Euro Qualifier - Georgia v Scotland - 17th Oct 07 - TalkSoccer

**LAF** · 23-09-2007, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Date: Wednesday, 17 October
Kick-off: 1800 BST
Venue: Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tblisi
Watch: Live on BBC Two (UK wide)
Listen: Live on BBC Radio Scotland & online

Manchester United's Darren Fletcher looks likely to start for a depleted Scotland against Georgia on Wednesday.

Fletcher has not played at all since picking up an injury in the 1-0 victory over France on 12 September.

But midfielders Scott Brown, Lee McCulloch and Paul Hartley are missing from the squad, as are Alan Hutton, Garry O'Connor and Gary Caldwell.

With left-back Gary Naysmith nursing a knock, Reading full-back Graeme Murty has also been called up.

Prior to leaving for Tbilisi, assistant coach Andy Watson confirmed Scotland were hoping to call on 23-year-old Fletcher from the start in the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier.

"We will need to see when we get over there and get bedded in with Darren but he has done a couple of weeks' training - a full week without the ball on the running side, and a full week training with the squad," he said.

"So that's fantastic and it's great he has been able to come in and be available for us given the call-offs we have had."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson took the decision to allow Fletcher to join the Scotland camp on Saturday night.

Fletcher, who has 32 caps, could not have played at the weekend, due to suspension.

Brown and Hutton were outstanding in the 3-1 win over Ukraine but the Celtic midfielder picked up a hamstring strain and the Rangers right-back suffered a calf injury.

O'Connor and McCulloch are both suspended after being booked during the win at Hampden.

Celtic pair Hartley and Caldwell, plus Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, had already pulled out through injury ahead of the Ukraine game.

The experienced Christian Dailly could well be given a defensive midfield role, having appeared as a second half substitute against Ukraine.

Murty, who was last on the bench for the 2-1 win over Georgia at Hampden in March, brings with him Premiership experience but has just three caps to his name.

Graham Alexander is likely to replace Hutton on the right but could be required to cover again on the left should Naysmith's injury not improve.

Scotland travel to face Georgia on a high at the top of Group B having ended Ukraine's hopes of qualification.

BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | Fletcher primed for Scotland role

**LAF** · 15-10-2007, 09:34 PM

What does everybody expect the line-up to be?

I think it'll be either

Gordon
Alexander - Weir - McManus - Naysmith
Pearson - Fletcher - Ferguson - Maloney
Miller - McFadden

or

Gordon
Alexander - Weir - McManus - Naysmith
Fletcher - Ferguson - Pearson
Maloney ------------------------- McFadden
Miller

Not confident at all. Georgia have nothing to lose.

**DavidMc** · 16-10-2007, 07:36 PM

Im a bit worried about tomorrow night. Its going to be tough.

Id go for............

----------Gordon----------
Alexander--Weir--McManus--Naysmith
-Maloney-Fletcher-Ferguson-Pearson
--------------McFadden--------------
--------------Miller------------

Massive game, if we win tomorrow, we can start to believe.

NJ10 · 16-10-2007, 07:39 PM

I think Christian Dailly is a nap to start. Probably be 4-5-1/4-3-3

i hope you's win

**DavidMc** · 16-10-2007, 07:41 PM

Georgia v Scotland

Quote:

Scotland manager Alex McLeish aims to select as settled a side as he can for Wednesday's match in Georgia.

Scott Brown, Lee McCulloch and Alan Hutton all started in Saturday's win over Ukraine but have since withdrawn.

"We don't want to make too many changes and don't like to disrupt the momentum of an entire team," said McLeish.

Darren Fletcher and Christian Dailly are expected to bolster the midfield, while Graham Alexander is likely to step in for Hutton at right-back.

Fletcher has not played at all since picking up an injury in the 1-0 victory over France on 12 September.

But, with Paul Hartley and Gary Caldwell also missing through injury, the 23-year-old is almost certain to start in the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson took the decision to allow Fletcher to join the Scotland camp on Saturday night.

Fletcher, who has 32 caps, could not have played at the weekend, due to suspension.

With left-back Gary Naysmith nursing a knock, Reading full-back Graeme Murty has also been called up.

