Tag: news

  • Liechtenstein vs Scotland Player Ratings

    Liechtenstein vs Scotland Player Ratings

    Scotland breezed past Liechtenstein to secure a 4-0 much-needed international win. Here, we will highlight the key players who contributed to our victory as well as those who could have provided more.

    Ross Doohan – 7

    Doohan was able to keep a clean sheet on his international debut; however, Liechtenstein never tested him, and other than collecting a few over-hit balls, he had nothing to do for most of the game.

    Anthony Ralston – 6

    Ralston was solid defensively, making no mistakes all game; however, he was somewhat lacking in an attacking sense, with him being anonymous in the final third.

    Jack Hendry -7

    Hendry made his first appearance since Scotland’s lacklustre Euros campaign. He was once again sure at the back, dealing easily with any challenge from Liechtenstein.

    Scott McKenna – 7

    McKenna did everything that was asked of him with no fuss and looked calm and composed on the ball. He could be staking a significant claim to start in the World Cup qualifiers.

    Andy Robertson – 6

    Robertson, like the others, was solid defensively and dealt with the opposition easily. Picked up the ball in some attacking areas but was pretty ineffective on the whole. Seemed fatigued after a long season.

    John McGinn – 6

    McGinn, like Robertson, looked tired after a long Premier League campaign and offered very little going forward. Was able to hold the ball well but his performance lacked energy.

    Billy Gilmour- 6

    Gilmour adopted more of a holding role and passed the ball with ease, but maybe didn’t have the amount of influence on the game that you would’ve expected or wanted from the league winner.

    Lennon Miller – 8

    An excellent performance from the youngster. He was fast and precise while other players seemed to walk through the game. He took his opportunity well and got a deserved assist for his efforts.

    Lewis Ferguson – 6

    Ferguson had a quiet game, not really making the opportunities you would’ve hoped he would against such poor opposition.

    George Hirst – 7

    Hirst managed to secure his first international goal and made some good attacking runs, but was unfortunate to be caught offside a couple of times.

    Che Adams – 9

    Adams had his best game in a Scotland shirt. He secured a perfect hat-trick and got the first Scotland hat-trick since John McGinn in 2019. He was also instrumental in getting the flick on to provide for Hirst’s goal.

    Josh Doig – 6

    Will be glad to make his international debut. He came on in the 59th minute for Andy Robertson and was solid defensively, while also creating a few moments in attack, but he was largely anonymous.

    Andy Irving – 6

    Will also be glad to have secured his first international appearance after replacing John McGinn. Similar to most midfielders, he struggled to create any real opportunities but retained the ball well and rarely lost it.

    Nathan Patterson – 6

    Replaced Anthony Ralston in the 71st minute. Came on to make his return to the national team after a long spell out through injury. Struggled to meet the pace of the game and lost a couple of duels, but reacted well.

    Tommy Conway – 7

    Came on for Lewis Ferguson in the 71st minute and proved to be a willing runner, making many runs, and was able to grab an assist with a cross ball into the box to give Che Adams his hat-trick in the 92nd minute.

    Overall, a solid win against Liechtenstein, but it was more a case of Liechtenstein playing poorly, rather than Scotland playing well, despite having a lot of creative players who failed to have the desired effect on the pitch.

  • Liechtenstein vs Scotland Reaction

    Liechtenstein vs Scotland Reaction

    Scotland eased past Liechtenstein to secure a much-needed win in a dominant display. Scotland took the early lead with a strike from Che Adams just 4 minutes into the game when a blocked shot from Lennon Miller fell to Adams in the box, allowing the striker to put his laces through it and claim his first international goal in over a year.

    Scotland’s second goal came from an excellent piece of closing down by Lennon Miller, following a poor pass by the Liechtenstein goalkeeper into danger, which put his team under pressure. The young Scot is able to turn the ball over with ease to lay off the ball for Che Adams to slot in his second of the game in the 26th minute.

    Half time saw no changes for Scotland and a surprise goalkeeper substitution for Liechtenstein when Benjamin Büchel made way for Justin Ospelt.

    The third goal came in the form of a first international goal for George Hurst in the 48th minute when he showed excellent striker’s instincts and gambled at the back post following a superb flick on by Che Adams at the front post.

    Second-half substitutions saw the introduction of Andy Irving and Josh Doig in the 59th minute, with both making their international debuts. These changes were then followed by Nathan Patterson and Tommy Conway coming on in the 68th minute, and then finally Connor Barron and Kieron Bowie also made their international debuts when they came off the bench in the 78th minute.

    Che Adams was able to complete a perfect hat-trick with his header in the last kicks of the game following an excellent cross from Tommy Conway. This goal secured Scotland’s 4-0 win over Liechtenstein.

    Che Adams’ hat-trick is the first Scotland hat-trick since John McGinn in 2019 against San Marino. The overall performance was much improved from our previous game against Iceland, with Lennon Miller and Che Adams being the two standout performers. The level of the opposition does have to be put into account, as Liechtenstein’s performance seemed to warrant their 205th place in the rankings.

