Internationals November (Nations League / Euro 2021 play-offs / Friendlies)

[RedDevilRoshi]

Congratulations! Really happy for you. See you feckers at Wembley! I won't be so friendly next time.

Bring it on mate

Being there and ending 22 years of exile from major tournaments is the best thing about it. I couldn’t care how we done it just as long as we won it. A whole generation of Scots haven’t seen Scotland at a major tournament. I was only 6 years old the last time I seen my country play at a major finals and remember running around my house cheering like mad when John Collins equalised against Brazil. It’s going to be fantastic and great to finally see my country back on the big stage. Hopefully fans will be allowed to attend games by then and what an image it will be seeing the Tartan Army out in full force

We’ve got two games practically at home in the Euros - Czech Republic & Croatia which gives me real confidence that we can go one step even further than what the past Scotland teams have failed to do at major tournaments .

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Back foot was definitely on the line.

As long as you take off from the line, even if you dive forward, it's totally valid right?

 

[Wayne's World]

What a night for Scotland. Congrats and wish them all the best of luck going into the tournament.

It's been too long

 

[Lay]

Hungary scored two late late goals to knock Iceland out too. 88th and injury time winners.

Their group is only France, Portugal and Germany

 

[Cheech Wizard]

Where was Andy Robertson for that penalty shootout .. bottler

No he didn't. I was surprised then that he didnt step up.

Why is it seen as cowardice because a captain who's a left back hasn't stepped up to take a pen. For we all know he might be one of the sudden death pen takers. Scotland had an order and it worked, they let their forwards take them first, McTominay a midfielder took their third just like he took the third against Israel.

 

[Jaxa]

Cmonnnnn !! Hard to explain what this means for a country like Scotland, constant monkey on our back for 20+ years but we’ve finally done it ! Near heart break but in typical Scottish fashion we do it the hard way , but we’re going to the Euros !!

 

[FootballHQ]

No he didn't. I was surprised then that he didnt step up.

Yeah you're right, was sure he was one of the five.

Just watched them again and McTominay hit his penalty then into exactly the same spot as tonight.

 

[Tel074]

Well done Scotland and Slovakia. Delighted for you both

 

[Samid]

Why?

How would it be a fluke, if you win you win.

Handed a playoff spot through the Nations League despite never even winning a single NL game. Makes a mockery of the playoff system when you can lose all games but still get a playoff spot.

 

[Bwuk]

David Marshall what a hero.

 

[Bwuk]

Why is it seen as cowardice because a captain who's a left back hasn't stepped up to take a pen. For we all know he might be one of the sudden death pen takers. Scotland had an order and it worked, they let their forwards take them first, McTominay a midfielder took their third just like he took the third against Israel.

Spot on. Robertson said himself he was 6th or 7th to take and his hamstring was sore. He was great tonight, players seem to respect him as a leader.

Maguire is Uniteds captain but he wouldn’t be one of my 5 picks in a shoot out.

 

[Bwuk]

Trent vs Robertson, that will be fun!

Trent won’t get out his back pocket

 

[Peyroteo]

Spot on. Robertson said himself he was 6th or 7th to take and his hamstring was sore. He was great tonight, players seem to respect him as a leader.

Maguire is Uniteds captain but he wouldn’t be one of my 5 picks in a shoot out.

It's a very different situation, he's their best player by a mile. Usually when that's the case players step up and take a penalty

 

[Pagh Wraith]

Well done Scotland and Slovakia. Delighted for you both

Same. If there's one team from Great Britain / Ireland I want to do well, I'd be Scotland. Glad Northern Ireland didn't make it.

 

[dbs235]

Trent won’t get out his back pocket

Think Reece James will be England's first choice RB by then anyway.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Why is it seen as cowardice because a captain who's a left back hasn't stepped up to take a pen. For we all know he might be one of the sudden death pen takers. Scotland had an order and it worked, they let their forwards take them first, McTominay a midfielder took their third just like he took the third against Israel.

He said in his interview he was next up.

But yeah, weird thing to criticize a left back for... Especially when you score all 5 pens

 

[FootballHQ]

Handed a playoff spot through the Nations League despite never even winning a single NL game. Makes a mockery of the playoff system when you can lose all games but still get a playoff spot.

They would've got a play off under the old format for euro 2016 when 3rd place was used.

