Sebastien Pocognoli faces a major test early in his tenure as he prepares on Tuesday to name his second Scotland squad after back-to-back home Nations League defeats. The Belgian goes into the final two matches of League B1 knowing that his side must take at least four points at home to bottom-placed North Macedonia and away to the table-topping Swiss to have a chance of even finishing second. Even then, they also need Slovenia to slip up against both those sides if the Scots are to make the promotion play-offs.
Lose the first game at Hampden and the nightmare scenario of finishing bottom - and suffering relegation to League C - is also still a possibility. So who are the men vying for a place in Pocognoli's rescue squad shaping up? Falkirk brick wall Bain boosts Scotland chances Why Scottish football is struggling to produce young talent 'Dundee Utd want permanent Cameron signing' - gossip Scott McTominay was the major miss from the former Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco head coach's first selection and will surely be the first name on his list this time.
The 29-year-old midfielder immediately scored two doubles for Napoli following his comeback from minor heart surgery. Billy Gilmour has been less fortunate, having been left unused on the bench while his countryman made his hero's return before coming on as a substitute in their win over Monza and weekend defeat by Juventus. However, he has become an automatic choice under Pocognoli along with Lewis Ferguson, who is also a mainstay of a Bologna side that has won three successive games in Serie A, while Ryan Christie has started four of Bournemouth's impressive six straight victories without conceding.
Aston Villa's one defeat in nine came against Bournemouth when John McGinn came off the bench instead of starting. So who might be in danger of missing out in midfield? A surprise addition to the last squad, uncapped Kristi Montgomery remains a regular starter with Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Lennon Miller made a rare start on Saturday but could not prevent a 5-2 home defeat by Roma that leaves Udinese without a win in eight. However, Kenny McLean has only played 45 minutes as a substitute for Norwich City since pulling out of the last Scotland squad through injury and the 34-year-old missed Saturday's win over Watford and is a doubt to face Derby County on Tuesday. One likely absentee is Scott McKenna, who has missed Dinamo Zagreb's past two games and has been ruled out for the next two weeks by the Croatian champions.
Fellow centre-back Luis Binks played 64 minutes of Brondby's win over Aarhus after missing their previous two games. However, Al-Ettifaq's Jack Hendry, Swansea City's Stephen Welsh and Stoke City's Luke Graham are all regular starters, with the latter helping his Championship side to three unbeaten games without conceding as he pushes for a first Scotland start. Kieran Tierney dropped out the last squad through injury but is back playing regularly with Celtic, albeit in a defence looking increasingly vulnerable.
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