Space for Gannon-Doak? Does McGinn keep place? Key questions for Pocognoli

ByAmy Canavan

BBC Sport Scotland

Nacionalna Arena Toše Proeski, Skopje

Saturday, 3 October, 19:45 BST

Two games, 1 point, nary goals. And a location debut hampered by an aboriginal reddish card.

New Scotland caput manager Sebastien Pocognoli mightiness person hoped to cognize much astir his broadside by now. But small was learned astatine Hampden connected Tuesday arsenic his 10-man squad were outclassed by Switzerland.

That makes Saturday’s lucifer successful North Macedonia - unrecorded connected the BBC - adjacent much important. A archetypal triumph nether the Belgian is needed.

How mightiness Scotland execute that? And what are the cardinal questions facing the caput coach?

Goalkeeper Angus Gunn admitted he'd "probably beryllium disappointed" erstwhile helium looked backmost astatine the goals helium conceded against the Swiss.

The 30-year-old was Steve Clarke's fig 1 astatine the World Cup and, since then, has remained successful the United States with San Jose Earthquakes.

But a acold from palmy commencement astatine his caller nine - wherever helium has conceded 23 goals successful 11 games - has continued into planetary duty.

Ricardo Rodriguez's opener was, successful pundit Andy Halliday's view, "shoulder tallness [with] not a batch of pace". Gunn's nonaccomplishment to support it retired was "so poor", helium said.

While determination was small that could beryllium done for the Swiss' deserved second, the goalkeeper didn't screen himself successful glory for the 3rd goal, with Zeki Amdouni's decorativeness going done him.

Gunn's acold from convincing show sparked a speech astir whether helium should commencement connected Saturday.

In truth, helium astir apt volition owed to the deficiency of amended options.

Scott Bain is successful the Scottish Premiership with Falkirk, portion Jon McCracken is with Bradford successful England's League One. Liam Kelly is yet to beryllium anyplace different than the seat for Rangers this term.

But Pocognoli has not shied distant from large calls truthful acold - his archetypal bold squad and his offering of 3 debuts successful 2 games basal out. It wouldn't beryllium retired of the question for him to shingle things up successful Skopje.

"They were bully strikes, but arsenic a goalkeeper, I'm ever disappointed erstwhile I concede a goal," Gunn acknowledged aft facing the Swiss. "I'll look backmost and spot what I could person done amended and get amended for the adjacent game."

Who knows erstwhile that adjacent crippled volition be...

While determination is simply a small uncertainty successful goal, Pocognoli whitethorn person been fixed a spot of clarity astir the make-up of his defence successful his archetypal 2 games.

Substitute Stephen Welsh was a victor connected a grim nighttime against the Swiss.

The Swansea City defender settled nicely into his debut successful Slovenia connected Saturday connected the near broadside of the backmost three, and mightiness person felt aggrieved to driblet to the seat connected Tuesday arsenic the caput manager handed a debut to Luis Binks.

But Jack Hendry's reddish paper necessitated a reshuffle and Welsh was restored to the squad successful a much acquainted presumption connected the close and performed admirably again.

Not lone is the erstwhile Celtic and Motherwell defender vocal and versatile, helium is besides comfy carrying the shot - a cardinal plus successful Pocognoli's style.

His unexpected location debut ought to assistance him backmost into the starting line-up connected Saturday, particularly with Hendry suspended.

While the 2nd fractional successful Slovenia showed Pocognoli's strategy tin beryllium exciting, it remains unclear if it champion suits this Scotland squad?

Two games successful and winger Ben Gannon-Doak has yet to start. His interaction arsenic a substitute successful some has been notable, starring Halliday to accidental he'd beryllium "shocked" if the Bournemouth subordinate didn't commencement against Group B1's bottommost side.

However, successful the Belgian's 3-4-1-2 set-up, determination is nary evident spot for him. Wing-back would look the astir likely, but the 20-year-old's antiaircraft instincts are not the aforesaid arsenic those of Aaron Hickey oregon Nathan Patterson.

Perhaps Pocognoli needs to beryllium much flexible - thing helium said helium is but has yet to amusement successful his shape. But if helium wants to instrumentality to his preference, is this the crippled to effort Gannon-Doak astatine wing-back?

Gannon-Doak offers an attacking menace similar fewer others bash successful a Scotland shirt. He could bash with a manus from immoderate pals. John McGinn, anyone?

The Aston Villa skipper won a bounty of fouls against the Swiss, and though helium was much-improved similar the remainder successful the 2nd fractional astatine the Stozice Arena, he's inactive not reaching the levels helium does astatine his Premier League club.

Pocognoli needs much from the Tartan Army talisman arsenic helium hurtles towards a period of caps - he's connected 91.

The vice-captain is different whose sanction has been mentioned successful the 'does this strategy suit Scotland' conversation.

It's been a portion since McGinn delivered 1 of those large performances for his country, but his quality to make a infinitesimal of magic and thrust a squad guardant makes him hard to drop.

Another large telephone for Pocognoli to ponder...

What should beryllium a small much straightforward is giving Kieron Bowie different start.

The Sassuolo striker was sacrificed conscionable implicit 10 minutes into his archetypal Scotland commencement to marque abstraction for Welsh successful defence.

His concern with Oli McBurnie showed promising signs successful the 20 minutes oregon truthful they were unneurotic successful Slovenia, but determination was small clip to physique connected that cameo against the Swiss. Surely helium and the Hull City striker volition get different chance?

If determination were immoderate concerns McBurnie wasn't up for the combat - 5 years connected from his past planetary engagement - they person been quashed successful these past 2 games.

His work-rate arsenic a mostly solo striker - hauling his squad up and holding the shot successful - was commendable. If lone Bowie was inactive connected the tract for the flurry of flick-ons helium won successful the archetypal half.

Pocognoli has inherited 1 of the overriding problems Clarke wrestled with during his spell - scoring goals. That’s 4 games present without one, and the Scots are conscionable 25 minutes distant from mounting a caller - unwanted - grounds for failing to score.

In 1970-71, they went 447 minutes without uncovering the backmost of the nett - it’s been 422 minutes of shot since McGinn’s deflected onslaught against Haiti successful Boston.

If there’s ever a time, boys…