The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Defensive conundrum for
Scotland will be back in action at Hampden Park against Israel tomorrow night, their first game in more than nine months. looks at three talking points ahead of the return of international football.
What to Robertson do with Tierney and
It’s the big conundrum and will remain so for a long time hopefully. Scotland have one left-back in Andy Robertson already worthy of the “world class” description and another in Kieran Tierney who, if he backs up last season’s form at Arsenal with a full campaign of an equal or improved standard, will be talked about in similar terms.
Tierney’s larger frame and greater versatility has meant that when the two have both been fit and available – all too infrequently, it must be said – Robertson has been the one who has stayed in his preferred position.
Steve Clarke has four realistic options and leaving Tierney out isn’t one of them.
He could play the FA Cup-winner at left-back and shunt Robertson up. In Clarke’s favoured 4-3-3 (the same as Jurgen Klopp’s) the former Dundee United man wouldn’t be at home in a compact middle three, however, or as the front wide player trying to do a passable impression of Sadio Mane.
Tierney can do a better than passable impression of a right-back, mind you. And has done so for Gordon Strachan. In a game when Scotland are expected to be on the back foot, this would be a serious option. But against Israel when they will likely be dictating the play and attempting to stretch their opponents out wide, having a full-back who wants to cut inside rather than cross with his right foot would be a real waste. Also, Liam Palmer has been an upgrade on Stephen O’Donnell and this isn’t the problem position it once was.
His second-best position is as the left centre-back in a back-three formation and it would be intriguing to see this given a go by Clarke. It’s unlikely, though. The risk of trying out a new system so close to next month’s Euro 2021 semi-final play-off is big.
That leaves option number four – Robertson at left-back and Tierney as the left-sided centre-half in a back four.
Along with centre-forward, centreback is consistently the main issue for Scotland managers. Like several of his predecessors, Clarke doesn’t have an established duo he can rely upon and, as such, playing Tierney there doesn’t even feel like a gamble. Modern international football requires defenders to be as comfortable on the ball as they are coming to meet a header. Tierney’s aerial ability is good for a full-back and adequate for a centre-half and it’s not as if he will have an Andy Carrol type dropping on to his toes anyway.
Over to you Lyndon
Clarke went out of his way to talk up Oli McBurnie when this squad was announced. That went well.
Even if you believe the manager’s sincerity in absolving the Sheffield United striker of blame for turning out