2010/2011 Season Thread

[Chris]

We have to change the system, they're getting far too many chances with us just waiting to defend. Diving bastards as well.

On the 2 or 3 occasions we have gotten up the pitch it's looked like we could have created chances so I think we should really be trying to push up a bit more.

[Guest idol_wild]

Too many stupid little fouls.

Plus Jamie Mackie looks like Gary Caldwell. Frightening.

Mackie is the wrong option for tonight's game; he's accustomed to leading the line in a competent Championship side with several attacking players providing threatening balls for Mackie to thrive upon. And that's how he's best utilised. Scotland can't cater for this, and it could be their downfall. It means that Mackie is limited to closing defenders down and attempting to hold up the ball against bigger defenders, and his eagerness to make an impression is causing him to give away too many fouls.

Scotland are limiting pressing to their own half, which means the Czechs are building every attack from the halfway line, which is an obvious advantage straight away. With willing runners like Fletcher, Mackie and Naismith, we should be pushing them higher up the pitch and forcing them into errors, because the Czechs have already made a few. That said, Scotland have defended well thus far. But I can't help but think a Czech goal is on it's way.

[captain burrito]

Their centre backs look shady, with a striker through the middle I reckon we could get a cheeky goal.

[Paranoid Android]

Only saw the last 10 mins of Scotland due to work, but fuck that shit. 4-6? seriously.

I'm keeping an eye on the Spain game now and David Villa has just missed a sitter, almost Iwelumo bad. Although he might have actually been offside anyway. But it provides hope that we might reach our promised land of a 0-0 on tuesday.

[Scorge]

If you ever want proof that 1-0 thrashings are possible, then that was it. Brutal.

[Bigsby]

Well, hindsight's a wonderful thing, but should we really have gone that defensive?

[captain burrito]

In a word: no.

I'm going to write a letter to the SFA saying I'll do the managers job for free. My qualifications include:

Playing hours of Champ

Talking about football in the pub

Knowing that a striker is an integral part of the modern game

Spain are going to give us a hiding on Tuesday if we set up like we did today and it's no more then we deserve really.

[Lee Anderson]

absolute pap. imagine what we'll line up like against spain?!

[Bigsby]

It's not like we got humped, if we had sneaked a 0-0 folk would have been happy.

Still, can't help thinking it would have been good to have SOMEBODY up the pitch to at least try to get the ball when we lumped it upfield.

[Lemonade]

Not wishing to go all Jim Traynor but that was an absolute disgrace tonight, I am actually fuming that I had to sit through that negative pish. 4-6-0? Are you fucking serious Craig Levein? What do you expect to happen when you play for a draw from the first whistle? Complete and utter anti-football. Why not play Miller and Iwelumo from the start and have a go at them? It's not like they're Brazil, they lost to Lithunia for fuck's sake we could have easily nicked something there. We are never going to qualify for anything if we are too scared to take a chance. You would think we were fucking San Marino or something with that pish. I want Craig Levein removed from his position immediately for making us look like an absolute joke on a massive stage, and beheaded in front of a baying mob. With me in the front row. Fucking absolute buffoon. Bring back George fucking Burley. Christ I'd even take Berti Vogts.

/rant.

[Lemonade]

Fuck the Spain game, I'm not even going to watch it.

[Soda Jerk]

God, the Spain game is actually going to be incredible. Even if they play a second string side, that second string side is still capable of putting a few past any side on the planet. Having players like Fabregas, Llorente, Aduriz, Jesus Navas, David Silva and Marcos Senna in reserve is just right bloody stupid. I have no idea what their current squad is, but I imagine it's ridiculous

It's going to be a goalfest unless you play 7-3-0. Just do what Rangers did against Man Utd. Backs to the wall. Don't even give them space to be offside. Put your backline across the six yard box, force them wide, let them cross it into to David Villa who is about 5ft9. Hoof it away. Repeat for 90 minutes. Piece of piss. I could do it on my own.

[Paranoid Android]

Tuesday could be really embarrassing, although it is in these kind of situations where Scotland sometimes achieve bizarre results.

Although worryingly, with Llortente playing rather than 'is he injured, out of form or just can't be arsed' Torres, Spain have a decent plan B if they get frustrated trying to pass it through a congested middle. Their 3 goals tonight were all headers from crosses out wide. Silva's goal was great.

[Soda Jerk]

Silva is remarkably good at football. I wonder if Bobby Manc thinks so yet. Probably not. He's just another tracksuit occupier.

[Nev]

Davie Silva's becoming a first pick for City now he's, y'know, had some training with the squad and found out who his teammates are... Much as I dislike Mancini and the way City play under him, he's playing the Silva situation well. The lad had no real break over the summer, came back into training for three days before going on international duty and there's no way he could have integrated into the squad like that.

Anyway...

