FROM ROCK BOTTOM TO ROCK SOLID
Clarke building a side on the up after that Moscow low
STEVE CLARKE found fresh solidity in the shape of Andy Considine.
The Scotland boss injected additional creativity in the figure of Ryan Fraser who forged an impressive alliance with the determined Stephen O’Donnell.
It’s all more bricks to lay into his Scotland foundations.
The process takes time but the building work is beginning to show – and the manager is adamant every single piece that goes into the construction work is vital to the overall project.
Clarke goes into tomorrow night’s encounter with Czech Republic having chalked up a full year undefeated.
When he suffered the harrowing experience in Russia of his team being ripped apart in the second half in Moscow to crash 4-0 12 months ago, the boss made a pact it wasn’t going to get any lower.
The only way was up and the subsequent seven matches without defeat, with five wins and just four goals conceded, is bringing cause for optimism.
A year ago to the day Clarke was building up for a game against San Marino that basically only the diehards wanted to see. Now there is gathering enthusiasm ahead of the clash with the Czechs and a positive excitement about next month’s play-off final in Serbia.
Scotland played with a freedom in the second period against Slovakia on Sunday, which has long been missing in the national team, and there were real success stories within it.
Declan Gallagher and Scott McTominay were excellent again and alongside them at the back was Considine, who must have thought his chances of gaining a full cap had gone at the age of 33. The Aberdeen defender was a revelation on the pitch and afterwards there was emotion off it. It mea meant something to him. him The joy at his achievement ach is one in the eye for those tho who think international inte football bal doesn’t matter. Clarke C said: “It’s always alw nice with s oomeone l i ke An d r ew. He probably pr thought he was coming in as cover for someone. Liam Cooper gets himself injured, or doesn’t recover from injury from Thursday night, and Andy gets on the pitch.
“When you think first cap, first game, first win, it was a fantastic night for him and thoroughly deserved.
“Andy was good at the back. There wasn’t a weakness I don’t think. The team shape was good. They made the system work, which is really important for us.”
As well as Considine, Kenny McLean and John Fleck were impressive as they took over from Ryan Jack and Callum McGregor in midfield and O’Donnell’s attacking work from right wing-back in the second period was noteworthy.
The Motherwell man provided a magnificent cross for Dykes to score the winner against the Slovaks. He stuck another on a plate for the Aussie soon afterwards in a display that suggests he can contribute for his country.
Clarke said: “At this level we’re used to being much maligned. That’s where you are when you manage or coach or play for the national team.
“You know that everybody has an opinion but I know Stephen very well from my time at Kilmarnock.
“I know what he can give and I thought his delivery for the goal was fantastic. It was a great move with a great connection between him and Ryan down the right – good running and then he found that quality cross.
“Everybody gets mixed reviews.
Sometimes you get praise, sometimes you get criticised, it’s part and parcel of being involved in football. I have no worries over Stephen.”
Fraser also had a hand in the winning goal and was lively throughout. Although he popped up on the right regularly to link with O’Donnell, he was equally adept at burrowing into both channels, epitomised when the Newcastle man went down the left and provided a majestic cross for sub Oli McBurnie to head against the bar.
The former Aberdeen and Bournemouth kid has sensational stats for his clubs in the Premier League. He’d done it before, scoring in Albania in the last Nations League campaign for Alex McLeish, and Clarke got the benefits on this occasion.
Most of his dozen caps are from the bench but the manager said: “Ryan showed what he can bring to the team. He gives us that little bit of spark.
“The connection between him, John McGinn, Andy Robertson and Lyndon was good and we were decent going forward.
“I know everybody will say we only had one shot on target again but we created more chances and got into more threatening positions.
“We created so many chances and kept a clean sheet.”