ARMSTRONG NOT GIVING UP ON A TOP-TWO FINISH

STUART ARMSTRONG has taken aim at the pessimists who believe Scotland’s hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2020 have already gone. Steve Clarke’s side face Russia and Belgium at Hampden on Friday and Monday, respectively, seeking a positive combination of results which would atone for a calamitous defeat to Kazakhstan on the opening night of qualifying. While that 3-0 loss all but signalled the end for Alex McLeish, earlier victories over Albania and Israel in the Nations League at least guaranteed the national team a play-off in March. Dismissing suggestions that the six remaining games are little more than warm-ups for that clash, Southampton midfielder Armstrong is adamant Clarke’s side can still gather sufficient points to finish in the top two places in Group I. ‘Definitely,’ said Armstrong when asked if it was wrong to say the regular campaign is now beyond the Scots. ‘It’s a pretty defeatist attitude to be thinking like that. ‘Certainly, that’s not the feeling within the group. We are all quite positive and the team is quite strong. ‘I don’t think you can focus on a number on points. We need to, obviously, aim as high as possible. We also have to focus on one game at a time and not dwell on the two games as a package. ‘We have to just look at Friday first and foremost and make sure we put on a good performance and give ourselves the best chance of getting something out of it. ‘Undeniably (Russia) are going to be a big part of the campaign and we are under no illusions that they won’t be. ‘So, a good performance and result against them will put us in the best position to get what we want out of it.’ Clarke’s side took plaudits but no points from their last outing in Brussels in June, the world’s No 1 ranked nation eventually coasting to a 3-0 win. But Armstrong, who succumbed to injury midway through the first half, felt the comprehensive scoreline was no reflection on how the visitors performed. ‘I only played about 25 minutes so I didn’t see most of it but I thought there was a good togetherness and we defended really well for parts of the game,’ he said. ‘We also had the ability to counter-attack with pace against high-quality, worldclass opposition. ‘We still posed a threat.’