GRAEME SOUNESS has urged Steve Clarke not to try and “out-football” either Switzerland or Hungary – or risk being knocked out of Euro 2024.
The Rangers and Scotland legend believes Scotland must find another way of trying to break down both solid defences tonight and on Sunday.
3
The Tartan Army face Murat Yakin’s Swiss side in Cologne this evening and Scotland gaffer Clarke knows all-too-well what’s at stake.
It’s a must-not-lose game for the Scots following their humiliating 5-1 defeat to Germany on Friday night.
And Souness reckons he has the perfect game plan for Clarke’s heroes which would give them the best chance of avoiding defeat against the Swiss.
Speaking on Three Up Front, William Hill’s podcast with Simon Jordan and Troy Deeney, Souness said: “Scotland have to make a game of it against Switzerland. The Swiss are no mugs, they look like a good outfit.
read more football stories
“Scotland need to have a go, be aggressive and give the fans something to shout about.
“Scotland’s game plan has to be counter-attacking and getting goals from set-pieces. They were never going to out-football Germany, nor will they do that to Switzerland or Hungary. That’s not to say that they can’t win football matches.
“They need to defend properly with full concentration, then nick a goal on the break or from a set-piece. They’re not going to have the majority of possession in either of their next two games.”
Julian Nagelsmann‘s Germans ran rampant in Munich, with Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can all netting for the hosts.
Scotland struggled to even get out of their own half and only managed to get one shot away – and had to rely on Antonio Rudiger‘s own goal to pull one back.
It was a star-studded German lineup from back to front.
And Souness insists the clear gulf in class was clear to see for all the millions tuning in from across the globe.
He continued: “There was nothing about Scotland’s performance that was worthy of any note – they didn’t turn up.
“As a player, you go into the game thinking that you can’t do anything daft in the early part, you need to weather the storm and not concede early.
“After 10 minutes they were 1-0 down and, although it was a tough ask to play the hosts in the opening game, never at any time during the 90 minutes did they have anything to shout about. It was a miserable evening.
Go Ballistic – SunSport’s new podcast
SUNSPORT is going Ballistic with the launch of our brilliant new podcast.
Every day of the Euros host Roger Hannah will bring you all the latest news and views from the Scotland camp in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
He will be joined by our men in Germany – Bill Leckie, Robert Grieve and Derek McGregor.
And there will also be special guest appearances from our Euro 2024 columnist Gordon Strachan, regular columnist Kris Boyd and bookie basher Jim Delahunt.
You can watch every episode on our website or our brand new YouTube channel.
What are you waiting for, it’s time to Go Ballistic!
“The red card epitomised what went wrong. Ryan Porteous lunged into İlkay Gündoğan in the box, right on half-time.
“That was a Watford player almost breaking the leg of a Barcelona player, the gap between Watford and Barcelona sums up the difference between the class of the two teams.
“It all starts with winning your own battle. Not a single Scotland player could have come off that pitch and say they won their individual battle. None of them.”
3
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page