THE performance on the ball was at least a little encouraging. The scoreline less so. But it was what Scotland manager Steve Clarke said that was…
manager Steve Clarke said in the aftermath of his side’s 4-1 defeat to France on Tuesday night that was the most reassuring aspect the evening for the Tartan Army.“I don’t want them to be comfortable losing or happy to lose. We spoke about that after the game. It is important we set our standards higher than that.”
And it shouldn’t be forgotten just how far Scotland have come under Clarke. But the national team head coach knows more than anyone just how much improvement they have yet to find if they are to go somewhere that no Scottish team has ever gone before next summer, and into the knockout stages of a major tournament.
In defence, Liam Cooper, Scott McKenna and John Souttar have been given opportunities over the past two fixtures, but they too will likely remain as back-up options once Kieran Tierney is fit, with Jack Hendry and Ryan Porteous likely to make up the back three in Germany as it stands. In midfield, Billy Gilmour is a well-established member of the squad already, of course, but even he faces a task to get into what looks the nailed-on three to start for Scotland in the Euros next year in the shape of Callum McGregor, Scott McTominay and John McGinn.He did his chances of breaking into that triumvirate no harm at all with his performance in Lille, demanding the ball and using it well, as well as scoring his first goal in senior.
Jacob Brown is unlikely to be the answer to that particular problem, but he too showed some promising signs when he came on during the week that he can be a reliable option, and he has probably moved ahead of both Lawrence Shankland and Kevin Nisbet in the pecking order – if not Dykes or Adams – as a result.
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