Match Day Thread England Vs Scotland

This used to be an exciting fixture, but now it's all about avoiding humiliation. For the Tartan Army there is the real possibility of a thrashing by the Auld Enemy, who will be hoping to improve on their 2-0 win against Malta. For England a failure to beat one of Football's minnows would be worse than the Iceland defeat. England central defenders are poor by international standards but Scotland's pair are like a couple of those wonderful penguins on Attenborough the other night. So for me it's an easy England win, and I can switch over to Have I Got News For You at H/T.

 

Optimistic then FHB.

 

What does that mean?

 

I'm not sure, we put a good shift in last time and England aren't exactly firing at the moment.

Had Gordon Strachan not been manager I think Scotland could get a result. It's not beyond Scotland to get a draw, but think it will be a narrow loss.

 

I think it will be a tight game between two poor sides.England to edge it 1-0.

 

I think the Scotch will and England will give them a right good

 

14k Scottish fans will be there, Wembley will have an atmosphere for once.

 

I've got my World Cup 66 top on and found a Scottish/Celtic pub here in Boston showing it. Guess I'm not going to be well liked in there among those Americans!

They'll say their "Scottish" because their great great great great grandfather may have been born in Edinburgh (or some crap like that), and I'll tell them they're about as Scottish as I am Chinese.

 

So your great, great grandfather was Chinese?

 

No China's great great grandfather had a Chinese ..... number 27, 64 and a spring roll!

 

Careful, you might offend Holden now we know his heritage

 

Any idea why Strachan ignores Charlie Adam? With our lack of talent it looks like bloody-mindedness.

 

He says WGS favours players with a Celtic background rather than Rangers. Whilst I think thats an over exaggeration, you can see why he perhaps came to that conclusion.

 

Hmmmmmmmm. I thought Strachan was better than that, but when you leave out one of your best players without explanation people will draw their own conclusions. And Isn't Adam one of only 3 players playing at a high level, the other 2 being Snodgrass and the boy who plays in the Bundislega?

 

Burke - hoping he starts tonight. Think he will eventually move up front as he's 6 ft 2 already and growing in to that frame nicely.

SAF once said Adam was worth his place on the pitch for his set pieces alone. If England win then you have to think thats it for Strachan, N.Ireland show that you don't have to be the most talented to compete these days.

 

Have I got News For You Was terrific.

 

I have been doing the 'I told you so ' dance all morning

 

Does anyone really still care about international football ?

I don't identify with any of the England players.

Alf Ramsey ...Bobby Moore...Trevor Brooking...Bryan Robson ...Gazza - yes

Raheem Sterling and Joe Hart ? No

 

Won 3-0....huh. I was just reading the BBC report on this and found it a bit mystifying to say the least. Strachan, by all accounts, has slightly less quality to work with than Russel Slade, so what is he supposed to do? Even if he makes his own players, it will take 18 years for them to develop. Who will do a better job, and how, with the same players?
Southgate, on the other hand, got a flattering 3-0 win against a poor side, which the BBC see as nailing him into place as permanent manager. What in that performance, apart from better finishing with prem standard strikers, makes him a long term bet for a better performance in the finals. Cahill looks average on his best nights, yet still plays a lot of minutes. How many really saw that result as a fair reflection of the match? Sterling looks better, but I bet that's Guardiola, not Southgate. Sorry but like Slade at the Valley, this is another dud appointment which maybe reflects that England don't have the players they need to go further than simple qualification. Wild times...

 

I made exactly the same prediction!