***World Cup Play-off Draw - Ukraine. ***

[Gards]

1 minute ago, neilnunb said:

 

 

🤣 careful...some folk can't separate football from war without an emoticon.

No no - there's a definite difference there.

[JimmyCant]

1 minute ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Two huge games at Hampden against Croatia and tonight.

Both times Clarke has been shown to be incapable of setting up correctly, picking wrong team, and refusing to make changes till far too late.

Not up to the job.

He is tactically stubborn but like any other Scotland manager he’s got a limited pool of talent to work with. For someone in that position to stick loyally to players where other options might work or at least should be tried is a glaring deficiency. I think he tried to change it at half time realising we were getting done in the middle of the park but 2 minutes in we lose a second and the plan goes out the window in favour of trying to Chuck the kitchen sink at them which they are just too good to fall for.

 

I think it might be time for a change now. He’s done his best but he’s becoming a dinosaur and we need a more modern thinking and tactician who can work with a basket of mostly broken toys and make some of them work.

[Pasquale for King]

36 minutes ago, chrystaf said:

Thought I was watching Hearts.  Dreadful fist half and and reluctant to change things . Just got into the game in the last 30 minutes and some horrendous misses.  Too little too late.

Was the hype just too much for our players.? 

Spot on 

[McCrae]

Thought the team selection was strange, was obvious after 15-20 mins we were losing the midfield.

[Morgan]

7 minutes ago, whodanny said:

Aaaww, come on Morg, you're tellin' us you've not been that guy ? (spelling mistakes not withstanding of course, ha ! )

I’ve never been a ‘jackey’ in my puff, Danny.

 

 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

Forget Stevie Clarke we’d be better off with Stevie Wonder 

[Homme]

No idea who would replace Clarke... certainly nobody Scottish is good enough at this minute in time. 

 

We actually have a few footballers who can play the game these days so perhaps it's time to bring a European in and play to their strengths.

[Fozzyonthefence]

15 minutes ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Two huge games at Hampden against Croatia and tonight.

Both times Clarke has been shown to be incapable of setting up correctly, picking wrong team, and refusing to make changes till far too late.

Not up to the job.

You missed out another huge game at Hampden v the Czechs where Clarke got it wrong big time.  Won’t take us any further when we have a decent(ish) squad.  Should be time to move on but his job will be safe. 

[Central Belt 1874]

5 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

He is tactically stubborn but like any other Scotland manager he’s got a limited pool of talent to work with. For someone in that position to stick loyally to players where other options might work or at least should be tried is a glaring deficiency. I think he tried to change it at half time realising we were getting done in the middle of the park but 2 minutes in we lose a second and the plan goes out the window in favour of trying to Chuck the kitchen sink at them which they are just too good to fall for.

 

I think it might be time for a change now. He’s done his best but he’s becoming a dinosaur and we need a more modern thinking and tactician who can work with a basket of mostly broken toys and make some of them work.

 

Some of the players he picks are dinosaurs at this level of football. He is a footballing dinosaur because he continues to pick these guys ahead of others who have more footballing ability/intelligence. 

 

He has been made to look like a fool again against an average modern footballing team. 

 

 

[Philfigo]

The manager to blame for that, and I like Steve Clarke. Formation was fine but the shape was horrendous and Mctominay at the back just wrong. Strikers to far forward from the midfield and pressing constantly with Mcginn and Mcgregor. Billy Gilmour wandering around not picking anyone up. Then the big gap again between our midfield and defence. The whole team was stretched the entire length of the pitch. This ment they had loads of room to play in the areas between defence and midfield and midfield and strikers. Took the manager 60 odd minutes to change so that the team were more compact and narrow in midfield. Mctominay at Defensive Mid so there's no big gap between def and mid and Christie operating in the gap between mid and strikers. With Midfield narrower it ment we saw Hickey get forward as he now had space. I was shouting before half time that we had to change to that way it was so bloody obvious. 

[Ainsley Harriott]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Rudy T]

I fully understood Clarkes tactics when he came in, he fostered a club  mentality with a close group of players and showed loyalty them and it paid off. I think his tactics in the beginning were right, he needed a system that allowed us to stay in games get points and build confidence.
 

However we now have the best group of players we’ve seen in a long long time and again for a long time some very good youngsters coming through.  Clarke has to now adapt his tactics to allow us to play and get on the front foot from the start. We’re far to passive in most of the games we play. We also have enough quality for every position to allow every player to play their natural position, this shoehorning players in just doesn’t work at this level. 
 

