Scotland v Armenia

[Fratelli]

12 minutes ago, DavidMcG said:

Can't believe I read someone saying that they don't think Che Adams cares anymore and looks fed up now. Even at 2-0 in the 70th odd minute, he is chasing every ball down and working his arse off. Lost track of amount of times he stopped balls going out of play and kept possession for us.

There is a bunch of times I wish he would strike the ball earlier and he always seems to want an extra touch which often isn't needed and leads him into trouble but his touch is also excellent so he more often than not keeps possession or wins a corner etc. It's maddening to me that Scotland fans can watch him tonight and think he is shite. 

On a similar note, I can't recall a Scotland performance where we won so many second balls, intercepted the ball and genuinely pressured the opposition into so many mistakes.

Yes Armenia were shit but the tempo, the players attitude and the willingness to keep that up for the whole 90 was very pleasing to see. I really don't think we took our foot off the gas for the whole match.

Steve Clarke deserved criticism last week for some poor decisions, but tonight he earns praise for bold changes and making sure the correct attitude was applied for the whole match. It was what I as a Scotland fan wanted to see, and got it.

Might've been someone else - but i said i thought he looked fed up, frustrated and in his own head a bit, in the way strikers do when it's just not falling for them/passes aren't finding them, which i noticed in the Ukraine game and then again in the first half. I'm a massive fan of his, still think he's by some distance the best striker we have in terms of ability and would have him starting over anyone else available. As i also said, for whatever reason, i still think he will catch fire at some point and win games on his own for us. Although even when he's not scoring, he's still hugely important to the way we play.

[Gordopolis]

Sorry, bugle fans - couldn't make it to the match tonight. Got caught up in some work pish. Had to give my tickets to my wee 9 year old nephew and his tasty maw.
Just hope to f*ck that miserable bass with the cycling gear on wasn't sitting in the adjacent seats again!

[Kapowzer]

Players he dropped by and large were correct, resting the key ones in advance of Ireland and away to Armenia may prove to be an oversight. Tonight was the easiest fixture of the three. However, I can understand why Clarke wanted it in the bag.

RB is Ralston's place now. There are plenty of unused but capable players in that squad that could still produce the goods. Turnbull and Gilmour certainly have the ability to change games. Things not clicking for McGinn but that will change I hope. McTominay improved things playing more in his club position.

McGregor did what he now does for Celtic and what he replaced Brown in doing, collecting from the centre half which wasn't required when they parked the bus.

Don't think we'll show up against Ukraine in two games as poorly as we did a week ago. Think the nature of this group may very well be determined by goal difference and Armenia are the whipping boys, really should have doubled our account at least.

[Jacky1990]

Lots of good play tonight, especially first 30 mins or so.

Ralston was great and they clearly targeted him against their left wing back on the back post.

Christie is very underrated for us. Works his arse off every time, especially in closing down the opposition full backs when they threaten a counter.

That being said, at some point Clarke needs to to give another keeper a go. Gordon cant go on forever and we need to make sure we at least have a keeper who has played at international level before he retires! Same goes for subs, he makes them far too late and doesnt use his squad enough IMO.

I like Jack Hendry, but he just isnt good enough to be the central of the three. He was caught out several times against poor opposition. Needs to be better and more switched on.

Finally, someone needs to sit John McGinn down and tell him he isnt actually better than Zidane. He is trying to play a game that isnt his strength and has become well greedy in the final third. Headline chaser. He is brilliant when driving from deep and arriving late in the box. He isnt a fucking David Silva-esq number 10 who plays fancy flicks. 

Edit to add that McTominay looked very good when he came on in midfield. More of that please.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Jacky1990

[Jacky1990]

7 minutes ago, Gordopolis said:

Sorry, bugle fans - couldn't make it to the match tonight. Got caught up in some work pish. Had to give my tickets to my wee 9 year old nephew and his tasty maw.
Just hope to f*ck that miserable bass with the cycling gear on wasn't sitting in the adjacent seats again!

Please tell me his maw isnt your sister?

[oneteaminglasgow]

6 minutes ago, Kapowzer said:

RB is Ralston's place now

He did well tonight, but Patterson is still the superior option and should play more often than not. 

[Clown Job]

[Scotty Tunbridge]

24 minutes ago, DAFC. said:

 

Probably being whooshed here, but that is one pile of pish you’ve spouted, even if it is “bantz”

He was shocking whenever he got a clear chance. He’s still the best we have by the looks of it, which is frightening.

 

No ‘bantz’ here. You’ve got people on here saying they just don’t think he’s good enough full stop or that they’ll never take to him for some reason, the only reason you would say that is if you can’t get over the fact he was born in England and turned us down before.

He wasn’t exceptional tonight but even when he is off his game he is still far and away the best striker we have. His link up play is tremendous as is his first touch and close control. Even his pressing and work rate tonight in a game that was pretty much played at friendly pace in the second half was top notch.

He isn’t going to ever bag us a hat trick but he still leads the line much more effectively than any other options.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Scotty Tunbridge

[Donathan]

5 minutes ago, Jacky1990 said:

Please tell me his maw isnt your sister?

