TALKING SCOTLAND
LEIGH GRIFFITHS will feel the sharp jab of a knee in the small of his back long after Slovenia keeper Jan Oblak has boarded the flight back to his day job.
The striker will wake up this morning still looking for his first goal for Scotland at senior level.
Tracksuited and showered, Griffiths took in Chris Martin’s last-minute winner from a vantage point in the stand after failing to see anything of the second period other than then kick-off.
For much of this game it looked as though his injury at Hampden could be as painful for the player himself as it was for Gordon Strachan, a man who was given a stay of execution last night with the last-gasp win over Slovenia.
This time 12 months ago, Griffiths could have taken to the pitch with a blindfold and still found the way to goal.
That touch brought him accolades and silverware, plaudits and a chance to drink in the view from the top of the pile but it never entirely paved the way to international recognition.
Now, as the striker toils to wrestle a starting jersey from Moussa Dembele at club level, he found himself cast as the saviour of the piece for Strachan’s national side last night, just as he was at Wembley back in October. It almost came off, too. One has to wonder about that first chance that fell to the striker in the opening period and whether it would have burst the net had he been playing week in, week out. Robert Snodgrass was the provider but his floated cross towards the back post was volleyed instinctively by Griffiths, starting his first game in three full months, only to bounce off the bar, below.
The striker’s reaction told its own story, but his frustration grew shortly after.
Stuart Armstrong’s senior Scotland debut almost brought forth an assist – which he would later provide – when he scampered clear before slipping the ball through to Griffiths, with the striker this time slapping his effort off the post. Fuming, Griffiths raised his hands to the heavens in frustration and in the process managed to cuff Slovenian defender Rene Krhin clean across the chops.
For the watching Strachan, it must have felt every bit as painful.
Amidst the echo of empty seats and the whisper of ghosts on deserted terraces, Strachan had watched his Scotland side finally conjure the kind of energy that had at least offered the briefest suggestion of something to shout about.
ALL that was missing in the opening half was the goal to marry the endeavour.
Griffiths took to the field after the break, presumably after offering vocal assurances with regards to the aforementioned dead back, but his immobility was fairly obvious from kick-off.
Decked on the turf with the clock barely running for the second period, Griffiths’ night was over. With it, seemed to go Scotland’s edge.
Hobbling around the perimeter of the pitch from the far side to the dug-out, the striker’s movement was clearly severely inhibited.
He would not have been looking at a start for this weekend’s game at Tynecastle where Celtic can clinch the title, but it will not help his mood to know another injury will see his currency fall a little more when it comes back to domestic matters. With Griffiths off, Scotland seemed to lose any bite in the final third.
Substitute Ikechi Anya scorned the only real chance of the second period when, on for just a few minutes, he found himself clean through on goal only to shoot straight into the arms of the keeper.
Then, as the clock seemed to be running down, Chris Martin, the last change of the night, was the recipient of the swift, graceful feet of Armstrong who slipped the ball directly into his path.
Martin netted and Strachan gloried in the moment, rushing from his seat deep in the cavernous Hampden dug-out to dance a touchline jig of relief.
For the watching Griffiths, it must have felt like this season was destined to be spent on the outside looking in. Spain to run the rule over the striker.
“Since going back to Malaga in January, he has been in such good form,” explained Gemmill. “I was impressed, and pleased with everything he said.
“I’m sure being back with his family in a place he is familiar with will help. Just judging him on performances, it shows me he is doing something correct.”
With 10 uncapped players in the squad for The Paisley 2021 Stadium clash, Gemmill seeks to lay the foundations for a successful under-21 European Championships qualification campaign, which kicks off in September with clashes against Holland and England.