Problem is if Clarke can’t adapt then who knows the next man in the job, the problem is the SFA are to miserable to pay for a top manager.

[jamborich]

Not surprised it’s what we do

[Morgan]

Would a Craig Levein Scotland team have played so mis-shaped tonight?

 

We wouldn’t have lost three goals at home, that’s for sure.

 

Clarke is an imposter who is living off some unfounded reputation.  Not now he isn’t though.

 

Found out. 🤓

[Rockwell]

Too many Scotland  players were playing for struggling clubs at the end of the season and their poor club form carried on to tonight

[Morgan]

1 minute ago, jamborich said:

Not surprised it’s what we do

Yes, that’s Scotland for you.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

4 minutes ago, Homme said:

No idea who would replace Clarke... certainly nobody Scottish is good enough at this minute in time. 

 

We actually have a few footballers who can play the game these days so perhaps it's time to bring a European in and play to their strengths.

The national team manager sack talk is a national pass time. It’s the Scottish way. Another World Cup goes by without us 
 

Clarkes time has come. The axe must fall. It’s been Leveinball but with a marginally better win % 

[Malinga the Swinga]

3 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

You missed out another huge game at Hampden v the Czechs where Clarke got it wrong big time.  Won’t take us any further when we have a decent(ish) squad.  Should be time to move on but his job will be safe. 

Oh, I hadn't forgotten it. Just the Croatian game was the one that would have got us through.

Same as I haven't forgotten the away games to Slovenia,Slovakia (can't remember which one) and Israel where he allowed Nations league group victory to disappear on the back of beating Serbia.

He's a dinosaur of a manager, a throwback to the dark ages.

Normally I don't mind Leanne Crichton as a pundit but on radio tonight she is major pissing me off. 

Praising Callum McGregor and slating Hickey.

Praising under 21 squad when they have been dreadful.

 

[spacerjoe]

10 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

He is tactically stubborn but like any other Scotland manager he’s got a limited pool of talent to work with. For someone in that position to stick loyally to players where other options might work or at least should be tried is a glaring deficiency. I think he tried to change it at half time realising we were getting done in the middle of the park but 2 minutes in we lose a second and the plan goes out the window in favour of trying to Chuck the kitchen sink at them which they are just too good to fall for.

 

I think it might be time for a change now. He’s done his best but he’s becoming a dinosaur and we need a more modern thinking and tactician who can work with a basket of mostly broken toys and make some of them work.

 

I don't think we should make a change now. Clarke has us challenging for the first time in decades. He's taken us to a major tournament and had us in the playoffs for the next one with a great qualifying campaign that left us seeded.

 

We were pish tonight, no question. But he's done a great job with an average team with a great goalie a 3 brilliant left backs.

[whodanny]

1 minute ago, Morgan said:

I’ve never been a ‘jackey’ in my puff, Danny.

 

 

Nor a Jakey, nor a Jockey Morg, but I might have been a drunkin lackey a few times, if I knew what that really was. Maybe just an arse when I was drunk. Could well be drunk tonight, Im on the Isle of Lewis, after a long day of hill and coastal walking, settled down for the game, and... well the whisky is going down well. Nothing much to get up for early tomorrow, so what the hell. Drunken jackey, jakey, jockey or lackey. Or just Danny. Good night to you Morgan, all the best. 

 

I'm disappointed. Still feeling it after the cup final too. 

[Tuco Salamanca]

Maybe posters from this thread should be the scotland manager as a few knew (apparently)how we should have set up our team yet a manager who speaks,observes, has engagement with these players got it wrong  yet posters on this forum....they knew from kick off ! 

 

 

Tin hat on. 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

Mctominay at Center back with Souttar fit goes down as the worst managerial call since 4-6-0 and arguably actually worse than that so we’ve got to go back further 

[stirlo]

Scotland players and management need to ask serious questions of themselves after that. They were so far off it, it was hard to believe. 

 

Well done to Ukraine though and best of luck to them. At the end of the day this was a game of football and we should not lose sight of what the people of that country have been going through.  

[JimmyCant]

7 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

You missed out another huge game at Hampden v the Czechs where Clarke got it wrong big time.  Won’t take us any further when we have a decent(ish) squad.  Should be time to move on but his job will be safe. 

Depends on his contractual situation I suppose first of all. Certainly if your making a change, in between major tournament qualifications is the time to do it. Even then you have to have a solid alternative in mind, who is better and will take the job, and that’s not easy given the money the SFA pay.

