Why Scotland Played Straight Into Brazil's Hands

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1:06Discover the V-Series lineup at cadillac.com. I just thought the goals were just not something you'd associate normally with the Scotland team anyway. The disallowed goals should have stood in my opinion. If that goes in, you're down 3-0 at half time, I think it could have been about five or six. If you're a player in that camp, you don't know whether you're going home or you're staying. What are the training sessions looking like? I never had that problem. We knew we were going home after the third game. Do you think it was a penalty and did we get away with it? 100%. He jumps two feet off the floor and he hits his opponent.

1:42So I was surprised that he didn't go to BIR now. Well, the World Cup has well and truly kicked off and this is our first reactive episode. we're recording this after Scotland have lost to Brazil unfortunately Wayne how have you found the World Cup so far? Yeah do you know what I've really enjoyed it a bit more than I thought I would obviously playing out there and all the difficulties with the heating and everything but it's been really enjoyable the game's been a bit quicker than I thought it would be and the pitches have been better I've played out there in pre-season and they've just rolled the pitch onto the top of the turf and stuff but the pitches seem to be a bit better as well so So, yeah, I've enjoyed it.

2:23Yeah, it's been really, really good. I mean, it's been impressing me as well, like some of the games that you've seen. You've not really had any sort of boring games, but we're recording this after Brazil played Scotland. With us joining us is former Borussia Dortmund Champions League winner Paul Lambert to assess Scotland's performance. Welcome, Paul. How did you assess Scotland's performance last night? I don't think we turned up to be quite honest I think we played a Brazilian game I say when you play teams like that you can't play in your own half for the first 15 minutes or so you've got to try and get up the pitch somewhere and give them a problem but we tried to play their type of football by pass, pass, pass, pass it just wasn't working and we got...

3:15I don't know what we were doing with Scott at the first goal with him. Second goal is terrible also, but I think you can't play Brazil at their own game. You have to try and bring something else to the party, and we never done that in the first 20 minutes. I thought Brazil maybe might have surprised them a little bit in terms of the shape and the organisation. I've seen Ancelotti do this a few times in the Champions League with the big games, in getting bodies behind the ball. and you don't normally associate Brazil with that and I think Scotland loved to be too comfortable just having the ball and playing it from side to side they lacked a number nine who was going to cause any problems but yeah I think Scotland were maybe thinking this is a bit comfortable this and then then they got a bit sloppy and then obviously conceded the first goal and then should have got to conceded the second one in my view of thought I didn't think that was a foul No no I agree 100 % it's never a foul I think I think what you're saying Wayne there is spot on I just looked at us and I thought and I don't know about you but I always found seeing I had so much time on the ball I became worse I became worse if I had about five seconds on the ball I became worse I thought I've got too much time in my hands here and whether if you play instinct football you know yourself it's the best thing for a football they play instinct it's easy to do play hands around the corners but I just thought we had so much time I agree with what you're saying there I think we had too much time at the back and they've killed us with that.

4:44But I think the first 20 minutes or so, you've got to play them in their half and give yourself some sort of foothold in the game. We've never done that. And then all of a sudden, the disallowed goal should have stood, in my opinion. If that goes in, you're down 3-0 at half-time. I think it could have been about five or six. So we've got to be with that. I think they'll be kicking themselves onto the goals. You're thinking about Brazil, you're thinking about if Billy Juni or Cunha or whoever else they've got there, If they score like one of the goals, then you hold your hands up and say, you know what, there's nothing you can do on that.

5:18But the goals they concede, I think you're terrible, terrible goals to concede. And when you're playing against them top teams, you've got to just, you know, hang in there a bit and then wait for your chances. But I just thought the goals were just not something you'd associate normally with the Scotland team anyway. Do you think there was a lot of regrets this morning from a lot of the Scotland team about how they set up for the previous games against Haiti and Morocco. It seems like a bit of a missed opportunity with Morocco. They could have perhaps been a bit more attacking, a bit more front foot and scored a bit more goals because I think the Brazil game was always going to be a bit more hard, wasn't it?

