Steve Clarke pressured Scotland’s feelgood issue ought to stay absolutely intact regardless of a 3-1 Hampden Park defeat to England.
The probability of a double celebration lay in retailer for the Tartan Army however a chastening night towards their rivals noticed many supporters drift out earlier than full-time, as Norway’s 2-1 win towards Georgia denied them an early qualification for subsequent summer time’s Euro 2024 finals in Germany.
Victory towards Spain in Seville on October 12 could be sufficient to high Group A and even defeat would depart a big probability for Scotland to qualify subsequent month as one thing might want to give when Norway face the Spaniards three days later.
When requested how he would go about ensuring the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary defeat didn’t dent the feelgood issue, Clarke stated: “It hasn’t gone. In the aggressive group we’re in – 5 wins, 15 factors.
“I instructed the lads the camp has been successful. The most essential factor on this camp was to get three factors in Cyprus. We achieved that.
“It would have been good to get a optimistic consequence towards England to make it even higher however the goal of what we got here in to do has been executed.
“Obviously we didn’t need to lose to our Auld Enemy however on the night time England had been higher.
“Sometimes it’s essential take your medication in soccer and we are going to take our drugs and attempt to enhance.
This group have at all times proven they’re fairly good in just a little little bit of adversity
Steve Clarke
“We knew playing against England was going to be difficult, playing Spain away is going to be difficult, playing France away is going to be difficult.
“But if you want to learn as a team you have to play against good opposition so we have to go away and learn the lessons and try to be better.
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“This group have always shown they are pretty good in a little bit of adversity, they have always bounced back in good shape, so hopefully next month they can do that.”
Scotland struggled to make inroads towards the English defence within the first half and had been two down at half-time by means of Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham strikes earlier than producing a extra optimistic begin to the second half.
Harry Maguire’s personal purpose gave the house followers hope halfway by means of the second interval however John McGinn missed a very good probability to equalise and England received again on high earlier than Harry Kane netted.
Clarke stated: “You have to understand how good England are at pressing the ball, they made it very difficult for us first half, we couldn’t get our foot on it or string enough passes to open the game.
“Listen, you have to learn to play against the speed and physicality of the opposition and England have certainly got both speed and physicality as well as a lot of talented players.
“I think we can defend better. We didn’t defend as well as we could do so it’s something to improve.
“The way we shaped the team, the personnel I started with, I had some ideas in my head that I wanted to see how they worked.
“Obviously it didn’t work that well in the first half. I thought it was a little bit better in the second half I thought the changes were good, gave us a bit more impetus, a bit of energy, Ryan Christie came into the pitch really well.
“And just as it looked as though we might get a chance to get something out the game, I was just getting ready to make some positive changes, England got the third and that killed the night.”
