Shankland misses out on Scotland

[GUNBOAT]

Very very disappointed that Clarke only chose 3 strikers out of a 26 man squad.I am also staggered that a defender deemed not good enough to play in that shambolic Celtic defence makes the Scotland squad.
I think its fair to say that there are defenders in the squad who have no chance of playing so why even bother picking them?.If we needed a goal in a game i would much prefer to see Shankland and Griffiths on the bench than Taylor,Hendry or Hanley.
I am also amazed that a reserve keeper is picked ahead of guys who wear the NO1 shirt at their club's and a player given a six match ban for breaking covid rules by the SFA is rewarded with a call up after playing 7 matches and is only a back up right back at his club.

[JamesMcClean]

The give away for exactly how Clarke intends to approach the Euro matches is the very composition of the squad he has selected.

[NOSCOTCAPS]

Gutted for Shankland, yes he hasn’t scored many and missed a few, but still proved he has other aspects to his game that arguably merit inclusion. But if there are any injuries even an unfit Griffiths will get the nod, he does score though.
Zander Clark reminds of Billy Thomson in 87, could never get selected for a Scotland squad and arguably one of the best keepers in the league at the time, it was a Campbell Money and Les Fridge who were ahead of him both playing in 2nd or 3 rd tier of football. Clark definitely has a grievance IMO.
Like it or like it not the OF connection will always give a head start and that’s what grates me the most, how supposedly their players are or must be better they are not. Fleck instead of Gauld, why? I think Clarke said it was difficult to get out to see him, and TV footage doesn’t quite show everything, but it seems that 7 games in a Rangers shirt does; no disrespect to Patterson. Although I have always said give youth a chance; as loyalty doesn’t always work, albeit admirable quality.
Defence I think Hanley has had his chance and McKenna isn’t exactly tearing it up in the English Championship, possibly lack of other options.
Still want Scotland to do well, but it will be the same old inquiry if we don’t. Only Alex Ferguson and possibly Craig Brown have had the ball s to not go on your teams reputation marking you as a good player. He wasp pilloried for not taking Hansen in 86 and the team did not better or worse than with the so called world class players.. it’s a safe fecht

[tHeArAb]

The give away for exactly how Clarke intends to approach the Euro matches is the very composition of the squad he has selected.

Exactly. We'll more than likely be playing with five defenders and one striker. We have two left backs, two right backs and six centre halves, two players to cover every position in defence. We all know Tierney will be playing left CH so having three left backs is not even an argument imo. If anything we're overloaded in the midfield and attacking positions. We have three centre forwards for one position and two supporting strikers when we may not even play any!

Those moaning about Patterson and Taylor, who would you have taken instead?

[Dreamsof83]

Right wingback/fullback is the weakest part of the team. Only realistic other option would have been Shaun Rooney and that would have been equally divisive. Will see how it works out, think the guy is a decent player to be honest, although agree his COVID breach appears to have been rewarded rather than sanctioned. With Robertson and Tierney in the squad, Taylor is an unnecessary addition and, like others, another forward would have been my choice. Particularly when Fraser and Forrest have not played much football.

[ARAbCHNID]

This is a bit left field but howsabout Shankland being reinvented as a number 10? He is a very good footballer. When he's been doing his own fetching this season he's been outstanding. The way he shapes his body he often comes away with a ball that wasn't really his. Feeding a forward and shooting from outside the box he could be a 15-goal attacking midfielder. Also left field but has been discussed on here & elsewhere, if we're going to get the best out of Butcher might it be as a central defender?

[ARAbCHNID]

Am not that fussed re squad selection & I'm not quite sure who he is or how good he is but safe to say if Patterson played for Motherwell he would not be Euro bound. But over the decades it was always thus, as several posts are saying.

[BackRowArab]

Am not that fussed re squad selection & I'm not quite sure who he is or how good he is but safe to say if Patterson played for Motherwell he would not be Euro bound. But over the decades it was always thus, as several posts are saying.

If Patterson played for Motherwell he would have 75-100 games under his belt and probably a dozen caps already

[BudMill90]

Exactly. We'll more than likely be playing with five defenders and one striker. We have two left backs, two right backs and six centre halves, two players to cover every position in defence. We all know Tierney will be playing left CH so having three left backs is not even an argument imo. If anything we're overloaded in the midfield and attacking positions. We have three centre forwards for one position and two supporting strikers when we may not even play any!

Those moaning about Patterson and Taylor, who would you have taken instead?

If Robertson gets injured - will Greg Taylor come in and play? Or will he move Tierney up and bring in another centre back? I think the answer is obvious. Taylor is a massively pointless member of that squad.

[ARAbCHNID]

If Patterson played for Motherwell he would have 75-100 games under his belt and probably a dozen caps already

More relevant & not hypothetically, if Patterson had 7 (seven) starts for Motherwell this season he would not be in the squad.