Squad for Lithuania & Slovakia

[bonny78]

6 minutes ago, Radian said:

I fail to see what the big deal with 3 left backs is when he has picked a squad of 28. 

Correct. 

[dipped flake]

3 hours ago, bonny78 said:

how many ex hearts players are in the Lithuanian team

2 I believe. Went and checked, yip 2, Cesnauskis and Novikovas 

Edited September 29, 2016 by dipped flake

[Hobta83]

5 hours ago, vanderark14 said:

I didn't say they were identical and from memory when I checked this morning, I think most of Fletcher's were for Hibs and in the english championship.

You've had one here mate, spent almost all his time down south in the premiership with struggling teams until this season.

[vanderark14]

5 hours ago, Hobta83 said:

You've had one here mate, spent almost all his time down south in the premiership with struggling teams until this season.

The original point was fairly obvious 

his scoring rate is bollocks for being our main striker. 

[JECK]

1 hour ago, vanderark14 said:

The original point was fairly obvious 

his scoring rate is bollocks for being our main striker. 

To be fair there have been loads of others before with equally low ratios - Kevin Gallagher, Durie, Joe Jordan off the top of my head

[vanderark14]

8 hours ago, JECK said:

To be fair there have been loads of others before with equally low ratios - Kevin Gallagher, Durie, Joe Jordan off the top of my head

All from a time when it was easier to qualify and we did so regularly. It's time to change our system and play players who score regularly more often with players who can supply the ammo.

[ErsatzThistle]

No call ups for Ian Black, Ryan Stevenson, Danny Swanson, Craig Mackail-Smith or David Goodwillie make Craig Levein saaaaaad.

[Ormond]

4 hours ago, ErsatzThistle said:

No call ups for Ian Black, Ryan Stevenson, Danny Swanson, Craig Mackail-Smith or David Goodwillie make Craig Levein saaaaaad.

Ian Black and Ryan Stevenson. FFS. 

[Shed_Tartan_Army_Yeah]

On 28/09/2016 at 0:08 PM, McVinceSCT said:

Players are not 14 years old boys (maybe for some...). They know a home game against Lithuania is a must-win game.

Shouldn't every game be must win? If not, whats the point?

[vanderark14]

1 hour ago, Shed_Tartan_Army_Yeah said:

Shouldn't every game be must win? If not, whats the point?

as strachan and mcghee.

[Tartacus]

Technically Strachan is correct. It's too early to suggest a game is a 'must win'. Of course he wants to and expects to beat Lithuania at home. But what benefit would he or Scotland get from answering, 'Yes, it's a must win.' ? Some of the anti Strachan stuff is ridiculous, including club biased fans lamenting the omission of mediocre players from their club team and being furious about a rival club team player being included. Strachan picks his squad from a fairly average group of players. If he manages to guide Scotland to the World Cup that would be a superb achievement and if he fails I'm sure he will resign. Unless he gets shot earlier by some deluded person who expects to see 11 born and bred Bravehearts destroy all opposition. Strachan put massive effort into playing for Scotland and I bet he puts in massive effort as manager. 

[Shed_Tartan_Army_Yeah]

17 minutes ago, Tartacus said:

Technically Strachan is correct. It's too early to suggest a game is a 'must win'. Of course he wants to and expects to beat Lithuania at home. But what benefit would he or Scotland get from answering, 'Yes, it's a must win.' ?

Benefit- Same as any other media answer he gives.

Manager's answers to media questions and what they actually tell players in training sessions and in team talks really shouldn't be looked at as the same thing..

[ErsatzThistle]

So when do we expect Lee Wallace to pull out then ?

[Third Lanark]

On 29/09/2016 at 11:37 AM, er yir macaroon said:

for which game?

Please sir, what is an 'ST'? I understand AMR (attacking midfield right) but 'ST'?

Is it sentral target?

[ross040386]

Strachan will have included Wallace as he's worried about the height of the team for defending set pieces. I'm sure he has played Mulgrew (possibly even Whittaker ) at LB previously and stated that as the reason. 

I don't think it's a terrible option to have if say we have a slender lead away to Slovakia and it looks like they are going to start throwing the ball into the box for the final few minutes. 

No way Wallace should be starting though. Difficult decision between Tierney and Robertson though. I think if he's starting Fletcher up front then Robertson as he is good at putting decent balls into the box early from deeper positions. If Griffiths then Tierney as he is good at getting to the bye line and and picking out players with a cut back, which he has done with Griffiths on a number of occasions. Hopeful Strachan goes for the latter.

[borojock]

On 9/29/2016 at 11:37 AM, er yir macaroon said:

for which game?

 

[borojock]

18 hours ago, Tartacus said:

Technically Strachan is correct. It's too early to suggest a game is a 'must win'. Of course he wants to and expects to beat Lithuania at home. But what benefit would he or Scotland get from answering, 'Yes, it's a must win.' ? Some of the anti Strachan stuff is ridiculous, including club biased fans lamenting the omission of mediocre players from their club team and being furious about a rival club team player being included. Strachan picks his squad from a fairly average group of players. If he manages to guide Scotland to the World Cup that would be a superb achievement and if he fails I'm sure he will resign. Unless he gets shot earlier by some deluded person who expects to see 11 born and bred Bravehearts destroy all opposition. Strachan put massive effort into playing for Scotland and I bet he puts in massive effort as manager. 

great post

[ross040386]

1 hour ago, borojock said:

great post

Agree

[borojock]

i cant wait for the game next Saturday feeling positive don't think it will be stroll in the park but if we have any real ambition of making it to the world cup this is a game we have to win and i think we can

For the game i'd go 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 

                           Marshall

Paterson      Martin        Berra      Robertson

                    Fletcher     Bannan

Burke            Snodgrass            Ritchie

                      Griffiths 

[ParisInAKilt]

I think it's a must win, Strachan can say otherwise, whatever he thinks will help motivated the team. 

[stevenmcn]

On 28/09/2016 at 2:41 PM, Hobta83 said:

Fletcher is back in form and for me is our best no 9 by quite some distance.

 

Our best no 9 by some distance? 9 goals for Scotland, 6 of which came against Gibraltar and another 2 came against Iceland, back when they were crap and Malta. Having guys like him as our main striker are the reason we don't qualify for anything anymore. Even Kenny Miller had a better record.

[ceudmilefailte]

20 minutes ago, stevenmcn said:

Our best no 9 by some distance? 9 goals for Scotland, 6 of which came against Gibraltar and another 2 came against Iceland, back when they were crap and Malta. Having guys like him as our main striker are the reason we don't qualify for anything anymore. Even Kenny Miller had a better record.

He is a good football player though. Lot more to the game than statistics.

[stevenmcn]

1 hour ago, ceudmilefailte said:

He is a good football player though. Lot more to the game than statistics.

If he's playing international football, I'd expect him to be a good football player, but, for a striker, goals are a big statistic, and frankly Fletcher doesn't cut it.

[munro7]

He's by far the best we have for the way Strachan wants to play.

[ParisInAKilt]

Fletcher isn'5 the first and won't be the last Scotland forward to have a less than average goal scoring rate for us. Not completely taking the blame away from the players but theres something in the way we play that doesn't help the forwards score.