Scotland

[Satan]

Did you not see the emoji immediately after the word 'independence ' ?

[Satan]

2 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

It’s just realism. How many decades is it since Scotland had any world class players like so many other small nations have had, or a single international class striker?

Scotland had a few world class players in the 70's and 80's and we never made it out of a single group stage...

We are a pretty small nation, i doubt many countries our size produce that many genuine world class players/strikers...unless you count ones that are developed for the irish & welsh via the english league system...

Is realism just accepting your lot and not striving for something better? Sounds more like fatalism. 

[Kingsmills]

10 hours ago, IBM said:

Indeed we could Satan 

Forget could. Indeed we will and, unlike the national team in a major finals, despite the utterings of Alistair Jack, we won't have to wait over two decades to witness it.

[Robert]

On 11/12/2020 at 11:29 PM, Satan said:

Did you not see the emoji immediately after the word 'independence ' ?

[Robert]

Another big game tonight. After winning last Thursday to qualify for the Euros, can we win in Israel tonight to win our group and get promoted?

Sunday’s narrow, and probably undeserved, loss has made this another “all or nothing” game. Hopefully we can win it. No penalties so we need to triumph in 90 minutes  

i don’t fully understand the Nations League, but seemingly being in Pool A will increase our chances of qualifying for the major tournaments as most teams will qualify automatically so we are likely to end up in the Nations League play offs.

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by Robert

[Robert]

Oh well, we have the Euros to look forward to, Covid permitting!

Clarke has turned things around to a degree but we are not the finished article. Despite how good Dykes, Christie and McGinn have been recently, we need to find a way of scoring more given the chances we create. 

[Kingsmills]

Disappointing to lose the last two matches by a single goal but we are still miles better than under Levein and Strachan.

It is now possible to watch International football without cowering behind the sofa.

[Yngwie]

Amazing how one penalty save changes our outlook so much! Rumours of us being a good team are somewhat exaggerated. Last 4 games were all against mediocre sides and yet we have no wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats, scoring just 1 goal. Scoring goals remains a problem despite the attacking talent we have in the side,

On the plus side. We have become much harder to beat, with a decent style of play and good organisation. For 88 minutes v Serbia we looked like a side that was easily good enough to be at the Euros. It shows what we are capable of. That performance needs to become the norm and not the exception.

[Satan]

Yes, having a genuine goal threat makes a big difference - turns defeats into draws, draws into wins, and even forces the opposition to think less about their attack and more about their defence.

 

[Kingsmills]

There is, without doubt, much work still to do but, for the first time in about two decades, the trajectory seems to be a positive one.

Personally, I think that the departure of the ineffectual Malky MacKay from his role as Performance Director is very positive for both our international and domestic football.

[Yngwie]

Here’s a thought - John Hughes to replace him? 

[IBM]

It was reported this morning his job was going and he left before being pushed. I always wonder what good all these people in the high paid jobs actually do. 

[Robert]

We could have got a worse draw for the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying. We need to win the group to qualify or finish second to go into play offs. We have Denmark, Austria, Israel (yet again), Faroe Islands and Moldova.

Denmark are the top seeds. 

[Satan]

The fact that none of the top 'seeds' are in the group makes it more dangerous - Austria and Israel will fancy their chances if not to win but to make the playoff via second spot.

[Robert]

Agreed, any two from four could get the top two spots and all the teams will fancy their chances of winning the group bar the Faroes and Moldova. I just hope our recent apparent improvement continues and makes us competitive and a real contender in the group. 

[Kingsmills]

Watching the Leicester City v Southampton game.

Those Southhapton shirts are frighteningly reminiscent of the tops one by the Peru team who kicked off Scotland's humiliation at Argentina 1978.

[Kingsmills]

Typical Scotland, doing it the hard way but we all lept off our seats when that injury time effort crossed the line.

[Yngwie]

What a game, helped by a great crowd.

Scotland are so good we can let Dykes take the penalties and STILL win!

[Kingsmills]

4 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

What a game, helped by a great crowd.

Scotland are so good we can let Dykes take the penalties and STILL win!

Although, let's not take that risk ever again.

[Robert]

On 10/9/2021 at 7:03 PM, Kingsmills said:

Typical Scotland, doing it the hard way but we all lept off our seats when that injury time effort crossed the line.

Just as long as we don’t mess it all up tomorrow against the Faroes or next month in Moldova!

[Kingsmills]

41 minutes ago, Robert said:

Just as long as we don’t mess it all up tomorrow against the Faroes or next month in Moldova!

Are you still waking up in a sweat after the recurring nightmare of Bertie Vogts back managing Scotland?

[Robert]

No, just been around long enough to know how we can self destruct!

[Robert]

On 10/11/2021 at 7:20 PM, Robert said:

Just as long as we don’t mess it all up tomorrow against the Faroes or next month in Moldova!

Sorry Kingsmills, I was right to be wary! And that was before I heard that they’ve won 8 of their last 20 home matches.

We have been second best in the first half and are very lucky not to be behind with Craig Gordon and poor finishing to thank.

We’ve not managed to break them down and create anything of note whilst we’ve struggled when the Faroes have counter attacked with pace.

Like Saturday we need a much better second half!

[Kingsmills]

56 minutes ago, Robert said:

Sorry Kingsmills, I was right to be wary! And that was before I heard that they’ve won 8 of their last 20 home matches.

We have been second best in the first half and are very lucky not to be behind with Craig Gordon and poor finishing to thank.

We’ve not managed to break them down and create anything of note whilst we’ve struggled when the Faroes have counter attacked with pace.

Like Saturday we need a much better second half!

You were indeed right to be wary. We will very probably make the play offs but to struggle so badly for so long against a nation with a population broadly similar to that of Inverness does not bode well for our prospects if and when we get there.

[Robert]

Well that was a tough watch, but job done, however unconvincingly!

However it did take Denmark 85 minutes to score in Torshavn….