Group D at a glance
Tonight’s games went as badly as they could have done for Scotland, pretty much as we suggested they would at the weekend, after a truly abysmal Scottish performance (an embarrassing 28% possession) saw them beaten 3-2 by Germany while Ireland scraped past Georgia 1-0.
But as we also said, and despite the clueless honkings of just about every pundit working in a TV studio tonight, it didn’t actually damage the team’s chances of making the playoffs very much.
Here’s your quick guide to where things stand.
There are two rounds of matches left. It’s not that complicated. We’ll assume – and it’s a dangerous assumption, because this is Scotland – that we beat Gibraltar in the final game (the score doesn’t matter). That only leaves the match at Hampden against Poland on October 8 to consider.
IF SCOTLAND LOSE TO POLAND:
– Scotland are out. All over. We can’t catch Ireland.
IF SCOTLAND BEAT POLAND:
– Scotland will finish 3rd (by virtue of having superior head-to-head records against both Ireland and Poland) UNLESS Ireland BEAT Germany in Dublin the same day. A draw is no good to the Irish if Scotland have won.
(Even if Ireland DO beat the Germans, Scotland can still finish 3rd if the Irish then also win in Poland on the last day.)
IF SCOTLAND DRAW WITH POLAND:
– Scotland can still finish 3rd and make the playoffs if Ireland lose to both Germany and Poland, but not under any other circumstances. If Ireland take a single point in either game, they take 3rd place.
As we told you, it’s a one-game tournament. Simple as that.
Lordy lordy…
Succinct!
8=)
Still not over yet
Yeah Gibraltar scored against Poland so at least we aren’t the only diddies they scored against.
No wonder I take a drink!
Urgent name change required by deed Pole = ScIFland.
(((((TAXI)))))
Thank feck ye took the time to make us realise that Scotland dinnae really fecked it up against Georgia, I was sitting slightly despondent after the game against Germany
BRING IT OAN LADS…….WE KIN STILL DAE IT
1,000 apologies here for this link NOT having the slightest thing to do with football but I was wondering if anyone knew who was manning the reception committee for this?
link to scottishindependence.com
P.S. … don’t all rush at once now!
Jim Sillars making sense on STV’s ‘Help Me Rhona’ Show. Catch it again on Plus One at 11.30
Never mind folks, only 10 days to go until the Rugby World Cup.
Scotland are still priced up at 200/1. (obviously the Bookirs don’t read Derek Bateman) and interesting enough only 66/1 with Paddy Power.
Please remember it was less than a year since they almost shocked New Zealand.
Trust me Vern Cotter has been playing ‘the long game’ LOL
If we beat Poland and Ireland beat Germany we can still make the play offs if Ireland go on to beat Poland in the last game.
Just another wee smile raiser for you all.
link to itv.com
I may be wrong here but life is smelling ever so sweet since the Famous 56 arrived in Westminster methinks. Cameron gets his earse kicked in the E.U. referendum debate.
Only question now is will he try and break the purdah rules as a lot of us believe he did last year. I for one aint holding my breath waiting to see if he sticks to the purdah rules.
“If we beat Poland and Ireland beat Germany we can still make the play offs if Ireland go on to beat Poland in the last game.”
Good spot, added.
Scotland are rank rotten as much as it pains me to say it. Steven Fletcher is never a striker in a million years and how James Forrest gets a game for Celtic, let alone the national team is beyond me. He is hopeless and the type of passenger our team really cannot afford to play. As for our captain, well Celtic have ruined him. At Hibs Scott Brown was an attacking midfielder who played with aggression and real purpose. Celtic turned him into a defensive midfielder just like they did with Paul Hartley.
Over two important matches Scotland took a total of zero from a possible six points. Utterly abysmal. We don’t deserve to qualify. We played a fantastic second half against Germany in the opening game and put in a good performance away to Poland but otherwise we have been like Scottish Labour throughout the campaign: total mince. I’m not seeing any progress here despite how much the media likes to big up wee Gordon smartarse.
Gordon Strachan is so stubborn in his team selections and is deluded. He mentioned how Scotland did enough not to lose on Friday against Georgia, and to back up this ludicrous viewpoint he said he had spoken with knowledgeable people in the game who agreed with him. They were wrong as well Gordon son. Georgia created chances and scored. Scotland created no chances and did not score. We got what we deserved, absolutely nothing.
