The bigger picture
We’ve never in our entire lives wanted Scotland to do anything other than win a football match. Tonight, that might change. The dismal but all-too-predictable performance against Serbia on Saturday was another soul-crushing 90 minutes under Craig Levein. His tactic of playing every game looking for a 1-0 win on the counter-attack, despite having a defence almost totally incapable of keeping a clean sheet, was thrown into sharp relief last night as Andy Murray – once a notoriously passive and defensive tennis player who regularly failed at the last (or second-to-last) hurdle – finally completed his transformation into an attacking powerhouse capable of going toe-to-toe with the likes of the brutally talented Novak Djokovic and winning.
From Levein’s pronouncements since the feeble 0-0 draw with Djokovic’s Serbian countrymen at the weekend, the Scotland coach shows no signs of learning the lesson of Murray’s magnificent victory, and seems perversely determined to stick to a losing formula as much out of sheer stubborn petulance as anything else.
Starting the qualifying group with two home points from six would leave Scotland with a mountain to climb, but with eight games to come it wouldn’t be a completely insurmountable one. The catch, however, is that it WOULD by any sane analysis be an impossible task with Levein as manager.
If he plays this defensively at home – and incredibly, it’s by no means inconceivable that he’ll once again line up in a few hours in 4-1-4-1 formation with Kenny Miller alone up front – it’s safe to say our chances of securing the away wins we’d need to stand a chance would be nil. And more to the point, even four points from six are unlikely to be enough with the best teams in the group still to come, if we keep playing this way.
Scotland fans who don’t want the next two years to be over before they’ve begun now face a gruesome reality. Victory over Macedonia would secure Levein’s position for the forseeable future, which would almost certainly doom the qualification attempt to failure. Two more dropped points, on the other hand, might just be enough to see him sacked. The national side currently has a more talented group of players available than at any time in the last decade, and is stronger in attack than in defence for perhaps the first time in 20 years. A more positive manager might well still be able to save the campaign, even from such an inauspicious start.
But tonight’s game is the last point at which that will be true. The next round of matches sees us away to Wales and Belgium, and if Levein is allowed to oversee the dropping of any more points there then the situation will be utterly irretrievable. In this blog’s view, Scotland’s only hope of qualifying for World Cup 2014 is to draw tonight. (A defeat would be a catastrophe too far for any manager to recover.)
So do we pray for victory over 90 minutes no matter what, or take the long-term view? This blog, for more than just footballing reasons, finds itself – albeit uncomfortably, reluctantly and painfully – in the latter camp. What do you think? The poll’s at the top of the grey column just to the right of these words.
I don’t know much about football but I think we need Andy Murray up front.
I see what you’re saying, but I just can’t bring myself to hope for a Scotland loss. Besides, the next manager will pick Kenny Misser up front on his own too. They all do. The only guy who tried something different got hounded out!
…and Lendl in the dugout. Perhaps he could give us some tips on a velvet divorce while he’s at it.
I believe the chant for tonight is ‘there’s only one Andy Murray’
If you are going looking for a scenario, how’s about this one. Sean Connery contacts the SFA today (having spent yesterday discussing the issue with SAF over the tennis), offers them a few million to get shot of Levein and get Strachan in. The SFA, being practical men, have no principles that can’t be bought, and Levein’s last game in charge ironically turns out to be his best, as Scotland come out the traps fighting and beat Macedonia 3-0 – a perfect springboard for Strachan taking over the next day.
I’ll take that scenario, though might take a bit of loopy juice before I can believe in it.
“but I just can’t bring myself to hope for a Scotland loss”
Me either. As I said, one point from six would probably be unrecoverable, as it would mean we were already behind Macedonia. A draw is the least-worst outcome.
The bottom line is that we’re going nowhere under Levein. A win tonight will see us limp along just as we’ve been doing before the inevitable in the next few games. 3 competitive wins out of 9 and all by the odd goal against minnows, one in the 97th minute FFS!
I still can’t say it though. 🙁
In boxing terms if your style is that of a counterpuncher then you need a sound defence and a good strong counterpunch.
if these aren’t your strongest assets then fluidity of movement and constant jabbing at your opponent seems a better option. Keep him away from your chin. If he can’t hit you he can’t knock you out.
Seems to me that Scotland needs to adopt the fluidity of movement and one touch (jabbing) passing game. It certainly works for Spain. One-touch passing doesn’t work well on muddy pitches so a winter shutdown would be advisable.
One can only hope that Andy Murray’s latest fantastic victory and his endeavours to achieve his aims can inspire the Scotland national football team to greater things. Granted the manager has his ego trip which has not proved fruitful nor nice to watch. But let us stick together and support our Scottish teams whatever sport they participate in. All for one and one for all. We will need it come 2014.
