8 Oct 2019
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Russia are on a bit of a roll having won five games on the trot, including a victory over this match’s visitors at Hampden Park last month, a 4-0 success away at Scotland’s vanquishers Kazakhstan, while San Marino were put to the sword 9-0 in Saransk.
Those teams might not be world beaters, but you can only defeat what’s in front of you and Stanislav Cherchesov’s men have earned the right to be considered heavy favourites.
Indeed, Russia are a hugely impressive W7-D3-L1 on home turf since the start of the last World Cup, with the defeat coming against Uruguay and one of the stalemates with Spain.
Many had expected them to tail off with a number of veterans retiring from international duty after that tournament, but their recent streak of results demonstrates that they’ve found solutions, despite a relatively inexperienced squad with only 36-year-old Yuri Zhirkov possessing at least 40 caps.
Although Steve Clarke was a popular appointment following a highly impressive spell with Kilmarnock, his reign has yet to ignite and they’ve lost three of four games under him so far, as the sole success come at home to Cyprus courtesy of a late goal.
Two of their defeats may have come against group giants Belgium, though the manner of those 3-0 and 4-0 losses will have been dispiriting to the new man in the dugout.
Going back further, Scotland have now lost 11 of their last 17 matches, with the exceptions coming over weaker outfits Hungary, Albania (twice), Israel, San Marino and Cyprus.
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Lack Of Experience An Issue For Scotland
Experience can be vital on the international stage and Scotland risk being undone in that department. Indeed, five of the eight defenders selected have just a combined total of two caps between them, while Stephen O’Donnell only has 11 to his name, and it’s not as though captain Andrew Robertson has been able to replicate club form on the international stage.
That’s hardly surprising given the lack of movement in Scotland’s side compared to having someone like Sadio Mane directly in front of you, while having the calming presence of Virgil van Dijk next door is always going to raise your game.
Over 2.5 Goals
Withdrawals have hampered Scotland’s situation, in particular at the back where Grant Hanley and Kieran Tierney have had to pull out. That doesn’t offer great encouragement of their prospects defensively, especially as nine of Scotland’s 10 matches over the past 12 months have seen at least three goals.
The exception came as they could only beat San Marino 2-0, while they conceded at least twice in seven of those games. Each of Scotland’s last seven defeats have seen at least three goals, with five of them by a margin of at least two goals, so we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Russia cover the handicap.
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