Scotland v Iceland

[worcesterhibby]

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Just anyone at all who has played senior matches. It’s slim pickings but Nicky Hogarth of Falkirk? It’s better than a young laddie with zero senior starts.

Ross Laidlaw ? At least the guy has 200 odd first team appearances.. just put someone in goal who has actually played and has experience.

[DH1875]

What happend to Robby McCrorie?

[Hiber-nation]

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Ross Laidlaw ? At least the guy has 200 odd first team appearances.. just put someone in goal who has actually played and has experience.

Can't get a game for Ross County. That's how bad things are if he's our only option with experience who's played fairly recently. Scott Bain has more experience but look at how he performed when chucked in against us.

[McD]

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What happend to Robby McCrorie?

Injured in the warm up according to Clarke

[Trinity Hibee]

More than ever, people calling for Clarke to go. The team seem flat now after that fantastic euros campaign. Since then it’s been poor overall. Think we need fresh ideas now

[overdrive]

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You’d hope so mate, but I’m pretty sure they were meaning it genuinely Liam Macleod and Steven Thomson on commentary


They’ve actually sounded quite positive about Clarke whilst criticising the players

Really? I got the complete opposite vibe from them. They were openly saying that there would be understandable calls for change and for him to go. Also that there was a disconnect between manager, players and fans.

[Pretty Boy]

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More than ever, people calling for Clarke to go. The team seem flat now after that fantastic euros campaign. Since then it’s been poor overall. Think we need fresh ideas now

I think a lot of people are now seeing the team is less than the sum of it's parts under him. There are problem areas but on the whole this squad should be better than recent results. It should have been better at the Euros, we were by far and away the worst team in the competition but we didn't have the worst squad. The whole defence of him now seems to be a golden 5 game period 18+ months ago.

Playing Hanley then bringing Adams on last night when it was a chance to look at options in problem positions was about the final straw for me. McKenna playing in La Liga every week? Aye let's stick Grant Hanley in. Bowie and Wilson on the bench? Che get warmed up mate.

He's taken us as far as he ever will. We all enjoyed the trip to Germany but it's time for a fresh set of eyes or it will be a long wait to be doing it all again. If Clarke gets the first 2 or 3 games of the WC qualifiers we are done. Everyone knows it.

[McD]

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Really? I got the complete opposite vibe from them. They were openly saying that there would be understandable calls for change and for him to go. Also that there was a disconnect between manager, players and fans.

For large parts I felt that, although I did feel it shifted later on to including him in the criticism (after I’d posted that post), as it became obvious that he wasn’t going to give anyone rather than miller a debut, and the performance didn’t show any signs of improvement.


Definitely felt early on they were focussed on the team for criticism, without mentioning him much in the same way. The comments about calls for change felt like they were coming later on in the match, may have missed comments earlier.

[B.H.F.C]

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I think a lot of people are now seeing the team is less than the sum of it's parts under him. There are problem areas but on the whole this squad should be better than recent results. It should have been better at the Euros, we were by far and away the worst team in the competition but we didn't have the worst squad. The whole defence of him now seems to be a golden 5 game period 18+ months ago.

Playing Hanley then bringing Adams on last night when it was a chance to look at options in problem positions was about the final straw for me. McKenna playing in La Liga every week? Aye let's stick Grant Hanley in. Bowie and Wilson on the bench? Che get warmed up mate.

He's taken us as far as he ever will. We all enjoyed the trip to Germany but it's time for a fresh set of eyes or it will be a long wait to be doing it all again. If Clarke gets the first 2 or 3 games of the WC qualifiers we are done. Everyone knows it.

He should have been away after the Euros. It was really poor leading up to the Euros, really poor during them and it’s got worse since.

The approach in the Hungary game alone, when we had a chance to make history, should have seen him gone.

Unfortunately, there is no way they will make a change before the World Cup campaign and no way he’ll walk either.

[Colr]

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I feel for the gk. not one competitive game under his belt as first team gk and that balloon Clarke thinks he should be good enough for international football.

Should never have been in the squad let alone on the bench, then.

[Trinity Hibee]

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He should have been away after the Euros. It was really poor leading up to the Euros, really poor during them and it’s got worse since.

The approach in the Hungary game alone, when we had a chance to make history, should have seen him gone.

Unfortunately, there is no way they will make a change before the World Cup campaign and no way he’ll walk either.

Think you are right but we are essentially writing off the WC campaign if he stays. FWIW I can’t see us qualifying regardless

[number9dream]

I think we’re stuck with Clarke until the WC qualifiers are out of the way. If Moyes continues to do well at Everton, then who would take over?

There was no evidence of any kind of plan last night. Attitude also seemed like a big problem, which is a real worry. Not sure it’s as simple as the players not fancying an inconvenient, low profile friendly at the end of a busy season since it was a similar story at home to Greece.