Never Ever in my entire life have i ever wanted Scotland to draw never mind lose .
It would go against the grain to want Scotland to lose , no matter what the principle behind it was .
It would probably be far better if the supporters who have bought their home tickets for the duration of the competition sued under the trades description act .
money is the only thing the blazers understand .
A bitter pill, but perhaps the medicine that is needed. Certainly the outlook as is seems bleak.
A better scenario.
Scotland win 10-0, and England are so impressed, they offer the SFA £20,000,000 compensation for Levein.
The SFA grudgingly accept. 🙂
@MajorBloodnok says:
I don’t know much about football but I think we need Andy Murray up front.
My concern here is he’d hit the ball just a fraction over the net each time… After all, he’s getting good at that now. 😉
Could never wish Scotland not to win however much I understand the problem described. I’ll hope for Juteman’s scenario.
The better scenario is, of course, that Levein actually picks Jordan fucking Rhodes, sends the team out to have a go, we win 3-0 with a Rhodes hat-trick and the thick twat FINALLY twigs that maybe attacking actually works.
(I know I’m a bit sweary about this, but I really, really hate Craig Levein.)
Just put some cash in the swear box Rev Stu and you’ll be alright.
(I know I’m a bit sweary about this, but I really, really hate Craig Levein)
Your not are you Rev?
I’d never have noticed if you hadn’t mentioned it. 😆
Trouble is there was a manager who tried the attacking philosophy.
George Burley.
Levein is travelling the well-worn, safety first ‘hard to beat’ road.
Levein has won the same amount of competitive internationals Burley did (three), except against worse opposition (two were against Leichtenstein, and one of those took us until the 97th minute at home). Burley also had all manner of internal and external crises to deal with, and got hardly any time.
I s it me, or are most footballers not the most intelligent of people? I was thinking about the Scottish rugby teams of the past (when we were actually good) and I was thinking to myself about it. Most of those classic rugby teams came through the university rugby system, so were actually quite intelligent people. ie People who ACTUALLY think on a daily business. Today it seems, most sports people tend to be because they are the fastest or strongest . It’s the only thing that seems to matter nowadays. Just because someone is faster and stronger, doesn’t mean they are any better at whatever sport it is. The best sports people tend to be those who are strong, fast and have the capability to think, hence adapt to any changing dynamic of the game.
I don’t really think there is much thinking going on in football and the like, especially in the international side, on either side. Most teams tend to rely on the strongest and fastest aspects to win, which is easy when you have a population tens times as large as your opponent. If a great footballer is one in ten million, then England (for example) would have six great players to choose from. We would have a half.
We need to rethink our complete sporting strategy to to have any long term sporting viability. We’ve trained all the other muscles in a body, we need to start training the most important muscle. The brain.
I didn’t realise I was rambling, I’ll stop now. It was just a thought that had been rumbling round the back of my brain. I’m not a sporty person, so don’t really know what goes on with football and such. Just thought I’d share an impression.
PS – the only “sport” I do actually sit down to watch is the shinty. Get some shinty manager to manage the Scotland football team. They’ll show’em how to attack the game. 😉
Team announced apparently:
—————-McGregor—————-
Hutton—Webster—Berra—Dixon
—————–Caldwell—————-
———–Morrison—Maloney——–
Forrest——————Mackie
——————-Miller——————-
If true it looks like that Morrison clown is well nigh undroppable no matter how crap he is. 🙁
Ah well Forrest and Maloney might get some teasing crosses in for the striker. Ah right what is the point of that when there’s no one to get on the end of the fucking cross.
I disagree KOF.
Maybe that was true before the game went pro. As soon as it went pro, ‘niceness’ became a liability. New Zealand are so succesful because ‘ordinary’ folk play the game there, and can make a living from it. If you need the money, you will do more to win. A ‘brickie’ won’t think twice about elbowing you in the pus. Just look at boxing.
I remember having a conversation in a pub whilst watching a Scotland rugby game, and said the same thing to a family at the same table.
One of the women told me that i was being silly, as the pro Scots players only earned £30,000 (at the time) a year, so who would want to play rugby for the money. She seemed shocked when i explained that the only folk in the housing schemes of Dundee earning £30,000 a year were drug dealers.
Scotland line up confirmed here
link to bbc.co.uk
Levein is dodgy and in the pockets of the London Establishment. See, ‘The Big Picture’.
Juteman said, “As soon as it went pro, ‘niceness’ became a liability. New Zealand are so succesful because ‘ordinary’ folk play the game there, and can make a living from it. If you need the money, you will do more to win. A ‘brickie’ won’t think twice about elbowing you in the pus.”
