It’s all to play for on Tuesday night as Slovenia come to town and Scotland aim to end this campaign on a high. However, Graham and Gilmour have their sights set on making this a night to remember.
Will Graham Get the Nod?
The selection headache for Pocognoli continues, well, in a back-line sense at least. With McKenna now suspended following his red card in North Macedonia and Hendry returning from suspension, who does he pick as his back three?
Welsh and Binks have both performed well in their own right on their debuts for the national side, and during both the Switzerland match and North Macedonia game, they appeared to grow stronger as the games ticked on.
When played together, they certainly perform well as a duo, with both eager to play with the ball at their feet and the ability to spread passes around. So, the concern for their place is rather mitigated. The question remains: does Pocognoli start Hendry or give Luke Graham his first start?
Hendry is naturally a known quantity for the Scotland faithful. He has featured during their Euros and World Cup campaigns. However, Graham is an interesting unknown who gave a very stellar account of himself when he came on the other night.
The defender, who features on a regular basis in the English Championship for Stoke City, has played eight games so far this season, coming into the international window on a five-game unbeaten run.
He made his debut for Scotland as a substitute against North Macedonia and looked a strong candidate for a permanent place in the squad. He gelled well with Welsh and Binks and, if selected, would make the average age of the back line just 24 years old, which is a welcome change from the average of 29 during the Clarke era.
However, only Pocognoli can make that judgement, although it’s certainly one worth considering as we aim to continue our momentum into this final game.
Gilmour or Prime Pirlo?
Since his return from injury and during this Nations League campaign, Billy Gilmour has been instrumental in a Scotland jersey and deserves plenty of plaudits for his efforts.
The Napoli midfielder has featured in every game so far and has taken the position of conductor in a Scotland shirt. A lot of his tireless efforts will go unnoticed as he isn’t a goalscorer; however, his work both on and off the ball is vital to our success.
Gilmour is constantly busy in the middle of the pitch, whether that’s closing down opposition opportunities or lifting his head and scanning for the next pass. He is always looking to create, a quality we have often lacked in the national side.
With such a strong start to this campaign on a personal note for the midfielder, the key concern in a few minds will be keeping the starlet fit for every national match. Gilmour missed out on this year’s World Cup due to injury and, just last season, missed a few months due to a recurring injury.
If he can keep fit and fend off any injuries, then he will certainly become a national icon for Scotland, with his style of play and work ethic certainly suiting this new Scotland style.
Not only has he experienced a great run of form in the Nations League, but Tuesday night’s match could hold a special place for Gilmour, as, if selected, he is set to make his 50th appearance for the national side.
Slovenia Under the Hampden Lights
Scotland will look to round off Sébastien Pocognoli’s first international camp with another positive result when Slovenia visit Hampden on Tuesday night.
The Scots head into the Nations League clash full of confidence after securing a 2-0 victory over North Macedonia in Skopje on Saturday.
Kieron Bowie opened the scoring inside the first ten minutes with a composed turn and finish before captain John McGinn doubled Scotland’s advantage from the penalty spot after the break. Despite being reduced to ten men following Scott McKenna’s late red card, Scotland held on comfortably to claim Pocognoli’s first win since taking charge of the national team.
Now, attention turns to Slovenia, with Scotland aiming to build on that performance and give their new head coach another opportunity to implement his ideas.
The victory in Skopje offered plenty of encouragement, particularly in the attacking areas, where Scotland created a number of opportunities and could arguably have added to their tally.
Pocognoli will be hoping for more of the same against a Slovenia side that will provide yet another test of Scotland’s progress.
With the home advantage behind them, Scotland will be determined to start quickly and put Slovenia under pressure from the outset. The Hampden crowd will also be looking for a performance that matches the energy shown in North Macedonia and realistically wont settle for less than three points.
With the new era drawing to a crescendo at Hampden, there is no better opportunity than this to go out on a high and seal our place as 2nd in the group.
To watch the match preview Tik Tok video follow the link below: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZN8k2acBH/
