‘Scotland’s style reliant on individuals’

Scotland’s style under Steve Clarke depends too much on “individuals” and some of the issues could be solved by playing natural wingers, according to coach and analyst John Walker.

Clarke’s side have won just one of their last 15 games, with several key players – the likes of John McGinn, Kieran Tierney and Aaron Hickey – out injured.

“Stylistically I think there’s a real problem and I think it’s highlighted when you lose four or five key players,” Walker told the Scottish Football Podcast.

“Our style is reliant on individuals, it’s not a style of play that people can slot into. It’s Tierney making the back five and it changes the whole system, it’s Hickey at right wing-back giving us that option because as much as Tony Ralston didn’t do much to let us down, he’s just not anywhere near what Hickey brings to the side.

“For me, a lot of the problems come from not playing natural wide men. I know Ben Doak started, which is a good starting point, but Ryan Christie’s not a natural wide man.”

Walker also expressed frustrations over the same defensive frailties costing Scotland during their recent poor run.

“I put up a clip on Twitter of us continually conceding these same goals with overlapping right wing-backs from that left side,” Walker said.

“It’s alarming how many of the same goals I keep seeing conceded. And our ability to try and defend the box is really questionable.

“Croatia, there was a warning sign right before we conceded that second goal from the exact same move, a switch of play to the overlapping right wing-back. It happened in the Norway game, and it also happened in the Georgia game.”