Scotland v Cyprus v Ipswich in League 1

[marko69]

Well done Mike, Lucy, Azzurro, Saint with the 3-0 prediction for the Scotland game. Most of you had 2-0 but that injury time Scott McTominay goal made it 3.

Reason for post though is basically to pass on the Willie Miller post game quotes on the radio.
To massively summarise……, he said,

“Why would Cyprus play 9 at the back with 15 minutes to play when they’re 1-0 down? The answer is, they didn’t. They changed their shape and tactics and started looking at going forward. The spaces opening up allowed the 2nd & 3rd goal because they’re poor defensively. A bit like massive clubs in lower leagues, (he was meaning the Sevco Rangers up here) ….they struggle vs a packed defence.”

Made me think of those Ipswich v Lincoln games and other games like them where Ipswich have dropped valuable points.
Its arguably why Sunderland are chasing the play-offs this season in the Championship after struggling for a couple years in League One. Better, more open & competitive games in the Championship. So keep that tractor rolling on towards that promotion Kieron & Co.
Starting with 2-0 v Derby County

[arana peligrosa]

Cyprus beat Spain by 3 - 2 in recent qualification tournament so they''re no pushovers. Believe got hit by 7 in the return game if correct but the former victory still stands.

Was thinking also how many times Scots have featured at the Euro Championships. I counted two, both times in the 1990's. Mixed bag, beat Russia 3 - 0 one time and a draw with Netherlands and win over Switzerland the other. Some things remain in the memory.

Point being I don't think they've been nearly as involved as they could have been over time, since the inception of competition in 1964 or whenever it were. Took a moment to think of all those stellar / fine caliber players and names that missed out.

Derby got a 0 - 2 loss in today's action. Maybe we don't need concern oneself about them both in terms of next week's encounter or as a standout promotion rival either.

[number 9]

Should have been 2-0, but I don’t wanna sound greedy. Well done, maybe the tide is finally turning.

[marko69]

Cyprus beat Spain by 3 - 2 in recent qualification tournament so they''re no pushovers.

They really are though, Saint. Much like Scotland are a "pub team" to England......., Cyprus are very much a pub team to Scotland. Was only 1-0 until the 85th minute and Scotland (from the 45th min to around the 80th) were utter mince vs this proper pub team. Fairly certain the Penicuik High School 4th Year soccer team could've got the draw v Cyprus.

[AzzurroMark]

Winning 2-0 at home to Spain currently!

[number 9]

Winning 2-0 at home to Spain currently!

[number 9]

Well done, Scotland!

[AzzurroMark]

Well done, Scotland!

Indeed that is an eye opening result. Certainly a good start to their campaign.

[arana peligrosa]

Spain fielded an entire changed team from the Norway game and victory.. Weakened squad, a whole sh*t load of omissions and players not featured. Scots would have beat essentially an unrecognized team.

It's a good score and result for them though. Last win was back in the fall of '84 if correct when Dalglish played and scored (two) if memory serves. Took on a team that had reached the European Championships Final game only a few months before. Results like this happen, it's the nature of the game.

[marko69]

Spain fielded an entire changed team from the Norway game and victory.. Weakened squad, a whole sh*t load of omissions and players not featured. Scots would have beat essentially an unrecognized team.

It's a good score and result for them though. Last win was back in the fall of '84 if correct when Dalglish played and scored (two) if memory serves. Took on a team that had reached the European Championships Final game only a few months before. Results like this happen, it's the nature of the game.

Yep, but even though they were almost completely changed, I cannot recall one person (where I was), saying, "We should beat them"......, I think they were largely the U21/23 team but had gone 63 games unbeaten. So it wasn't too bad a scalp for us ginger milk bottles. (Its ok, I'm Scottish, I can say that. Not racist. Now give me your lungs so I can make a haggis)

[arana peligrosa]

The result makes one think back to Northern Ireland in 1982, the World Cup game. Gerry Armstrong and all that for those of a certain age.

That match was actually in Spain such as the whole tournament was staged. I kind of made comparisons between Scots victory just recent or what occurred 40 years back i.e. which was the more standout result. Luis Arconada was a poor goalkeeper in an otherwise steady and reliable team. Made a number of costly errors over time and the Ireland one was no different.

One last word on this past event, as an enthusiast of Scots soccer, domestic or national, was wondering when was last time there was a victory / result of such notice or magnitude. Netherlands '78 came to mind straight off but seems churlish to offer an example so far back when guess there were other examples in the time between.

[marko69]

One last word on this past event, as an enthusiast of Scots soccer, domestic or national, was wondering when was last time there was a victory / result of such notice or magnitude. Netherlands '78 came to mind straight off but seems churlish to offer an example so far back when guess there were other examples in the time between.

James McFadden raker vs France at the Parc de Princes in 2007......, 1-0 win.

(Raker = Peach --->> great goal)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXd5ZY1UYak

[arana peligrosa]

Yeh i'd forgotten about that one. Can kind of recall (now) a positive score in the return game at Hampden, either a Scot's victory or drawn game.

Had a run of outlandish freak results against more illustrious opponents around that time but it were short lived. Evaporated almost as soon as it transpired. Would have been Euro 2008 qualifiers most likely. Lasting memory was a Croatia win in London in the end games when a draw would have seen the English make it. That was an epic night, sure as hell took some fulfilment from that particular one.