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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Daniel Taylor

Scotland v England – webchat

Welbeck
Will Danny Welbeck be back on the scoresheet tonight? Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images

Thanks for reading and commenting. Danny is off to watch the match.

And here are a few more Scotland v England pieces:

Rivalry now stripped of its deep-rooted emotional primacy
Many believe there has been a change in the Scottish mindset, with less outward hatred of the English, as Glasgow prepares to welcome the Auld Enemy on Tuesday night

Roy Hodgson expects Scottish edge in England game
England manager has said he believes emphasis will be on quality and he hopes to give games to Barkley and Berahino

Craig Gordon puts the wilderness years behind him
The Celtic goalkeeper has made it back to the international scene after overcoming knee injury that threatened to end his career

Scotland v England football quiz
They contested their first match in 1872 and have played another 110 games since, but have you been paying attention?

The Gallery: Scotland v England
Mr Tunnocks, Alex Salmond and an ill thought-through half-and-half scarf feature

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

Thanks for questions everyone and sorry for the slightly abrupt ending (that's what happens when your hotel wifi gives up)

Enjoy the game. I'm going Scotland 0 England 1.

Updated

Lee Payne asks:

Am I wrong to think that Danny Welbeck is actually a pretty effective striker when played up top and is undeserving of his poor reputation?

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

He is 'pretty effective' and it will be interesting to see who scores more goals this season - him or Falcao?

He has his shortcomings, though. This (below) is from an article I wrote after Falcao's arrival and I think it sums up Welbeck. Keane makes the same point in his book. He talks of Van Nistelrooy having the same chance and knowing, before he had even taken aim, it would be a goal. So, yes, 'pretty effective' but maybe at the very top you still need more.

"Welbeck, on form, can be a formidable opponent, with that long stride, upper-body strength and direct running. Yet his defining moment last season came in the Champions League quarter-final at home to Bayern Munich when he ran through the opposition defence to face Manuel Neuer.

What is not widely known about that night is that United’s scouting staff had noticed a possible flaw in Neuer in these positions, whereby he would often leave the ground as he spread his body, almost Schmeichel-esque. Welbeck had been instructed that if this moment arrived he should keep the ball low. He did not listen. He tried a chip and got it horribly wrong. Neuer made the save and United, ultimately, went out."

HeeeresJohnny asks:

Do you think Jordan Henderson is good enough to be in the squad?

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

Yes, but he isn't playing particularly well at the moment and was probably England's worst player against Slovenia. He has been pretty good otherwise though.

Auxmarquises asks:

One of the reasons given for England’s poor performances is the pressure on the team. This is generally thought to be generated by over-hyped fans and a partisan media. Ashley Cole spoke about this recently. Seeing the England team and other international sides up close, do England really seem more uptight in training, press conferences, coach trips etc than other comparable sides?

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

It's a good point. You use the word 'uptight' and that is exactly what it is. The security, the number of jobsworths around the camp, the media control, and the incredible mollycoddling of the players . . it's led to this really strange environment where they are cocooned in a different world to the rest of us.

Other countries are so much more relaxed. Just look at Holland in the last World Cup, as one of many examples. Or what it was like in the Chile team hotel. It's actually embarrassing seeing journalists from other countries covering England and being utterly bemused by the way they are treated.

It's certainly a weird set-up when England's players aren't even trusted to go into press conferences without being fed their lines like robots. For example: 'We are not just playing Luis Suarez, Uruguay have a team of good players (and repeat)"

They don't generally mix and it has been that way so long now that when you try to they feel awkward and are relieved when it is over.

RogerFromPutney asks:

Jack Wilshere. I haven’t heard many of my fellow Gooners thinking Jack is the solution (short, medium or long term) to our (Arsenal’s) defensive midfield problem. Roy seems to; is he forcing a square peg into a round hole just because there are no round pegs available?

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

But he can get away with it when the opposition is so moderate.

The role is perfect for Wilshere is there isn't any sustained threat to England's goal. I'd be surprised though if England played a really top team and thought he could do that job by himself.

Propagandi19 asks:

Will topping the group and qualifying so easily just lead to further false expectations in the Euro finals, then easily crushed by other top nations?