Yes, I’m sure “niceness” did become a liability, as the game got tougher, people were more willing to putting the elbow in and whatnot. Bullying tactics can indeed be very successful, but does it have to be? Do we have to rely on instinctive violence and greed to progress the game? Are there not “better” ways to win? Shouldn’t there be better ways to win?
Which is more important, winning, or how we win?
Anyhoo, just some thoughts from a non-sporty type.
Who mentioned bullying?
Modern rugby is a physical, violent game. It isn’t a gentlemans game anymore.
Aye Stuart, good point re Levein’s competitive record being no better than Burley and against inferior opposition. Must confess I left early in stoppage time against Lichtenstein and haven’t been back to Hampden since. That was shaping up as the worst Scotland result of all time and I just couldnae take it.
Just listening to Amy McDonald sing flower of Scotland, what happened to the second verse, did the SFA only pay for two, c’mon tae fuck, if yer going to sing it at least do it justice.
one down…
Seems Levein is as popular as Clegg. for those who don’t want to watch or listen.
link to sport.stv.tv
cynicalHighlander,
“for those who don’t want to watch or listen”.
I’m not sure if I can bear to watch or listen to this anymore. But at least we’ve got a goal back, even Miller couldn’t miss that one.
Well, we got out of jail on several levels there. Macedonia should have won, and the Belgium-Croatia draw means we’re miraculously only TWO points off the top of the group (with everyone having played the same number of games) when it should have been five. That’s a totally retrievable situation, IF we get a new manager in NOW.
IF we get a new manager in NOW.
Its all about money as sport is a smokescreen to give greed credibility
OT for your CyberBrit archives.
link to facebook.com
“Who mentioned bullying?
Modern rugby is a physical, violent game. It isn’t a gentlemans game anymore”
I thought the “bullying” reference was inferred by ” If you need the money, you will do more to win. A ‘brickie’ won’t think twice about elbowing you in the pus.”
Rugby has always been a physical, violent game, but it never was a gentleman’s game. The way it was explained to me when I was a child was that it is a “ruffian’s game played by gentlemen”. Yes, you went in hard and fast, you neither gave nor asked for mercy, but you always played with honour. You applauded your opponents as they left the pitch, no matter how tired you were, nor much much you lost by. You played the game, a fair fight, a fair go.
There were indeed those who would use the scrum to jab you in “the puss” with their elbows and fists, or who feigned injury for tactical purposes. They were and probably still are dis-honourable and untrustworthy people, or just plainly ill-educated.
Football was a gentleman’s game played by ruffians. It is played by even bigger ruffians now from my limited viewpoint and not just on the field.
If our only strategy to win is to be a bigger better more violent ruffian, then what hope is there? Surely being more intelligent thinking capable beings is better than relying on mere brute force to win? There is more than one way to skin a cat and there are certainly more ways to win than being more violent and dis-honourable than your opponent.
Just a thought.
.
Scotland 1 Macedonia 1
Well there we go, utter shite once again. Sloppy passing and gaping holes with tactics that I couldn’t fathom out (neither could the players) … reminded me of Vogts aaaagh!
Scotland 1 Macedonia 1
England 1 Ukraine 1
N Ireland 1 Luxembourg 1
Wales 1 Serbia 6
I see the Better Together London Brit-Nat Olympic euphoria has rubbed off then (but oddly, only on to Serbia).
just as my friend used to paraphrase “Football is a gentleman’s game watched by ruffians. Rugby is a wanker’s game watched by wankers”. Like all generalisations it’s true 😉
So that’s it then. We now travel to Cardiff in a month’s time to play a Wales team on the rebound from their thrashing from Serbia and still, our manager, who sounds more like Bungle from Rainbow with every interview, tells us not to panic. Doesn’t he realise that we’re not panicking, we’re in total fucking despair! Our only hope now is to make a collective investment in Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsay voodoo dolls, can’t be any worse than Craig Levein’s ‘tactics’.
Got your wish Stu, but my prediction The Jaikie will stay and futhermore announce SFA Rule 224 that ‘ “nae fucker fae a East Coast side wull ever again play fae us dimwits unless they ur fae ersatz Rangers, yon Jambos”. ‘Fuck it if we never ever win, at least we’re stupit’
And now I hear rugby’s a great game, so many conflicting opinions…
Cheers all
Charlie
The only thing that can be said about last nights game is that it was slightly more entertaining than Saturday,s boring game .
There were times last night when I was beginning to wonder what team some of the Scotland players were actually playing for as a lot of the passes were so diabolical .
We’ve never in our entire lives wanted Scotland to do anything other than win a football match.
That’s your problem. Right there.
Signed, a euphoric Andy Murray fan.