I blame all the no voters.
Hey ho it’s Bonnie Prince Charlie over and over again. It’s if only. We lose to Georgia and then run the world champions close. My prediction, Polamd 2-0 up, Eddie Turbull floats in a cross from the dead and Colin Stein knocks it in and then it happens again but Poland get a well deserved goal in the 88th minute.
We are Scotland
I’m not intersested in how the ‘gay’ community are doing.
Our national rugby team is an inspiration for our youth to follow.
Doom and gloom, we’re all doomed. Oh, we’re not after all!
Perhaps it’s time Scotland felt good about itself.
ITV news had Scotland’s competition as over last night when telling us the scores, saying “Scotland are out of the finals”
I expect ITV and BBC will also be delighted that professional dour Scotsman Andy Murray is out of the US Open.
Correct, although on current form/selections I wouldn’t bet on Scotland beating an egg.
Has too be said but Scotland have been playing better in this qualifier as I have seen them play in a long time. we are usually out by now. The Georgia game was a howler and the result has damaged our progress but we have to remember this…we are Scotland, this happens.
That display against Germany, the world champions, was brilliant and exciting and at times they had the Germans scrambling for the ball. If they can do that against Poland, which they have too really, we’ll be fine.
That is until Gibralter pump us 4 nil!!! lol
If only we can scrape through qualifying….We can then go on to win the world cup……….I have other fantasies.
Ross, with 28% of possession and no real goal threat I wouldn’t be calling our display fantastic.
John Moss @ 1.13am.
How about you save your homophobia for commenting in The Express or Daily Mail where it most likely will be acceptable.
As I posted elsewhere, my extensive knowledge of previous Scotland qualifying campaigns, going back to the 1954 World Cup, when the Home Internationals were the qualifying group, leads me to conclude:
We may yet finish third and be forced down the play-offs route. Here we will draw one of the better national teams, which has had a horrendous qualifying campaign (Netherlands is the one I keep seeing coming up).
This opposition will, against the Scots, suddenly find their best form and crush us, and, when the big show kicks-off in France, we will again be on the outside, looking in.
Until Scottish football has root and branch pruning and re-planting, starting with eliminating the occupants of Hampden’s corridors of power, we will continue to be a football joke.
We’re awe doomed – doomed ah tell ye!!
Last night in the lead up to the game Chick Young asked a Scotland fan …….is time for Gordon to go, time for us to look around for a new manager……..
Not only are our Young folk denied the chance to see their National team playing (unless they live in a home with a sports package, or have a pal who does) The BBC actively work at chasing away our Managers.
This time we’ve got a really good manager in Gordon. Should Chick be allowed to undermine him.
Mrobicycek – James Forrest is a really good attacking winger. The problem last night was Scotland were not only playing back to the walls, they passed the ball to him in a good position a total of 0 times. There were two brilliant opportunities to switch it to him when he was free but they were not taken. James Forrest when running at defenders is a very dangerous player. But he is rarely going to win a tackle. He gets his game for Celtic because Celtic play attacking football. Scotland on the other hand have not known what attacking football is for a very very very long time.
Scot Brown is a brilliant player for Celtic and Scotland but for the first time in his career he has had a bad season so far. In comparison to other Celtic and Scotland players at the moment though he is no better or worse because all of them are playing not good.
With regards to fletcher I thought he played ok last night was a strong presence but does not have the finishing ability of Leigh grithis who would have buried one or two of his chances last night. I think fletcher playing alongside Leigh grithis though would be pretty lethal, fletcher would grab a few assists I reckon.
Whilst Scotlsnd looked more dangerous in the attacking third last night compared to in Georgia there is no doubt Germany outclassed Scotland last night and Scotland were fortunate to claim a respectable scoreline. Let’s not forget the two German offside goals.
Mario Gotze was really impressive in my opionion. That is a class striker.
No doubt the Team GB#s Tam Dalyells and the Brian Wilsons will be praying for the Scotland Team’s defeat as they did against Argentina in the 1979 rigged Referendum.
