Scotland v Austria

[Fergus52]

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When you look back on the game, it’s a bit **** from a Scotland perspective.

We’re at home. We’re starting off a new campaign. We’re playing a team higher than us in the fifa rankings, sure, but not exactly a leading world nation. We play with one striker 6 midfielders and are battered for large chunks of the game, surrender most of the possession and emerge with a point thanks to McGinns magic. But it’s still a poor result against a team we’ll have to finish above and fundamentally Clark’s tactics are so negative, I thought there would be a new optimism and positivity after euro qualifying and maybe a taking off of the handbrake. Doesn’t seem that way.

Agree with his,

Clarke has tightened us up, made us very difficult to beat and installed a fighting team spirit and should be commended for that.

However, I don't think we need to play half as negatively and defensive as we do a lot of the time. On paper there wasn't much between the starting 11s going into the game (maybe minus Dykes and O'donnel), but for the first half hour or so we gave them far too much respect, sitting very deep and giving their holding midfielders far too much time on the ball. With players like McTominay, McGinn, Robertson, Tierney, Christie, Armstrong on the pitch, all with great technical ability, I felt we could have tried to press them harder and play a bit more football through the midfield when we did have the ball. Instead of just punting it to Dykes and trying to win second balls most of the time.

For me the substitutes were needlessly negative as well. About to bring Fraser on for Dykes, but as soon as we equalise he changes his mind and brings on McGregor instead, despite the fact we had them under pressure and were looking like we could nick a winner. I could at least understand the logic behind that substitution as McGregor has excellent ball retention for keeping us in control and it let McGinn get further forward. However the McLean sub had me fuming. For the last 15 minutes or so our attack was Adams and about 10 centre mids. Far too negative when if we want to qualify from this group we really need to be taking 4 points of Austria, and last night was a great chance to do that which Clarke bottled imo.

[Fergus52]

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I'm not so sure.
I think we looked every bit as good as them - even better for a fair bit of the game. I'm not overly disappointed with the draw but feel we could've beat them.
I thought young Jack Hendry looked a wee bit out of his depth. Didn't follow his man into the box for the 1st goal and didn't get tight enough to his man for the 2nd. We'd have been better sticking with McKenna or Gallagher (or even Porto for that matter)

The system we're currently playing under Clarke the right sided centre back needs to be a good passer and composed on the ball. If we play McTominay in midfield Hendry is the only defender we have who can come into the back 3 and play that role. I thought he did fine last night.

Trying to watch Gallagher or Hanley (if Mckenna went into the middle), effectively play out from the back while being pressed would have given me the fear.

[overdrive]

Goal aside, I thought Hanley was awful. He seemed to be doing his best to try and pick up a second yellow in the first half too. Gallacher has done well for Scotland and I know he hasn’t been playing much for Motherwell but I think that was a mistake not playing him.

[B.H.F.C]

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When you look back on the game, it’s a bit **** from a Scotland perspective.

We’re at home. We’re starting off a new campaign. We’re playing a team higher than us in the fifa rankings, sure, but not exactly a leading world nation. We play with one striker 6 midfielders and are battered for large chunks of the game, surrender most of the possession and emerge with a point thanks to McGinns magic. But it’s still a poor result against a team we’ll have to finish above and fundamentally Clark’s tactics are so negative, I thought there would be a new optimism and positivity after euro qualifying and maybe a taking off of the handbrake. Doesn’t seem that way.

There are some parts of that I agree with. But I didn’t see us being battered for large chunks of the game. It’s not as if Marshall was making save after save. I thought it was two pretty evenly matched teams to be honest.

[number9dream]

I was surprised by Gallagher's omission too, unless he has an injury we don't know about.
He did a great job against Mitrovic in Serbia and might have been a better option against Austria's giant striker since he's significantly taller than Hanley.
McGinn does a great job for Scotland when played further forward, so McGregor and McTominay is perhaps the best anchor pairing in the absence of Ryan Jack.
Not sure what to make of Che Adams on that evidence but it's probably worth starting him against Israel.
Our ball retention remains pretty hopeless, while Robertson & Armstrong really need to show more.
Tierney did well to drive us forward at times but is more effective in the left-back position. Not sure Clarke would have the stones to drop his Champions League-winning skipper. It would be a huge call.
We really can't afford to lose out in Israel again, so I suspect it will be safety first from Clarke.

[Hibernian Verse]

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I was surprised by Gallagher's omission too, unless he has an injury we don't know about.
He did a great job against Mitrovic in Serbia and might have been a better option against Austria's giant striker since he's significantly taller than Hanley.
McGinn does a great job for Scotland when played further forward, so McGregor and McTominay is perhaps the best anchor pairing in the absence of Ryan Jack.
Not sure what to make of Che Adams on that evidence but it's probably worth starting him against Israel.
Our ball retention remains pretty hopeless, while Robertson & Armstrong really need to show more.
Tierney did well to drive us forward at times but is more effective in the left-back position. Not sure Clarke would have the stones to drop his Champions League-winning skipper. It would be a huge call.
We really can't afford to lose out in Israel again, so I suspect it will be safety first from Clarke.

If we drop Robertson and play Tierney there he would be given the same treatment and struggle to get in the game just as much.

If you are Austria or Israel you target Robertson and stop him playing as I said in an earlier post. They would do exactly the same with Tierney. Tierney & Robbo in the same team is vital for us IMO, as when Tierney has the ball and drives it allows Robertson to be freed up on that wing.

[JimBHibees]

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I was surprised by Gallagher's omission too, unless he has an injury we don't know about.
He did a great job against Mitrovic in Serbia and might have been a better option against Austria's giant striker since he's significantly taller than Hanley.
McGinn does a great job for Scotland when played further forward, so McGregor and McTominay is perhaps the best anchor pairing in the absence of Ryan Jack.
Not sure what to make of Che Adams on that evidence but it's probably worth starting him against Israel.
Our ball retention remains pretty hopeless, while Robertson & Armstrong really need to show more.
Tierney did well to drive us forward at times but is more effective in the left-back position. Not sure Clarke would have the stones to drop his Champions League-winning skipper. It would be a huge call.
We really can't afford to lose out in Israel again, so I suspect it will be safety first from Clarke.

Personally think we need to be beating Israel like Denmark did.