As Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema prepares to enhance the strength of The Netherlands ahead of their Nations League double header against Scotland - the 27-year-old spent 11 months out with an ACL and is now back on the pitch - Pedro Martinez Losa’s squad is shorn of its world class talent through the same injury.
The loss of Caroline Weir is difficult to ascertain but the Real Madrid midfielder, who has just undergone surgery on a ruptured ACL sustained in Scotland’s draw against Belgium at Hampden earlier this month, leaves a gaping hole for Martinez Losa to fill.
Add into the mix that emerging talent Emma Watson is also out with the same injury while Erin Cuthbert, due to return for Friday’s game after injury preventing her from featuring against England and Belgium, also picked up a niggle this weekend and the magnitude of the task facing Scotland is apparent.
Nicola Docherty, the Rangers and Scotland full-back, has maintained, however that the burgeoning sense of conviction within the squad means they have no qualms about going into the games against the Dutch regardless of who is handed a starting jersey.
“I think that England game shows how far we have come as a squad,” she said. “From the outside people maybe didn’t think we could compete against England but for us certainly we know we are capable of getting results. We want to go and push that now and get the result and the points that we need.
“We have played The Netherlands recently and narrowly lost. It will be tough and we respect all opponents but we feel if we play to the best of our ability that we can beat anyone.”
Watson joined the squad for lunch as she returned among her international colleagues for the first time since her surgery with Docherty believing that a result against Holland, who were World Cup quarter-finalist this summer, a fitting tribute to their injured team-mates.
“I think because of the amount of injuries that we have in the squad there is a real desire to go and win these matches,” she said. “It is almost as if we want to do it for the girls who aren’t here because we are gutted that such key players are out of the squad.
“We want to make sure that we win these matches. We always want to do it for Scotland and for the fans and our families but we are gutted for the girls who aren’t here. So we want to make sure that we try and get a result and stay in League A.
“People will be speaking about the injuries that we have but I feel that with the squad that we have got there is enough depth there to cope with it.”
Cuthbert will miss Friday’s game as she pulled up with a leg injury for Chelsea on Sunday, a further frustration for Martinez Losa.
“She brings a tenacity but I have always said to players like Kirsty MacLean, who I obviously know from club level, that if players get injured then it is an opportunity to step up.
“It is not ideal. Erin is one of my closest friends in the Scotland squad but there is a togetherness about us.”
