There is a strong case to be made for Steve Clarke to give Aberdeen right-back Nicky Devlin a starting Scotland debut over Celtic’s Tony Ralston in Tuesday’s Uefa Nations League meeting with Portugal at Hampden.
The performances of Dons star Devlin, as well as left-back Jack MacKenzie and striker Kevin Nisbet, have certainly merited their inclusion in this Scots squad.
Jack’s got time on his side to win his first cap, and it is difficult to put a case forward for the 24-year-old to start over the national team skipper, Liverpool’s Andy Robertson.
But with Nicky, he has been playing week in, week out for a team who are level on points with Celtic at the top of the Premiership, while Ralston, who is behind Alistair Johnston in the Hoops right-back pecking order, has only made three top-flight substitute appearances this term.
Ralston started Scotland’s 2-1 Nations League loss to Croatia in Zagreb on Saturday night, but I think there is a good argument the experienced Devlin, 30 – who is a consistent, strong performer and leader for Jimmy Thelin’s flawless Reds – can be trusted by Clarke to deliver in a dark blue jersey.
Despite Nations League losses, I now feel positive about Scotland under Steve Clarke
Having watched all three of Scotland’s games in Nations League League A Group 1, I think the performances have been really good.
When you look back on the showings in the Euros, and now in the top section of the Nations League – among the elite – the displays have been night and day.
That’s the disappointing aspect for me – if the Scots had brought the standards of their past three matches to the Euros in the summer, I think they would have qualified out of the section, rather than going out with a whimper.
Some of the statistics around the national team at the moment are admittedly grim, with just one victory in the past 15 games, which came against minnows Gibraltar.
But I feel positive looking ahead to the World Cup qualifying campaign that the current performance levels could get us to the Finals.
I know people will be calling for manager Clarke’s head looking at three Nations League losses so far to Poland (2-3), Portugal (2-1) and Croatia, and yes, some of the performances over the last 15 outings have been really poor.
But Clarke has undoubtedly changed his tactical approach in recent months, clearly realising the Euros showings were depressing.
Scotland are more attacking now because the players look to have been given a bit more license to express themselves. There’s more energy and more directness. They’ve moved to four at the back, giving them an extra body in midfield and helping them produce more front-foot football.
At the Euros, the Scots looked guilty of overthinking things tactically, being too rigid and trying to manage their way through games, rather than going out to prove their quality on the ball and show they belong at the top level in European competition.
They are again giving the opposition something to be concerned about – as they have in all the Nations League matches to this point – and the Tartan Army something to cheer about.
Despite being ravaged by injuries to mainstays like Kieran Tierney at present, the Dark Blues went away to Croatia, one of the top nations in world football, and – having had a late Che Adams equaliser chalked off for offside – were really unfortunate, similar to the previous two Nations League defeats, not to take something from the game.
It is a results business, of course. However, I feel optimistic the results will come under Clarke’s refreshed approach when the crucial World Cup qualifiers begin in March next year.
Aberdeen can create football earthquake with win at Celtic
Despite the international break, it is difficult not to think about Saturday’s mouthwatering clash between the Premiership’s two perfect-starters, Celtic and Aberdeen, at Parkhead.
What a statement it would be if new Dons boss Jimmy Thelin and his team could make it 14 victories from 14 in all competitions to start the campaign this weekend.
If the Reds win, it does not make Aberdeen favourites for the league championship, and there will still be doubters who would look at the strength of the respective squads and expect the Hoops to recover from the setback and retain their title.
However, this is certainly a live contest – unlike the last time Aberdeen managed to win in Glasgow’s East End on the final day of the 2017/18 season – and the result will be meaningful.
It would undeniably create a football earthquake if the Dons can beat their rivals to go above them on points and seize the league summit.
Thelin’s side are in a fantastic place at present, and the fans are loving every minute of watching this side.
My message is: Don’t freeze, and don’t change the tactics. Go down and play the same exciting, attacking football with the same relentless attitude which has brought all of those wins so far.
It might end in a draw. But even if Saturday’s game ends in defeat, Aberdeen can still come away having tested their hosts and shown they are capable of not just making up the Premiership numbers this season.
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