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**Official Belgium v Scotland thread ***


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1 hour ago, FWJ said:

Could we borrow a couple of the USA ladies?

 

Alex Morgan please.

 

Could lose every game and the season ticket would still be money well spent.

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For my money wee Taylor, McTominay and McLean probably did as well as anyone. McKenna is not a lot different to the much maligned (at this level) Berra and McGregor has played no part in either of last two games. McGinn and others get slagged and hooked because they get on the ball and take chances, McGregor plays no part in our defensive play and no part in the rare attacking moves. Will always get a solid 7 in the tabloid ratings cause he never does anything (wrong).  That we only lost 0-3 to such a revered team playing with ten men is to the credit of the others 

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1 hour ago, ri Alban said:

Now Stevie knows who's good enough and who isn't.

 

Unfortunately the good enough keep picking and choosing when they play for Scotland and there are no alternatives to the ones who aren't good enough. 

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2 hours ago, Morgan said:

15 minutes in the train, Pres.

 

Pizza was pish.

 

 

 

You go on a train to get pish pizza????

 

I can get pish pizza delivered to my door. :biggrin2:

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Bridge of Djoum
5 hours ago, Morgan said:

I know.

 

Sorry to be blunt, Mr Djoum.  Just came home from a shite meal out in Italy and in a bad mood.

 

Blunt is good. 

 

Whereabouts in Italy are you?

 

Edit. Just saw you jumped on your private train to get pizza in Italy. Does the Morgan Express have wing mirrors?

Edited by Bridge of Djoum
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9 hours ago, busby1985 said:

At least, hopefully, now we can bin the McKenna myth. Also let’s never see any killie player in a Scotland top again. 

 

McKenna is a good player and feel he is getting a harsh time (he'd start ahead of Berra/ Souttar for us) - badly needed Roberston tonight. The Killie players were awful - shouldn't play for us again. Burke is terrible - don't even think he's been impressive for Celtic. Forrest was pants too. Wasn't terribly impressed by McLean either. Fraser and Roberston are the only two that are of Belgiums level.

 

Its really depressing to see how poor the Scottish national side has been over the last 20 odd years. Willie Henderson and Jinky Johnston would have run rings around teams like Belgium.

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Just watched the highlights - De Bruyne was blatantly offside! Shocking mistake from the linesman!

 

I know it wouldn't really have made a difference to the outcome, but that's not the point.

 

202455185_ScreenShot2019-06-12at06_52_04.thumb.png.8abcdc6619253f622dfec5e8f928f2c9.png

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Well as predicted yet another false dawn. Last night showed just how far we have to progress to qualify for the final stages of any finals. After all the synchronised   mutual backslapping that went in after the scraped win against Cyprus reality sets in. Clarke needs time in the job to try and move things on. There are no quick fixes as far as the International team is concerned. While we have a few good players we lack a depth of quality. I wonder how long it will be before the Old Firm loving media will be sharpening their knives for him.

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Nookie Bear
9 hours ago, Thought Police said:

Against 8 of the same players too

 

That true? Some consistency of selection from the Belgians!

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37 minutes ago, Deevers said:

Well as predicted yet another false dawn. Last night showed just how far we have to progress to qualify for the final stages of any finals. After all the synchronised   mutual backslapping that went in after the scraped win against Cyprus reality sets in. Clarke needs time in the job to try and move things on. There are no quick fixes as far as the International team is concerned. While we have a few good players we lack a depth of quality. I wonder how long it will be before the Old Firm loving media will be sharpening their knives for him.

 

Said on this very thread the days of Scotland teams going to the top countries and doing a “typical Scotland” and getting a result are long gone, and Belgium would cruise to a 2 or 3 nil win. We don’t have the players in anything like the same class as these teams and rule changes mean we can’t go and kick lumps out them like we used to.

 

What we do have is a manager who plays a style that’ll get us results against a lot of the 2nd/3rd seeded teams and that might be enough to get us through or at the very least give us some pride back.  He needs time though and lots of it, we have 4 EPL players now and some potentially good youngsters coming through he needs time to work with them.

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Maroonblood22

Seems I might be in the minority but I'm not as disappointed with the outcome of last night - considering what it could have been.

 

Look at that starting lineup for Belgium, I mean seriously they have a frightening pool of players. It was away from home and only Clarke's 2nd game in charge of the team he's worked with for less that 2 weeks. Robertson was out injured and you'd expect many of those players involved to offer more over the two games (particularly the Celtic superstars). Considering we had two Killie players at full back and a fairly tired squad, there will be many better teams who take a bigger defeat from that Belgium team. Also, that chance in the second half for us was farcical but that was Burke and Forrest's ****-up.