4-2-4-0? Avril, fuck off, eh? You were decent with the Arabs, but you're playing international football entirely wrong. By all means, Scotland need to play defensively against the better teams, but fuck me... the Czechs are as dire as us. And no matter how defensively you play, you need a striker.

(NB: This is not a call for Kenny Miller to have been playing. I said a fucking striker)

I feel sorry for Jamie Mackie. Imagine being an in-form striker, and spending your international debut watching the ball being pinged over your head by your defender... to the opposition defence. Bollocks.

Christ, even if we'd played as we did for an hour, and then attacked a defence that had no idea what to expect for the final 30 mins... But no, Avril was sticking with the 4-2-4-0 until we lost a goal. FUCK THAT. Raging.

[Kieran_imray]

God, the Spain game is actually going to be incredible. Even if they play a second string side, that second string side is still capable of putting a few past any side on the planet. Having players like Fabregas, Llorente, Aduriz, Jesus Navas, David Silva and Marcos Senna

You forgot Juan Mata, Juan Mata could kill us by himself. Look what he does to Raul Albiol in training

. Steven McManus doesn't stand a chance if that's what Spains second string can do.

[Gus Chamber]

Face it, it's not the 80s any more, you're not the best team, and your history counts for fuck all

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Oh yeah, you're an Aberdeen fan...

[Nev]

Right, fuck Scotland. Peterhead. Cup Semi. Balmoor. 3pm. Writing for The Times and the Sunday Herald so far. Big game. Sports. Soccer. YASSSSS!

[Lee Anderson]

Still pissed off, bloody 4-6-0. Pretty embarrassing, not the 1-0 defeat just the manner it was in.

[Shaki]

The thing that grates me the most is Levein's apparent delusion that there was something positive to be taken from that game. I understand the argument that if we'd come away with a point then it would be a different story but we didn't. We were deservedly beaten. They had a few good chances throughout the game too so he can't even claim that it was a success apart from a lapse in concentration from a set piece.

Another thing that annoyed me is how none of the BBC pundits would actually tell it like it is because they are either friends with him or, in Hartley's case, want to be considered for the next squad. It was a shambles, an embarrassment, an insult to world football. They all thought it but nobody would say it.

I appreciate there is a dearth of talent in the country and I understand the requirement for defensive football but that was simply unacceptable. It was crazy. Levein must go.

[Alphas]

Well that was a waste of Petr Cech's time putting on his skull cap.

We actually defended pretty well last night but that formation was only going to work if the attacking side of it worked and there wasn't even a sniff of it. I'm assuming the players were told once we got the ball to counter attack at pace but that was never on. Mackie and Naismith didn't get in forward positions once we had possession and the full backs didn't get forward so it just became a game of punting it clear and defending once they got at us. 4-6-0 really was overkill when we could have play have played with a man up top to hold the ball and bring others into the game and still shut up shop at the back.

I'll put my neck on the line and say I don't think we'll get rolled over by Spain on Tuesday. A big team coming to Hampden always brings the best out of our players and the Tartan Army so I think we'll give them a game. We've come off bad results and campaigns to compete and raise our game in the past so I can see that happening again.

[captain burrito]

I appreciate there is a dearth of talent in the country

Same could be said for N.Ireland, who last night held Italy to a 0-0 draw and could have even won it.

They may not have outstanding individual talent, but they play as a strong team unit and have a go at the 'bigger' nations. I think Levein should be looking to them for inspiration on how to do well at this level.

[waltz]

Scotland have some good players. Some really, really good players, some of the best we've had in quite a while. I genuinely believe that. So why the fuck can't we use them properly? We could feasibly be lining up in a 4-3-3 and look strong. 4-6-0 against a team we already beat (Levein's first game in charge, 1-0, friendly) is inexcusable. What the fuck was he thinking about? I'm not calling for his head yet but fuck me, that's just ridiculous.

[Guest]

Scotland have some good players. Some really, really good players, some of the best we've had in quite a while. I genuinely believe that. So why the fuck can't we use them properly? We could feasibly be lining up in a 4-3-3 and look strong. 4-6-0 against a team we already beat (Levein's first game in charge, 1-0, friendly) is inexcusable. What the fuck was he thinking about? I'm not calling for his head yet but fuck me, that's just ridiculous.

Out of curiosity, who do you think are "really, really" good in the entire Scotland squad? Like has been said, I think Scotland are at the level of a top 6 championship team.

4-3-3, I wouldn't have done personally. but 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 was a definitely on. Don't like Levein but it is ridiculous to ask for him to be fired atm.

[soundian]

As far as what we need to do to secure second place goes, Friday's result didn't really change anything. We still need to beat Czech and Lith at home and beat Liech away. Unless either Czech or Lith get some points against Spain the worst case scenario is being pipped on goal difference by Lithuania.

Maybe Levein had this all figured out as well, we didn't need to win, we could afford to lose but not get pumped. That would explain his tactics. Doesn't mean I have to like them though.