McManus.............

[lyonhibs]

I'm stuck down south, and so was stuck watching what must have been one of the worst games on international football seen for many a year at Wembley. Of the English starters, only Gerrard, and occasionally Ashley Cole and Adam Johnson looked like they might a) give a damn and b) be better than crushingly mediocre players.

Thus, apart from text updates I missed our game in its' entirety though I have since seen via Fbook status updates that McManus apparently sold the jerseys for their winner??

What did he do?? - just doze off and let Llorente in behind, or his "party piece" of facing the striker in the box and taking about 3 days to sufficiently shut him down, by which time any decent striker has got their shot in??

Another duff Scottish CB, who's like a slightly improved Colin Murdoch - fine as long as the ball is in the air, lumped long and he's facing it. Almost any other set of circumstances and he gives me the heeby jeebies.

[Kaiser1962]

He was awful at the third goal. Left the guy all alone and went for the ball.....and missed the thing by feet not inches. Schoolboy stuff.

[Hiber-nation]

The number of times McManus has done this is staggering for an international centre half. In his last 2 seasons at celtc he was absolute murder. Has Levein got something against Wolves with Berra and Fletcher not getting a sniff?

[hibbie02]

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The number of times McManus has done this is staggering for an international centre half. In his last 2 seasons at celtc he was absolute murder. Has Levein got something against Wolves with Berra and Fletcher not getting a sniff?

I suspect so!

[emmjayfox]

Im not sure Berras any better.

[wazoo1875]

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I'm stuck down south, and so was stuck watching what must have been one of the worst games on international football seen for many a year at Wembley. Of the English starters, only Gerrard, and occasionally Ashley Cole and Adam Johnson looked like they might a) give a damn and b) be better than crushingly mediocre players.

Thus, apart from text updates I missed our game in its' entirety though I have since seen via Fbook status updates that McManus apparently sold the jerseys for their winner??

What did he do?? - just doze off and let Llorente in behind, or his "party piece" of facing the striker in the box and taking about 3 days to sufficiently shut him down, by which time any decent striker has got their shot in??

Another duff Scottish CB, who's like a slightly improved Colin Murdoch - fine as long as the ball is in the air, lumped long and he's facing it. Almost any other set of circumstances and he gives me the heeby jeebies.

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He was awful at the third goal. Left the guy all alone and went for the ball.....and missed the thing by feet not inches. Schoolboy stuff.

Lyon that is just about spot on, Kaiser, we can't tell if he's shouted for whittaker to cover his position as he went to the ball, i would say they were both to blame, but i would also be telling McManus he didn't need to go towards the front post attacking the ball as i thought Weir had taken up a decent position. It was a great ball in though, but a bit schoolboyish like in the manner the goal was conceded.

[Hiber-nation]

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Im not sure Berras any better.

Maybe not. He was given his chance against Sweden - but alongside Gary friggin Kenneth!

He seems to be doing ok in the Premiership, I doubt if McManus would ever grace that level.

[jane_says]

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Lyon that is just about spot on, Kaiser, we can't tell if he's shouted for whittaker to cover his position as he went to the ball, i would say they were both to blame, but i would also be telling McManus he didn't need to go towards the front post attacking the ball as i thought Weir had taken up a decent position. It was a great ball in though, but a bit schoolboyish like in the manner the goal was conceded.

it was a great ball in but if mcmanus had stood where he was he would have nodded it clear.
cant help but think he was going for some sort of hollywood header so the commentators would call him braveheart or something.
it was the fact he didn't start running towards the front post till the ball was played. just total misjudgement of a cross ball from a centre half. pretty poor really

[Albion Hibs]

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Maybe not. He was given his chance against Sweden - but alongside Gary friggin Kenneth!

He seems to be doing ok in the Premiership, I doubt if McManus would ever grace that level.

Reasonable shout. Berra does seem to be doing okay, but prone to the odd howler - in saying that he is playing against a very good standard of player.

