Andy Robertson's historic Scotland moment may catch eye - but there's pressing matter at hand in Skopje

However, its capital city Skopje and the Toše Proeski Arena is likely to remain etched in his memory, the place where he is set to earn his 100th cap for Scotland.

Robertson was taken off in the 74th minute of Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat against Switzerland, which hinted that he was being kept fresh for this match, Scotland’s next Nations League Group B assignment. It is of huge significance for Robertson and could also be for the national team’s head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, who remains in the hunt for his first victory since taking over the position in the summer.

Robertson remains one of the mainstays for this new-look Scotland set-up despite being an intrinsic part of the Steve Clarke era. The 32-year-old is always available for Scotland, and is synonymous with the country’s progression into serial qualifiers for tournaments. He may not remain quite at the level which saw him land nine major honours with Liverpool, including the Premier League and the Champions League, but his value to Scotland remains high.

The former Dundee United and Queen’s Park man won his first cap under Gordon Strachan on March 5, 2014, appearing as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Poland in Warsaw. “Andy came on there and the first time he picked it up he drove about 30 yards,” Strachan said afterwards. “I thought 'that's fantastic'. Absolutely no grey area, I'm going to do what I do. I loved seeing that first touch."

Those traits have become a hallmark of Robertson’s game - and more. He was appointed the Scotland captain in 2018 by Alex McLeish. It is a testament to his worth that every Scotland manager has stuck by him, just as Robertson has dedicated himself to the cause.

Robertson isn’t just a high-calibre left-back. He is a leader. He has made sure that fellow Scotland A-listers such as Scott McTominay, John McGinn and Billy Gilmour have turned up time and time again for Scotland. The camp has been harmonious for years and Robertson has played an integral part in that.

Should Robertson, now at Tottenham Hotspur, play against North Macedonia and then Scotland’s remaining three Nations League matches, by November he will be the outright caps holder with 103, usurping the great Sir Kenny Dalglish.

No doubt Robertson, the epitome of a team player, will be focusing on the wider task at hand. Scotland need a victory in Skopje to ignite Pocognoli’s reign and keep their Nations League promotion hopes in tact. The Belgian’s appointment was greeted with fanfare and intrigue, and while the team were dominant away to Slovenia in a 0-0 draw, they were torpedoed ten minutes into Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat by Switzerland when Jack Hendry was red-carded for denying Dan Ndoye an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Scotland, give us a goal

Not only is Pocognoli seeking his first win, he is also seeking his first goal. It should have arrived in Slovenia, with a combination of poor finishing and excellent goalkeeping from Jan Oblak keeping them out. Against the Swiss, they did not threaten at all - understandable given the numerical handicap against a World Cup quarter-finalist.

This assignment is far more presentable for Scotland. North Macedonia are ranked 69th in the world and are in decline, with their head coach Goce Sedloski facing calls for his head. They lost 3-0 at home to the Swiss, then 2-0 away to the Slovenians, and were recently walloped 7-1 by Wales. Their striking hopes are largely pinned on Rangers’ third-choice No 9 in Bojan Miovski.

While Scotland have demonstrated that they are more attack-minded and aggressive than they were under Clarke, they are also more open. Hendry’s dismissal was borne out of Scotland playing a very high line. Pocognoli does not plan to change his mindset, no matter the opponent. Scotland are likely to go with a back three again, most probably in a 3-4-1-2 formation. The message is simple: Scotland, give us a goal, please.

Oli McBurnie has won plaudits for his displays - but he remains on zero strikes after 18 caps. The onus falls on the Hull City man to break his duck and prove that he is the man Scotland can rely on for goals. Kieron Bowie deserves to be paired alongside him, especially given he was the unfortunate player to be sacrificed for another defender after Hendry’s aberration. The 23-year-old will be keen to grasp his chance against a North Macedonian side that has been charitable at the back of late.

Firing another blank would put a degree of pressure on Pocognoli, even in the infancy of his spell as boss. Clarke made a good habit of winning this type of match, even if the methodology was slightly more pragmatic.

It is why the Belgian will be praying for someone to step up and break the duck. Perhaps the captain is the man to do it. Okay, Robertson has only scored four goals in his 99 appearances for Scotland, but he did net the first strike of Clarke’s successful seven years in charge back in 2019 with a raker against Cyprus. Another moment like that would be oh so fitting.

Scotland have been to Skopje twice before, winning 2-1 in 2013 with goals from Ikechi Anya and Shaun Maloney. A 1-0 defeat in 2009, in the searing heat, is not so fondly remembered. Another stat to point out that prior to losing to Switzerland, North Macedonia had not lost at home for three years.

The good news is that the eastern European nation appears to be regressing. Scotland must take this opportunity to show that under Pocognoli, they are progressing.

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