Too many ‘IFs’ and not enough goals has been Scotland’s problem over the years.
Honestly, I don’t think I can stand another glorious failure.
Good attempt but this comment doesn’t make sense:
(Even if Ireland DO beat the Germans, Scotland can still finish 3rd if the Irish then also win in Poland on the last day.)
“Good attempt but this comment doesn’t make sense:
(Even if Ireland DO beat the Germans, Scotland can still finish 3rd if the Irish then also win in Poland on the last day.)”
Yes it does. If Ireland beat both Germany and Poland, and Scotland have also beaten Poland, then Poland will finish on 17 points. Assuming a Scotland win in Gibraltar, Scotland will also have 17 points, but will finish above Poland courtesy of a better head-to-head record.
link to bbc.co.uk
BBC have found this out a day later too!
“A truly abysmal performance” is a tad harsh, Stu. I think somewhere you have to give a bit of credit to our opponents, they are not World Champions for nothing. Hey, at least we didn’t get pumped 1-7 at home by them like some other diddy nation!
Georgia, for me, was half expected. We flopped there before after all and this is Scotland. I was not impressed by his team selection for either game and I believe there should be another chance for the likes of Jordan Rhodes, Charlie Adam and Johnny Russell. Plus Hamilton’s Ali Crawford should be called up. We are not blessed with many midfielders who can score great goals with both feet. His passing is exquisite too. Hearts Callum Paterson and Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie should be in too.
Agree about Forrest, I felt sorry for him last night, he was such a passenger. Matt Ritchie for me, in great form for Bournemouth although he has yet to dazzle for Scotland.
Beating Poland is possible but I’m losing faith in GS picking the correct team. Frustrating to see tiny countries like Iceland qualifying, at least the “too wee” excuse can never be used again, at least in a football context!
San Marino? I thought that was a chip shop on the Gallowgate!
Harry mcaye – Forrest was only a passenger because of the other players lack of vision but that might have been what you mean? Hard to see how Rhodes, Adam, Russel or Crawford are going to get picked ahead of European regulars such as Gritthis, Armstrong or Forrest. The better emphasis should be if your going to play with a winger pass the ball to the winger. James Forresr can beat anyone on his day and has scored some terrific and importAnt goals for Celtic. Malmo marked him with 3 players that’s how good Forrest is. The Germans had no one on him at times last night which makes it more annoying he never got a pass.
I would say overall we could have created more chances last night but considering who we were up against the amount we did create was ok and has Griffiths been playing we might even have stolen an undeserved victory as he would have buried the two good chances fletcher had. But fletcher did ok last night too, he put himself about a lot more than against Georgia.
Same old story for Scotland consistency or lack of.
An accurate summation of our options in the remaining games in this section – but only at best to get us through to the play offs, where we may well still have a lot to do.
The Georgia game was important because yet again we spurned the chance to do things off our own bat.
Maybe the Rev should ask how many of the squad are NO voters?
BBC Radio Scotland , Sports Scene 6.30pm start, Graham Spiers leading another Hatchet job on Gordon Strachan.
I’m thinking about how many tournaments Scotland have participated in my lifetime where they end up with “a mathematical possibility of winning/qualifying”. These are not filling me with cheer. Scotland has managed to lose against a mountain top. So I’m slightly nervous about how they’ll play against a rock. :[
We are technically and tactically inferior to most good teams we play against. Well drawing most of our squad from Leagues where the footie is technical and tactical mince doesn’t help.
Strachan unfortunately doesn’t walk on water. He made tactical and selection mistakes against England, Ireland, Gibraltar and Georgia, notice a pattern developing here, anybody else notice he has been infected with Levienitis, Burleyitis and there is no vaccine against it. Some of Strachan’s substitutions are bizarre to say the least.
To be fair to Strachan it isn’t Strachan’s fault if half the players don’t look interested and don’t get stuck in. It isn’t his fault if they cant pass the ball or control it and it isn’t his fault if most of them look frightened of the round ball in the first place.
We do play that gweat Bwitish game since this is what Bitter Together is all about. MINCE FOOTIE!
There is an irony though about the fact that we are actually a better team than either Poland or the ROI in my view.