Tuesday, August 14

Gordon Strachans Golden Notebook- Moscow


A ruble can go along way as the above proves. Oor man "in the know" toddled of to Moscow and got in tow wie a guy called Oleg, who had one leg. Oleg works as a bar man at a plush Moscow hotel that last night was frequented by a bunch of pasty faced Scots.

After the team meeting in the bar, a wee blond fella and a baldly Dane were in the hotel lobby and the wee blond one was heard to say "Gary told me aboot this club wie great jack the rippers" before they disappeared into the night.

Left behind in the bar was the mysterious golden note book and a pair of levis secured this exclusive for LOTW.

Now, while we can't argue wie the formation, it may slightly alter to a 4-1-4-1, the personnel who will make up the team is up for some debate. It's a massive game, a game wie 10m reasons for the manager to get the formation right and also his team selection.

Does Paul Hartley get the nod over the more defensively sound Evander Sno or Gary Caldwell, both whom haven't had any game time this season, to provide the cover and who does he replace from Saturdays starting line up.

Kenny Miller would usually be a stick on but after his performance on Saturday the out of sorts looking Hesselink could be warming the bench as Kenny takes up a lone swordsman role or could Gordon fox us all and stick two up front wie McGeady dropping oot.

Wie
oor Arfur being ruled oot, rumours that he pulled oot after a phone call from the Nou Camp are unconfirmed, Mark Brown makes his Champions League debut and one i'm sure he will handle. Arfur is a big miss, not just ability wise, see last years Champions League run, but personality wise and it's up to others to come to the fore tomorrow evening.


We, unlike some, huvnae had the luck of the draw and it will take a performance up there wie the Amsterdam Arena and Anfield for us to progress. One, which doubts remain we can scale.


Forza

9 comments:

Arctic Monkey said...

I can't wait for tomorrow. I've secured getting away early from my part time job with a little white lie or two.

That formation is certainty to be honest.

I think we'll see the following:

___________Brown___________

Wilson __ JFK __ Mcmanus __ Naylor

______Hartley __ Donati _______
_ Naka ____ Brown ____ Mcgeady __

____________ JVoH _______________

Then Miller coming on for JVoH around the hour mark to take advantage of the Spartak defenders tired legs.

2-0 to the hoops with Naka first goalscorer.

Keving said...

love yer optimisim arctic..i maself have a half day and will be home aboot 3.

won't be able to concentrate at work all day tomorrow..poor productivity...

like yer team and formation..i think we should play that formation all the time but hey ho...

Keving said...

Some thoughts for today...

Why do the h*n players celebrate like they are angry and fit to burst? All badge thumping anger, faces twisted into a nuclear rage like a wired to the moon ned on md 20/20 when the polis take away his carry oot...i thought scoring was enjoyable?

And why have all the noises coming from the hoops so negative..plastic, pitch, heat etc..makes me think we are gubbed before a ball is kicked.

ianinjesi said...

Having a manager with red hair and fair skin means that heat would be noticed. As for the pitch, MON was forever moaning about a certain plastic pitch. The team just played the ball in the air! :-)
Once the game starts all of these things will be forgotten, for sure.
As for R*ngers players, did you see some of the crowd. The answer to that often asked question about their fans was a resounding NO!
Come on the Bhoys! Go for glory!

Anonymous said...

They still keep winning don't they. Play crap, score a late goal and a clean sheet. Sounds familliar.

Got the ruddy dentist at 4:30 and I can't change the appointment so its going to be a tight one getting round to senior Baldy's for kick off.

Am not particualy fussed with Brown in goal - he's reasonably competent from what I have seen so far.

Expect to see Caldwell (I reckon Jiri could be useful there though) in the holding midfield role for some reason in a 4-5-1 formation. Hartley to come on later to replace Massimo.

Plastic - these days can we really use it as an excuse? I recently played on plastic pitches in Leicester, UEFA standard ones and they were fine. Players should be able to adapt reasonably well to any surface now. Just think how the grass changes over a season back in Scotland? Frozen to soggy in a matter of minutes - you still have to adapt.

Hoping for a win but praying that we at least get an away goal as I feel that this is so important in modern Euro footy. If Aiden had got that late one in Bratislave - we would have gone through!!!

Enjoy one and all

baldy

Keving said...

big Jan is now a doubt as he has ripped his tights again...Kenny up front it is...the ET is also saying Caldwell is in line for a role...wie Brown and Harley supporting the lone front man.

unsure aboot that as caldwell husnae played this season.

Baldy- i hate plastic pitches, slipped on one and now that's how i'm in stookie...dangerous things but professional players shouldnae use it as an excuse but it is a factor...

ianinjesi said...

Miller and McGeady left out. Hartley and McDonald in. Very interesting. :-/

ianinjesi said...

1-1!
Good chance in the second leg but a lot of football to be played. On to Aberdeen!
Forza Bhoys!

sixtaeseven said...

Would have taken that scoreline before the game !

Well done to ALL the players and wee GS for getting the tactics spot on: who would have thought Hartley and Skippy would have been our star men ?
Shows the benefits of having a big quality squad: plenty of permutations available for the big games.

But as Ian says, still a tough 90min ahead - but its definately do-able.

Rotate the squad a bit for the Dons match though.