A draw might not be the most inspiring result for a new era, but there were still plenty of positives for Sebastien Pocognoli to take from his first game in charge of Scotland.
On the surface, 0-0 against Slovenia is hardly entertaining. However, on another day, Scotland might have won by four or lost by a couple; such was the nature of the contest.
In the first half they looked vulnerable, but the second half dominant. So what exactly did Pocognoli do to turn things around and what still needs to keep his attention?
High pressure creates chances but leaves the Scots exposed
Despite his record of qualifying for more major tournaments than any other manager, one criticism Steve Clarke repeatedly received during his tenure was that Scotland were too deep.
Before the match, Pocognoli emphasized that his ideology was the opposite. “I try to be a little higher up the field,” he said.
“On the ball we have to have patterns, which is the hardest part. But off the ball, we have to be solid. That doesn’t mean we give up; we have to be higher.”
What it created early on was a lot more exposure to Angus Gunn’s goal. In the first 30 minutes, Slovenia was denied a goal and missed many other chances. All it would take was one ball over the top of Scotland’s back line and they were in.
Andraz Sporar had the ball in the net for Slovenia before being sent off for offside
Andy Robertson and Stephen Welsh were caught a couple of times in particular and it was poor finishing from the hosts that prevented them from going ahead in that period.
However, when Scotland finally got to grips with the game, the benefits of the high press came to the fore. Created a glorious chance which Oli McBurnie squandered and helped maintain a chaotic pace that suited Pocognoli’s men and kept Slovenia well ahead.
It needs fine-tuning, but with the likes of John McGinn and Scott McTominay back, there is plenty of energy and quality to make the most of this change in approach.
A 3-5-2 with a different look
Pocognoli’s formation was similar to what we’ve seen from Scotland before. A 3-5-2. However, it was not a defensive organization.
Aaron Hickey and Andy Robertson had much more license to get forward and the former picked out some lovely areas when getting into tighter positions. The full-backs’ main priority was attack, something that rarely happened under Clarke. This was further highlighted when Ben Gannon-Doak came on to replace Hickey in the closing stages in search of a breakthrough.
The right and left center backs were also a bit more adventurous. On several occasions, Jack Hendry was allowed to roam almost into the Slovenia penalty area to add to his tally.
Scotland defenders Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna
It was also intriguing to see Stephen Welsh operate on the left of the back three. With left-footed center Scott McKenna, it would seem to make more sense to switch the two. However, the passage of Wales was key to the attempt to openly divide Slovenia. This was most evident when he managed to slide in substitute Kieron Bowie, who was thwarted by Jan Oblak.
There was much more emphasis on Billy Gilmour to pull the strings in midfield and use his technical ability to open up Slovenia as Scotland regained possession in more dangerous areas. And when the game was extended, John McGinn was the driving force to get the midfield up the pitch.
New opportunities for a new attack
The first two had reason to prove themselves. In Robbie Ure you had a debutant looking to make his mark and in McBurnie you had a man looking for redemption after five years out of the reckoning.
Oli McBurnie made his first Scotland appearance since 2021
Neither scored, but both could have scored. Ure hit the post, while McBurnie made a glorious one-on-one mess and saw a powerful header kept out at distance by Jan Oblak.
The way Scotland pressed, you could see someone like Lyndon Dykes, who wasn’t in the squad, having a positive impact. But Pocognoli is ushering in a new era with new players. And his first two certainly popped questions and had some moments of sweet interaction.
McBurnie in particular is a good play and run midfielder option. At one point when Scotland won the ball upfield, the Hull City man became a wall for Gilmour, creating a good opening. This is where he excelled and could continue to be a concern in Pocognoli’s quest for major breakthroughs.
Billy Gimour was denied by a good save from Jan Oblak
What the players did with Pocognoli’s changes
Scotland striker Oli McBurnie speaking to BBC Sport:
“We took a bit of getting used to in the first half, with the new formation. I thought once we did, we looked really good. We created enough chances to kill the game. We’re really disappointed not to get the three points.
“I was asked to play in a different position and I really liked it. I like the manager’s ideas; we’ve had some good talks about it already. I fit in there, but I won’t be able to sleep tonight with those chances. It’s difficult, but I’d rather get into those positions than not take chances.
“We had them hooked for a big part of the game. We put them under waves of pressure. The only thing missing was a goal or two.”
Scotland striker Stephen Welsh speaking to BBC Sport:
“We struggled to get into the game in the first half. Obviously it’s a new style, some fresh faces and a new way of playing. In the second half, we completely dominated the game. At this level, you have to take your chances. But it’s something we can improve on. There will definitely be positives to come from the game.
“The manager told us in the first half to be a bit sharper on the counter-press. We changed shape in the first half to have more control in midfield and I thought it worked really well for us.
“I’ve been playing on the left for the last two years now. I’m very comfortable doing that. As long as you’re in the starting line-up, that’s the important thing.”
Scottish Nations League fixtures
- September 29 – Switzerland (H) 19.45
- October 3 – North Macedonia (A) 19:45
- October 6 – Slovenia (H) 19.45
- November 13 – North Macedonia (H) 19:45
- November 16 – Switzerland (A) 19.45
