STEVE Clarke tonight admitted the Scotland players were "at a loss" to explain their poor performance in their Nations League loss to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin – then vowed to do everything he can to ensure they bounce back with a victory against Armenia.
The national team got their Group B1 campaign off to a positive start at Hampden on Wednesday night and put the disappointment of their Qatar 2022 play-off semi-final defeat to Ukraine behind them with a morale-boosting 2-0 triumph over Armenia.
However, Clarke’s charges were woeful in the Aviva Stadium this evening and slumped to an embarrassing 3-0 defeat after conceding goals to Alan Browne and Troy Parrot in the first-half and then Michael Obafemi in the second.
The former Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United assistant confessed he was unsure why Andy Robertson and his team mates had failed to turn up - but promised to oversee a turnaround in the rematch with Armenia in Yerevan on Tuesday. “Ireland deserved to win,” he said. “They were on the front foot and we didn’t cope with it. We played poorly and lost.
“Listen, this group of players have done fantastic for me and for the country. We have had two big blows in the space of three games. It’s probably the first time in a long time that has happened to us and I am interested to see how we come back as a group.
“You have to look at everything. Today was different from Ukraine. The Irish got on the front foot and we didn’t cope with it. For some reason, we didn’t make the right choices at right times in the game.
“We gave a soft goal away from a corner which put us on the back foot and Ireland got life from that, they built into the game. It was disappointing all round. There is a lot to analyse and look at and we have to stick together and go to Armenia and get three points.
“There is pressure on every game when you play for your country. We have to go there and we have to get three points. If we had got three points today we would still have been under pressure. We want to do as well as we can in the group. To do that we have to get three points every time we go on the pitch.
“No, I’m not going to criticise this group of players, they have been fantastic for me. Sometimes you have bad days and unfortunately we have had two in quick succession and we have to deal with that and move on.”
Andy Robertson and his team mates were booed off the park by the Scotland fans at the end of the match in Dublin and Clarke admitted that he could understand their unhappiness at the performance and result.
"The supporters have travelled and spent a lot of money, we appreciate that,” he said. “Today wasn't our day, hopefully the next time they travel and spend a lot of money, we can be better and give them the kind of results we have had over the last couple of years. We do appreciate their support. "We also conceded three goals, so I think today was an all-round poor team performance. We can’t analyse or focus on one specific part of the team. It was all-round. It (winning in Armenia) is going to be a bigger challenge than it was before we started this game, that's for sure. "Sometimes after a game you just have to hold your counsel, have a sleep and think about it. Tomorrow we will speak. The players are as flat as a pancake as you would expect. Flat as a pancake, they are at loss as well to explain why the performance was so poor. "The performance in midweek against Armenia was good, it was bright enough in the camp. It's two big hits in a short space of time and we will have to deal with it and move on because we have another game on Tuesday and we have to be ready for that.”
Clarke refused to blame tiredness for the lacklustre Scotland display. “That’s making excuses,” he said.
He added: "The rotation was clear to see for the game against Armenia, which was a different kind of game. I am not sure it will be quite the same in Yerevan because of the heat and the conditions.
“There were a couple of changes today that obviously didn't work, but I don't think it was about changes and personnel today. It was more about, I don't know, more about something else.
“I need to go away and have a good think about it and decide and hopefully come up with a team that goes to Yerevan that gets us three points. I don't think today was about the team, or one individual in and out, it was so damning I don't think it was about that.”