 

A lot of work needs to be done, but this has to be given time as a rebuild job by Clarke. Oh, and McKenna can GTF!

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The Internet
1 hour ago, Tenor said:

Just watched the highlights - De Bruyne was blatantly offside! Shocking mistake from the linesman!

 

I know it wouldn't really have made a difference to the outcome, but that's not the point.

 

202455185_ScreenShot2019-06-12at06_52_04.thumb.png.8abcdc6619253f622dfec5e8f928f2c9.png

 

Taylors right foot is slightly further back when the ball is played. He's still offside but it's nowhere near as clear cut. 

 

NJkaSnth.jpg

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jamboiain13
1 hour ago, Gorillajam said:

 

McKenna is a good player and feel he is getting a harsh time (he'd start ahead of Berra/ Souttar for us) - badly needed Roberston tonight. The Killie players were awful - shouldn't play for us again. Burke is terrible - don't even think he's been impressive for Celtic. Forrest was pants too. Wasn't terribly impressed by McLean either. Fraser and Roberston are the only two that are of Belgiums level.

 

Its really depressing to see how poor the Scottish national side has been over the last 20 odd years. Willie Henderson and Jinky Johnston would have run rings around teams like Belgium.

McKenna has been mostly or at least partly at fault for most of the goals against us in almost every game he has played in for Scotland.  He looks lost and never seems to be anywhere near the man he is supposed to be marking.  Yes Lukaku has great movement and the whole team switched off for the first goal but Lukaku had 3 yards on McKenna inside the box.  Second half wasn't much better imo and it beggars belief how McKenna and Mulgrew are ahead of Soapy and look almost like the first names on the teamsheet

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33 minutes ago, Maroonblood22 said:

Seems I might be in the minority but I'm not as disappointed with the outcome of last night - considering what it could have been.

 

Look at that starting lineup for Belgium, I mean seriously they have a frightening pool of players. It was away from home and only Clarke's 2nd game in charge of the team he's worked with for less that 2 weeks. Robertson was out injured and you'd expect many of those players involved to offer more over the two games (particularly the Celtic superstars). Considering we had two Killie players at full back and a fairly tired squad, there will be many better teams who take a bigger defeat from that Belgium team. Also, that chance in the second half for us was farcical but that was Burke and Forrest's ****-up.

 

A lot of work needs to be done, but this has to be given time as a rebuild job by Clarke. Oh, and McKenna can GTF!

I agree with you.  Yes Belgium were comfortable, but they are ranked number 1 in the world for a reason.  The one main positive is that our shape already looks far more robust than it did under Mcleish, hopefully that'll continue to improve in coming games.  A solid defensive shape might see us sneak something in Russia and we have good players on the counter.  

 

We need to bin either Mulgrew or McKenna and could do with a right back, but Robertson will come back in and Taylor actually done well last night.  We also need to find someone who'll lead the line properly for us, Burke has pace but can't hold it up.  

 

I'll take signs of improvement and hopefully we are in good shape for the Nations League playoff as it'll be against teams far more on our level.

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Had a great night, met a few Hearts supporters before and during the game  in the Belgian end with most of the Brussels Hearts.

 

Great atmosphere between both set of fans 

 

Cant really remember anything of the game

 

Hanging oot ma hoop this morning 

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Thought Police
3 hours ago, Nookie Bear said:

 

That true? Some consistency of selection from the Belgians!

That’s what Peter Houston said before the game last night. Their team have combined over 700 caps between them.

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jack D and coke
14 hours ago, Maroon Sailor said:

You have to wonder what Scotland have been doing while Belgium develop players like they have now. All comfortable on the ball, neat passing and movement, pace, trickery and all on the same wavelength.

 

It's not even a case of Scotland standing still the last 25 years they have been going backwards.

 

Shocking the gulf in class

What makes me wonder is there were posters on here last night not even wanting John Souttar to play cos it might’ve scarred him. That is the sorriest shit I’ve ever read no wonder were falling further and further behind were beaten before we even set foot on the park ffs. The experience Souttar would’ve got mixing it with the likes of Lukaku, the Hazards and De Bruyne would’ve made him a better player just for getting that 90 minutes experience alone. Naw let’s keep him for 4 games against the like of Curtis Main cos that’ll bring him on....Jesus wept man. Clarke put in young Greg Taylor too last night, and I thought he was brilliant, always looked for it and wasn’t overawed in the slightest, he’ll be a better player already for that experience. 

Some Hearts fans are really inward looking, totally bizarre mindset. 

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7 hours ago, Bridge of Djoum said:

Blunt is good. 