Can only look at Serbia tonight and conclude Norway totally and utterly bottled it in the last round.

In a funny way Northern Ireland crashing down the nations league and ending up in C/D section will improve their chances of making euro 2024 if likes of Macedonia and Georgia are the finalists. Macedonia had to win a group of Gilbraltar, Armenia and Liechtenstein to make the play offs.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Think Reece James will be England's first choice RB by then anyway.

He would be for my money. TAA is generally crap for England. Reece is much better rounded and suited to retaining possession.

 

[Bwuk]

It's a very different situation, he's their best player by a mile. Usually when that's the case players step up and take a penalty

He’s not Scotland’s best player by a mile. He doesn’t replicate his Liverpool form for Scotland.

 

[Pow]

He would be for my money. TAA is generally crap for England. Reece is much better rounded and suited to retaining possession.

The lads been in fine form this season. Hes more well rounded than trent or awb which is why i think ultimately hell nail that spot.

 

[Gio]

Why is it seen as cowardice because a captain who's a left back hasn't stepped up to take a pen. For we all know he might be one of the sudden death pen takers. Scotland had an order and it worked, they let their forwards take them first, McTominay a midfielder took their third just like he took the third against Israel.

Aye it shows more leadership not stepping forward out of duty when you are either not confident or not as capable from the spot. Nothing worse than the captain with the hero complex stepping forward (see JT) ahead of better penalty takers.

 

[Snow]

Nice one Scotland. That penalty training will bode well for the Euros.

 

[Peyroteo]

He’s not Scotland’s best player by a mile. He doesn’t replicate his Liverpool form for Scotland.

He's arguably the best leftback in the world, no other scottish player is even close to being considered the best in the world in their position.

I can see why people would disagree, especally since they won anyway but for me it definitely looks bad that he didn't take one of the 5 penalties. Maybe it's a cultural thing.

 

[Dominos]

What do they expect? He's not a CB. He looked terrible in the first couple of games he played there. Just because he's big and plays for a big club doesn't mean he has to be shoehorned into the team.

Is the position he's playing really relevant to his marking on a set piece?

Even if he was playing in midfield he'd still be responsible for making sure his man doesn't get free on a corner.

 

[FootballHQ]

He's arguably the best leftback in the world, no other scottish player is even close to being considered the best in the world in their position.

I can see why people would disagree, especally since they won anyway but for me it definitely looks bad that he didn't take one of the 5 penalties. Maybe it's a cultural thing.

He said in interview his hamstring was pretty much done but he was number 6 so not a huge amount of difference to Ronaldo going 5 and that hurting Portugal a few times in the past.

Scotland actually took two of their penalty takes (McGinn and Dykes) off in normal time so he'd have been further down the list if say extra time hadn't of been a thing and it had gone to pens straight away.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Why is it seen as cowardice because a captain who's a left back hasn't stepped up to take a pen. For we all know he might be one of the sudden death pen takers. Scotland had an order and it worked, they let their forwards take them first, McTominay a midfielder took their third just like he took the third against Israel.

Sorry, but it is. No bloody way that McT (who also fecked up during the game) is better choice than Robertson. In pens, captain must step up

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Sorry, but it is. No bloody way that McT (who also fecked up during the game) is better choice than Robertson. In pens, captain must step up

Maybe McT is a better penalty taker then Robertson? It's not really that outlandish.

Some players are better at penalties then others, that's just how it is.

 

[Tel074]

Sorry, but it is. No bloody way that McT (who also fecked up during the game) is better choice than Robertson. In pens, captain must step up

Have you nothing else to do ? Scotland won by letting their best penalty takers take the first 5 pens . So by your argument a goalkeeper who doesn't take a pen is a coward haha.
Pathetic post

 

[Jaxa]

It's a very different situation, he's their best player by a mile. Usually when that's the case players step up and take a penalty

Huh ? He was probably one of the worst players out there for us tonight as he usually is with Scotland, he does not replicate his club form in internationals so you obviously haven't watched any Scotland games I hate that attitude and it's disrespectful to other players who are "less famous" , one of our best players in these last months internationals is actually a QPR player, go figure

 

[Snow]

Maybe McT is a better penalty taker then Robertson? It's not really that outlandish.

Some players are better at penalties then others, that's just how it is.

Nerves play a big part. Some players might be up for it before the game but when the moment comes they might not want to take a penalty.

