...but Clarke has lots to fix before Euro play-off
STEVE CLARKE will be doing a lot of thinking over the 29 days before Scotland face Israel in the national team’s biggest match for more than a decade. The hope was that a clear plan would be in place for the Euro 2020 play-off semi-final, supported by signs of optimism from recent performances.
Yet more questions than answers were raised by a Nations League double-header against Israel and the Czech Republic in which Scotland carried a fair slice of luck.
Here, raises a few of the issues likely to be in Clarke’s mind during the countdown to next month’s crunch Hampden date.
SHOULD HE STICK WITH THE 3-4-2-1 SHAPE?
When the team for Olomouc was announced, it appeared that Scotland would revert to a back four. Kieran Tierney was on the bench and his inclusion seemed like the primary reason for a three-man central defence.
That impression was wrong. Clarke made five changes to his starting line-up but the system remained.
There were some positives to cling to. The wing-backs functioned better than against
Israel, with Liam Palmer setting up Lyndon Dykes’ goal and Andrew Robertson winning a somewhat soft penalty.
But there was a hesitancy about the team overall. And the vulnerability witnessed was more alarming than on Friday night. Scotland ended up on the wrong end of a 19-6 shot tally despite winning 2-1.
With only limited training time ahead of the play-off, could this set-up really click into place when needed most? Or does Clarke draw a line through it and ask his players to revert to the 4-2-3-1 of earlier matches?
Doing so would revive the conundrum of how to fit Robertson and Tierney into the same starting line-up.
CAN SCOTT McTOMINAY REALLY BE A CENTRE-BACK?
It is not really a criticism of the Manchester United man to say he struggled against the Czechs, just as he did at times against Israel.
He is a midfielder. And evidently a good one. Yes, McTominay has played centre-back on occasion for his club, but he lacks the instinct to sniff out danger that is part of a natural defender’s armoury.
A terrific David Marshall save prevented his misjudgment of a cross leading to a goal against Israel. In Olomouc, he was caught out in the build-up to Jakub Pesek scoring the early opener for the Czechs.
He is the biggest case of a square peg being hammered into a round hole in Clarke’s new system. The problem is finding a replacement if three at the back remains favoured.
Tierney and Scott McKenna would be the first two picks. And both left-footed. So, too, is Liam Cooper.
Declan Gallagher wasn’t used in either game but is not riding high on club form, with Motherwell at the foot of the Premiership.
WHY IS THE MIDFIELD OPERATING AS LESS THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS?
We are told Scotland has an abundance of midfield talent. With some justification. Yet real control and incision too often remain absent.
Callum McGregor and Ryan Jack filled the two deeper roles in the ‘box’ set-up against Israel. They were then replaced by John Fleck and Kenny McLean against the Czechs.
In the more advanced positions, only Ryan Christie may feel he bolstered his argument for inclusion next month.
Adapting to a new system and early-season rustiness are mitigating factors, but the lack of drive was far from promising. The way Scotland were cut open on Monday was about more than the defence.
It also curtailed Dykes, by far the biggest positive from these two matches. Releasing him quicker could have asked more questions of the Czech backline.