[Sport] Scotland: What needs to improve before Euro 2020 for Steve Clarke's side?

[Agent47]

 

The dust has settled. The boogying has subsided. The long wait until Euro 2020 can begin for Scotland.

A rollercoaster international break has finally come to a shuddering end. We've had the euphoric high of ending a run stretching back to 1998 without qualification for a major tournament - and also the familiar low of coming up short against both Slovakia and Israel in the Nations League.

The reality of where the Scotland national team are at right now is probably somewhere in the middle, but how far away from a credible assault on the European Championship is Steve Clarke's side?

Listen: Reaction as Scotland falter in Israel
Scots miss out on Nations League promotion
Room for improvement
In the wake of the anti-climactic end to the Nations League campaign, head coach Clarke admitted his side are nowhere near the finished article and have to be better.

But which area of the team is most in need of improvement?

For all Scotland's confidence and control of the ball in midfield and at the back, scoring goals continues to be a problem.

In the eight games played in 2020, only six goals have been netted. Lyndon Dykes has added a different dimension up front, but taking chances, rather than creating them, has been a thorn in Scotland's side in their last two matches.

In those defeats, 15 shots have been blasted on target, but only five have found their mark. None have gone in.

"This is always going to be a problem," former Scotland manager Craig Levein told BBC Sportsound.

"If we lose the first goal, what do we do to get ourselves back into the game? On the evidence of the last two matches, and I know it's only the last two matches, that's probably the weakest area of the team - the front line. Whether that's a front three, two or one, it's the weakest area."
Time to recharge and regroup?
Let's be honest, the players were knackered in Netanya. A gruelling triple-header - and a well-deserved and raucous night of partying in Serbia - took its toll as Clarke's men gave their all but couldn't pull off another landmark result.

But they will be refreshed and raring to go for next summer's Euros extravaganza. And a couple of key additions - wingers James Forrest and Ryan Fraser - will be back from injury too. Both are forward thinking with pace and finishing prowess, traits you can never have enough of.

"James Forrest is a different animal," Levein said. "If he comes on late in the game, the decision-making will definitely be better.

"There is a point about him and Ryan Fraser. Both thinkers, both two guys that, if there's a situation where they feel under pressure, they will manage to get something from it.

"There's also a lot of players [against Israel] who didn't perform. I'm Lyndon Dykes' biggest fan and he didn't perform. I just think the whole team lacked energy and aggression and looked leggy."