5:55I think the Brazil one in paper was always going to be the toughest one. Morocco, I think, was a danger because it's an unknown. We don't really play the teams in Europe. So I think Morocco was always a danger for us that way. But I don't think we even looked like getting a result there. We huffed and puffed against them. Where Haiti, I think everybody expected us to win. And we never played great there either. I don't think we've really performed as a team, really, in the three games. We've got away with Haiti again. But Morocco and Brazil, we certainly never got away with it. So I think we're relying on favours.

6:31And I don't think that's a great thing for any footballer. you rely on favours and back to Wayne's point there about trying to play Brazil's type of pass, pass, pass, pass I guarantee if he was playing or I was playing and we lost the first goal like that you would actually say to your teammates no more passing on the back let's try and get up the pitch and give us a chance here because we couldn't get out you just couldn't get out and they were comfortable they were really comfortable I like Scotland to me is very similar to to Everton with the biggest respect there in terms of you get the ball you get it forward you get it out wide you get crosses in the box you win second ball you're aggressive and I was really surprised last night watching it watching Scotland passing the ball around they're not really going anywhere with it and I think the last 10 minutes against Morocco might have given them a little bit of false hope because the last 10 minutes thought they played well and pushed Morocco but they were getting balls through the lines McTominay was further forward he was getting on the ball getting crossed in the box and I think they thought oh we can compete at this level and got a bit complacent I think and thought you know what we can actually we're playing well here against Brazil I think some of them players last night would have thought they were playing really well because they were moving the ball and they had more possession than they probably thought they would have and that's the most dangerous thing to have is football when you start feeling comfortable on the pitch and you know the opposition have got players of the calibre we've got, then I think that you get hit hard quick.

8:06And I think that's what's happened to Scotland. Do you think with somebody like McTominay, they weren't set up well to play to his strengths? I think you take his defensive duties away from him and play him behind the striker and have two defensive midfielders behind him that does the water carrying and such. Then he can hit the box and then we can get it wide and get crosses into the box. And if he was hitting the box and the crosses weren't going to come in, and then he's got an argument. But the crosses weren't even coming in. We got cut open because I thought Vinnie Jr. and Ryan were coming inside, which gave us a problem.

8:40Our full-backs were following him and their two full-backs were going wide and made it next to the wingers. And they were going down the sides all the time. And as soon as Vinnie Jr. gets it, everybody knows he wants to come in on his right foot. So you need to try and show him on his left. I know he's got that step over and he's got the speed, but you need to force him away for the goal. but even his anticipation for his goals, he can't make their mistakes. It's fundamental, basic errors, you know. I think they come out thinking, you know what, if we can keep this to 0-0 or even lose the game 1-0.

9:12And as I said before, they felt like they were in control of the game. But against them big teams, I've been there where, you know, we're expected to win games. And the opposition, they feel like they're playing and moving around, the ball rounds, and you're just stalking them. you're just waiting you're waiting for that opportunity for them to make that mistake or or a bad pass or you know you can go and press them high up the pitch and then it's just clinical from Brazil I think you'd have to give Brazil credit because I think Ancelotti is it Paul Clements with him as well? Yeah I thought it was him I didn't know he was there I thought it was him so they've got them really organised I don't think I've seen a Brazil team as organised as this team ever even being honest Yeah, the teams that probably you played against and I played against they laid the sand shoes on and the drums and that when we played them I was watching the Brazil warm-up when we played them and we're warming up and it's really efficient and we're doing everything right and you look over and they're just doing two touches and you just think, what's happening?

10:18When both of you played them there would have been similar players playing I mean, in 98 you had like Cafu and Roberto Carlos as their full-backs and stuff. I mean, it's a far cry from the Brazilian team now. Oh, yeah. No, I think that Wayne will tell you his, but the Brazilian team, they had Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Dunga, Carlos, Cafu, Giovanni, Taffarelli was in goals. So they had a... I mean, four years later, they go and win it. Obviously in 2002. And Ronaldo was probably in his plumb at that time where you're talking quick feet, dear or dear, it was like greased lightning. has a heap different football boots on for everybody else.

