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Scotland fan view: Steve Clarke must find a solution at right-back after humbling Euro 2024 opener

The national team began the European Championship with a 5-1 defeat against hosts Germany.

Germany's Jamal Musiala crosses under pressure from Scotland's Anthony Ralston. Image: PA.
Germany's Jamal Musiala crosses under pressure from Scotland's Anthony Ralston. Image: PA.

Scotland’s most memorable international performances have often been built upon heroic, unstinting defending. Let’s just say that this wasn’t one of them.

No one individual is to blame. Not even Ryan Porteous; this may have been a poor time to have his first Ryan Porteous moment in a Scotland jersey, but the game was effectively up long before it.

If there was one who exemplified the chaos though, it was poor Anthony Ralston.

It has been noted before, but there is some irony in the difficulties Steve Clarke has had in filling the right back position.

Restricted in his own playing days to a mere six caps thanks primarily to the presence of Stewart McKimmie and Richard Gough, Clarke would have loved to have had a younger version of himself available to fill the void created by the injuries to Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson.

Scotland defender Ryan Porteous leaves the pitch after receiving a red card from referee Clément Turpin. Image: Shutterstock.

Instead, the Scotland manager was compelled to turn to a player with a mere five club starts since August: against Ross County, Motherwell, Kilmarnock, and two against St Mirren. Which, to the surprise of few, turns out to be no preparation for facing Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz in the European Championship finals.

It is, to a degree, Scotland’s poison. Often, through lack of other options or under popular pressure, they will select players from clubs who enjoy domestic dominance, only to ask them to perform a totally different function in an underdog national team.

Fortunately for Scotland and whoever fills the five defensive positions – for various reasons, it won’t be all of these – they have two more matches to play and, though they will likely be second favourites in both, they should not be so heavily outgunned in either. This was certainly a shocking start, but it is not yet the end.