twinny Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Should be a big boost for us. After drawing the first two it is very important to do well this month, and two wins however unlikely would see us still with a chance. Wales are looking poor in the goalkeeper department, with Hennessy and Myhill both out, however we may be in the same position as MacGregor has been struggling with injury lately. The Welsh back-ups aren't even getting much of a game for their clubs (Jason Brown at Aberdeen and Lewis Price at Crystal Palace) which is something we'll need to take advantage of. The threat from S Fletcher and good delivery from the wings and from Adam at set-pieces will be key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 The last move of a desperate man. Levein has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown here. I am glad that we have our best striker back in the squad but for me it's too little too late from Levein. 1 point from our first 2 home games, considering the opposition, should have been enough to get him sacked. This is a tougher group than the one we had for Euro 2012. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 The last move of a desperate man. Levein has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown here. I am glad that we have our best striker back in the squad but for me it's too little too late from Levein. 1 point from our first 2 home games, considering the opposition, should have been enough to get him sacked. This is a tougher group than the one we had for Euro 2012. That was my first reaction to the news. Anything less that six points out of the next six, and he should be dismissed from his post. That should already have happened, but no point in keeping him on to get us eliminated from the next competition almost before things even start to get interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) McGregor Webster Caldwell Berra Hutton------------------------------Fox Brown McArthur---------Fletcher Maloney Fletcher Matt Gilks (Blackpool) David Marshall (Cardiff City) Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers) Russell Martin (Norwich City) Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) Charlie Adam (Stoke) James Forrest (Celtic) James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion) Steven Naismith (Everton) Robert Snodgrass (Norwich City) Jamie Mackie (Queens Park Rangers) Kenny Miller (Vancouver Whitecaps) Matt Phillips (Blackpool) Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers) Edited October 2, 2012 by potty trained Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrantB Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 For 2 away games, swap Maloney with Snodgrass or Mackie and PT's team is pretty much spot on. Morrisson was disappointing for Scotland but his performances for West Brom have been outstanding. He ran the game at Villa Park on Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted October 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 McGregor Hutton Caldwell Berra Fox Brown Adam McArthur Fletcher Maloney Fletcher I'd go with something more like this, though I'd think about putting Snodgrass in ahead of McArthur and playing him as more of a second striker than a winger. Also Brown, Adam and D Fletcher could be a bit more fluid than my formation suggests, with all switching between defensive and attacking midfield roles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 The key thing now is to treat the remaining games as preparation for the next Euro qualifiers. Mr Levein has worked hard to ensure that we now have absolutely no competitive interest in this campaign. Give him his jotters later this afternoon and begin the search for his succesor; that'll give us a 2 year head start on our rivals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted October 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 The key thing now is to treat the remaining games as preparation for the next Euro qualifiers. Mr Levein has worked hard to ensure that we now have absolutely no competitive interest in this campaign. Give him his jotters later this afternoon and begin the search for his succesor; that'll give us a 2 year head start on our rivals. To be honest, if we can't qualify for 2016 we should be embarrassed. 23 teams will qualify, essentially we'd be in with a shout even if we finish third in a qualification group assuming the format is similar to how it is now. Chances are we'll f*** it up though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky jag Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 2 games too late Levein. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jago1953 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Anyone but Caldwell.The guy is a bomb scare.He is not fit to lace Muirhead's laces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G SUS Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 To be honest, if we can't qualify for 2016 we should be embarrassed. 23 teams will qualify, essentially we'd be in with a shout even if we finish third in a qualification group assuming the format is similar to how it is now. Chances are we'll f*** it up though. The format for 2016, has been proposed to be a two group stage. There would be 13 groups of 4(each playing each twice). The winners qualify. Then there would be a next round of 10 groups of 4(seedings based on the first stage) where again winners would go through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 The format for 2016, has been proposed to be a two group stage. There would be 13 groups of 4(each playing each twice). The winners qualify. Then there would be a next round of 10 groups of 4(seedings based on the first stage) where again winners would go through. did SigeSige propose that? sounds daft enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G SUS Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 did SigeSige propose that? sounds daft enough Mr. Platini did, and is forcing it through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Dastardly Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Mr. Platini did, and is forcing it through. So the wee teams never get the chance to play the big teams. Great idea Mr. Platini ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee jim Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 I must admire the eternal optimism of some of you guys. The Fletchers now available for selection will give the team a boost. We may even beat Wales on the strength of it but the bigger picture still exists. Scotland will never compete with the big boys again unless the health and fitness of the nation is addressed. Generally I am not one of life’s pessimists, after all I go to Firhill, but perhaps because the years are running out for me ever seeing a decent Scotland team again, I think the reality is until the government, sports bodies and above all the schools are supported to take the long term view and focus on the fitness of our children we will never be any better than below mediocre at sport. Also as long as parents continue to feed our kids crap food (like Firhill pies) Scottish football will continue to decline. Just as a matter of interest. I take my grandsons to various five-a-side pitches, no one seems