I thought McManus was at fault for the third but other than that moment, generally had a good game. Inconsistency seems to be his biggest drawback, if he could address that I think he would be a very good player for us.

If Caldwell was fit I would think that he would play alongside Weir as Harrys first choice. As much as Webster is a yam tool, he was very good for Utd last season - good to see walter his happy to drag yet another scotland prospect back into the basement even though they are living beyond their means.

Potter will need to think strongly about his CH pairing, cant see Weir being in the picture come the next qualification match, as good as he has been for us. Looking at the positives there are good players to choose from Caldwell, Webster, Berra, McManus, Hanlon (one day), The Hun that got away (to liverpool).

Maybe, just maybe its not all that bad?!

[SlickShoes]

Just seen it on the highlights, it was a truly horrific bit of defending, if he had just stayed infront of the player he was marking it would have been an easy clearance.

[Woody1985]

McManus tried to be aggressive and attack the ball as it came into the box. He completely misjudged it, ran too far towards the ball and jumped too late. If he'd stayed in the same position or even slowed down half a yard to contemplate what he was doing he'd have got something on it.

Whittaker had nothing to do with the goal IMO.

[lucky]

He got caught out for the cross and move to soon. Other than that he had a decent game. I love him at ER. If Berra is going to get a game surely instead of weir

[GreenPJ]

McManus cocked up but had a good game other than that. I think our priority is replacing Weir purely because we cannot continue to rely on him no matter how good a footballing brain he may have on him.

Wilson should be pushing to get into that squad and personally would say he should be given a chance at some point soon.

[SidBurns]

He's gotta bring in some of the 'better' youngsters now. Danny Wilson was IMO the best Scotland player by a mile on Monday night there but is Berra the man to play alongside him? Mmm, I have my doubts. As it pains me to say it, I'd fire Caldwell in there as Webster is ALWAYS injured!

My ideal team (4-4-2)

Gordon
Hutton, Caldwell, Wilson, Wallace
Dorrans, Brown, Fletcher, McFadden
Iluemo (sp?), Fletcher

[jonny]

I thought McManus had a decent game overall. 3rd Goal was partly his fault but Whitaker has to shoulder some of the blame as well.
If anyone in that team deserved harsh criticism it was Whitaker. Stupid hand ball at the first to give away the penalty - the guys shot was sailing over the bar.
2nd Goal throws a leg out at Iniesta from about 5 yards away. 3rd Goal, him and McManus let the scorer get inbetween them. Then he gets sent off.
Aside from being involved in all 3 Spanish goals and getting sent off, his general tackling was poor and his distribution worse.

[duncs]

Agreed that McManus was alright apart from being at fault for the third goal - but hey, that's his only job as a defender - to stop goals!

That's three internationals in a row that McManus has been at fault for goals - last night, complete failing on the zonal marking on Friday and not closing Frick down and giving him all the time in the world for Liechtenstein to score.

Quite simply, he's not good enough.

[jonny]

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He's gotta bring in some of the 'better' youngsters now. Danny Wilson was IMO the best Scotland player by a mile on Monday night there but is Berra the man to play alongside him? Mmm, I have my doubts. As it pains me to say it, I'd fire Caldwell in there as Webster is ALWAYS injured!

My ideal team (4-4-2)

Gordon
Hutton, Caldwell, Wilson, Wallace
Dorrans, Brown, Fletcher, McFadden
Iluemo (sp?), Fletcher

Personally I prefer Scotland playing 4-5-1 as they did last night, however if I was to select a 4-4-2, I'd have Adam where you've got Brown, if he's not fit I'd have Hartley, if he's not fit I would consider Brown.
Riordan in at LM to replace McFadden, who I'd have as an impact player to come off the bench.
Kenny Miller has to play up front - I'd replace Iwelumo.
Is that Ross or Lee Wallace you have LB? TBH, I dont like either of them and would rather have Broadfoot or Whitaker (I know I just slated him in a previous post but still think he's better than either Wallace)
Still not sure Wilson is ready for it so would stick with McManus.

