Squad Announced for Denmark Match; World Cup Draw Analysis

August 4th, 2011 | by: Lewis Orr | Comments Off

5 matches in the next 3 months for Scotland. Craig Levein needs to get off to a winning start against Denmark on Wednesday which should be a good test for the crucial home matches against Czech Republic and Lithuania.

If we don’t take 9 points from Czech Republic, Lithuania and Liechenstein then we won’t make the play offs.

But on to the squad for the Denmark game and Craig Gordon and Darren Fletcher are missing the squad through injury. James McFadden is also not in the squad sadly as he is currently without a club (surely Rangers could do worse than sign James McFadden?)

Goalkeepers: Allan McGregor (Rangers), Iain Turner (Preston), Matt Gilks (Blackpool)

Defenders: Bardsley (Sunderland), Berra (Wolves), G Caldwell (Wigan), Crainey (Blackpool), Hanley (Blackburn), Hutton (Tottenham), Whittaker (Rangers), Wilson (Liverpool)

Midfielders: Adam (Liverpool), Bannan (Aston Villa), Brown (Celtic), Commons (Celtic), Dorrans (West Brom), Forrest (Celtic), Morrison (West Brom), Robson (Middlesbrough)

Forwards: Goodwillie (Blackburn), Mackail-Smith (Brighton), Miller (Cardiff), Naismith (Rangers), Snodgrass (Leeds)

Out of that squad of 24 there is 11 players playing for Premier League clubs which is a pleasing statistic. Even if it’s for less fashionable clubs like Wigan, Wolves and West Brom it’s still great experience for the players. We also have players like Gordon and the two Fletchers who are not in the squad. Hopefully David Goodwillie’s move to Blackburn will see him replace Miller as our number 1 striker. He’s a very talented young player who I am very optimistic about.

I have to say, I would much rather see David Templeton or Gregg Wylde in the squad than Barry Robson who is 32 and will not play much for Scotland in the coming years.

This season is a big one for Barry Bannan. He’s a good talent but at 21 going on 22 he needs to start establishing himself as a first team starter at Aston Villa. Hopefully Alex McLeish, a ex Scotland manager of course, will play him more often than O’Neill and Houiller did.

I will also keep my eye out for Kris Boyd who is playing in Turkey. The Turkish league is improving a lot and is of a greater standard than the SPL so it will interesting to see how he does for a weaker team in that division.

So, on to the World Cup qualifying draw for the 2014 World Cup. It’s a tricky group, Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Macedonia and Wales.

Croatia are a very good team with a lot of classy players and are on course for a play off spot at Euro 2012, although they are in a weak group. They aren’t quite the same team as the one who went to Euro 2008 and only lost on penalties to Turkey in the quarters, beating England twice in qualifying and Germany in the tournament itself.

Which is coincedentally what Serbia did at the 2010 World Cup, beat Germany. Serbia have some talented individuals like Vidic, Subotic, Kolarov, Stankovic and Jovetic but they often have some freak results, like losing 3-1 at home to Estonia. Their fans are far from well behaved and it would not surprise me if we saw a repeat of the Italy match, awarded to Italy as a 3-0 win due to fans rioting, when Serbia play Croatia. Serbia vs Croatia, my goodness, that will make Scotland-England look like a teddy bears picnic.

Belgium are the team I tip to win the group. They have an excellent bunch of youngsters coming through, such as Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku and some talented players already like Vermaelen, Kompany, Fellaini and Dembele. They are also looking likely to make the play-offs for Euro 2012.

Macedonia, although not to be taken lightly, will probably be the last team in the group. If Scotland avoid playing in Macedonia in the summer then we should take 6 points off them.

Wales will be a test as they are getting back on track under Gary Speed and in Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey they have quality players.

So, ultimately, I can’t see us winning that group, however I think 2nd place is achievable.

August 2011

Lewis Orr