10:56So, yeah. But this Brazilian team, I don't think is as good as the ones that we played against. But if you've got the individual brilliance, it's worth its weight in gold. And they've got that in a forward line. No, absolutely, yeah. I mean, we saw Vinny Jr.'s performance. A lot's been made of him in Brazil and stuff. A lot of people have high expectations on him. What did you think of his performance? He's a 41, Vinny. because he's effective. But I don't think he's as showboating. He doesn't showboat as much as some of the other big superstars, especially when they were younger, as they do. And he's effective.

11:36And there's a lot of pressure behind him as well because obviously they've got Neymar who's in the squad and there's debate whether he should be in the squad or shouldn't. And so it's big shoes to fill. I think people are looking at him to directly fill Neymar's boots. but he's effective and he's one of them, isn't he? I think, Vinny, you love him or you hate him, he'll divide you. But I think this World Cup, I think the shape in Brazil is really suited him because he's getting back into his shape, he's helping out defensively, but then he's in a really good position when Brazil won the ball back and I think that is really helping him in this tournament.

12:13You saw Matthias Cunha as well. That's three goals in three games as well. I mean, he wasn't starting, but he's surely cemented a starting place for himself now as well isn't he I like him I think he's a he's a good player I think with players round about him he becomes better I mean their third goal was was brilliant it's a brilliant move and a great a great finish but I think he causes problems because he's never went up and stood against the centre-backs he came into the midfield and he gave us little little problems there but no I think he's yeah I agree with Wade in the air I think what I see that Brazilian team is they run through walls for Angelotti I think they'll do that for him just because of his factor.

12:52And he gets people to play and he gets people to run. But regarding Kuna, he can definitely play. Well, back to Scotland. This obviously is the third tournament they've qualified for under Steve Clarke. And they finished third in the group, which means it's all down to what happens in other games. So Opta are saying it's a less than 50 % chance and it depends a lot on the Algeria and Austria game. What do you think the chances are? Do you think Scotland are going to get through to the next round? I think there's that. Like I said earlier, I think when you rely on favours, it's so dangerous because you know you've not done the job yourself.

13:33You're relying on other teams to help you. I think there's going to be a lot of football played and people will be looking at the scores to see, well, are we through or are we not through? I guess if we get lucky and get a break and we do get through, we could have a real hard game against, if it is Mexico, because you've got to go to altitude and that's a problem for us being Scottish players. That's a difficult ask, that one. I'm going to hope, that's the best I can do. I can hope that we're going to get there, but it's not a great thing to rely on other teams. You just don't know what's happening to you in this world.

14:08I've tried to look at it and try and match teams up in the qualifying round. There's just no chance. It must be horrible all for Scotland now. imagine being one of the players or the manager there and you're sat there and waiting and you're ready to go and play the last 32 game or you're packing your bags and going home it must be like a weird feeling what is that like though if you're a player in that camp where you don't know whether you're going home or you're staying what are the training sessions looking like I never had that problem we knew we were going home after the third game so hey what I think what I think the lads will be doing they'll probably have their Scotland training jerseys on top and then their trousers and shoes to come back and playing.

14:51So it's a 50-50 split with them. It must be terrible that... I'm not a big fan of the third place thing. I just think the best two teams should go and be more cutthroat. I think when you do all this, the mathematics committee, how many goals people have let in and I think that's a tough... So they won't know what to do with themselves. We'll have to keep training just in case that they do have to go to Mexico go or wherever it is they go so it's a bit, I think there'll be a lot of regrets with the players when they wake up this morning I think they'll regret that it's passed them by a little bit Yeah no I think they'll just prepare as normal as if the game is as if they are playing I remember the Brazil the Brazil World Cup, we got knocked out after two games so we went into that third game third group game knowing that we were knocked out and it was just like one of the worst feelings You just want to get on the plane, don't you?

