Lack of quality or wrong approach

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‘Hungary have done their homework’ – Analysis

Nick McPheat

BBC Sport Scotland

“The reality for Scotland is a lack of quality has cost them, particularly in forward positions.”

In the immediate aftermath of a gut-wrenching Euros exit, Scottish viewers could have perhaps done without an Englishman telling them where their painful late defeat to Hungary went wrong.

But when someone with 313 career goals, in this case Alan Shearer, is delivering that kind of analysis, you can take note through gritted teeth.

In a must-win game, the nation’s biggest in a generation, Scotland’s first shot on target came in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time – from centre-back Grant Hanley. He might even have been offside.

That effort was just one of four shots on target Steve Clarke’s side mustered up over three Euro 2024 games before being dumped out with a whimper.

A controversial penalty decision may overshadow an underwhelming approach in a match of such magnitude, but the attacking numbers are damning for the Scots – and they don’t stop there.

‘We’ve no top-level difference-maker’

Across the three matches, Scotland had just 17 shots.

Since the Euros group stage was introduced in 1980, that’s the joint fewest by a nation – matching Northern Ireland’s total in 2016.

Their combined expected goals (xG) across the finals was 0.91. Miserable, miserable stuff.

Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, pinpointed the Scots’ injury woes and a limited pool of attacking players.

“I don’t think it was for a lack of effort,” he added on BBC One.

Those points were echoed by former West Ham manager David Moyes, watching alongside Shearer and Scotland captain Rachel Corsie in the studio in Berlin.

But that will struggle to stick with a deflated Tartan Army who watched their side score 17 goals across eight qualifiers to reach Germany.

“We were thrilled when we qualified,” Moyes said. “Steve [Clarke] did a good job getting us here and he took us to the last couple of minutes [against Hungary].

“There’s no shame in it. But we don’t have top, top players to make a difference.”

‘Timing of changes beyond belief’

“But they made the difference during qualifying”, would be the likely response to that Moyes point.

So is there more to it than just not having a top-level forward to pick from?

Clarke’s side entered the tournament off the back of a grim run – one win in nine.

But aside from the March friendlies – a 4-0 defeat by the Netherlands and a 1-0 loss to Northern Ireland – goals were not too much of an issue.

The Euros opener against Germany can probably be written off. It’s safe to assume that even a Kylian Mbappe with a Scottish granny would have made little difference.

But there were valid questions about a lack of urgency and intent in that Munich mauling.

The Scotland camp tried to bat away those concerns with suggestions the players were perhaps playing in fear.

A much-improved display in terms of effort and energy against Switzerland then provided hope the collapse against Germany was a blip.

A ponderous and pedestrian approach returned against Hungary, though, especially in a first half where Scotland seemed to be taking their time over restarts against a stubborn opposition who were benefitting from breaks in play.

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Highlights: Scotland knocked out as Csoboth scores late Hungary winner

There have only been two instances at Euro 2024 of a team failing to have a shot in the first half of a match. Both have been Scotland.

Centre-backs Grant Hanley and Scott McKenna had the most touches for Clarke’s side, while starting striker Che Adams had just one touch in the opposition box.

Across the tournament, the 27-year-old striker, who started all three games, managed just six in total.

Clarke’s side are at their best when they bring chaos to the occasion, but there was too much caution in Sunday’s must-win showdown, which made it difficult to flick the switch.

Even then, the changes required were perhaps too late.

“I just wish we had gone at it,” former Scotland midfielder Leanne Crichton said on Sportsound.

“Looking at the players who came on and could make a difference, to wait until 75 minutes in a game of this magnitude to freshen things up is beyond belief.”

‘No regrets’ was the theme in the build-up to these finals from the Scotland camp. You can be sure they will be leaving Germany with plenty of them.

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