Kieran Tierney should start for Scotland against Brazil, but Steve Clarke has to use him in a role that suits him.
The Celtic defender was pushed into a left-wing position Morocco, with Clarke clearly looking for extra protection against Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz. On paper, the thinking was easy enough to understand. In practice, it did not work.
Scotland lost an early goal after just 70 seconds, and the plan never really recovered from there. Tierney is a top player, but he is not a left winger. If Scotland are going to use him against Brazil, it should be as the left centre-back in a back five, where he has played some of his best football for club and country.
Tony Watt made that point strongly on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard.
He said: “I totally understand why he did it, but I don’t agree with it. I like Tierney, I think Tierney is a top player for Celtic and Scotland.
“But it wasn’t the game to play him. He’s not a left winger for a start.”
That is the key line. Tierney can run, press and cover ground, but his best work comes when he can defend aggressively, step out with the ball and support attacks from deeper areas. Playing him high on the left takes away too much of what makes him effective.
Watt also explained why Clarke may have made the call.
He said: “Okay, if you break it down, Morocco’s two best players on paper, two biggest stars are Brahim Diaz and Hakimi, who are both on the right hand side.
“So you think, okay, we’ll put Robertson and Tierney on them. But see after 70 seconds, if they score a goal for that side, Brahim Diaz comes inside, plays the ball over the top, uses that left channel. Steve Clarke needs to put his hand up and say, I got it wrong, because he did.”
Brazil will bring a different level of threat, so Clarke still needs protection down the sides. But caution cannot mean forcing players into roles that blunt them.
A back five gives Scotland the best balance. Andy Robertson can play wing-back, Tierney can play left centre-back, and Scotland can still get both of them into the team without asking either to do a job that feels unnatural.
Watt added: “That was him getting it wrong, because he played defensively to stop the right hand side. And it’s not saying Steve Clarke is not a good manager, he’s a top manager, but he errs on the side of caution like we spoke about.
“And I just feel like, why not go for it?”
That should be the message for Brazil. Tierney should play, but Scotland need to use him properly. If Clarke wants his best players on the pitch, he has to put them in positions where they can actually influence the game.
