[hibeejim21]

Broony opting to quitting the Scotland set up has been a bigger loss than a lot of folk would like to admit.

D'ya notice Broony is having a very good season so far and particularly in Euro matches. I think he would make a difference but he'd need the appropriate players around him - it's a team game and there's collective blame for that awful result last night! As said in my last thread - we need more lead players/organisers, preferably two or three who are directing and coaching our young players and others on the pitch. I also perceive we don't have many top class game-changing players that other reasonably successful international sides have - eg N Ireland, ROI and Wales. We lack so much quality in different areas of the pitch, it's absolutely glaring! First and foremost - SHORE UP THAT DEFENCE AND DEFENSIVE MID AREA GOGGSY!!

I can only go by what I've seen and brown despite his faults offers more than darren fletcher or bannan.

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Along with get a goal scorer on the park.

correct.especially if you aren't going to be the best side defensively you want a couple of players that can finish on the field....and starting so they have a chance to make a difference not thrown on for the last 20.

[0762]

Re Griffiths being played from the start, as said previously I'm convinced that his injury recovery was paramount in the way that Strachan has used him. I watched that woeful header by Steven Fletch again, IMO one of the best scoring opps of the night from a good 'through ball/pass' from his namesake but a header from that distance was not the required action and I know that Sparky would not have done it that way either. That incident was 'sore' to watch. There were good periods of this game where I thought Scotland played fairly well but IMO the two main game changing players were in the Slovakian team - Hamsik and Mak made a huge difference to their game plan and these players are multi-million pound top players who play for Napoli and Zenet SP respectively. I wish we had players of that quality because it would definitely make a difference and a positive one at that!
When Slovenia played Slovakia on Saturday, their manager assigned a 'man marker' on Hamsik who was totally ineffective during the match. He showed some respect to their threats, dealt with them and won the match. Strachan concerns me when it comes to 'thinking out the box' and basically tackling these kinda threats. It's a SAF mentality and I don't think the manager has that attribute.

[Fredstersafool]

I can see where you are coming from 0762 BUT Strachan has never started him?

It was a case of they scored and just let us have the ball suck us high up the park and hit on the break and it worked.

[0762]

Still, next stop Wemberley and taking on the toughest match in this group with England rightly red-hot favourites to win it although they made heavy weather of Slovenia with Hart getting the MOTM award. He effectively 'saved them' on the night but they have better players than us TBH! Organised better as well! Even 'raising our game' will not be enough with this weak Scotland side.

[Fredstersafool]

We'll get pumped.

[hibeejim21]

Cant see us getting anything. Our centre half's are guff,the manager is picking the wrong midfielders and ignoring our best strikers. But we can live in hope.

I don't think Strachan not starting griff had to do with fitness,if Celtic were that worked they would have pulled him out. Strachan just prefers a target man type forward in the one up front.

[Devongone]

It seems to this Englishman that Scotland are currently poor simply because they lack good players.

England on the other hand are poor despite having a number of players of high ability. We can't attack through the middle because Sturridge refuses to do anything simple, so always promises the earth and delivers little. I always wanted us to go with Walcott, but last night he was abyssmal again. Unless he's made a present of space he now peters out and gives the ball away, so going wide even with two attacking full backs is also a problem. But Dele Alli is a class act as is Lallana when fit. The two full backs, Stones and Hart aren't a problem. Rashford looks the real deal and Dier will never make as many mistakes as last night again. So amidst the dross there are green shoots for England ...... but a few green shoots don't make a crop.

But the big question for England is do we have it mentally to beat Scotland who will be fired up for this one game. I haven't seen any evidence so far. I'd back Scotland, but I'd worry England might turn to Vardy on the day whose enthusiasm and lack of class would trouble a poor Scottish defence.

And the big question for Scotland to me is did they notice any aspect of the qualifying group other than two games against England? It would not surprise me to see Scotland take four points from England and still finish third or fourth in the group.

As I see it Scotland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Lithuania are all good enough to take points off each other. England will probably win the group because only Scotland will have it mind to win at Wemberlee. Disappointing as last night was for Scotland, you did catch Hamsik on a going day. Against England he was anonymous ........

[0762]

Also bear in mind England have not lost any WC quali match for about 7 years. I don't see that changing v a very uninspiring Scotland team unless Strachan miraculously finds top replacements to shore up a dodgy defence and revamp a faltering attacking mid and forward line as well as lifting morale. I thought Lallana was a big 'miss' for England v Slovenia in last night's match. He has been one of their impressive mid players in recent times. Hart certainly saved them from incurring a rare defeat and they still have that single dimensional 'look' about them in their matches. If Scotland perform as well as the thousands and thousands of Scottish footie fans who will attend this historic match, then they will win it at a canter. IMO they won't and these players don't deserve the massive Scottish support that will descend on North London for this match. Re your comment about Hamsik's fine form, he was 'shackled' in Slovakia's previous match/defeat v Slovenia and never kicked a decent ball for the whole match - a cute tactic by the Slovenian manager!! Strachan didn't even attempt to deploy a similar 'man marking' plan and that was another disappointing factor/failure during this debacle in Trnava.

[0762]

Wee Goggsy meeting up with SFA officials to discuss the huge disappointment in our opening WC campaign and his own position. This scenario kinda reminds me of our woeful activities in our international rugby union campaigns for years and it still has not ended. I hope Strachan stays as I see no point in travelling to Wemberley with a caretaker manager on board and an already dejected group of players heading south for the toughest game in our group. There is about a 5 month vacant period after this confrontation with the 'auld enemy'. It could be the time to look for another manager, particularly if we lose at Wemberley. Lets wait n see how it all unfolds!

[hibeejim21]

Maybe Sutton was right and Strachan wants away.

I have to say after the Lithuania game I thought he looked unwell in the interview - but maybe that was just me.