Scotland’s Clarke targets ‘cup final’ & brushes off keeper concerns

In the second of this month’s crucial World Cup qualifiers, manager Steve Clarke wants to stage a “cup final” against Denmark. The manager has played down Scotland’s goalkeeping problem.

Due to injury, Falkirk’s Scott Bain, 33, who won his final three San Marino caps in 2019, will start the games against Greece and Denmark. Angus Gunn, who has started all four qualifiers, is out.

Bain, Liam Kelly, who has made one League Cup appearance for Rangers this term, and Craig Gordon, who turns 43 next month and hasn’t played any of his previous games, will make up Clarke’s starting lineup.

Scotland are currently second in Group C with three victories and a draw, and they have already clinched at least one spot in the March World Cup play-offs.

Given that the group leaders have a better goal difference and will face bottom side Belarus on November 15, they will likely need at least a point in Greece to prepare for a winner-takes-all showdown at Hampden against Denmark three days later.

“We’re in a good position,” he declared. What we need to do is ensure that the Greece game turns out to be the cup final, Clarke said.

“When someone misses out with an injury, it’s always a blow,” said Angus, who has played four games so far.

In September, Angus hadn’t played either of us, so we were in the same position. It’s a different position when you have goalkeepers.

They frequently have their clubs in the top two or third place. Goalkeepers can stay out of the team for a while if they’re given the opportunity to when they’re asked to join, so long as they’ve got boys who train well.

Former Heart of Midlothian striker Lawrence Shankland has also been called back, and Clarke states, “Lorraint is your man if you need goals.”

Josh Doig (Sassuolo), Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al-Etiffaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Ross McCrorie (Bristol City), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), and Kieran Tierney (Celtic) are the defenders.

Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Lennon Miller (Udinese),

With Che Adams of Torino, Birmingham City’s Lyndon Dykes, and George Hirst of Ipswich Town as the other strikers in the squad, Kieron Bowie of Hibernian misses out to make room for Shankland’s return.

Claudio Braga and Shankland have a good working relationship going forward for Hearts, with their goal in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Dundee setting him at the top of the domestic scoring charts.

Aaron Hickey is only just recovering from the injury he sustained during the previous international window, so Bristol City’s McCrorie, who made his only appearance against Gibraltar last year, makes a second-round return.

Max Johnston of Derby County, who has a hamstring injury, will miss up to eight weeks while Nathan Patterson of Everton will need a hernia operation.

One of the six Serie A players named in the 25-man pool for Sassuolo’s Doig, who was a member of the group in September, will compete for the left-back spot with captains Kieran Tierney and Andy Robertson.

Clarke’s eight midfielders are the same as the players who contributed to the team’s tireless victories over Belarus and Greece in October.

Shankland has a stunning season off, scoring 10 goals overall, thanks to Clarke.

“Lawrence has been good,” he said. This year, Clarke said, “His team is flying at the top of the league,” and he hit the ground running once more.

“Lawrence is getting his goals,” he says. Lawrence is your man if you need a goalkeeper for your team.

“We’re going to need experienced players, and Lawrence has that experience to help us,” Lawrence says.

“Most of my players and I have a good relationship. We always have open communication with one another. He thrives on and lives on goals.