WCQ UEFA Group 5: Belarus - Scotland [P+R]

[Jambo Den]

We've been fecked over quite comprehensively by injury tonight before a ball's been kicked.

BBC report the team for tonight as:

Scotland: (3-1-5-1) Gordon; Pressley, Weir, Webster; G Caldwell; Dailly, Fletcher, Ferguson, McCulloch, Alexander; K Miller.

Personally I would have dropped Miller for Riordan or Thompson but hopefully tonight he'll play like a striker. I can't believe that Brazilian Caldwellinho gets in. Looks like Dailly will have to play about 5 positions tonight to accomodate for Barry's passenger status and Caldwell's lack of any footballing ability. I don't agree with McFadden being able to walk into the team, particularly considering how he's done at Everton, but he really should be in that starting 11 tonight.

I have a feeling Bambi will be quite busy tonight, so Belarus should put 2 or 3 past us.

 

[AberdeenFC]

oh dear. i'de of gone 3-5-2

GK: Gordon

CB: Pressley
CB: Weir
CB: Webster

LWB: McCulloch
CM: Severin (i have a brain, so would have called him up)
DMC: Christian, Christian
CM: Ferguson
RWB: Alexander

ST: Riordan
ST: Thompson

EASY EASY EASY

cant understand walters formation in a game we have to win. and kenny miller has had chance after chance the simple fact is he's no good enough, 19 caps and 2 goals speaks for itsel'. has anyone actually seen severin this season? i have an erection while i watch severin he's been so good . aw well we'll just have to see how things go but i cant see where the goals will come from

 

[Vagegast]

Still 0-0.

 

[Drvar]

Go Scotland!!! Atleast tie it, or ill kill all the sheep .

 

[Help?]

ahh crap, why can't we score goals? Everytime gotta do it the hard way and then miss out yet again .

 

[.::John::.]

Kenny miller is pish, faddy should've started. Mind when Miller was through on goal and he volleyed it staright at the keeper? Faddy would've stuck that one away. And where the fuuck is Derek Riordan? Give him a chance for fuucks sake. I suppose we did not bad in defence, but Elvis is out for Italy

Well that's it then. Our chances of getting to Germany are absolutely gone. I mean, if we had won, we would've been back in with a chance (still unlikely to get in there but thats no the point). Oh, well there's always 2008...and 2010...2012...2014.... This pisses me off, I remember when we were better than teams like that. I remember being 21st in the world rankings...21!! I know they mean nothing, but again, thats not the point. Meh at least there are some positive signs. Moldova away was the low point, I think, nah actually thats a bit optimistic, I hope, we're on our way upwards again.

 

[Jambo Den]

Not great, but not bad either. It was vital not to lose tonight, but how we could have done with 3 points.

For all the sides in our group, excluding Italy and Moldova really, that 2nd spot everyone has a great chance to make. The next few games are sure to be filled with drama and tension!

... I'm guaranteed to poop my pants at least 5 times from now until the end of Scotland's chances arithmetically.

 

[aqua]

Final score from Minsk....

Belarus 0 v 0 Scotland

Credit to Belarus, they have improved much since Scotland last played them in 1997, Scotland winning 4-1. Belarus are now another credible European team with good technical ability and have as much chance as many other teams to qualify for major tournaments.

As for Scotland, well, it was near 100% defence, the occassional break, but little skill. However, they showed grit and determination to gain a hard-earned point in a difficult match. With so many 1st choice players missing through injury, and at the end of a long, tiring season, where the Belarus League is still fresh in mid-season, Scotland did well to escape with a point. Realistically, they needed to take all 3 points, but at least they prevented Belarus claiming all 3.

All to play for now, but Scotland are very much he outsiders in the battle with Belarus, Norway and Slovenia for 2nd spot.

The bright side is that Berti is definitely gone, never to return.

 

[AberdeenFC]

the damage was done by keeping berti vogts for the first three matches, 2 points from home games against slovenia and norway then away to moldova is nowhere near good enough. i think we should of takin all 9 from them. what gordon smith said was spot on, in normal circumstances a point in belarus would be a good result but we had to win and never so its over. smith got his tactics wrong, how were we going to score with those tactics? kenny miller is sh!te hes had so many chances and hes just not good enough for international level. also gary caldwell is just pish. dissapointin he walks into everyteam and severin cant even get in the squad, from a scotland point of view ide love severin in the team and dailly right midfield? WHAT THE F*CK?!

 

[Help?]

the damage was done by keeping berti vogts for the first three matches, 2 points from home games against slovenia and norway then away to moldova is nowhere near good enough. i think we should of takin all 9 from them. what gordon smith said was spot on, in normal circumstances a point in belarus would be a good result but we had to win and never so its over. smith got his tactics wrong, how were we going to score with those tactics? kenny miller is sh!te hes had so many chances and hes just not good enough for international level. also gary caldwell is just pish. dissapointin he walks into everyteam and severin cant even get in the squad, from a scotland point of view ide love severin in the team and dailly right midfield? WHAT THE F*CK?!

You were lucky to get the point, don't start thinking that Scotland is much better than Norway, Solvenia and Belarus.

 

[Jambo Den]

You were lucky to get the point, don't start thinking that Scotland is much better than Norway, Solvenia and Belarus.

what gordon smith said was spot on, in normal circumstances a point in belarus would be a good result but we had to win and never so its over.

 

[AberdeenFC]

what? when did i say scotland are much better than you's?? if you had seen our record in competitive games at hampden park you'd know why i think we should beat norway and slovenia and definetly belarus aswell and i think we should get atleast a point against the italians.

 

[aqua]

Well, I have little faith in Walter Smith as a tactician. His only managerial success came domestically when he had laods of money to spend and was up against a poor Celtic team. He achieved nothing of note with Rangers in Europe, with the exception of his first season, when he had a lot of luck.

And at Everton....frankly, he was poor. I recall one of his last games in charge, an FA Cup tie against Boro(I think). One of the worst displays I've ever seem from a team, 3-0 down at half-time. Even the pundits at half-time were scathing. The Scotland performance last night somehow reminded me of that Everton game, absolutely nothing to offer in terms of creativity, no ideas about intelligent movement and knowing how to carve out chances, and just relying on packing the defence and hoping to stop the other team scoring.

As for Kenny Miller, he is a decent enough goal-scorer, but he's no good as a lone-striker, certainly not at international level. He'd be better playing up front in a pair and finishing off chances from within the box, not trying to hold the ball up 40 yards from goal. If Smith insists on playing a lone stiker in away games, I'd sooner have had Riordan, Thompson or McFadden up front last night - I'd fancy all of them to be better at winning and then holding the ball and laying off decent passes.

Berti is gone, but with Smith in charge, I can't say I'm feeling much more optimistic. Bottom line though, our players are 3rd rate.