Prague Buddie

Yesssss!!!!! Never a Pen, but I take it all day long! Come on Saints! Get a winner.

Ehhhh!!!! No

Poor performance by us so far. Motherwell look like they are really up for it. Probably trying to impress their new boss. We are really poor going forward. McAllister and Erwin are passengers, I'm afraid!

I like Obika, but I think there is a good chance that he is on his bike. I hope not though!

Got lucky there! Bad miss by Watt.

Junior is probably a 'Star Man' at that level. It is English 5th tier after all. ETA. When he played for them last time, they were actually in the 6th tier

https://www.stmirren.com/all-news/3876-st-mirren-delighted-to-confirm-signing-of-eamonn-brophy-on-pre-contract There ye go! The BBC Football only say 'confirmed' when it really is. That is why I posted it.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55543614

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55543614 Brophy confirmed on BBC

That's not ideal!

On the topic of strikers. Who is likely to still be around to provide cover/play beside Brophy? Who of our current strikers are contracted beyond this season? I am sure that Obika and Morias are out of contract in June, but what about Dennis and Erwin? Is Josh Jack likely to come into the first team? (probably not, I would imagine)

If it was a straightforward clash, surely it should have been a bounce ball rather than a free kick to Killie. I agree that it was a straight forward clash. Although in those situations involving a GK, almost every time a Ref will give a free-kick to the goalies team. There is no way any ref would give a bounce ball there in that situation.

Great news!

Of course Shaughnessy's was to blame!!! Tait always tries to get on his right foot if he can. Watch him closely in the game. He always goes with his right foot if he can. Not ideal at left back! The short pass up the line to Mason was on. Mason was out of the picture from the side camera angle, but when you see it again from behind the goal he was clearly on for a left footed pass up the line. Don't get me wrong, I like Tait as a player though..... And Shaughnessy's was 100% to blame. I am only mentioning the fact that if Tait had played the forward ball that was DEFINITELY on, we wouldn't have been in the situation. Anyway, I think overall, we were very unlucky today. I thought we played well.

Exactly!

Shaughnessy's mistake was a shocker, but I think Tait played his part by having no left foot. He should have played it up the line to Mason with his left, but turned back the way onto his right and put us in the situation. That is what happens when you play a right footer at LB I suppose.

Last season I couldn't watch away games on SMTV. Had to watch through the home teams channel or Hesgoal. This season I get to see everything on SMTV.

Bang on!!! He definitely only played in the away leg in France. So, no he never played at Love St.

Morias has probably the worst final ball I have ever seen. I lost count of the amount of times he beat a player and his cross either never made it past the first man or he hit it too long. The only thing I could say positive about him is that his speed worries fullbacks when he is running at them. Durmus is not much better I am afraid. I would be very surprised to see either of them offered a new deal in summer. McAllister is also rubbish. He looks overweight to me. I would not be surprised to see McAllister go out on loan in January to make space for someone who will have a bigger impact. Perhaps a loan spell in the championship would do him good. In a more positive slant, I would say our defence and central midfield are the best we have had in 30 years. Fraser, Shaughnessy, McCarthy, Tait, Mcpherson, Doyle-Hayes, Erhahon have all been first class. Big Jon Obika is worth keeping too! He terrifies centre halves with his strength and hold up play.. In goal, Alnwick has adequately replaced Hladky. JG has certainly got the spine of the team in order. I think we are just a decent wide player or two from really pushing for Europe. I hope we can hold on to all the guys I mentioned. We have to get all the above tied down to new contracts and find replacements for Morias, Durmus, Erwin and McAllister.

For 85 mins against Serbia, it was the best I have seen Scotland play for a good number of years. At the final whistle my Mrs had to scrape me of the ceiling. I am still on cloud nine about qualifying. However, I am also realistic. We have a long way to go. We are still losing to the Slovakia's and Israel's of this world. Teams which an almost (minus their best striker) full strength Czech side disposed of comfortably. I am also fairly confident a full strength Czech side will dispose of us easily at the Euros (I hope I am wrong). Yes, we qualified, which I am elated about after suffering while following Scotland home and away for the last 20 years. But it merely papers over the cracks. Clarke’s results haven't been so spectacular. And most of the performances have been dross. Those 85mins against Serbia have given me hope though!

The Czechs were decimated in both matches against us. First game their entire team. Second game 6 of their best players. They would have beaten us home and away, if it weren't for that. A much better side who are light years ahead of us.

I would say the Czechs played entertaining attractive football, but came up against a well organised resilient team who were VERY hard to break down. We were boring, but absolutely effective! I was entertained only by the fact that I am a die-hard Scotland fan who was desperate for a win. If I were a neutral, I would have been bored to tears by us. Don't get me wrong though, after 20 years of shite results, I will take 'effective' all day long.

I think the formation works. Results-wise it is definitely effective, but from an entertainment point of view it is a borefest. Maybe when we get the players who are missing back, that could make even more effective and give us a bit of excitement into the bargain. Both full backs have to go for starters. Palmer and Robertson back in.

Agree with this 100%. It was a very decent performance. That was as solid a performance from a Scotland team as I have seen in years. No thrills and got the job done. I would take that every time.

This little description of the Serbian team by the BBC certainly explains why they beat Norway last night and also why we are underdogs against them. "Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic came off the bench to score both his country's goals in Oslo, the second a delightful dinked finish. His 6ft 3in frame makes him a threat in the air but he's far from just a physical player. His touch is fantastic - you know, for a big man - and is arguably the complete midfielder. Links to Europe's biggest clubs have been plentiful. Sevilla's Nemanja Gudelj, Napoli's Nikola Maksimovic, and Dusan Tadic of Ajax started as the midfield three in Norway and bossed the game for large spells. Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic is a handful up top and played alongside Filip Djuricic, who plays for an impressive Sassuolo side in Serie A and scored twice in Serbia's World Cup qualifying win over Scotland in 2013. Veteran captain Aleksandar Kolarov marshalled a back three which managed to keep Haaland quiet. And they didn't even call on Real Madrid's £54m striker Luka Jovic off the bench."