Gribz

I hope im wrong but i cant see much goals here. Both sides are good defensively. If Ukraine come and attack then it may open up and if thats the case I hope we have 4-4-2 with pacey players upfront. Id say 1-0 Scotland but happily take 4-2. Thank fook its on SKY BTW coz il get it tonight now, if its BBC i dont even get radio coverage. So Pizza and few beers around 7pm all set for a 10pm kick off - cant wait. Its good to be back enjoying internation footy again, Ive always been up for Scotland games but none of my mates used to want to go to games. The thought of international footy weekend isnt great until it comes round and the Scots are playing. Had i been there id have taken Jufferys ticket in a flash. C'MON the SCOTS

Im glad I dont know anything about backing horses or id we punting everyday. I remember one bank holiday a few years ago i sat and watched "At the races" and had one bet which won so it led to another which lost and another which lost......

Yeah if they dont win then they cant qualify. But this could also go against us in their last game against France. We need them to play as best as possible against France but at the same time we have to end their qualification hopes tomorrow with a win.

Yeah I should have added Hutton would provide more width on the right. When Smith eventually gets fit he will do the same left side.

Rank coupon this weekend due to the internationals. But il still have a punt. Scotland to beat Ukraine Evs Iceland to beat Latvia Evs Leeds to beat Leyton Orient 1/2 Holland to beat Romania 11/8 I'll probably have an individual bet on the Scotland game. I fancy 1-0 to be the score but 5/1 isnt the best odds. So I may go correct score with first scorer - 1-0 and McFadden 28/1

Merged the 2 threads here BTW folks.

Yeah i know this is interesting. I have screamed for Buffel to play in behind the strikers and Gow in to be given the chance in that role but it would mean playing a diamond formation and dropping 2 of Ferguson, Hemdani and Thomson with the remaining player to play the holding role. I just cant see Smith playing that. So Id maybe give Buffel and Gow free wider roles and have Hemdani and Ferguson in the centre. Hemdani will sit and mop up while Ferguson plays more box to box. It would be set out a little like this: _____________McGregor____________ Hutton____Weir_______Cuellar____Papac ________Ferguson___Hemdani_______ __Buffel_____________________Gow__ __________Cousin___Darcheville______ Attack wise it looks good, Buffel and Gow could come infield and swap sides as they please, plus Ferguson will be getting forward. Of course, you could also drop one of the strikers and put Thomson in next to Hemdani and push Ferguson forward but I dont think we would need that for SPL matches - If we are at home to the Falkirks and St Mirrens then SURELY the above is enough.

I think Dida's ban is irrelvant. He didnt "cheat" the opposition, he was making a point that a fan was on the pitch. For him to be carried off was silly but he should have got a slap round the wrist as it did not effect the outcome of the game. 25k is not big enough yet FIFA and UEFA's fines to clubs are not big enough in general. So Celtic have to hand out the same amount as they do to Scott Brown every week - big deal! The point here should be what if the guy had a knife!! Its lesson learnt the easy way and all clubs have to take note that no fans should enter the pitch. UEFA have to start increasing the fines so all clubs take note.

Seems he is ready, id throw him in asap.

Probably would agree with that, going to Georgia is a bit of the unknown, they are a potential banana skin and thats where I can see us slipping up. But id fancy us to take something from the Italy game if needed.

Id say Everton have the easiet. Aberdeen got a bit of a nightmare thats one of the toughest groups but thats europe for you.

He would have been a miss then but Pearson did well when he came on and Brown can play in Fletchers role. Ive just looked at the fixtures, Italy are at home to Georgia and France go to the Faroe's so i can only see them both taken 3 points so this game is a muct win. As I said earlier id take any win in any way.

No he's injured. He came off against france then Pearson came on. He hasnt played for Man U since that either.

Sorry chaps meant to put Fletcher instead of McFadden. Agree with Gav - No way can Caldwell play in midfield. Id rather have Dailly than Caldwell. I noticed Dailly got a recall, he must be getting a game at Southampton. Is Maloney playing regularly for Villa? If so id have him in the team.

