scotland squad

[Council Juice]

Tom English article

All very well playing with caution but if you go out to play with fear then your already beaten and playing no strikers is cowardice. Brave ploy and it came close to working. As already stated you can lose a goal from a corner no matter what the formation. Butlets not try that again eh.

And the Czechs are no Man Utd. Very much a 2nd rate team these days and shouldn't be feared. Respected yes but not scared of.

[Sorted]

Still not over the sheer humiliation of this "performance". The blame and full responsibility lies solely at Levein's door.

First of all this is a very poor Czech team. A group of average players plus Tomas Rosicky. Not for a second were we facing the likes of Koller, Smicer, Berger, Poborsky or Nedved but our manager, in his wisdom and only his, set us up in a formation doomed to fail from the start. Sitting in is one thing but to show abject negativity against a side of this stature is worthy of a P45.

Levein's supporters (and I'm sure there has to be some?) will blame our lack of quality players for his selection. Granted this may well be the case when facing Argentina in Beunos Aires or Brazil in the Maracana Stadium but not against the poorest Czech side in decades. For me, we have players more than capable of having a go at a side of this stature and it was our manager's tactics that cost us.

His decision to omit Miller for Mackie is baffling. Miller, like him or not, has proven his work rate and goal scoring record at most levels he has played throughout his career. Levein picked debutant Mackie and didn't even play him in his position! Don't get me started on the begging to Phil Bardsley!

I know full well what we are as a football nation these days but all I ask is to have a go when it's merited, play with a little passion and at least give the poor sods who spend a fortune following their country a wee bit of value. That, and pick Scots!

[Yngwie]

Another point against Levein's approach is that Lithuania, who we saw were a pretty poor side, went to Prague last month and won.

[Snow]

I know full well what we are as a football nation these days but all I ask is to have a go when it's merited, play with a little passion and at least give the poor sods who spend a fortune following their country a wee bit of value. That, and pick Scots!

That's the top and bottom of it...

[Croylo]

We would not have won this game if we had eleven strikers the only option was to defend and it nearly worked. If he had played miller or a normal formation we would be looking at 4-1 or worse. Really impressed with the team keeping their formation like that oh and not one of those picked has complained about the tactics. Its gonna be a long time before hartley gets another game, I reckon.

The same tactic will not work with spain as they are just too good therefore hopefully we will get a good showing then, but Levein has scotland playing as a team if he can get them all running in the other direction imagine what we could acheive.

Oh and they should all be born on a croft, eat nothing but shortbread and drink Irn-bru.

[Sorted]

We would not have won this game if we had eleven strikers the only option was to defend and it nearly worked. If he had played miller or a normal formation we would be looking at 4-1 or worse. Really impressed with the team keeping their formation like that oh and not one of those picked has complained about the tactics. Its gonna be a long time before hartley gets another game, I reckon.

The same tactic will not work with spain as they are just too good therefore hopefully we will get a good showing then, but Levein has scotland playing as a team if he can get them all running in the other direction imagine what we could acheive.

Oh and they should all be born on a croft, eat nothing but shortbread and drink Irn-bru.

Disagree entirely. To set a team up to defend is one thing but this is usually done in recognition of the strengths of both the opposition and your own squad.

Starting with our opponents, the Czech Republic are the 37th ranked nation who at the beginning of a complete rebuild process after the end of a golden generation. Recent results, including a home defeat by Lithuania and a defeat at Hampden, did not fill me with fear and can in no way be used to justify playing a 4-6-0 formation. A coach who comes to this conclusion based on the information at hand must be at best completely niave or at worst tactically arrogant. Levein falls into the second tranche for me.

Looking at our own strengths (not many granted) it is impossible to come to the conclusion that we are able to field enough defensively aware, intelligent players to fit the managers preferred formation. No Paul Lamberts in this squad. Instead, Levein decides to play this formation and fit square pegs into round holes. For example, show me a game where a debutant international striker is deployed as a wide midfielder? When did Stephen Naismith become capable of playing the role given to him? Bottom line is Levein chose a system of play that we are not capable of playing and ignored systems/formations that players work with week in week out. Indefensible!

As for the shortbread and Irn Bru dig, lets just say that I am tired of Scottish national managers trawling the depths of English journeymen (some who are approached time after time and reject time after time) who are not capable of getting a game for their own nation. It is wrong on many levels but two in particular. Firstly, it devalues the honour (and it always should be!) of wearing a Scotland jersey as those selected have no affinity with the nation. It is not possible to turn on and off your national pride to suit the circumstances. Secondly it provides no incentive for young Scottish players in our game who watch continually as any Tom, Dick or Phil is selected ahead of them out of nowhere.

Imagine the scenario where a Ross Tokley for example, playing at his peak, watched a journeyman pro with no connection with Scotland jump gthe queue for a full back place following two or three call offs? It is wrong.

It woul be slightly more tolerable if they were any good but they're not!

People who chose to live, make their home and contribute to the Scottish society are different. I will be delighted to see the young Somalian born kid at Celtic (good player!) finally play for his country, Scotland. He sounds Scottish, he lives in Scotland, he is Scottish. He may not eat shortbread of drink Irn Bru but there is absolutely no doubt that this is his nation. Not something Phil Bardsley can say is it.....,.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Sorted

[The Mantis]

Green dot Mr Sorted.

[starchief]

That was a lot better. Okay, we were never going to be able to match Spain for skill but I thought the passion was back. Didn't think it was a penalty - Whittaker was looking the other way - certainly shouldn't have been a yellow card. I think that was the best Scotland could do tonight. Not good enough for the top teams but, play like that, and we could yet finish 2nd.