[lyonhibs]

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it was a great ball in but if mcmanus had stood where he was he would have nodded it clear.
cant help but think he was going for some sort of hollywood header so the commentators would call him braveheart or something.
it was the fact he didn't start running towards the front post till the ball was played. just total misjudgement of a cross ball from a centre half. pretty poor really

Wouldn't surprise me at all - he's not much of a deep thinker on the pitch as far as I can tell. "Guts and Glory" is fine, as long as the balls your going for are simple punts and you're not running towards your own goal (especially if you've got the turning circle of a malfunctioning oil tanker à la McManus)

Just watched the highlights there - dearie, dearie me. He clearly had images of catching that ball full on the run and nailing it away for a throw to let the clock tick by some more.

It's no disgrace to have lost to the world champions, but when 2 of their goals come from such basic defensive errors, it's seriously galling.

[Pretty Boy]

Didn't watch the game last night but McManus is a pretty poor player in general.

He's a defender whos probably suited to Scottish football in the sense that if you hoof the ball right at him he will usually head it clear (although even this seemed a challenge in his last few months at Celtc). Step up a level though and pass the ball in behind him, run at him or keep it short and sharp and the guy is clueless.

[Littlest Hobo]

Thought McManus was solid all night apart from the goal were an error of judgement made him go attack a ball that was actually far too high.

Whitaker however dreaming at the back post could have done better, and not only at the moment but the whole game he was shocking I thought.

[wallace21]

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Thought McManus was solid all night apart from the goal were an error of judgement made him go attack a ball that was actually far too high.

Wotherspoon however dreaming at the back post could have done better, and not only at the moment but the whole game he was shocking I thought.

what the ****** has Wotherspoon got to do with it??

[jonny]

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what the ****** has Wotherspoon got to do with it??

I think Skye meant Whitaker.

[lyonhibs]

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I think Skye meant Whitaker.

He more than likely meant Whittaker

His dawdling at the back post for their first was in the same vein as McManus' for their 3rd. He had time to readjust his feet and judge the flight of the ball, but got caught right underneath it.

[blackpoolhibs]

While we could pick faults at all three goals, i have to say everyone put a good shift in. The Spanish were wonderfull, and if we are honest might have wiped the floor with us. To take this game to 2-2- after being 2 down was a great effort from them all. If we played as well as that every game, i don't think we'd have many complaining.

[Bostonhibby]

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Im not sure Berras any better.

Looks a slightly better reader of the game than McManus, and a bit more mobile, then again, so is my wardrobe.

[Littlest Hobo]

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what the ****** has Wotherspoon got to do with it??

Soory meant Whitty!

[Littlest Hobo]

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He more than likely meant Whittaker

His dawdling at the back post for their first was in the same vein as McManus' for their 3rd. He had time to readjust his feet and judge the flight of the ball, but got caught right underneath it.

[DH1875]

Berra is a Yam *** but you got to be honest and say he should be in the team before McManus. In fact I'd say Caldwell (either of them) Wilson or just about anyone should be in before McManus. I can't believe he gets a game and his cock up last night should be the last. I mean it's not as if he's playing in a descent Middlesbrough team.

[DH1875]

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My ideal team (4-4-2)

Gordon
Hutton, Caldwell, Wilson, Wallace
Dorrans, Brown, Fletcher, McFadden
Iluemo (sp?), Fletcher

Iluemo , not on your nelly. Love him or hate him you got to have Miller in.

[LamontHFC©]

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Iluemo , not on your nelly. Love him or hate him you got to have Miller in.

So he can miss more one-on-ones, when we only get about 2 of them per game, if that, for Scotland?

Nah, I'd rather stick to someone who can put the ball in the net.

And Lichenstein doesn't really count before you say, he was probably getting 'marked' by a plumber or a painter .