Scots are in real bother in all areas of the team

NO CASE FOR THE DEFENCE

Nathan Patterson was all over the shop during a torrid first half for Scotland. Guilty of overplaying and losing the ball inside his own box, he was at fault for Northern Ireland’s goal. Patterson was compounding one mistake with another and you could sense the crowd starting to get on his case each time he gave the ball away. With Aaron Hickey still out of action due to injury, this was a big chance for Patterson to impress at right wing-back but it’s one he most definitely didn’t take. His performance typified a Scotland defence which has become worryingly porous over these past six months or so.

A SOFT CENTRE

Midfield is normally such a strength with the likes of John McGinn, Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay, but none of them showed up last night. There was a moment just after the 70-minute mark when McGinn sent a corner-kick straight out on the full on the other side of the pitch. When your star man is making fundamental errors like that, it sums up the lack of confidence this team are now feeling. Lewis Ferguson was the only bright spark when he came off the bench. But there was no flair or imagination to Scotland’s play. They were laborious and one-paced.

WHERE WAS THE FORWARD THINKING?

Lyndon Dykes was handed a start, but the game totally passed him by. He won a couple of decent flick-ons but had nothing in terms of clear-cut chances. Service was non-existent and, given that Dykes hasn’t scored for QPR since mid-January, it’s hard to make a case for him starting the opening game of the Euros against Germany. Lawrence Shankland and Che Adams came on and Shankland almost snatched a late equaliser, but it would only have papered over the cracks. Over these past two games, nobody has grabbed the striker jersey and made it their own.