[Clark Griswold]

Just now, A_A wehatethehibs said:

Mctominay at Center back with Souttar fit goes down as the worst managerial call since 4-6-0 and arguably actually worse than that so we’ve got to go back further 

Totally agree. Back 3 should have been Cooper, Hendry and Souttar IMO 

[Australis]

Amber Heard, my career is finished.

 

Steve Clarke, hold my beer.

 

[stirlo]

1 minute ago, stirlo said:

Scotland players and management need to ask serious questions of themselves after that. They were so far off it, it was hard to believe. 

 

Well done to Ukraine though and best of luck to them. At the end of the day this was a game of football and we should not lose sight of what the people of that country have been going through.

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by stirlo

[Morgan]

3 minutes ago, whodanny said:

Nor a Jakey, nor a Jockey Morg, but I might have been a drunkin lackey a few times, if I knew what that really was. Maybe just an arse when I was drunk. Could well be drunk tonight, Im on the Isle of Lewis, after a long day of hill and coastal walking, settled down for the game, and... well the whisky is going down well. Nothing much to get up for early tomorrow, so what the hell. Drunken jackey, jakey, jockey or lackey. Or just Danny. Good night to you Morgan, all the best. 

 

I'm disappointed. Still feeling it after the cup final too. 

And a goodnight to you too, fellow scholar.

 

As always, take care, man.

 

Morgs.

[Morgan]

1 minute ago, Australis said:

Amber Heard, my career is finished.

 

Steve Clarke, hold my beer.

 

[Malinga the Swinga]

Just now, spacerjoe said:

 

I don't think we should make a change now. Clarke has us challenging for the first time in decades. He's taken us to a major tournament and had us in the playoffs for the next one with a great qualifying campaign that left us seeded.

 

We were pish tonight, no question. But he's done a great job with an average team with a great goalie a 3 brilliant left backs.

No point in reaching play offs then putting in performance like that.

No point qualifying for Euros then playing utter shit when it mattered.

[spacerjoe]

3 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

The national team manager sack talk is a national pass time. It’s the Scottish way. Another World Cup goes by without us 
 

Clarkes time has come. The axe must fall. It’s been Leveinball but with a marginally better win % 

Prior to the loss today, he'd been the first manager to win 6 qualifiers in a row since 1930.

 

If Denmark hadn't won 9 out of 10 matches (their only loss against us), we'd have had a real chance of winning the group.

 

A sad end (and performance that deserved criticism for sure) to a very good campaign.

 

Asking for Clarke to be sacked now isike asking Neilson to be sacked for losing the Cup final.

[Malinga the Swinga]

6 minutes ago, Tuco Salamanca said:

Maybe posters from this thread should be the scotland manager as a few knew (apparently)how we should have set up our team yet a manager who speaks,observes, has engagement with these players got it wrong  yet posters on this forum....they knew from kick off ! 

 

 

Tin hat on. 

As did all the pundits on TV and radio. No issues with set up, but after 19 minutes it was obviously not working.

He didn't change it till we were 2 down abut an hour into game.

Why?

[whodanny]

2 minutes ago, Morgan said:

And a goodnight to you too, fellow scholar.

 

As always, take care, man.

 

Morgs.

You too Morg. Always a top Jambo. 'Mon The Hearts !

[spacerjoe]

1 minute ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

No point in reaching play offs then putting in performance like that.

No point qualifying for Euros then playing utter shit when it mattered.

So, sack Neilson then?

[Philfigo]

7 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

Mctominay at Center back with Souttar fit goes down as the worst managerial call since 4-6-0 and arguably actually worse than that so we’ve got to go back further 

Spot on

[Fozzyonthefence]

8 minutes ago, Tuco Salamanca said:

Maybe posters from this thread should be the scotland manager as a few knew (apparently)how we should have set up our team yet a manager who speaks,observes, has engagement with these players got it wrong  yet posters on this forum....they knew from kick off ! 

 

 

Tin hat on. 

You don’t need to be a footballing genius to realise that Hanley is pish and McTominay can’t play centre back (just looking at his previous performances there already told us that).  It’s also pretty obvious that Soutar is better than all 3 of the back 3 that played tonight.  Some very obvious observations there but the guy who picks the team doesn’t seem to notice these things. 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

Just now, Clark Griswold said:

Totally agree. Back 3 should have been Cooper, Hendry and Souttar IMO 

It’s the definition of a sackable call. Absolute blunder of the century.

