Scotland v Israel: ‘Steve Clarke stands by system as team hold nerve’

Kenny McLean’s winning penalty sent Scotland through the Euro play-off finals

Football’s ability to mess with the emotions was never in doubt, but it’s really turning it on these days, really putting in powerhouse displays that play havoc with the heart and the mind.

The game has a new lexicon. Covid-19 has become the opponent that players and managers fear the most; track and trace is the new challenge that might take you out of a big game; the 2m rule is now becoming as familiar as the offside law; self-isolation no longer merely a means for a player rehabbing alone after injury.

In the build-up to Scotland v Israel at Hampden on Thursday evening there was the confusion and the anger surrounding Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie being removed from the game. Then the shock and bewilderment of Scotland’s Under-19 match with England being abandoned halfway through because the Scottish manager, Billy Stark, just recorded a positive coronavirus test.

Later in the night there was a mixture of all of those feelings with added angst and anxiety culminating with a delicious dollop of relief and joy when those penalties started hitting the back of Israel’s net. Much of the 120 minutes was an assault on the eyeballs but if there was ever a night where the bottom line was all that counted then that was it.

Scotland have been through so much misery over the past two decades that there’s no harm to savour the success of making the play-off final for a moment before considering the concerns of the night.

Steve Clarke stood steadfastly by his three-at-the-back system despite external doubt. Clarke’s defence, an area that most considered a weakness, actually turned out to be their biggest strength. In previous games, Israel caused Scotland multiple problems, but they were contained for the most part on Thursday. Despite all the fretting about Eran Zahavi, Mu’nas Dabbur and Manor Solomon the visitors created only one clear-cut opportunity in 120 minutes.

When it mattered most, Scotland held their nerve. Even in an empty Hampden the five chosen ones must have stepped forward with the weight of a nation on their shoulders. Clarke is not a bloke to show his feelings in public, but the scenes on the touchline when Kenny McLean coolly slotted the decisive kick were wonderful.

Over the course of the last year, Clarke might have wondered if he had walked in on an impossible job, but he’s remained calm and strong and this was a moment for him as much as the players. If you want to know what pure relief looks like then just rewind the tape and get a load of the Scotland manager.

The game, of course, was a turkey. Scotland continue to put accomplished club footballers on the pitch and continue to see underwhelming performances from them. Maybe their confidence levels plummeted to such depths in recent years that the recovery process is more gradual, and requires more patience, than previously appreciated.

Is it nervousness that holds them back? Is the fear of failure stifling them? No shot on target in 120 minutes is an eye-watering statistic for a team that, on paper at least, possesses some clever footballers who are operating at an extremely high level. The Scotland jersey is a curious thing – it’s one they clearly love, but they wear it heavily.

Clarke is fighting to grow confidence in his players, but he’s also fighting 22 years of failure and the cynicism and fatalism that comes with it. That’s a formidable adversary. He signed off his press conference with a little jibe at the media, suggesting sarcastically that the team might get some positive coverage now. That was a window to the soul of the squad. Clearly they believe that they get too hard a time. Some of them have hinted at this before. If they can make that siege mentality work for them, then great.

‘The five who wanted to take penalties all produced’ – Clarke hails players

You can see their point. Thursday was their sixth game in a row without defeat. None of the opponents represented stellar opposition, but this renaissance, if this is what it is, has to start somewhere. Six without loss is not to be sniffed at. Surely the self-belief will grow if this trend continues. Surely the big-name players that Scotland has in its ranks will come out of themselves more. Baby steps, but steps all the same.

The final next month will be an altogether different affair. Serbia were outstanding in beating Norway. They had 19 attempts on goal and at least six of them were glorious chances. Norway goalkeeper Rune Jarstein had a magnificent game. Even then, he needed all sorts of luck, and all sorts of missed sitters from the Serbs, to take it to extra-time.

Norway opted to go toe-to-toe with Serbia in an attacking sense. The game was loose and a bit of a thriller. Scotland will have no interest in doing what the Norwegians tried to do. Dusan Tadic (Ajax), Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio), Darko Lazovic (Hellas Verona) and Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla) caused Norway a world of trouble and created so many chances for Aleksandar Mitrovic. The exceptional Milinkovic-Savic came off the bench and scored both of Serbia’s goals. The chances of him being a substitute against Scotland are approximately zero.

They are a fine team, Serbia, and Scotland will be considerable underdogs, but there’s a puncher’s chance here for Clarke’s players. Serbia’s past three competitive home games been a 0-0 with Turkey, 2-2 with Ukraine and 3-2 win over Luxembourg. They are to be respected, but not feared. If Scotland can frustrate that midfield and make it a battle – basically the opposite of what Norway did – then they have got a chance. Penalties again? Easy.

These are issues for a different day. For now, Scotland can enjoy a lightening of the mood around its national football team and the sense of liberation that came with that McLean penalty. Onwards – into the unknown, but onwards nonetheless.