think that's the way forward.

Edited by 2426255
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