DYKES COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG HIT AT OLD FIRM
FRANCE ’98 veteran Darren Jackson insists both Celtic and Rangers missed a trick by letting Scotland goalscoring hero Lyndon Dykes leave Livingston for QPR. And he believes Steve Clarke will adopt a ‘make do and mend’ strategy to cope with the striker’s suspension for next month’s potential play-off clincher in Moldova — by inviting someone already in the squad to take up the challenge of firing Scotland into the World Cup eliminators.
Dykes, a £2million signing for Mark Warburton when he swapped West Lothian for West London in August of 2020, scored another late winner as Clarke’s men bagged three crucial points in Tuesday’s trip to the Faroe Islands.
Jackson, who led the line for Scotland at the 1998 World Cup finals, told Sky Sports: ‘I’m not surprised by how well Lyndon Dykes has adapted to international football. Not really.
‘I raved about him when I went to watch him at Livingston. I was surprised he didn’t get a move to one of the Old Firm. But they both chose not to take him and he’s gone down south. ‘I think he’s not just a big striker. He’s mobile, he’s quick, he holds it in well. ‘Sometimes big strikers, like in the first half (against the Faroe Islands), Ryan Christie got to the byeline a couple of times, cut it back and Lyndon was on his heels.
‘But you see the two goals he’s scored in the last couple of games, getting across people.
‘He’s mobile, he doesn’t just stand as a big striker. His movement in the box is good and that’s shown in the goals he’s scored. I think he’s a fantastic player.’
Dykes has become the first Scotland player since Colin Stein to score in four consecutive men’s international fixtures. But a second yellow card of the campaign in Tuesday night’s win means he’s one of several players who will miss next month’s away game in Chisinau.
Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet came off the bench in Torshavn, while Southampton’s Che Adams — who missed the game through injury — is an alternative.
Jackson doesn’t see Clarke drafting in another front man to fill Dykes’ boots, saying: ‘I think Steve will make do with what he’s got. Obviously you are hoping Che Adams is fit, Kevin Nisbet might get a chance now.
‘Over in Moldova, could he play Stuart Armstrong just off the front?
‘I think he’ll make do with what he’s got — because I don’t think there’s anyone really jumping out to say: “I deserve a chance”. ‘There’s still time to go and people can still score goals. But I’d imagine he’ll go with what he’s got.’ Praising Scotland for taking three points from a stuttering performance, Jackson added: ‘Finding a way to win is 100 per cent an underestimated quality.
‘It’s finding a way to keep going — and they did that against Israel on Saturday, as well, with the late winner.
‘They kept on going and, of course, it was a quality ball (for the winner). Down the right, Ryan Fraser, I’m not sure that worked. But I understood why Steve did it, thinking we would be in possession all the time, so have a forward player there.
‘But I think Nathan Patterson came on and got further up the pitch with his cross, then put it into a great area.
‘And Dykes got across his defender to score. He got a little bit lucky but he put himself in there.’