 

Whereabouts in Italy are you?

 

Edit. Just saw you jumped on your private train to get pizza in Italy. Does the Morgan Express have wing mirrors?

We went to Sanremo. The pizza was awful.

 

No Wing Mirrors on Trains.

 

So, we had a Mars bar instead.

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10 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

You go on a train to get pish pizza????

 

I can get pish pizza delivered to my door. :biggrin2:

:rofl:

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Absolute Scenes

Scotland job is going to ruin Steve Clarke's status and reputation as a manager.

Scotland are an utterly woeful footballing side. The one or 2 superstars we have (In Robertson and Fraser) doesn't take away the fact we had Greg Taylor playing left back and Stephen O'Donnell playing previously - 2 players only playing because they had a decent season and their ex-manager in charge. We just beat San Marino (unconvincingly) and scraped past Cyprus.

Think Clarke is going to be found out big time

 

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Maroonblood22
4 hours ago, Bob Loblaw said:

I agree with you.  Yes Belgium were comfortable, but they are ranked number 1 in the world for a reason.  The one main positive is that our shape already looks far more robust than it did under Mcleish, hopefully that'll continue to improve in coming games.  A solid defensive shape might see us sneak something in Russia and we have good players on the counter.  

 

We need to bin either Mulgrew or McKenna and could do with a right back, but Robertson will come back in and Taylor actually done well last night.  We also need to find someone who'll lead the line properly for us, Burke has pace but can't hold it up.  

 

I'll take signs of improvement and hopefully we are in good shape for the Nations League playoff as it'll be against teams far more on our level.

 

Absolutely agree with all of that mate. Actually thought Taylor did well as well, considering it was his first game and has gone from playing for Killie to being up against that front 3 for Belgium! Christ knows what the score would have been if McLeish was still in charge! I think there are genuine signs for positivity right now.

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jack D and coke
1 hour ago, Absolute Scenes said:

Scotland job is going to ruin Steve Clarke's status and reputation as a manager.

Scotland are an utterly woeful footballing side. The one or 2 superstars we have (In Robertson and Fraser) doesn't take away the fact we had Greg Taylor playing left back and Stephen O'Donnell playing previously - 2 players only playing because they had a decent season and their ex-manager in charge. We just beat San Marino (unconvincingly) and scraped past Cyprus.

Think Clarke is going to be found out big time

 

I thought both of them played well imo. If we’d finished 3rd in the league and had two good Scottish fullbacks I’m sure we’d have people pushing for them to be involved. 

Russia scraped past Cyprus last night too 1-0, Wales lost to Hungary etc. Take away the really top nations there’s not much between the rest. 

 

 

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Absolute Scenes
Just now, jack D and coke said:

I thought both of them played well imo. If we’d finished 3rd in the league and had two good Scottish fullbacks I’m sure we’d have people pushing for them to be involved. 

Russia scraped past Cyprus last night too 1-0, Wales lost to Hungary etc. Take away the really top nations there’s not much between the rest. 

 

 

 

I suppose the other results reflect we didn't do too bad

I just feel that no manager has really thrived from having the Scotland job and I can see it having a negative affect on his profile

Would love to be proved wrong though!

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jack D and coke
26 minutes ago, Absolute Scenes said:

 

I suppose the other results reflect we didn't do too bad

I just feel that no manager has really thrived from having the Scotland job and I can see it having a negative affect on his profile

Would love to be proved wrong though!

Wouldn’t we all mate :lol: 

It’s not an easy job but last night isn’t something we should be really measuring ourselves against i don’t think. 

The Russia games and Cyprus away are the ones we see if we’re making any progress. Robertson back, hopefully John Souttar getting a chance over McKenna, Griffiths sorts himself out, Naismith fit again I don’t think we’re a terrible team tbh. Clarke gets us set up properly then we’ll hopefully see improvement. 

You hope anyway. 

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Absolute Scenes
14 minutes ago, jack D and coke said:

Wouldn’t we all mate :lol: 

It’s not an easy job but last night isn’t something we should be really measuring ourselves against i don’t think. 

The Russia games and Cyprus away are the ones we see if we’re making any progress. Robertson back, hopefully John Souttar getting a chance over McKenna, Griffiths sorts himself out, Naismith fit again I don’t think we’re a terrible team tbh. Clarke gets us set up properly then we’ll hopefully see improvement. 

You hope anyway. 

 

agree with all that mate, lets hope Scotland can kick on for once!

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Maroon Sailor
1 hour ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

McTominay looks like he could be the new Michael Stewart or grant brebner. 

 

High praise indeed !

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2 hours ago, Absolute Scenes said:

Scotland job is going to ruin Steve Clarke's status and reputation as a manager.