to bother if you have a kick about on any of the pitches not in use. The boys love it they say they can practice their skills and I get some exercise too. Their dad, and I don’t care if he reads this, thinks encouraging his kids to be sporty is letting them watch football on Sky Sports. He once took them to the wrestling which is nothing short of a pantomime. It would suit him better, and his kids, if he took them out in the fresh air at the weekend. He says after a stressful week at work he needs to wind down and relax. The point am making saying all of this is I suspect he’s quite typical of lots of dads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordanhill Jag Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 I must admire the eternal optimism of some of you guys. The Fletchers now available for selection will give the team a boost. We may even beat Wales on the strength of it but the bigger picture still exists. Scotland will never compete with the big boys again unless the health and fitness of the nation is addressed. Generally I am not one of life’s pessimists, after all I go to Firhill, but perhaps because the years are running out for me ever seeing a decent Scotland team again, I think the reality is until the government, sports bodies and above all the schools are supported to take the long term view and focus on the fitness of our children we will never be any better than below mediocre at sport. Also as long as parents continue to feed our kids crap food (like Firhill pies) Scottish football will continue to decline. Just as a matter of interest. I take my grandsons to various five-a-side pitches, no one seems to bother if you have a kick about on any of the pitches not in use. The boys love it they say they can practice their skills and I get some exercise too. Their dad, and I don’t care if he reads this, thinks encouraging his kids to be sporty is letting them watch football on Sky Sports. He once took them to the wrestling which is nothing short of a pantomime. It would suit him better, and his kids, if he took them out in the fresh air at the weekend. He says after a stressful week at work he needs to wind down and relax. The point am making saying all of this is I suspect he’s quite typical of lots of dads. Based on the assumption that all our problems are related to lifestyle would you care to explian the fact that if Scotland had competed at the Olympics on our own, we would have finished 11th - Spain a population of 40 Mn finished 24th- it has very little to do with lifestyle or investment and a lot to do with how we run and manage the game of Football in this Country, in my humble opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrantB Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 it has very little to do with lifestyle or investment and a lot to do with how we run and manage the game of Football in this Country, in my humble opinion. This. The footballing establisment in this country dont pick players on the basis of talent, if you play for one of the OF, you get in. It wont change until we change the people running the game who are corrupt to the core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 This. The footballing establisment in this country dont pick players on the basis of talent, if you play for one of the OF, you get in. It wont change until we change the people running the game who are corrupt to the core. Even if it's the reserves, or the reserves of a lower league English team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted October 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 I must admire the eternal optimism of some of you guys. The Fletchers now available for selection will give the team a boost. We may even beat Wales on the strength of it but the bigger picture still exists. Scotland will never compete with the big boys again unless the health and fitness of the nation is addressed. Generally I am not one of life’s pessimists, after all I go to Firhill, but perhaps because the years are running out for me ever seeing a decent Scotland team again, I think the reality is until the government, sports bodies and above all the schools are supported to take the long term view and focus on the fitness of our children we will never be any better than below mediocre at sport. Also as long as parents continue to feed our kids crap food (like Firhill pies) Scottish football will continue to decline. Just as a matter of interest. I take my grandsons to various five-a-side pitches, no one seems to bother if you have a kick about on any of the pitches not in use. The boys love it they say they can practice their skills and I get some exercise too. Their dad, and I don’t care if he reads this, thinks encouraging his kids to be sporty is letting them watch football on Sky Sports. He once took them to the wrestling which is nothing short of a pantomime. It would suit him better, and his kids, if he took them out in the fresh air at the weekend. He says after a stressful week at work he needs to wind down and relax. The point am making saying all of this is I suspect he’s quite typical of lots of dads. We all agree that Scotland is an unhealthy nation, and there was a thread a month or two back talking about this. Are we not allowed to discuss the merits of the national football team without considering the national consumption of saturated fats and time spent in sedentary activities? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1971 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Based on the assumption that all our problems are related to lifestyle would you care to explian the fact that if Scotland had competed at the Olympics on our own, we would have finished 11th - Spain a population of 40 Mn finished 24th- it has very little to do with lifestyle or investment and a lot to do with how we run and manage the game of Football in this Country, in my humble opinion. Scotland would have finished 11th because Team GB did so fantastically, and the reason Team GB did so fantastically has everything to do with investment, i.e. the Lottery funding that has been pumped into UK sport (both at an elite and grassroots level) over the past decade or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee jim Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 We all agree that Scotland is an unhealthy nation, and there was a thread a month or two back talking about this. Are we not allowed to discuss the merits of the national football team without considering the national consumption of saturated fats and time spent in sedentary activities? You are perfectly correct, my apologies. It's just that I think we have a huge problem and not much is being done about it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUMBERNAULD JAG Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 The key thing now is to treat the remaining games as preparation for the next Euro qualifiers. Mr Levein has worked hard to ensure that we now have absolutely no competitive interest in this campaign. Give him his jotters later this afternoon and begin the search for his succesor; that'll give us a 2 year head start on our rivals. Best post yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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