 

1 minute ago, spacerjoe said:

Prior to the loss today, he'd been the first manager to win 6 qualifiers in a row since 1930.

 

If Denmark hadn't won 9 out of 10 matches (their only loss against us), we'd have had a real chance of winning the group.

 

A sad end (and performance that deserved criticism for sure) to a very good campaign.

 

Asking for Clarke to be sacked now isike asking Neilson to be sacked for losing the Cup final.

Stevie Wonder would’ve picked a better back 4 tonight. Clarke is in the bin, ba’s burst 

[Seymour M Hersh]

Well beaten by a technically far superior team. 

[Malinga the Swinga]

2 minutes ago, spacerjoe said:

So, sack Neilson then?

Nope, Robbie didn't leave out Gordon for s keeper who was shit and cost game v Czechs and goals in other games.

Robbie didn't leave out best centre half and play 65 year old Hanley (well he's the pace of a 65 year old) instead.

Robbie got best he could out of players he has.

Clarke did not.

[JimmyCant]

6 minutes ago, spacerjoe said:

 

I don't think we should make a change now. Clarke has us challenging for the first time in decades. He's taken us to a major tournament and had us in the playoffs for the next one with a great qualifying campaign that left us seeded.

 

We were pish tonight, no question. But he's done a great job with an average team with a great goalie a 3 brilliant left backs.

We’ve been challenging and having near misses for decades under various managers and he got to a major finals only through an artificial losers back door created by FIFA/UEFA. I think he’s had long enough and it’s time to give someone else a go to see if we can push on.

 

Big problem which goes hand in hand with this is that we’re not producing enough top players.

[stirlo]

4 minutes ago, spacerjoe said:

Prior to the loss today, he'd been the first manager to win 6 qualifiers in a row since 1930.

 

If Denmark hadn't won 9 out of 10 matches (their only loss against us), we'd have had a real chance of winning the group.

 

A sad end (and performance that deserved criticism for sure) to a very good campaign.

 

Asking for Clarke to be sacked now isike asking Neilson to be sacked for losing the Cup final.

 

The thing is that regardless of whether Clarke got his tactics right or wrong tonight, there were far too many players who just didn't turn up. 

 

One thing that I still cannot get my head around is why did Chelsea send Billy Gilmour on loan to Norwich of all places? They were always going to be in a relegation struggle so how did they think that was going to benefit him? He looks like a player really short on confidence. 

[Fozzyonthefence]

5 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

It’s the definition of a sackable call. Absolute blunder of the century.

 

Stevie Wonder would’ve picked a better back 4 tonight. Clarke is in the bin, ba’s burst 

We’d have maybe got on better with a back 4 tonight.  Didn’t see much of 2nd half but was certainly a back 3 in first half.

[XB52]

We were better when we played Mctominey in midfield, the position he plays every bloody week. Got 2 CHs on the bench but no, put a midfielder there instead

[WheatfieldWarrior]

35 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

Forget Stevie Clarke we’d be better off with Stevie Wonder 

 

I just called, to say .....

 

[Pasquale for King]

Did he have six months to prepare for this game? Absolutely clueless. 

[WheatfieldWarrior]

50 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

Wonder if Craig will retire from international football now. Kind of got that impression by that interview there.

 

Dunno, he might fancy Euro 2024.

[iantjambo]

Hendry and Souttar are better than any of the three that started in central defence. 

[Mister T]

26 minutes ago, Australis said:

Amber Heard, my career is finished.

 

Steve Clarke, hold my beer.

 

Nailed it. 

[spacerjoe]

16 minutes ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Nope, Robbie didn't leave out Gordon for s keeper who was shit and cost game v Czechs and goals in other games.

Robbie didn't leave out best centre half and play 65 year old Hanley (well he's the pace of a 65 year old) instead.

Robbie got best he could out of players he has.

Clarke did not.

Out of who exactly has he not got the best out of?

 

You're talking like we're the England golden generation of Owen and Gerrard, not Lyndon ****ing Dykes and Callum McGregor!

[Rocky jamboa]

58 minutes ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Two huge games at Hampden against Croatia and tonight.

Both times Clarke has been shown to be incapable of setting up correctly, picking wrong team, and refusing to make changes till far too late.

Not up to the job.

I'm a big fan of Clarke and thought he would have been a good appointment for us but totally agree with you re these two massive games. He got them totally wrong. 2 fairly insipid defeats.