Scotland are an utterly woeful footballing side. The one or 2 superstars we have (In Robertson and Fraser) doesn't take away the fact we had Greg Taylor playing left back and Stephen O'Donnell playing previously - 2 players only playing because they had a decent season and their ex-manager in charge. We just beat San Marino (unconvincingly) and scraped past Cyprus.

Think Clarke is going to be found out big time

 

 

Disagree, only have to look at Northern Ireland to see what can be done with an average set of players.  It will take time to build but the key is finding the formation to best utilise the players we have.  It must be year's since we had the same 11 start consecutive games.  

 

The Alex McLeish saga has set us back 2 possibly more years but I have faith Steve Clarke will bring it around.  We are a good striker and a good defender away from being a very solid side.  Qualification from this group is beyond us I feel, have to take 4 points out of 6 from the Russia games which I don't think we are capable off at this moment but the Nation league play-off route is a possibility - its looking pretty likely that Finland will qualify so we will have a semi-final match vs Hungary and potential final vs Serbia or Norway. 

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Absolute Scenes
39 minutes ago, Jambo92 said:

 

Disagree, only have to look at Northern Ireland to see what can be done with an average set of players.  It will take time to build but the key is finding the formation to best utilise the players we have.  It must be year's since we had the same 11 start consecutive games.  

 

The Alex McLeish saga has set us back 2 possibly more years but I have faith Steve Clarke will bring it around.  We are a good striker and a good defender away from being a very solid side.  Qualification from this group is beyond us I feel, have to take 4 points out of 6 from the Russia games which I don't think we are capable off at this moment but the Nation league play-off route is a possibility - its looking pretty likely that Finland will qualify so we will have a semi-final match vs Hungary and potential final vs Serbia or Norway. 

 

Aye I realised earlier I was being a negative nonce so I've perked up my ideas :laugh:

He's the best guy for taking us forward

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Bridge of Djoum
2 hours ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

McTominay looks like he could be the new Michael Stewart or grant brebner. 

We should go in for him and offer 3 quid a week.

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colinmaroon
2 hours ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

McTominay looks like he could be the new Michael Stewart or grant brebner. 

 

 

What a load of Tosh.

 

Only an idiot would fail to see that, with McLean, there is great potential.  Already had a discussion about McGregor and he's a passenger in many Scotland games.  Fan dancer, Malaury Martin type!  Great when things going well but never a battler and contributes way below what he should with his ability,  But, he's a Celtic player!  Scotland were a man short in midfield last night.

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4 hours ago, Absolute Scenes said:

Scotland job is going to ruin Steve Clarke's status and reputation as a manager.

Scotland are an utterly woeful footballing side. The one or 2 superstars we have (In Robertson and Fraser) doesn't take away the fact we had Greg Taylor playing left back and Stephen O'Donnell playing previously - 2 players only playing because they had a decent season and their ex-manager in charge. We just beat San Marino (unconvincingly) and scraped past Cyprus.

Think Clarke is going to be found out big time

 

 

Is that not how players progress though by having a good season and then being picked for their National Team? If they had been playing badly would they have been considered? Unlikely.

 

Clarke is only just into the job so it is no real surprise that he picks players he trusts and knows what they are capable of.

 

I am sure once he has settled in a bit and had a chance to start scouting around to look at all his options then others will feature and depart.

 

Clarke was not in charge for the San Marino game so hardly fair to mention. Cyprus was his first game in charge so to win was decent.

 

Russsia who are a decent team only managed to beat Cyprus 1 - 0 at home the other night so Cyprus are no mugs.

 

In my opinion it's just a pity we hadn't appointed Clarke instead of McLeish way back and he could have been more settled as would his players.

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jack D and coke
12 minutes ago, colinmaroon said:

 

 

What a load of Tosh.

 

Only an idiot would fail to see that, with McLean, there is great potential.  Already had a discussion about McGregor and he's a passenger in many Scotland games.  Fan dancer, Malaury Martin type!  Great when things going well but never a battler and contributes way below what he should with his ability,  But, he's a Celtic player!  Scotland were a man short in midfield last night.

It’s funny how a player like McLean can come into the team and look composed and comfortable against great players yet McGregor can’t or hasn’t in a Scotland shirt yet. I thought McLean was ok at Aberdeen but he’s clearly much better than I’d given him credit for. Is it simply going down to England to be tested more regularly? As for McGregor, he can play without a doubt and has great ability I’m not sure what’s different about his role in the Scotland team that makes him look so inneffective tbh. It was mentioned it was his 70th game of the season I think last night perhaps that has something to do with it cos he certainly hasn’t been as good for Celtic either of late. That’s a lot of football it’s got to tell on you. 