15:47Yeah, it was horrible. It was a horrible game to play in. But yeah, no, listen, I hope they do go through because I think Steve Clark's done a fantastic job and if they do, I think they've got lucky to go through because I actually thought they would go through actually before the tournament. But I think some teams have surprised a lot of people, haven't they? And I think people were saying with three points, you're almost guaranteed to go through but I think with quite a few teams we've surprised teams and picked up more points than you'd probably think and I think that's what I think that score line last night might kill might kill score line yeah take the leash off your laptop with the processor that gives you long battery life work on the go jump between back to back calls stay locked in from brewing morning coffee to burning the midnight oil.

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17:21You just alluded to the format there, Paul. What do you guys think about this format now? Do you think it's made things a bit more exciting? How do you feel about like the head-to-head taking precedence over the goal difference? Do you think that's helped make it a little bit more exciting or has it meant that some games don't matter as much anymore because you already know what's going to happen? I think you've got an element to that there but I prefer the cutthroat of it it's the same in Champions League football I prefer the away goal rule because if you you can see there's a goal you thought oh no we have to go and get get two over wherever you're going to play and I think the format of the World Cup some people like it just a personal opinion I prefer if it's a cutthroat and you know you have to win and no rely on these favours and how many goals you've scored or against so I'm probably the other side of it and saying I prefer the more cutthroat and then it gets to the knockouts and then it becomes a brilliant tournament so that's just my take on it I completely agree I think teams are almost getting a second chance for not being very good or not winning games of football so if you look at it was it 48 teams only 8 go out was it?

18:35yeah something like that it's crazy yeah it is mad you've got to be really bad not to make it through essentially take part you get a medal yeah right let's briefly go on to the England game I'm sorry Paul but you know we have to speak oh England are good I've given them that they're a good team we saw England obviously draw against Ghana it was a bit of a flat performance from England wasn't it for me I would like to have seen we knew Ghana were going to sit back and I just felt and especially with the first half i felt that you didn't need ellie anton and declin rice um because if you look declin rice was playing as a number 10 position in possession alongside bellingham um and the two of them are not real players for tight areas the runners the power the aggression um and i would have liked to have seen either anderson or rice come off and you know whether it was morgan rodgers I would like to have seen Ivan Tony come on and go with two forwards and get the ball in the box which they've done the last 10 minutes and when teams play low block I always feel if you get crosses in the box you're making them defend and you win corners you pick up second ball you sustain attacks and you make it difficult and that's the best way to drag a team out of the shape is to put crosses in the box and make them have to defend and I just don't think we've done that enough but I still think it's a good point I think it's England it's not mathematically but I think they're through so I would like to see him rest a few players the next game but yeah I don't think it's as which happens with England the reaction if you don't win a game goes over the top sometimes but yeah I still think there was positives in them obviously there was there was another team on the pitch was it a case of England being poor or Ghana being really really good and organised I think you've got to give Garner a bit of credit for the way they defended.

20:40But I think, going back to Wayne's point there, when a team is so tight and narrow like that and make it really difficult, I always think, and obviously Wayne was it, I think, could do that. The type of players in there have got to be, they can go on the half turn and they can play one-twos and they can make space because the space is critical for them. I played with some great number 10s and I played against some great number 10s and the problem they gave you when they played behind your shoulder and I used to play with great players and I used to give them a bit they were in space and then they could go and do the damage but England I think ran out of their brick wall with that kind of defence at times so you've got to change something with it but England still look really comfortable and I'll go back to it you've got a goal scorer up top who very rarely misses when he gets a chance and that's that's all I think England are a really good side really good side yeah I said after the game didn't I I said in them that type of game that's where the likes of a fold Norah Palmer can be really effective and give you something a bit different to what Rice and Bellingham can so yeah but Thomas Luchel has made his calls I still think at times in them games the second sense forward definitely definitely helps and I just felt I felt we were worried about Garner's counter-attack too much in terms of, obviously, that's why Jed Spencer's come in and into the team there.