[Trinity Hibee]

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I think we’re stuck with Clarke until the WC qualifiers are out of the way. If Moyes continues to do well at Everton, then who would take over?

There was no evidence of any kind of plan last night. Attitude also seemed like a big problem, which is a real worry. Not sure it’s as simple as the players not fancying an inconvenient, low profile friendly at the end of a busy season since it was a similar story at home to Greece.

Think we are all more open to foreign managers than we were 20 years ago. Think we should bring someone in with a fresh approach

[BoomtownHibees]

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Dear me, no thank you.

You wouldn’t take him??

[B.H.F.C]

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Think we are all more open to foreign managers than we were 20 years ago. Think we should bring someone in with a fresh approach

Definitely don’t need to limit ourselves to someone Scottish. England have a German, Ireland have someone from Iceland. Even Brazil have just appointed their first ever non Brazilian manager. I don’t see any real outstanding Scottish candidates at the moment.

More players playing abroad now as well, they’ll be used to different methods and whatever. In fact, I reckon a lot of players would probably welcome it now.

Sadly, the SFA will stick with Clarke. And when he does eventually go, they won’t do anything outside the box.

[Colr]

TBH we were going really well until the prep for the Euros and **** since then.

Last night was bizarre, though. Is Clarke trying to get sacked?

[green day]

Just seen those goals, dear me its like amateur football.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Absolutely embarrassing performance.

[hhibs]

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Keeper was poor but not a single senior player puts his arm round him at full time. This isn’t a team. It’s a collection of individuals. Really poor show.

Agreed, I actually was looking to see if any of our players did this,sadly, I did not.

As you say poor show.

[eastmainsmsh]

A friendly start with younger non capped but no Clarke baffling ffs poor young Gk actually feel sorry for laddie hope it won’t affect him and his progress

[bingo70]

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Definitely don’t need to limit ourselves to someone Scottish. England have a German, Ireland have someone from Iceland. Even Brazil have just appointed their first ever non Brazilian manager. I don’t see any real outstanding Scottish candidates at the moment.

More players playing abroad now as well, they’ll be used to different methods and whatever. In fact, I reckon a lot of players would probably welcome it now.

Sadly, the SFA will stick with Clarke. And when he does eventually go, they won’t do anything outside the box.

In an ideal world we should be considering promoting the under 21 manager. Not always going to be a case but it should be one avenue we could source a new Scottish manager from.

Unfortunately they’ve allowed Scot Gemmill to underperform in that role with no accountability for years as well so he should be closer to getting his jotters than a promotion.

[The Modfather]

Not to try and defend Clark as agree with the general sentiment he has taken us as far as he can go and time for fresh ideas. As well as last night being as poor as the dark days under previous managers.

Just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong. On his selections though, his thinking was probably to use last night with the Denmark game in mind given only last night and the Liechtenstein game before then, which is then worrying in itself. Then rotate and give debuts in the Liechtenstein game. I think it’s also a bit unfair to criticise him for playing Slicker when he was likely there for the experience and you can’t legislate for losing both keepers in front of him within 7 minutes of the game starting.

That’s not to defend the indefensible though, last night was worryingly rudderless.

[Hibspur]

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A friendly start with younger non capped but no Clarke baffling ffs poor young Gk actually feel sorry for laddie hope it won’t affect him and his progress

Didn't see the game (hadn't even been aware it was on tbh), but I've just read about this. You wouldn't bring an outfield player into the squad with so little experience and to throw that keeper into the mix was just ridiculous, irresponsible in fact.

Relieved to see Bowie was kept on the bench. We don't want him running any unnecessary injury risks.

[1875Sean]

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I think we’re stuck with Clarke until the WC qualifiers are out of the way. If Moyes continues to do well at Everton, then who would take over?

There was no evidence of any kind of plan last night. Attitude also seemed like a big problem, which is a real worry. Not sure it’s as simple as the players not fancying an inconvenient, low profile friendly at the end of a busy season since it was a similar story at home to Greece.

Moyes has said he would love to manage his country at some point but I can’t see him leaving a better paid job at Everton, we would need to go in for him if he gets the sack

[Up-the-slope]

There is an odd thing about this in that all the main players pretty much turned up for 2 meaningless fixtures (remember the days of players seemingly picking and choosing which ones they bothered to turn up for) even after many having long seasons and the odd niggles..

But it was hard to work out whether they were knackered / disinterested / or badly set up... however the result was they looked like they had barely played together and the lack of width was so obvious from early on but never addressed. Again shoe horning in the two left backs now Tierney is back playing did not seem to help.

While Gunn's injury was unfortunate it did not seem much planning had gone into the scenario of a change being needed which was catastrophic.