"We have 20 players and it's quite a routine job this time around," added McLeish, who is suffering from the flu and staying away from his squad.

"Any one of the players who are on the bench could have started in this game, although I haven't told the players the team yet.

"It's a great opportunity and challenge for the guys who come into the team to show me that they are worthy of a place in the coming game against Italy.

"We had a set idea of who we could play. It's just a matter of personnel and systems, and we are ready to adjust if need be."

Brown and Hutton were outstanding in the 3-1 win over Ukraine but the Celtic midfielder picked up a hamstring strain and the Rangers right-back suffered a calf injury.

Striker Garry O'Connor and McCulloch are both suspended after being booked during the win at Hampden.

Naysmith, Barry Ferguson and Kenny Miller are a booking away from a ban for the final match against Italy next month.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Georgi Lomaia has pulled out of the Georgia squad.

Lomaia had a poor game in Saturday's 2-0 loss to Italy and has withdrawn by mutual agreement with the team management.

Georgi Makaridze, who is just 17, is set to make his competitive international debut.

The home side have lost top scorer Shota Arveladze to retirement and captain Kakha Kaladze and vice-captain Levan Kobiashvili to injury.

Experienced striker Georgi Demetradze is suspended and midfield playmaker Levan Tskitishvili is an injury doubt.

We are obviously going to miss the guys who have had to drop out with injury, but we now have other players of a good standard who can come in and do a job.

Doc-Bhoy · 17-10-2007, 05:11 PM

Scotland:

Gordon
Murty
McManus
Weir
Alexander
Fletcher ( right )
Pearson
Ferguson
Maloney ( left)
McFadden
Miller

Georgia:

Kishnashvili
..............vili
..............vili
...............vili

BIGGY · 17-10-2007, 05:17 PM

your joking me poor start

1-0 georgia

BIGGY · 17-10-2007, 05:29 PM

25 mins gone and gerorgia really frusrtating us with the simple passing in the middle of the park and not giving the ball away but when we get possesion they're putting us under pressure and making us give away cheap balls away.
hopefully things pick up for us.

BIGGY · 17-10-2007, 05:39 PM

aaahhhh come on how can the ref not give that penalty call there he was f**king 2 yards away from the challenge

BIGGY · 17-10-2007, 05:50 PM

poor first 45 mins from us not getting a foot into the game but cant take anything away from georgia they've stuck to their tactics and are working. last 10-15 mins we've started to show good signs of getting back into this, so looking forward to the 2nd half.

**LAF** · 17-10-2007, 07:19 PM

We lost 2-0.

A few points:

McLeish got it wrong tonight. Maloney should have started on the right, Fletcher through the middle and Pearson wherever he can do less damage. Maloney kept cutting in, so did Fletcher meaning we had no width.

Murty isn't of the standard needed to compete, truly pish.

Not going to be too hard on the boys as we have been fantastic. It was just one of those games where most of the players (bar Gordon) were really poor. We created chances at the end but all of them were under power or over the bar.

Now we must beat Italy, woo!

Oh, just remembered. What the fuck do we have to do to win a pen. That's 3 clear cut ones in 2 games. Think UEFA want France and Italy through much ($$$$ hmm!).

**DavidMc** · 17-10-2007, 07:42 PM

We just couldnt get into the game tonight. We really missed our performers on Saturday (Lee McCulloch, Scott Brown Alan Hutton and Gary Naysmith) If we had been given that penalty then maybe we would have got something.

But we have taken it to the last game and we need to look forward to Italy at Hampden.

**LAF** · 17-10-2007, 09:01 PM

It's Scotland. We always do things the hard way.

NJ10 · 17-10-2007, 10:27 PM

Very disappointing result for you's. The injuries didnt help, but the marking for the first goal was the killer.

McFadden should definitely have had a penalty. If the ref didnt think that was a pen then why didnt he book him?

Still, beat the World Champions and you're through....easy.

**LAF** · 17-10-2007, 10:42 PM

Hehe. Easy.

The first thing I noticed for the goal was that we had nobody on the post. If we did he probably would have stopped it.

We would have more than settled with 3rd at the start of this. The boys have done alot to restore pride back in our game.

Oh on another note Alan Shearer is a ****. Anybody hear his shite on MOTD?