A few little points - I'd probably prefer to see Iwulemo come on for a bit of strong arm tactics up front. McManus was to blame for their winning goal but he did well most of the match and, remember, he does only play for an average side in the Championship - that's the level we have to pick. Better than Lithuania but not as good as Spain. Whittaker I've never really liked as a LB but who else have we got? He always looks so much better on the left-wing.

Gives us some hope.

[lukemackay]

good effort

[Johnboy]

Craig Levein won't have won many friends with that pathetic post match interview.

[lukemackay]

i liked his post match interview to many people are dwelling on the past while he knows he made a mistake and is now look forward to the carling nations cup next year

[+DoofersDad]

A spirited performance with more ambition. It only goes to emphasise how wrong the tactics were in Prague. Much better to have taken at least a point off the Czechs and been gubbed by Spain than lose narrowly in both.

[Sorted]

And the nation has some pride back.......

A spirited, typically Scottish performance and result which gives some hope for the future and realisation that we are not as bad as some think, particularly our manager. First class effort against a fabulous team who knock the ball about in a manner seldom seen.

Confirms, quite clearly, that those of us who criticised Levein's tactics against the Czechs were absolutely correct. We were and still are more than capable of having a go at them. We play (doesn't everyone!) in a far better fashion with at least one striker. Our defenders (don't they all!) benefit greatly from having an "out" ball when under pressure. And so on.

Credit to Levein for making the changes but perhaps the damage has already been done. His response to the press afterwards was quite disappointing and, for me, he missed a golden opportunity to win back the fans and, at the same time, really boost the players morale.

Maybe a comment like: "Absolutely delighted with the performance and attitude of the guys tonight against a fabulous Spanish side. Bit gutted we didn't take a point but despite that we have some hope. The performance reminded me that we have some really decent players in this squad. Perhaps I underestimated their capabilities and should have shown more faith in their ability against the Czechs. In hindsight I got it wrong and accept full reponsibilty for that. Now my focus is on building on this performance, not dwelling in the past and moving forward with a very capable bunch of guys who proved they can compete with the best in the business."

That would have made me happy but Levein and admission of error............no chance!

[Yngwie]

Glorious failure is what we do best.

But what a joy to watch the way Spain play football. I'm not old enough to remember a better side coming to Scotland. They seemed a league above the likes of the Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands and Argentina sides who have been here any time in the last 20 or so years.

[Johnboy]

For anyone who didn't see the interview with David Tanner on Sky Sports last night :

Craig Levein

I was quite pleased when he became Scotland boss, but he's gone way down in my estimation now.

Wtf was wrong with Tanner asking to comment on the different approaches he adopted for the last two games?

He seems to have forgotten that Sky TV are just about paying his wages at the end of the day.

[Scotty]

yup, dropped in my estimation there too .... you admit you 'screwed up' in prague, you praise the effort in coming close against the world and european champions and you restore a bit of pride ... now he just looks like a greeting faced nyaff

[gordyfromsneck]

This doesn't come under the category of glorious failure. There was no expectation here, just a whole lot of apprehension. We were holding the world chams to a draw and putting them under a lot of pressure, that in itself is a result. Losing another goal was not a surprise, not losing it would have been a surprise.

Levein is new and folk should cut him a bit of slack. I think he has learned a whole heap from these last two games. Czechs will lose to Spain as will we. We must beat the minnows and beat Czechland to qualify, which I believe we can do, and so, I hope, does Graig.

[Caley Stan]

Can't comment on the Czech game as i was holed up in bothy gazing out at the Paps of Jura. By all accounts i made the right choice.

In the conclusion to 'Inverting the Pyramid: A History of Football Tactics', Jonathan Wilson predicts that we stand at the dawn of an ultra-defensive era in world football. The evolution of 4-5-1 and the death of the goal-poacher all point to one thing: 4-6-0. Visionary or chump? I'll judge Levein at the end of the group.

John Robertson just spoke a helluva lot of sense on Sportsound. It's a decent group of players, Levein's an excellent organiser and the spirit is great. That's what i saw for the first 45 minutes at Hampden last night before being chucked out for smoking in the toilet - tears streamed down ma cheeks. The last half hour looked pretty decent from the Florida Park Bar. For the first time in a while i'm optimistic about the future of the Scottish national team and for the first time ever i'm seriously considering quitting smoking.

[ictchris]

We played a lot better last night, certainly in the second half. It was good to see Fletcher having a good game for Scotland and we looked good going forward a few times. Guys like Dorrans, Morrison and Naismith were encouraging.

The fact is we'll have to win our next three games to stand a chance and even that might not be enough. I really think the game in Prague could haunt Levein.

That's what i saw for the first 45 minutes at Hampden last night before being chucked out for smoking in the toilet - tears streamed down ma cheeks. The last half hour looked pretty decent from the Florida Park Bar. For the first time in a while i'm optimistic about the future of the Scottish national team and for the first time ever i'm seriously considering quitting smoking.

They were throwing people into the Czech game, it was that bad.

[lukemackay]

that formation and those players will win us the nations cup next year

[+DoofersDad]

I feel sorry for the England fans who turned out in good numbers to watch them play lowly Montenegro. Apparently it costs ?30 to park in the Wembley multistorey car park (presumably a modest contribution to Capello's obscene salary) and then as a reward they get treated to 90 minutes totally devoid of any inspiration from England's finest. England's play at the moment seems to be as hesitant and confusing as Capello's English.

Don't suppose Jonny Hayes has an English Granny by any chance?

France are on the up though - a 2-0 home win against the mighty Luxembourg.

[Renegade]

that formation and those players will win us the nations cup next year

Yippee!