Other than once the press was so un-coordinated with only 1's or 2's and not as a team leaving it easy for Iceland to pass round the 'shape'

I would have rather had a friendly like this as 2 different teams each half (planned and intimated in advance) taking opportunity to give 5 or 6 debuts and using different systems - then the result would be less relevant...

But when you start with your main players in 1 system and change little ( or not quickly enough ) then Clarke has to take the criticism that will come his way

[GreenPJ]

The only area of the pitch where we have the sufficient quality in depth is midfield and even then we are trying to cram 4 or 5 central midfielders into the total midfield - it is tough but you are not going to get the best out of McTominay playing him in a wide midfield position. Same with McGinn, I know he sometimes plays left midfield for Villa but think he is better in the middle pushed further forward. Gilmour has to be in the middle, still the most composed player we have. We are missing wider midfield players (particularly as Doak is out). Up front Bowie needs to get at least 30 mins against Lichtenstein. That lad from Ipswich has no footballing intelligence and can't hold the ball up. Adams and Dykes are not goal scorers (Adams has done well since moving to Torino but even then its 10 goals in 38 matches).

We don't have good enough defenders and yet we persist with this nonsense of playing the ball at pedestrian pace across the back.

We aren't blessed with a rich squad but he isn't getting anywhere near enough out of the players available and so for me has to go before the qualifiers start. Yes he has done well for Scotland albeit in times where more teams qualified for the Euro's than ever before but time for a change and a change in tactics, we need to move the ball quicker and have more attacking intent.

Still think though overall its ridiculous to have friendlies at the end of a long season and eating into players downtime and recovery.

[K-Zazu]

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In an ideal world we should be considering promoting the under 21 manager. Not always going to be a case but it should be one avenue we could source a new Scottish manager from.

Unfortunately they’ve allowed Scot Gemmill to underperform in that role with no accountability for years as well so he should be closer to getting his jotters than a promotion.

Yeah the whole Scot Gemmill thing is a bit weird, seems like he’s had that gig for about 20 years.

[Pretty Boy]

A team of:

................Gordon.................

Hickey....McKenna......Tierney.....Robertson

.............Christie/Gilmour...............

Doak.........McGinnn.....Ferguson.....McTominay

...............Hirst/Dykes/A N Other

Should be competitive in qualifying. it's primarily players playing in the EPL, La Liga and Serie A. You have young lads like Patterson, Doig, Miller in the bench. Personally I'd go with Tierney over Robertson and LB and start Souttar or Hendry but Clarke won't make that decision. Christie has been a revelation played deep for Bournemouth and Ferguson further forward in Italy yet Clarke insisted on playing them the other way around a few games ago.

There are obvious problem areas but find a way to fit your best players playing regularly at the best level in the line up and go from there.

[The Modfather]

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A team of:

................Gordon.................

Hickey....McKenna......Tierney.....Robertson

.............Christie/Gilmour...............

Doak.........McGinnn.....Ferguson.....McTominay

...............Hirst/Dykes/A N Other

Should be competitive in qualifying. it's primarily players playing in the EPL, La Liga and Serie A. You have young lads like Patterson, Doig, Miller in the bench. Personally I'd go with Tierney over Robertson and LB and start Souttar or Hendry but Clarke won't make that decision. Christie has been a revelation played deep for Bournemouth and Ferguson further forward in Italy yet Clarke insisted on playing them the other way around a few games ago.

There are obvious problem areas but find a way to fit your best players playing regularly at the best level in the line up and go from there.

Could McTominay be converted into a striker, as a needs must, like Merino was for Arsenal?

[number9dream]

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A team of:

................Gordon.................

Hickey....McKenna......Tierney.....Robertson

.............Christie/Gilmour...............

Doak.........McGinnn.....Ferguson.....McTominay

...............Hirst/Dykes/A N Other

Should be competitive in qualifying. it's primarily players playing in the EPL, La Liga and Serie A. You have young lads like Patterson, Doig, Miller in the bench. Personally I'd go with Tierney over Robertson and LB and start Souttar or Hendry but Clarke won't make that decision. Christie has been a revelation played deep for Bournemouth and Ferguson further forward in Italy yet Clarke insisted on playing them the other way around a few games ago.

There are obvious problem areas but find a way to fit your best players playing regularly at the best level in the line up and go from there.

These games seemed like perfect opportunity to try Tierney as LCB in a back four, but Clarke is just not having it. Playing a third CB weakens our strongest area, although our ‘star’ midfielders were all terrible last night.
Christie must have been a bit fed up playing so well for Bournemouth then getting stuck out wide for Scotland.
McTominay has to be closer to whoever the striker is. Adams is no Lukaku but at least he plays at the same level, while Hirst looks like a downgrade on Dykes.