FRIDAY nights 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Czech Republic was quite an embarra sment for us Scottish folk.No, coming away from Petr Cech and Tomas Rosickys stomping ground with a narrow defeat wasnt the embarra sment. The ludicrous 4-6-0 formation adopted by manager Craig Levein,
Joe Musgrove Jersey was.The game in the Synot Tip Arena provided us with a rare opportunity. The once mighty Czech Republic are not the same team they were. With key players such as Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller, David Rozehnal, Tomas Ujfalusi and Marek Jankulovski all retiring in recent years, they do not strike as much fear into the opposition.That said, quality such as Chelseas goalkeeper Petr Cech and Arsenals midfield maestro and country captain Tomas Rosicky are still around.The game in Slavia Pragues homeground was an opportunity for Scotland to grab a draw or even a win if they had raised their game. Lithuania went there on the first game and won by a single goal. They lined up with two wingers and two strikers. History shows it can be done.But Craig Levein bottled it. Perhaps inspired by Walter Smith, he decided to adopt a defensive formation, with the sole purpose of not conceding a goal. However, Levein took it too far. To play with absolutely NO strikers on the pitch was appalling. I do not think I have
Blake Snell Jersey ever seen that in a game of football.Smith is the master. He took his Rangers side to Old Trafford and got a point using a 5-4-1 formation. And it worked perfectly. Rangers defended excellently and came away from the Theatre of Dreams with a deserved point.Levein controversially left out in-form Kenny Miller for the game, replacing him with another in-form forward but from down south in the Championship, QPRs Jamie Mackie. Except Mackie wasnt up front.Have a gue s which player Smith gave the lone forward role to at Old Trafford? You got it, Kenny Miller.I am not for one minute trying to suggest Scotland should have went gung-ho with a 3-4-3. What I am saying is that youve got to
Fernando Tatis Jr. Jersey have an attacking force in some sense, otherwise as the Czechs did last night all the opposition will do is come right up near the edge of your midfield, and therefore be much more likely to break down the defence.A 4-5-1 would have been the way to go. Hell, even a 5-4-1! As I stated at the beginning, the Czechs are not the same side, so a bit of attacking and intent from the Scots could have got a result, you never know.The Scotland players are completely and utterly not at fault here. Allan McGregor was sublime in goal, with a world-cla s save in the second half.Levein must take responsibility for a sham formation that cost us a chance of earning any sort of result.Before this double header, I was quietly confident of our chances. Achieving two points was a realistic target.
Erick Aybar Jersey A draw away to the Czechs, and a Hampden Roar egging us on for a draw at home to the World Champions Spain.That is now rather far-fetched. As much as I would love to see it, I really doubt Scotland will get anything when we come against David Villa and co.Scotland now have four points from three games ahead of the match against world champions Spain at Hampden on Tuesday night. But, talking to BBC Scotland, Craig Levein is still confident.He said: We have a game on Tuesday and it gives us a chance to bounce back from this defeat.I made it pretty clear that I picked a system to play against the Czech Republic and it will be a different system on Tuesday night.Its not disastrous
Joey Lucchesi Jersey . The Czech Republic have still to come to play at Hampden and, if we win that game, it evens it up over the two matches.Its not a fatal blow by any stretch of the imagination. We are still in it, we will keep working as hard as we did this evening and we will do our best to improve for Tuesday and the games that are still to come.Levein does have a point. We still have the home tie against the Czechs, a home tie against the Lithuanians and an away tie at Liechtenstein in which to get victories. That could be 9 points there.Lets just hope that a much more positive formation is adopted against Spain at Hampden. And with Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Pedro, Jesus Navas and Fernando Torres all out of the Spain squad, you just never know with Scotland.
The Wall