Predicted Scotland XI to face Greece: How Steve Clarke could solve Kieran Tierney selection dilemma
With several new and returning players, as well as injury absences to contend with, Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has a selection dilemma on his hands for the Nations League play-off first leg against Greece.
It is four months since Clarke last selected a Scotland XI, and he will be forced into making at least two changes from the last-gasp 2-1 victory away to Poland in November which earned his team the chance to retain their Nations League A status providing they overcome the Greeks over two legs.
Ben Doak and Lyndon Dykes have both been ruled out by injury, but replacing the attacking duo is not the only conundrum facing Clarke. He also has Kieran Tierney back available for the first time since Euro 2024 – arguably one of the first names on the teamsheet when fit – while Lewis Ferguson is another who has returned from a long injury lay-off.
The Bologna captain ruptured his cruciate ligament ligament in April last year but is now back strutting his stuff in Serie A having starred in a 5-0 win over Lazio at the weekend. Figuring out where the former Aberdeen man fits into his Scotland midfield is a quandary Clarke has yet to resolve. Even Ryan Christie – a standout in the Premier League with Bournemouth – was left on the bench in Warsaw last time out, with John McGinn benched for earlier 1-0 win over Croatia
Tierney, meanwhile, has found minutes harder to come by at Arsenal. With a pre-contract agreement in place that will see him return to Celtic in the summer, the left-back is down the pecking order at the Emirates.
He was, however, handed a rare start in the Champions League last week, with Mikel Arteta perhaps giving Clarke food for thought by deploying Tierney on the left wing in the last 16 clash against PSV Eindhoven.
Leave a Reply