STEVE Clarke stressed yesterday that he would not be doing anything rash or radical as he attempts to pick Scotland up after their disappointing Euro 2024 finals in Germany in the summer and he was true to his word.
“It’s evolution, not revolution,” he said as he spoke to reporters and looked ahead to the opening Nations League game against Poland at his pre-match press conference at Hampden.
It felt very much like regression not progression to many members of the Tartan Army when the national team’s starting line-up was released an hour before kick-off.
Where was Ben Doak? Why was Ryan Gauld not involved? Surely this would have been an ideal opportunity to see what Max Johnston has to offer at international level? Does Connor Barron not deserve a run out? Why wasn’t Tommy Conway leading the line?
The Scotland manager, though, very much went Back to the Future as he looked to bring the curtain down on an unfortunate episode and in the country’s history and tried to start an exciting new chapter.
He put his faith in the individuals who had performed well for him on the big stage in the past – their outings in Germany aside that is – for the difficult Group A1 encounter with Robert Lewandowski and Co.
Unfortunately for him, they fluffed their lines.
Grant Hanley, despite being involved in just two matches with Norwich City this season, was given the nod alongside Scott McKenna at centre half. Anthony Ralston retained his place even though he has not been a regular starter once again with Celtic of late.
Kenny McLean was brought in to replace Callum McGregor, who announced his retirement from the international game last month, alongside Billy Gilmour in central midfield.
Ryan Christie, Scott McTominay and John McGinn formed the threequarter line and Lyndon Dykes was deployed as the lone striker. It was a disappointing team selection for those fans who yearned to see the new generation brought in to the fold. But it was entirely understandable in the circumstances.
Poland may have had a poor Euros too – they lost to Austria and the Netherlands, drew with France when Lewandowski converted a late penalty and finished bottom of their section – but they remain formidable opponents. Clarke was, then, perhaps wise to prefer experience over youth.
A report this week suggested that the teams which go through to the quarter-finals of this competition will be seeded in Pot 1 when the World Cup qualifying draw is made next year. So it was maybe no time to experiment.
The players he gave the nod to justified their involvement by producing a performance which was a considerable improvement on those they turned in in Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart back in June.
One thing which Clarke did alter, however, was his formation. He abandoned his three man defence and went to a back four in the continued absence of Kieran Tierney. The 4-2-3-1 set-up seemed to be very much to his charges’ liking. They attacked repeatedly with pace and in numbers.
Was that a change the former Newcastle United, Chelsea and Liverpool has assistant should have made for the crucial Hungary match after Tierney had been ruled out? Ralston certainly looked far more comfortable. He supplied the assist for the equaliser.
That little bit of luck that Scotland needed eluded them. A McTominay goal was disallowed for handball following a VAR check, Christie went agonisingly close and Dykes found the side netting. The hosts were by far the better of the two teams in the opening 45 minutes. But they still went in 2-0 down at half-time due to their own stupidity.
Angus Gunn will not enjoy seeing a replay of the tame long-range Sebastian Szymanski attempt shot he somehow allowed to creep in off. Nor will Ralston relish watching back his blatant foul on Nicola Zalewski inside his own area. Or the resultant spot kick which Lewandowski buried.
McLean will be asking himself why he underhit his pass in the build-up to the opener? And as for Hanley? What on earth was he doing bringing down Zalewski in the fifth minute of injury-time? His rival made no mistake from 12 yards.
Careless errors are punished at the rarified level which the national team are now operating at. They cost Scotland a morale-boosting result this evening.
Napoli new boy Gilmour enjoyed the goal he lashed in early in the second half – his first at Hampden and just the second of his professional career – and his new club mate McTominay showed great composure to bury the leveller. But all of their good work was undone by sloppy play. They pressed the self-destruct button repeatedly.
Clarke handed debuts to Doak and Gauld when he made a triple substitution with 20 minutes remaining. The duo replaced McLean and Christie respectively as Lawrence Shankland took over from Dykes. Doak was involved in the build up to the McTominay strike and got the crowd on their feet when he got on the ball.
But the tried and tested players who the manager kept faith with look set to retain their spots for the foreseeable future. They will have, however, to be far more switched on in future to repair wounded national pride.
