Jacko is back on the Scotland bandwagon after the wheels came well and truly off for far too long
If you’re not even remotely excited by what’s going on with Steve Clarke ’s Scotland right now then, with the best will in the world, there’s probably something wrong with you.
Let’s be in no doubt here either. When Scotland slinked away from the Euros in the summer this was a manager on the brink. So timid and feeble were their efforts in Germany that the connection they had established with the nation in general had been horribly fractured. And, as a consequence, the Scotland side we have seen ever since, has had a very different look to it, even if the initial run of results remained very much the same. It began with a last minute defeat at home to Poland, continued with another late beating in Lisbon and the miserable run was extended last month in Zagreb with another 2-1 loss.
Now, having taken none from the first nine available to him, Clarke could end the campaign with seven from his final three games if he can keep this momentum up here in Warsaw tonight. Not only that would speak volumes for the progress that has been made over these last few months but it just might be enough to finish in runners up spot and proceed into the quarter finals of this competition as one of the top eight teams from all across the continent.
Where were they on Friday night, for example, when Ben Doak was running rings around one of the most expensive defenders in the history of the global game? Manchester City splashed out £77m to sign Josko Gvardiol a year or so ago but that’s twice in the space of a few short weeks that Doak has made him look like he’s still learning his trade.
Or at least it did until the 18 minute mark, when Doak gave him the slip for the first time like a speedy little street urchin and Gvardoil was rocked back onto his heels all over again. By the end, Doak was almost toying with him down Scotland’s right flank. He was almost telling the defender how he was going to get past him before doing exactly that. And there was absolutely nothing Gvardiol could do to stop him.
Scotland Football Team Nations League Ben Doak Billy Gilmour Croatia Football Team Portugal Football Team World Cup
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