Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay Remain Key Figures in Steve Clarke's Squad
Scotland's recent friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast served as final chances for manager Steve Clarke to evaluate fringe squad members before finalizing his selection for this summer's World Cup. Despite these opportunities, only a few players stood out as Scotland suffered back-to-back 1-0 defeats.
Players such as Napoli's Scott McTominay, captain Andy Robertson, and Aston Villa's John McGinn are considered automatic selections, yet several positions remain uncertain ahead of the tournament opener against Haiti on 14 June. With one more friendly scheduled at home against Curacao in May, the question remains: who emerged as winners and losers from this international break?
Ivory Coast Hand Scotland Their Second Consecutive Friendly Defeat
The defeats have raised questions about squad depth and readiness, with some observers wondering if Scotland might consider an unusually large squad for the World Cup.
Defensive Positions: Any Changes in the Hierarchy?
Steve Clarke experimented with two different defensive formations over the two matches. Against Japan, Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna started as centre-backs in a four-man defense. In contrast, the game against Ivory Coast featured Dominic Hyam and John Souttar alongside Kieran Tierney in a back three.
While Japan dominated much of the play at Hampden, Hendry and McKenna effectively managed aerial threats and demonstrated valuable pace, an important asset in international football. Souttar contributed a crucial block against Ivory Coast, and Hyam had a quiet but error-free debut start for Scotland.
Ross McCrorie performed competently as right wing-back against Ivory Coast, whereas Nathan Patterson appeared rusty in his right-back start against Japan. Celtic's Anthony Ralston was given brief playing time late in the Japan match but remains the fourth choice in his position when all players are fit at Celtic.
Notably, Grant Hanley, a Clarke favorite, did not feature in either game, prompting speculation about his current standing in the squad.
Goalkeeper selections also drew attention. Angus Gunn, the first-choice keeper, played against Japan, while Rangers' Liam Kelly and Falkirk's Scott Bain each played 45 minutes against Ivory Coast in Liverpool. Kelly was slow to react on the goal conceded, whereas Bain made an excellent late save to deny Manchester United's Amad Diallo.
With Craig Gordon expected to join Gunn in the United States contingent, assuming fitness, there is speculation that Bain could surpass Kelly as the third-choice goalkeeper.
Young Players Receive Limited Opportunities; Strikers Struggle to Score
The inclusion of Kilmarnock's teenage winger Findlay Curtis was a notable surprise in Clarke's squad. Curtis made his senior international debut as a substitute against Japan but struggled to make an impact in his 10 minutes on the pitch and did not feature against Ivory Coast.
Another teenager, Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller, was also in the squad but remained unused, even as Lewis Ferguson and Kenny McLean played the full 90 minutes against Japan. Clarke appeared to favor more experienced central midfield options.
Up front, Clarke faces a dilemma. Forwards Lyndon Dykes, Tommy Conway, and Che Adams were largely ineffective during their appearances. Although Clarke praised Conway following the Japan match, the absence of goals in both friendlies highlights the ongoing challenge in attack.
Among the forwards, Ipswich Town's George Hirst was the most industrious. He applied pressure on defenders and created shooting chances, though his finishing was lacking.
"All I can do whenever I get an opportunity is play as well as I can," Hirst said after the match on Tuesday. "If I can keep doing that and doing it for Ipswich, it will stand me in good stead. I'm getting in the positions and on another day I would have come off with a couple of goals. Hopefully, they start going in."
Former Scotland captain Rachel Corsie commended Hirst's performance.
"Hirst was really lively," she said. "He won balls in the final third and didn't quite get a clear opportunity. I felt it was a positive performance from him."
Biggest Winners May Be Those Absent from the Squad
As is common when Scotland fail to secure victories, attention turns to players who were either not selected or unavailable. Questions arise about whether Lawrence Shankland's finishing prowess could have helped, or if Kieron Bowie's physicality and recent Serie A experience might have added a different dimension to the attack.
Oli McBurnie, who was last capped five years ago and has scored 14 goals for Hull City this season, is another player whose strong club form might warrant reconsideration.
Given the limited impact of Conway on the left flank and Curtis's minimal playing time, the importance of Ben Gannon-Doak to the national team becomes clearer. His direct running and pace on the wing are qualities Scotland currently lack, making his return to full fitness a priority.
"There's still a lot of football to be played at club level," former national team midfielder Charlie Adam commented on BBC Scotland. "We're in as good a place as we've been for a long time in terms of players available. Shankland not available, McBurnie not here. There's a lot of players that can force their way into this group. And Hirst has done himself no harm."
Steve Clarke remained cautious when discussing the squad's status less than three months before the World Cup.
"Still plenty of things can happen," Clarke said. "I won't get too carried away. Going into previous tournaments I've lost players to injury."
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