Scotland were much improved overall in their opening two games under Steve Clarke. There were a couple of weaknesses exposed though. It should open the door for a Liam Lindsay Scotland call-up.
The Cyprus game was a tough watch, however, Clarke’s side prevailed 2-1. Whilst a 3-0 beating eventually came Scotland’s way, there plenty more positives from the performance against Belgium.
There are seemingly two problem positions for Clarke, centre-back and striker.
He could fix the centre-back conundrum with Liam Lindsay.
Lindsay would be an inexperienced improvement
Scott McKenna and Charlie Mulgrew have been the pairing Clarke has opted for so far. For me, Lindsay should replace Mulgrew at the heart of the Scotland defence.
McKenna has plenty of potential and two average games don’t make him a bad player. Mulgrew, however, is getting on a bit. He’s lost a yard of pace and isn’t quite as strong in the tackle anymore.
Putting Lindsay alongside McKenna would be a risky one, considering the lack of experience between the two. It’s a gamble Clarke should take though, as it could pay dividends for him.
The ex-Partick Thistle man can do a bit of everything. He’s comfortable with his feet and is very good in the air. He isn’t the slowest either. When you watch Lindsay, you feel like you’re watching an experienced veteran, when he’s actually only 23.
Scotland’s next two fixtures see home matches against Belgium and Russia. Having Lindsay in the side would be an inexperienced improvement on Mulgrew.
Lindsay and McKenna could form a decent partnership in the heart of the Scotland defence. There’s only one way to find out if that can become a fruitful partnership and that’s by starting them together during Scotland’s return to action.