Some strange tactics by Clarke. 5 errors: 1. Playing his back three so deep that when Gilmour received the ball, he was unable to create anything. He needed to be 20 yards further forward. He’s their only creative player, who can pass between the lines. 2. Having Mc Tominay take corners when he should have been the player getting on the end of them, He has proved himself effective at that in the air and when the ball breaks loose on the ground for both Utd and Scotland. 3. Playing Adams as a target man to hold up the ball when that is not his game. 4. Playing with no width especially as Robertson appeared to have no licence to get forward down the left. 5. Playing four central midfielders but giving no clear roles to McGinn and McTominay, who clearly weren’t meant to be playing in the centre, can’t play wide and didn’t get into forward positions often enough to carry any threat - although there was nobody to play a pass to find them if they had. It’s as though Scotland want to play a defensive, destructive game for 90 minutes, but hope to take the one chance they create - probably a set piece.
Clarke’s whole attack with Scotland is based around Lyndon Dykes, Scotland were in massive trouble the second he got injured as the whole structure relied on Dykes being the target man and bringing others into play.
Spain favourites for the tournament? I think only Portugal can still match their 100% record in the group stage, albeit from a significantly easier draw.
Italy causing the entire country to have a collective nervous breakdown before just getting through? That's them in the semis at the very least
Tournament doesn’t properly start until the knockouts for me with this format. Too soon for favourites.
Some very Fergie-esque timekeeping in the Croatia v Italy game yesterday. 8 minutes seemed excessive, then the ref cut it off when they equalised, despite there being a minute left. Very dodgy foul prior to the goal, too.
Austria take an early lead and it's another one from tournament top scorer Own Goal. Really sluggish start from the Dutch and that's been coming. Positive, aggressive opening from Rangnick's side.
Austria by far the better team in that half, but they may regret not taking more of an advantage of it. The Dutch were poor and they have plenty of capacity for improvement after the break.
