Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli is heading to Skopje determined to secure his first victory in the dugout. Following a scoreless stalemate in Slovenia and a bruising 3-0 home defeat against Switzerland, the Belgian manager will view Saturday's Nations League clash with North Macedonia as the perfect opportunity to bounce back.
The hosts are currently the lowest-ranked team in Group B1, having already suffered consecutive losses to both the Swiss and the Slovenians.
Heading into this international break, the 39-year-old boss promised to give as many squad members as possible a chance to shine. He made three changes prior to the Switzerland game, but his hand will be forced this weekend. Center-half Jack Hendry is serving a suspension after being shown a straight red card in the early stages of Tuesday's defeat.
A Defensive Dilemma
With Hendry unavailable, fans are wondering if Pocognoli might abandon his preferred three-at-the-back formation. That seems highly unlikely. Even though the tactical setup had to be scrapped just 10 minutes into the Swiss match due to the early dismissal, the manager will be eager to give his preferred system a proper test against weaker opposition.
The question remains: who will fill the void in defense?
Swansea City's Stephen Welsh—who started in Slovenia—performed well as an early substitute on Tuesday, while Dinamo Zagreb's Scott McKenna has looked dependable across the full 180 minutes of the campaign so far. Brondby defender Luis Binks was also handed his international debut against Switzerland and didn't look out of place on the big stage.
However, there are other intriguing options on the table. Stoke City's 22-year-old summer signing Luke Graham is still waiting for his senior debut and could be thrust into the spotlight. Alternatively, Brentford's Aaron Hickey could return to the fold. The 24-year-old was rested against the Swiss to carefully manage his injury record, but there is growing momentum among pundits for Hickey to be deployed as a right-sided center-back against the Macedonians.