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Good start... now for the real testDARRYL BROADFOOT at Celtic Park September 04 2006 The Tartan Army are entitled to savour Saturday's six-goal filleting of the Faroes. The fact remains that Scotland's perilous quest for a place in the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland begins in earnest this midweek in Kaunas. This result, one of a series of bloody slayings across the continent, emphasises the folly in allowing international football fodder to clog up an already overpopulated qualification process. Nonetheless, UEFA's class struggle should not detract from what was another unusually swashbuckling performance from Walter Smith's side. Jogvan Martin Olsen, the bedraggled Faroese coach, best summed up the transformation of a team who only just avoided the most embarrassing defeat in their history four years ago in Toftir. "Scotland have changed their style, they are not the old style of 10 years ago, and I think are a very exciting Scotland," he said, rather magnanimously for one who has watched two dozen goals flood past his goalkeeper in two opening games. Scotland are in the throes of a mini-renaissance but cannot be blinded by the reality of their recent pastings of Slovenia, 3-0 away from home, Bulgaria, 5-1 in Japan, and again at Celtic Park on Saturday. World Cup qualification had ebbed away before the death rattle in Celje, the Kirin Cup, while a worthy financial exercise, was ultimately an end-of-season inconvenience to most, while the Faroese are a team who have regressed from sub-mediocrity to downright haplessness. The first genuine test of Scotland's Group B credentials will occur on Wednesday when they take on the Lithuanians, fresh from a memorable draw against Italy in Naples on Saturday night. Their familiarity on these shores is owed to Vladimir Romanov, the Hearts owner intent on allowing FB Kaunas' brightest talent to prosper at Tynecastle to foggy long-term benefit. Failure to return with full points may not prove a fatal blow at an early stage of such a chillingly competitive group, especially in light of their eye-opening start, but it will leave Scotland like an underdog floored in the first round and possessing more courage than craft to carry them the distance. Smith's most obvious dilemma from Saturday's duck shoot is how best to augment the necessarily bullish 4-3-3 formation without risking defensive insecurity or compromising potency. He will spend the next 48 hours subtly reshaping his system and using his breadth of managerial experience to gently demote those who, in light of Saturday's violent spree, can offer a compelling case for continued inclusion. Only against such wholly inept opposition could Smith have enjoyed the rare sight of all four of his assigned strikers returning with their cherished currency, and only in this bountiful era could Scotland boast a striker with more goals than caps - Kris Boyd's double taking his tally to four in three senior appearances. "I pick the team and if I thought I could play in Lithuania with three or four strikers, we would be one of the only countries to do so," he said. "We still have time to change the players and the tactics but we cannot go on like we did today." Kenny Miller, James McFadden, Boyd and Garry O'Connor joined Darren Fletcher in satisfying their bloodlust but with Lithuania providing a more intimidating and tactically complex proposition, Smith has plenty to ponder. There is no chance of Scotland committing more than two attackers away from home, and every likelihood of beginning with one. It is not inconceivable, then, that Boyd will require to make way for the superior counter-attacking skills of Miller; ironically a player vexed by his Old Firm rival's predatory offerings thus far in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague. Smith refused to indulge inquisitive curiosity surrounding Scotland's inevitable metamorphosis but did extol the virtues of Miller, a player he considers the embodiment of the current international revival. "If you ask me for any player that typifies the resurgence, then it's him," he said, after the Celtic player broke his duck at Parkhead this season with a nervy, hesitant penalty that summed up his fragile confidence in front of goal. The harrowing incompetence of the Faroese goalkeeper, Jakup Mikkelsen, was a change of fortune few would begrudge the former Wolves striker. "He is an integral part of what we are trying to achieve, especially in away games, with his work rate and unselfishness. As a manager you cannot ignore that," said Smith. Miller, then, appears a guaranteed starter and with such prominence as the likely figurehead of Smith's preferred away formation, 4-1-4-1, comes pressure to recapture the form that not only signalled his arrival as a bona fide international striker but doubtless convinced Gordon Strachan of his ability to cross the Old Firm divide via Wolverhampton. At times this season, Miller has looked more Lenny Henry than Thierry Henry in front of goal for his new club. Nevertheless, the industrious streak commended by Strachan was pivotal to Scotland's first-half pillaging. Deployed on the left side of a three-pronged attack, he not only created the opener with a trademark slip into turbo gear but inadvertently claimed an assist for the second when his slack play at the edge of the penalty was pounced on by McFadden. While Boyd may have stolen his thunder for the first, and least convincing, penalty award, player power decreed he end his barren spell at his new home from 12 yards. As Smith acknowledged yesterday, the Lithuanian danger is well-kent. Injury is likely to prevent Edgaras Jankauskas from featuring in direct confrontation with his club captain, Steven Pressley, but given his unimpressive form thus far for Valdas Ivanuaskas's team, the growing reputation of Tomas Danilevicius will add unnecessary complication. Saulius Mikoliunas and Deividas Cesnauskas offer width in its most enigmatic form, while Marius Zaliukas, one of a handful of Lithuanian imports to Tynecastle this transfer window, has offered fleeting glances of his midfield craft. Pressley and Paul Hartley will be required to overcome their club mates but on Saturday's evidence, help will be in plentiful supply. Fletcher's eye-catching start to the season at Manchester United continued with an accomplished display of understated midfield mastery against the Faroese. His balance, ball retention and passing range gave his opposing midfielders the look of ridiculously inferior sparring partners. For once, Scotland begin a European Championship campaign with confidence coursing through the veins and, with the exception of Barry Ferguson's ongoing absence, no significant injury concerns. In reality, Scotland need to take maximum points into the seminal October double header at home to France and away to Ukraine, and hope to emerge with at least another three from two daunting fixtures. Smith has a more immediate aim against one of the group's dark horses. Lithuania have made their opening statement of intent in Italy. Scotland, at least, could hardly be in better fettle.  Taken from the Herald |
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