With Scotland facing a daunting double header of the Czech Republic on Friday and Spain the following Tuesday, Craig Levein’s men should pay close attention to their first two opening Euro 2012 qualifiers and learn the lessons of those games.
Scotland’s current qualifying campaign is arguably their most important in many years and the nation can presently look at Group I and find their country sitting proudly at the top after two games. However, a closer look at Scotland’s start could soon lead to the very real concern that this start could be something of a false dawn; their first place may have only papered over the cracks. The Scots so far have played two teams widely considered the easiest in the group, Lithuania and Liechtenstein; the Czech Republic and world champions Spain will present a much sterner test.
Scotland’s opening game of the campaign saw the Tartan Army travel to Kaunas in Lithuania. Levein decided to adopt a defensive approach and deployed just a single lone striker, stating before the match that a point would be a credible result. Despite battling hard to a no-score draw, given Scotland’s other group opponents this could just as easily be seen as two points dropped, rather than one point gained. Levein’s side dominated possession for much of the 90 minutes, but their reluctance to go forward with any penetration in search of the three points may, after Czech Republic and Spain, be costly.
Four days later, on 7th September, lowly Liechtenstein were the visitors to Glasgow for Scotland’s first home Euro 2012 qualifier. The loyal Scottish fans were expecting a rout against a team ranked 149 in the world and this time Levein felt confident enough to play an attacking formation, with James McFadden and Kris Boyd recalled to the starting line-up.
What fans expected and what they were served were entirely different animals. Despite Scotland winning the game 2-1, it took a 97th minute winner from Middlesbrough’s Steven MacManus to save the hosts from what would have been one of the worst results in their history.
While four points from their opening two games looks to be a reasonable start for Scotland, especially with the Czech Republic having dropped points already, the jury is still almost certainly out on whether Craig Levein’s new regime is improving the country’s lot. Concerned fans, who have not enjoyed a major international finals tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France, are asking if the former Dundee United manager is the man to end that wait.
The upcoming games against the Czech Republic and Spain however, may serve as a timely reminder to Scotland’s fans of just how strong their Euro 2012 qualifying group is. Are the Tartan Army making unrealistic demands of their heroes? Perhaps the Scottish faithful are assessing their side by the standards they themselves aspire to, and not where they currently sit on the football tree.
However, it would also be wise to remember that Levein has largely the same group of players to call upon as previous managers Walter Smith and Alex McLeish, both of whom performed so admirably. Famous victories – home and away against France – and solid results such as disposing of Ukraine and Macedonia on home turf with ease seem a thing of the past. Is it not legitimate to ask how Scotland can be so efficient and dangerous against these sides, yet lack so much creativity and drive against Liechtenstein?
The Scottish game has seen the word ‘crisis’ attached to it often of late; club sides have been knocked out of Europe before the group stages have even begun (with the exception of Rangers); the country’s co-efficent is at its worst level since 2001, with dire consequences for Scottish Premier League sides. With no sides to put co-efficient points on the board, unless Rangers can exceed all reasonable expectations, Scottish club football may well be in limbo for many years to come. Thus, the time for the Scottish national team to give the nation a boost could hardly be better.
Levein has urged Scotland fans not to look at performances, but at results. Perhaps the 45-year-old is right. While Scotland were drawing 0-0 in Kaunas, France were being humbled at home by Belarus and in Lisbon, Portugal were held 4-4 by lowly Cyprus. And Scotland never give up, the fighting spirit remains, as MacManus’s powerful header in the last seconds of the Liechtenstein game proved.
Now, against the Czechs and the Spanish, Levein will expect his side to be on the backfoot for the majority of the game. Yet this should suit the defensive system the manager adopts. With expectations dented, all eyes will be on Scotland to see whether Levein’s side have regressed or progressed from the days of Alex McLeish. Two tougher games he could not have wished for, but they do offer the opportunity to banish for good the uninspiring and tepid displays which marked Scotland’s first qualifiers.
Levein’s Scotland will have a big say in Group I and just who heads to Euro 2012 in Poland/Ukraine. But what they will say should be a lot clearer come next Wednesday morning. Hold on to your tammies!