 

[Lay]

So never make a shit penalty taker captain?

 

[Samid]

They would've got a play off under the old format for euro 2016 when 3rd place was used.

Can only look at Serbia tonight and conclude Norway totally and utterly bottled it in the last round.

Old format is irrelevant now. They could have lost all their games in the normal qualifying but they still would have got a playoff spot. The fact is that UEFA are handing out 16 playoff spots through the Nations League. If your using NL as a criteria then you can’t be handing playoff spots to teams who suck under that criteria.

With 20 pre-qualified teams you can’t have 16 additional playoff teams. Too many dross teams will get an undeserved second bite of the cherry and potentially fluke their way to a tournament. UEFA need to find a way to return to 8 playoff teams.

 

[Snow]

Iceland started with a 38 year old defender that hasn't played a non-international in 2 months. 34 year old defender who's just come back from injury and played even less. A guy in midfield that hasn't played a minute for his team this season. Our captain that's been struggling for injuries for years and rarely plays more than 60-70 minutes. Johann Guðmundsson who's been struggling with two kinds of injuries, same for the forward. Basically we had 4 players starting on the pitch capable of playing a proper 90 minute match of football.

Erik Hamrén, Iceland NT coach, after the match with a surpise Pikachu face: "It seems like we didn't have the power or energy to finish the game"

 

[Gio]

Nerves play a big part. Some players might be up for it before the game but when the moment comes they might not want to take a penalty.

The additional pressure on Robertson as our most decorated player does weigh on him as evidenced by the way he snatched at the good chance to make it 2-0. It shows he can make decisions for the benefit of the team rather than blindly following the mantra of what a captain should do.

For what it’s worth, McTominay’s penalty was the best of the 10 by a mile. And aside from his horrible marking at the corner, he played well as part of a solid trio.

 

[Bwuk]

The additional pressure on Robertson as our most decorated player does weigh on him as evidenced by the way he snatched at the good chance to make it 2-0. It shows he can make decisions for the benefit of the team rather than blindly following the mantra of what a captain should do.

For what it’s worth, McTominay’s penalty was the best of the 10 by a mile. And aside from his horrible marking at the corner, he played well as part of a solid trio.

Agreed. McTominays been very good as part of the Scotland back 3 lately. Declan Gallagher was superb too.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Have you nothing else to do ? Scotland won by letting their best penalty takers take the first 5 pens . So by your argument a goalkeeper who doesn't take a pen is a coward haha.
Pathetic post

Gk is a different thing. And why such aggressive tone? Maybe he sucks in pens. Or maybe he didn't have confidence for it. Who knows?
But he is Liverpool's player. So lets just pretend that he was coward. Ok?

 

[Bwuk]

Gk is a different thing. And why such aggressive tone? Maybe he sucks in pens. Or maybe he didn't have confidence for it. Who knows?
But he is Liverpool's player. So lets just pretend that he was coward. Ok?

Grow up.

 

[Samid]

Iceland started with a 38 year old defender that hasn't played a non-international in 2 months. 34 year old defender who's just come back from injury and played even less. A guy in midfield that hasn't played a minute for his team this season. Our captain that's been struggling for injuries for years and rarely plays more than 60-70 minutes. Johann Guðmundsson who's been struggling with two kinds of injuries, same for the forward. Basically we had 4 players starting on the pitch capable of playing a proper 90 minute match of football.

Erik Hamrén, Iceland NT coach, after the match with a surpise Pikachu face: "It seems like we didn't have the power or energy to finish the game"

Two Swedes completely butchered Iceland and Norway in these playoffs. Their obsession with using players who never even play for their clubs is ridiculous, as if they’re deliberately trying to sabotage the team. Never trust Swedes.

I think you guys had one sub remaining, why on earth didn’t someone like Kjartansson come on for the final few minutes after they took the lead?

 

[Tel074]

Gk is a different thing. And why such aggressive tone? Maybe he sucks in pens. Or maybe he didn't have confidence for it. Who knows?
But he is Liverpool's player. So lets just pretend that he was coward. Ok?

You are the one saying a captain is a coward if he doesn't hit a pen . They won ffs haha. Yeah maybe the captain is awful at pens so why have the complete opposite opinion earlier its bizzare to say the least.
We all hate Liverpool but come on pal haha

 

[Lay]

Our captain Rio Ferdinand didn't take a pen in the CL 08 final.