Wife’s sister or sister-in-law or brother’s wife are all possibilities, tbf 

[Jacky1990]

Just now, Donathan said:

Wife’s sister or sister-in-law or brother’s wife are all possibilities, tbf 

No shit, Sherlock

[Gordopolis]

Please tell me his maw isnt your sister?

...

[velo army]

1 minute ago, Gordopolis said:

...

Auntie, not maw. She was very lovely to look at tbh, but he was a treat. Been a tough few days, so getting to hang out with a youngster who reminded me of myself at that age was class. Full of questions and kept just wanting to play on the stairs. I kinda felt bad for him because at that age I was just let loose on the terraces and formed a feral pack with other weans. 

The game was boring. The amount of times we received the ball with our back to goal instead of running on to a ball was utterly maddening. It was a professional job, but a few more goals would have been preferable.

Calmac needs his own song. He's class and is the beating heart of our midfield. McGinn is a crowd favourite, but McGregor plays 65 games a season and is never less than 8/10. A wonderful, wonderful footballer. 

 

 

[Kapowzer]

16 minutes ago, oneteaminglasgow said:

He did well tonight, but Patterson is still the superior option and should play more often than not. 

Based on 6 senior starts at club level and Everton U23's aye?

Seems like his transfer fee is being looked at rather than his achievements.

[Ewan8472]

1 hour ago, HuttonDressedAsLahm said:

One thing that needs to change is that if we play 3atb with Hendry in games like that, McGregor doesn’t need to drop back and take the ball off his toes.

The Armenian defensive line finished at 45 yards from their goal. McGregor dropping deep to take the ball is a poor use of space and bodies.

McTominay was a big improvement over Armstrong. He rattles the ball around quicker and get passes through the lines. It also moved McGinn up the pitch. He’s still not himself, but he was much improved in the last 20 minutes over the previous 70+90.

Only changes I’d make for Saturday would be McTominay>Armstrong, and potentially starting Patterson. It may be a physical game, so whoever can cope with Duffy/Egan etc I’d start.

Ralston was far better than I expected. Difficult to know his ceiling given how bad Armenia are, but I’ll happily have him as second choice behind a fit Patterson.

Odd to take so long to make changes. There’s no value at all in giving Brown and Stewart 5 minutes. 

Other than that, we still can’t shoot, but that wasn’t learned tonight. That’s why a player like Bale/Haaland turns a team like us/Wales/Norway into a side that qualifies for tournaments.

This !

[Ewan8472]

1 minute ago, Kapowzer said:

Based on 6 senior starts at club level and Everton U23's aye?

Seems like his transfer fee is being looked at rather than his achievements.

No , based on his performances for Scotland !

[Ewan8472]

6 minutes ago, velo army said:

Auntie, not maw. She was very lovely to look at tbh, but he was a treat. Been a tough few days, so getting to hang out with a youngster who reminded me of myself at that age was class. Full of questions and kept just wanting to play on the stairs. I kinda felt bad for him because at that age I was just let loose on the terraces and formed a feral pack with other weans. 

The game was boring. The amount of times we received the ball with our back to goal instead of running on to a ball was utterly maddening. It was a professional job, but a few more goals would have been preferable.

Calmac needs his own song. He's class and is the beating heart of our midfield. McGinn is a crowd favourite, but McGregor plays 65 games a season and is never less than 8/10. A wonderful, wonderful footballer. 

 

 

Tom English found !

[velo army]

1 minute ago, Ewan8472 said:

Tom English found !

Which paragraph?

[Ewan8472]

3 minutes ago, velo army said:

Which paragraph?

Third

[nessies long lost ghost]

38 minutes ago, Jacky1990 said:

Lots of good play tonight, especially first 30 mins or so.

Ralston was great and they clearly targeted him against their left wing back on the back post.

Christie is very underrated for us. Works his arse off every time, especially in closing down the opposition full backs when they threaten a counter.

That being said, at some point Clarke needs to to give another keeper a go. Gordon cant go on forever and we need to make sure we at least have a keeper who has played at international level before he retires! Same goes for subs, he makes them far too late and doesnt use his squad enough IMO.

I like Jack Hendry, but he just isnt good enough to be the central of the three. He was caught out several times against poor opposition. Needs to be better and more switched on.

Finally, someone needs to sit John McGinn down and tell him he isnt actually better than Zidane. He is trying to play a game that isnt his strength and has become well greedy in the final third. Headline chaser. He is brilliant when driving from deep and arriving late in the box. He isnt a fucking David Silva-esq number 10 who plays fancy flicks. 

Edit to add that McTominay looked very good when he came on in midfield. More of that please.

I agree with all of that but not so sure about the keeper bit

I agree Gordon is getting old, but the other 2 are not as good as him

I think because we got beat last week we may have friendlies in October time - that may be time to try a new keeper and not in the qualifying games

Gordon is a fucking legend - great keeper

Edited June 8, 2022 by nessies long lost ghost
spelling error

[Kapowzer]

6 minutes ago, Ewan8472 said:

No , based on his performances for Scotland !

Ahh the 90' against Israel and 2 full games against Moldova sway it?