22:14Nico O 'Reilly, I think, has had an incredible season and we just looked like we had more balance, more threat going forward when he come on the pitch. So, hopefully, we see a bit more of that in the next game and some players get an opportunity to come in and show the manager what they can do because I still think it's been a real good start for England in the tournament, especially the second half against Croatia. And I think we've got a top manager in there who I think if we get it right tactically and just a little detail, I announce a few of the details, I think we've got a great chance. I mean, you were talking there about his selection and obviously you were saying people like Palmer and Foden would have been great or you would have gone for Ivan Toni.

22:58Do you think he made a mistake? and do you think for this third game now against Panama, he sort of needs to rotate some of the players that he has been playing because it's sort of been the same 11 that he's played throughout both games? I don't think he's made a mistake. I think he's picked a squad of players which he believes can win. So we have to, you know, he's more qualified than I am from that point of view. So we have to trust him in what he's doing. I just think in certain games, like the Ghana game, It was needed a little bit different. I think we had to change tactically, I think, slightly.

23:36I would like to see Rashford come on the right instead of the wingers coming inside, getting down the outside and getting across in the box. So, yeah, I think for the next game, I would like to see a couple of changes, rest a few players. I think we've all seen Harry Kane in the later stages of the tournament. He tires a little bit, so I wouldn't mind him playing another forward. and giving him that disrest to go into the knockout stages. Paul, from a manager's perspective, when you're watching that game as England's future opponent, are you sort of looking at the Ghana game as like a blueprint as to how you can stop England?

24:14I don't know if I'd like to defend that length of time for 90 minutes. No, I think that I would probably try and give them a game. I know that was the right tactic for Ghana at that time, but I think everybody would set their team up differently England could go and play France whenever it is and I guarantee France won't play defensive or they'll go and play Brazil they'll not play defensive so Ghana set their stall out and done it really really well did they really ever trouble England yeah the odd occasion but there was never enough there I thought that Ghana were ever going to beat England never I never thought that was ever going to happen the best they were going to hope for was a was a draw so yeah I think England are comfortable Them games are more difficult as well.

24:57I think when the onus is on you to go and break a team down and take the game to them. I remember we played Andorra away and it was like 60 minutes, 70 minutes and it was horrible. There's no space. You can't get on the ball. and if they stick together or you're waiting for one of their players to make a mistake or to not close the gaps and then you can get your shots off from the edge of the box or whatever. But when you're playing against a better team, I think England's quality can come out because we have got pace on her teams on the counter-attack and I think we're just missing that little bit of magic in the tight areas for that type of game.

25:40That's what I think you're seeing about Phil Foden and Cole Black. They're different. They're no like Jude or Declan Rice. They can't do what they do and they can't do what they do. So I think they type of players are paramount for England to unlock defences. Well, that's why I thought Kobe Maynard would have been a great shot. He's a lot more press resistant and he can sort of progress the ball as well, which was a bit puzzling why he's not made a... Yeah, I was surprised when, in the first game, when Declan Rice come off and he moved Rhys James into midfield. And he might have been looking at maybe further down the competition.

26:16But I think Rhys James needs managing as well because there's no way he's going to play. If England goes to the final, there's no way he's going to play 90 minutes in every game. So I thought that maybe a chance to give him a little bit of a breather and bring him Mainu or even a Jordan Henderson in to help see the game out. Yeah, absolutely. Just really quickly as well, do you think it was a penalty and did we get away with it? 100%. He jumps two feet off the floor and he hits his opponent. So I thought as soon as I seen it, I thought I went on to the replays. I think that confirmed. I was surprised that he didn't go to VAR now.

26:55Yeah, I was screaming at the TV. I was just thankful that we'd got away with it. There's a lot of favourites for this World Cup. Are you still back in England? I think I'm going with my heart and I hope England can win it. but yeah it's you know France had a game against Senegal wasn't it they won Senegal they won but first half France were very poor and very open on the break Senegal causing big problems so I think England can do that to them teams and almost not be as like Darnham but a bit like Brazil last night trying to set traps and then going to teams on the break I think that's what suits this England team better The host nations have done well as well.

