The Scots have mustered just two attempts on target in two World Cup games, and one of those was deflected
Oli McBurnie was overlooked for the World Cup by Steve Clarke (Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Oli McBurnie has been sunning himself in the Dominican Republic over the past few days, having been treated to a week away by Acun Ilicali for spearheading Hull City‘s surge to the Premier League.
McBurnie has been out on Ilicali’s speed boat, as well as featuring in the latest episode of Turkish television’s hit show Survivor, and no doubt, has been enjoying himself whilst enjoying a welcome rest.
Make no mistake about it, though, McBurnie will have watched Scotland’s two games so far in the World Cup with huge disappointment and frustration, and probably, a degree of sadness and regret.
Fears about the lack of firepower in attack coming into the tournament haven’t gone away for the Scots, and if anything, have only been exacerbated by their two performances so far.
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Steve Clarke’s stubbornness was apparent again on Friday night in Boston when his side looked breathtakingly toothless against Morocco, having fallen a goal behind inside two minutes.
Never did the Tartan Army look like getting back in the game, not even having a single shot on target. Against Haiti, yes, they won thanks to a scrappy, deflected John McGinn effort – one of just two efforts on target against a side ranked 85th in the world; however, it was anything but convincing.
Chasing the game in Foxborough, Clarke chose to send on Lyndon Dykes ahead of Lawrence Shankland. Dykes scored five times in 43 games last season. While prolific at the club level in Scotland, Shankland has struggled to make the step up at the international level. Che Adams seems to be Clarke’s favoured frontman. Nobody looked capable.
It just all seems strange and unnecessary.
McBurnie may not have seen eye-to-eye with Clarke earlier in his career, and the player himself admits he’s made mistakes previously and is better for it, having grown up.
But when you’ve got a prolific striker, coming off the back of scoring 19 goals to fire City into the Premier League, watching the World Cup from a beach in the Dominican Republic, it just seems rather sad, and a missed opportunity for Scotland to actually carry a threat, any threat. Sticking with what you know is and well and good, if they’re capable of actually producing something.
Hopefully, Clarke’s men can get a result against Brazil and get through. Their fans in the USA have been incredible, and the World Cup deserves to hear more Flower of Scotland, but it’s hard to escape the fact that the manager has bitten off his nose to spite his face, and to the detriment of Scotland’s tournament, one they’ve waited since 1998 for.
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