Back to the internationals this weekend. The Ukraine game is huge and must be looked at as a cup final. The squad once again looks a bit thin in midfield with Fletcher, Hartley and Quashie all out through injury. I thought Pearson did well when he came on against France so may start this weekend. But if we can win this then we are set up nicely. Id take a dire 1-0 win in any way just to still be in with a chance. Tough team selection but id play: ________________Gordon_____________ Hutton____McManus____Weir____Naysmith Pearson____Brown____Ferguson____McCulloch ___________Miller____McFadden_________

Last year we seemed to struggle against the lower teams of the SPL, but this season a pattern already seems to be setting in against the teams from the top half. The first game or 2 was looked at as one-off's but taking this approach is dangerous simply because we can all see problems in our play. Take away our fantastic CL results, the hard work and good start to the SPL may have to be done again. We didnt show up at Tynecastle, had an off day at Motherwell and then lost against Hibs. Yet we had a few reminders last season about this kind of results. We have Celtic followed by Dundee Utd and that will be the first round of games complete. Over a season we can drop points but we cant drop points in around 40% of our games in each quarter. Now getting something from this first OF match of the season is vital, as we just dont want to have to play catch up again from October. If we are going to have squad rotation then why cant we also have formation and tactics rotation. Looking at our squad, I still think its the best in the country and easily the most depth but we need to play to our strengths. We have attack minded young talent that arent being given a chance. I really think the only problem we have is not setting the stall out right in these type games. I dont mind the 4-5-1 as long as it can be changed onto a 4-3-3 on attack or even a 4-2-4. Id still also like to see JCD strike up a partnership with Cousin but if they are out and Smith wants to play Boyd upfront in a 4-5-1 then why doesnt he give this a try: ______________McGregor____________ Hutton____Weir_______Cuellar____Papac ____Ferguson___Buffel____Hemdani____ ___Novo________Boyd_______Naismith You could swap Naismith with McCulloch or Gow but either one of these players and Novo will get back and form the 4-5-1 again, but that team is attack minded and surely too good for most SPL sides.

Yip, once again your talking good sense Adam is a strange one though. He scored double figures last season so may feel he is in with a shout but when he is dire he is really dire but can also have a decent game or 2. Burke is similar but I see him more effective coming off the bench. But for me Novo should be well in the team right now and id be playing Naismith also. Id also consider moving McCulloch upfront or to the bench for a game or 2. He started the season very well on the right but has gone off the boil a little but he still offers a threat and playing upfront maybe a good move for him. Plus he doesnt have electric pace to play wide in this 4-5-1. But team selection for the OF game will be very interesting.

If I was Martin Jol id go for the Ajax job. His treatment has been poor from the Spurs board if the rumours that they spoke to the Seville coach are true. I rate Jol as a manager but he has just had a slow start this season. I backed them to beat Liverpool on sunday and they came within inches. They are only 3 pts behind West Ham who people claim have had a good start but im asking questions over Curbishley losing 3 on the trot again after spending millions in the summer.

Yeah but more to the point he is a creative player which the team is crying out for. Personally id have 2, 3 or even 4 creative players in the team ahead of the more solid and safety players especially in the SPL and at Ibrox. I fear the likes of Gow or Buffel will come in and even be played out of position but wont manage to change things on there own then they wont get another look-in or the fans will be on there backs.

We should have learned about complicency by now though. We got a few reminders towards the end of last season when we had a few poor draws at home, and i said then these are the games we must get rid of for next season. Why does so many people use this headless chicken saying? Its like saying we either have a player who stands about and cant do anything unless the other ten players play to HIS game (Boyd) or we have Sebo who just runs about like an idiot. This is garbage, there is such thing as an in between. Walter should know first hand that having a good front 2 partnership works a treat as he had Hateley and McCoist for long enough. As others have said the likes of JCD, Cousin, Novo and Naismith would all be a better option we we play this crazy 1 man upfront at home. Yeah all 3 were poor but this was Fergusons 3rd poor match in a row and Thomsons 2nd in a row in the SPL. For Hemdani to come in and change it on his own isnt going to happen when the rest of the team arent at the races (or maybe they were). It players like Gow and Buffel who will give that spark when the team needs it.

Should have had a game long ago IMO.

This is a strange move and obviously influenced from money. He was No.1 at Ajax right? So why would he give that up to become a coach at Chelsea were there are doubts about the current manager. If Grant continues to struggle or doesnt play football like Arsenal then he will get punted and a big name will come in with his own staff.

Aye forgot about him - he is just a pleb with a shocking hair-do.

Dont mind Hughes at all but can see where Bruce being annoying comes in.

I cant believe if 2-2! The goons should have been up 10-0