McTominay needs to probably leave Man Utd to develop cos he’ll likely be limited of appearances but as that game against PSG showed he can definitely play too. 

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kingantti1874
3 hours ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

McTominay looks like he could be the new Michael Stewart or grant brebner. 

 

? what absolute nonsense. Seriously.

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Joey J J Jr Shabadoo
1 hour ago, colinmaroon said:

 

 

What a load of Tosh.

 

Only an idiot would fail to see that, with McLean, there is great potential.  Already had a discussion about McGregor and he's a passenger in many Scotland games.  Fan dancer, Malaury Martin type!  Great when things going well but never a battler and contributes way below what he should with his ability,  But, he's a Celtic player!  Scotland were a man short in midfield last night.

Gave up at the first. Wasn't it him that didn't follow up the rebound from fraser? 

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jack D and coke
29 minutes ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

Gave up at the first. Wasn't it him that didn't follow up the rebound from fraser? 

It was Forrest and Burke who couldn’t finish that chance. Both got it caught under their feet :facepalm:

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Joey J J Jr Shabadoo
16 minutes ago, jack D and coke said:

It was Forrest and Burke who couldn’t finish that chance. Both got it caught under their feet :facepalm:

Not that one - the one Fraser cut in & the keeper parried it (similar to Lukaku's goal).

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Midloth_Iain

Pass marks - Marshall, McKenna, Taylor, McTominay, McLean, Fraser

 

Jury still out - Burke, McGregor, O'Donnell, Russell, Forrest

 

Call it a day :  Mulgrew

 

M of M: Fraser

 

Injured: Armstrong, decent squad player ....

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jack D and coke
15 minutes ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

Not that one - the one Fraser cut in & the keeper parried it (similar to Lukaku's goal).

Oh yeah, can’t rememebr now...

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Diadora Van Basten
45 minutes ago, Kid Creole said:

Pass marks - Marshall, McKenna, Taylor, McTominay, McLean, Fraser

 

Jury still out - Burke, McGregor, O'Donnell, Russell, Forrest

 

Call it a day :  Mulgrew

 

M of M: Fraser

 

Injured: Armstrong, decent squad player ....

Thought Forrest did well couldn’t fault Mulgrew either.

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Diadora Van Basten

The depressing thing for me was the way we just shuffled back to the edge of our penalty box. Watching the goals today was embarrassing at each goal we had about 8 players defending in the box with 4 players marking no one.

 

To be honest if that’s the best we can do then there’s no point getting to the Euros.

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Can't get too thrilled about a 3-0 defeat but at least we made it difficult for them and kept showing for the pass when we had the ball. A big improvement on the 4-0 friendly defeat under McLeish where Belgium almost seemed embarrassed by how easy it was.

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shaun.lawson
16 hours ago, Absolute Scenes said:

Scotland job is going to ruin Steve Clarke's status and reputation as a manager.

 

Think Clarke is going to be found out big time

 

 

Belgium are the best side in the world according to the FIFA rankings (and I'd say they're at least 2nd best). Comments like the above based on the crime of losing away to the best side in the world are ridiculous.

 

Is it a very tough job for Clarke? You bet. But there's no-one more likely to turn Scotland's fortunes around than him. I like the cut of his jib. 

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3 hours ago, shaun.lawson said:

 

Belgium are the best side in the world according to the FIFA rankings (and I'd say they're at least 2nd best). Comments like the above based on the crime of losing away to the best side in the world are ridiculous.

 

Is it a very tough job for Clarke? You bet. But there's no-one more likely to turn Scotland's fortunes around than him. I like the cut of his jib. 

It will all take time.  He's starting with our fortunes at a low ebb. He'll need at least half a dozen games to know what he really has at his disposal.  We will know that we are making progress when we start being convincing at home and not just very narrowly beating the likes of Cyprus.  I just don't think that our Old Firm loving media will give him the time he needs.  

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shaun.lawson
38 minutes ago, Deevers said:

It will all take time.  He's starting with our fortunes at a low ebb. He'll need at least half a dozen games to know what he really has at his disposal.  We will know that we are making progress when we start being convincing at home and not just very narrowly beating the likes of Cyprus.  I just don't think that our Old Firm loving media will give him the time he needs.  

 

I'm not sure about the latter - essentially because they must, surely, respect his achievements to date, including working under some of the world's great managers. What really encourages me about him is I think (1) He really, really wanted the job and is totally committed to it (2) I think he has a plan. He's thought it through. He knows it'll take time... but his attitude is what should turn things around for Scotland.

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