27:38USA have sort of impressed, don't you think? I think Mexico, I think what's the benefit of Mexico is playing obviously in their own country. I think that altitude, that will be so tough for any European team going there to give them a game. I think as long as Messi's doing what he's doing, they're a threat. because I think he just plays a different game, I think, for everybody else. So as long as they've got him and he stays fit, they've got an incredible chance. But as an all-round team, you look at France, I agree with Wayne, England's a threat. England are 100 % a threat. If they hit top form and they play with intensity and they can handle the heat, then England are a threat.

28:27Yeah, I just think we might have to change the back four-round too much. That's the only thing which, for me, in terms of, as I said before, don't think Rhys James will play all the games. He doesn't seem secure with the full-back position and he's changed the centre-backs already. I'd imagine... Who would you play there then, instead of Rhys James? Well, you can play Jed Spence, can play there. I think right back, he's done well when he comes on against Croatia. He seems to have issues with Jed Spence. No, Rhys James is a top player. I think he's looked a bit the Croatia second goal he switches off and allows the runners to run across the front of him but there was a few things in the Ghana game which at the top level you need to get right and just the details and pass the ball to the right foot and when he set it back to to Rice it might have been a couple of times in the first half for him to cross the ball and just the weight of the pass weren't right you know, roll it back so he can cross a fair time and he's playing it too quick to the wrong foot.

29:35Just a little detail because Rich James is a top player, but I just don't think he's got going in this tournament. No, fair enough. But you mentioned Jed Spencer. I always see Thomas Tuchel shouting at him from the touchline and it's the same sort of thing in training as well. It feels weird when you single out a player like that on the pitch as well. do you think he's not listening to the instructions what is it? I think it was very calculated from Thomas Tuchel Paul will know as well when you do an open training session and the Presque 15 minutes you very rarely if ever see the manager coaching so you know one of the coaches is taking the session and you're doing a little rondo or you just wait for the cameras to go before you do any sort of pattern play and stuff and so I think that was very calculated from Tuchel to send the message to the media but also to send the message to the players as well so I don't think that was by accident and it's exactly what I was saying there he was telling them to wake up and he was telling the players to make sure they pass the ball to the right foot and it's them little details when you are playing against teams in a low block which make a big difference It's been a great World Cup I think despite all the controversies at the start of the tournament.

30:59What's been your favourite moment so far? Scotland beating Haiti? That was a must win. That was a really good one. I would go... What's a really tough question? Favourite moment? I would say watching the Scotland fans having a really good bevy up everywhere they go. I've enjoyed watching them do their stuff. The Scotland fans going into the baseball game and singing John McGinn. I loved it, I thought it was brilliance. But then, I think my favourite moment was Congo when they drew with Portugal. There was a story before the game which we showed in 74, I think it was, where they went to the World Cup as Zaire.

31:44And the players got a lot of stick and there was a big backlash to them coming out of that World Cup. Just this time, you could see the prides and them players getting natural against Portugal. It was emotional, so that was my favourite moment. Cape Verde against Spain, I think that was a beautiful moment as well. They look good, by the way, Cape Verde. They've impressed, haven't they? I think with the expansion of the tournament, seeing small teams like that come to the World Cup and impress. It's been a fantastic masterstroke, I feel like. And quickly as well, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring as well for Portugal.

32:25What did you think of that? He's back. No, listen, that's just Ronaldo all over. The first game, he went out his best and his movement in the box is, he's always a threat. He's going to be a threat. We're not expecting him to be Cristiano Ronaldo when he was early 20 he is this is what he is he waits in the box he doesn't really give you much of anything defensively but when he gets chances he scores goals and we've been killing them that all are deal forwards are scored and that's not a surprise at all I'm delighted to do that at 41 I'm Messi now at 39 at the top level top of the game it's you've got to give the two of them huge amounts of credit because well he's saying he wants to play in the next World Cup because of because he wants to play with his son.