  • Liechtenstein vs Scotland Preview

    Liechtenstein vs Scotland Preview

    Scotland takes on Liechtenstein in a friendly tonight that could potentially have a significant impact on Steve Clarke’s future as Scotland manager. After a disappointing performance against Iceland, Steve Clark has faced pressure from many fans, who believe his style of play is too negative to take Scotland forward.

    Clark has previously acknowledged that this upcoming World Cup campaign will most likely be his last. Still, if he were to come away with anything but a win against Liechtenstein, he may struggle to retain his position, especially with the likes of Ange Postecoglou being available after his recent departure from Tottenham, following poor league form. However, Postecoglou did succeed in winning the Europa League, bringing a trophy to Tottenham for the first time in 17 years.

    Liechtenstein is currently ranked 205th in the world rankings, with only five teams ranked below them, and having recently lost 3-1 to bottom-ranked San Marino in the last Nations League campaign. Liechtenstein’s previous match was an away game against Wales in World Cup qualifiers, where the home team ran out 3-0 winners, with Liechtenstein managing 0 attempts and having a possession of just 21%.

    Scotland will aim to make up for the lacklustre performance on Friday. The current goalie crisis will not be a significant feature of this game, as previously seen, Liechtenstein have very little to offer going forward. Scotland should make a statement tonight and shape up ruthlessly. While saying that, it would be great to see some younger players, such as Lennon Miller and Kerion Bowie, get an opportunity to stake a claim in the starting team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Especially in the case of Bowie, as the striker position is definitely up for grabs, with none of the candidates providing a consistent threat.

    This match is the last friendly before the World Cup qualifiers, and it is vital that Scotland trial any new shapes and personnel now before what looks to be a difficult set of fixtures. This marks the last real chance for the young players to break through, and Clark should grant them the opportunity to do so.

  • Transfer Takes

    Transfer Takes

    Aberdeen announced the signing of 20-year-old left-back Emmanuel Gyamfi for an undisclosed fee from Bundesliga 2 side Schalke. Aberdeen FC stated that Gyamfi “brings pace, technical ability and a keen eye for goal.” The German youth international joins the Scottish Cup holders on a four-year contract following a loan move to Dutch second division side VVV Venlo last season. While Gyamfi’s stats aren’t breathtaking, he does seem to bring much-needed pace to the left-back position and is a strong attacking presence, which will put pressure on Graeme Shinnie’s place in the starting lineup. He is, however, able to play a number of positions, including left wing and the right fullback position, exhibiting excellent versatility and making him an essential utility player, at the very least. 

    Aberdeen have also announced their fourth signing of the season in the form of 26-year-old striker Kusini Yengi. This signing marks the 3rd Australian to sign for the Dons this window. Kusini, the older brother of Livingston striker Tete Yengi, joins on a free following the conclusion of his contract at Portsmouth after a disappointing injury-laden season. The out-of-form striker joins after a season of 0 goal involvements in 14 appearances, but has previously managed 13 goals in 31 appearances in the 2023/2024 season and currently sits at 6 goals in just 8 national team appearances. The striker position is a must fill following the loss of Kevin Nisbet, who has returned to his parent club. The performances of Peter Ambrose have been unconvincing, while Ester Sokler has suffered several injuries and struggles to stay fit. Yengi will look to rediscover his earlier form and cement himself as a first-team regular; however, I would not be surprised to see Aberdeen bring in another more consistent striker.

    Hibs’ second signing of the season comes in the form of 29-year-old Raphael Sallinger. The Austrian shot stopper joins from Austrian Bundesliga side TSV Hartberg for an undisclosed fee following a significant contribution to the club’s 12 clean sheets in his 38 appearances this season. This signing is vital for Hibs’ ambitions of retaining 3rd place and applying pressure next season. In the earlier stages of the previous campaign, between the sticks appeared to be a key weakness that cost them significantly, however, since Josef Bursik was dropped in exchange for Jordan Smith, their fortunes changed. Sallinger does seem to have been brought in as the number 1 choice, but Smith will continue to apply pressure for the spot as he did successfully on Bursik.

    Falkirk have announced the signing of seasoned professional Scott Bain on a one-year deal. The 33-year-old is Falkirk’s first signing of the season as they prepare for their first Premiership season since 2010. Scott Bain previously spent seven years at Celtic, winning seven league titles, three Scottish Cups, and four League Cups, as well as making 108 appearances for Dundee over four years. Bain will most likely replace Nicky Hogarth in the starting team. The addition of Bain shows excellent intent from the newly promoted side as they aim to at least retain their premiership status; however, the side definitely requires more recruitment. With Bain only committing to a one-year contract, it is likely that in the event of a Falkirk relegation, he will not be sticking around.

    22-year-old Rangers academy product Ross McCausland has been the target of interest from three clubs, including Basel, OH Leuven, and FC Cincinnati. All clubs would prefer a permanent move for the youngster with just two years remaining on his Rangers contract. If he were to leave this window, Rangers should demand a minimum of £5 million and should be in no rush to sell the young talent, as his value may continue to rise if he establishes himself in the Rangers starting team.