Steve Clarke optimistic Scotland can build on their revised approach

Steve Clarke is optimistic Scotland can build on their revised approach with greater scope to develop the post-Euro 2024 reset next month.

The Scotland manager went into the UEFA Nations League campaign under pressure, with many supporters feeling the summer’s European Championship was a natural end to his reign.

However, despite two defeats in group A1 and a run that now stands at one win in 14 matches, there have been encouraging signs that a change of tack is working.

Scotland struggled to get forward effectively in Germany and Clarke came under criticism for his tactics, especially persisting with three centre-backs in the absence of the injured Kieran Tierney, whose drive and skill on the ball is key to the success of the formation.

In many metrics, Scotland were the worst-performing team of the 24 in the group stage. Their total of 16 attempts at goal was comfortably the lowest and only three of their shots were on target, again a clear low. UEFA’s official statistics recorded 76 Scotland attacks, only one more than Albania at the bottom of the 24 teams. Scotland were even bottom of the table for recovering possession.

In response, Clarke adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation against Poland and Portugal, and a more aggressive press, and was rewarded with long spells of possession and pressure over the two games.

Two needless penalties against the Poles and late goals in both matches ultimately cost Scotland but, with the camp squeezed into seven days, time was not on Clarke’s side.

Scotland will have until Saturday night to prepare for the first game of next month’s double header against Croatia in Zagreb and Clarke aims to use the time wisely.

“As you always do after the end of a journey, which was the championships in the summer, you have to go away, you have to analyse everything,” he said. “I have to analyse myself, my staff and players.

“And then you have to decide what the reset is. And then you have to explain that to the players.

“We look to improve, build on what we do. I’m very honest with my players and they’re very honest with me. I think when you have that relationship with your players then you can do what we’ve done in the short space of time.

“But then we want to do it again when we get together in the next camp. We have a little bit longer, so we might manage to get three training sessions before we go to the pitch. So it gives us more time.

“Myself and the coaches can go away and analyse this game and the Poland game and hopefully we can give the lads a few more pointers for the two games next month. They don’t get any easier, Portugal at Hampden and Croatia away.”

Scotland showed little sign of being downbeat in the wake of their disappointing run of results.

They were unfortunate to be two goals down at half-time against Poland and fought back before conceding from the spot in the seventh minute of stoppage time. And they got on top in Lisbon and caused problems after Scott McTominay’s early opener was cancelled out in the 54th minute.

Portugal’s strength in depth ultimately told with Scotland losing momentum when Kenny McLean limped off and home substitute Cristiano Ronaldo netting an 88th-minute winner.

Clarke said: “We spoke a lot before the game that the best way to defend is if you have possession of the ball. So when we had the chance to go forward, you have to make the opposition feel that you can hurt them at the back.

“I feel at times we did that and that’s what we have to build on and try to do that more often when we get possession.”