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

Almost certainly.

I think - hope - all the stuff about 'time to deliver' and 'we can win this' might be coming to an end and people will have more realistic expectations. But then, it does seem to happen every time. Hodgson told us England could win the World Cup on the day before England's first match. Six days later they were out, so you would hope people might learn a lesson (and yes, that includes some media)

People are seeing England beat Estonia and Slovenia (and fair enough, the win in Switzerland was a good performance) and already we're seeing reports about whether the team can win every game. If they do, fair play to them . . but it actually won't be such an extraordinary feat given the standard of opposition and it will only raise false expectations again.

zonalmarker01 asks:

Who do you see succeeding Wayne Rooney as England captain?

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

Good question. I'd actually have made Cahill the captain, though I realise I'm in the minority. Call me old-fashioned but I just like having a centre-half in that role rather than a striker. He's learned a lot from John Terry, he can make the odd mistake but he is the best player England have for that position.

He is officially vice-captain now as well, so it should be him eventually - but when that will be is an interesting one. Rooney had said before the last World Cup that it would be his last one but then we saw him again last week and he had changed his mind to say he was still hoping to be in Russia in 2018. He will be 32 then. He's already a player in gradual decline, in my opinion, so can he make it? Not sure. But he still has a bit of time on his side yet.

MikeyMcC84 asks:

How many of the home nations, plus Republic of Ireland, do you see qualifying for Euro 2016? Have the exciting nature of the qualifying groups shown that a 24 team European Championships is actually a good idea?

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

MikeyMcC84
How many of the home nations, plus Republic of Ireland, do you see qualifying for Euro 2016? Have the exciting nature of the qualifying groups shown that a 24 team European Championships is actually a good idea?

I've got mixed feelings on this. It's certainly increased interest for some of the countries who normally start these qualifying processes not expecting to get through. But then look at England's qualifying group and try to convince me it's a good thing.

I predicted it could become the most boring qualifying programme in England's history - up to three teams going through from England, Switzerland, San Marino, Lithuania, Slovenia and Estonia - and it is certainly going that way. As soon as the final whistle went in Basel, we knew they were through. In fact, we probably knew it before a ball had been kicked.

I also think when we get to the tournament itself the new format can potentially damage the early stages of the competition (as it stands, teams know they have to start well) and some of the excitement will be gone. But to go back to your question, I'd say Wales have the best chance so far and I can understand why many people like the new openness, albeit if it comes at a cost.

Updated

Koninklijk asks:

When they’re all fit, with Sterling, Welbeck, Sturridge and Berahino up front, could England have one of the quickest front lines in International football? There’s some talent to accompany the pace there too.

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

Koninklijk
Ohh ooh ooh, another one! When they're all fit, with Sterling, Welbeck, Sturridge and Berahino up front, could England have one of the quickest front lines in International football? There's some talent to accompany the pace there too

Possibly. Another thing, though, whether Hodgson would play them together. Would need Rooney to drop out, for starters, and however much he divides opinion sometimes the fact is he's an automatic starter. Hoping we can see something of Berahino tonight, though.

Danny is online

User avatar for dtaylor Guardian staff

Hello from Glasgow

Will get started. Thanks for early Qs . .

Danny will be online from 3.30pm GMT to answer your questions

In the meantime, here are some of our previews:

Rivalry now stripped of its deep-rooted emotional primacy
Many believe there has been a change in the Scottish mindset, with less outward hatred of the English, as Glasgow prepares to welcome the Auld Enemy on Tuesday night

Roy Hodgson expects Scottish edge in England game
England manager has said he believes emphasis will be on quality and he hopes to give games to Barkley and Berahino

Craig Gordon puts the wilderness years behind him
The Celtic goalkeeper has made it back to the international scene after overcoming knee injury that threatened to end his career

Scotland v England football quiz
They contested their first match in 1872 and have played another 110 games since, but have you been paying attention?

The Gallery: Scotland v England
Mr Tunnocks, Alex Salmond and an ill thought-through half-and-half scarf feature

Drop your questions into the comments section below

Updated

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