I watched Scotland struggle with Japan but noted 3 good performances, Celtic boo-boys and salmon pink debate
The takeaways from Scotland’s friendly defeat by Japan
Japan's first outing in Scotland won't live long in the memory as an act of entertainment. There were large chunks of this match at Hampden - especially in the first half - that would support the argument that friendlies should be played behind closed doors.
After all, the purpose of these World Cup warm-up matches are for head coaches to cast beady eyes over who should make the 26-man squad and, perhaps more importantly, be in the starting XI when the real action takes place.
Hampden was kept quiet for much of this encounter. Partly because that's the default setting for a match of little consequence, and also because Scotland did not offer much in an attacking sense. This was the antidote to the hedonism of November against Denmark, the last time the national team was in town to secure their place at the World Cup.
Topics of debate during the most soporific moments of Japan's 1-0 victory were whether Kenny McLean should shoot every time he received the ball, whether to boo Celtic's Daizen Maeda when in possession or what colour the new Scotland away kit actually is. Officially scarlet red, the general consensus is more salmon pink.
Scotland fans should stick with la vie en rose. Yes, this was not a great performance - but the national team is notoriously poor under manager Steve Clarke in matches when the stakes are low. This squad got us to the finals.
Clarke will have taken learnings from the run-out against a technically proficient Japan side who pop the ball about in midfield in an enviable fashion. Scotland suffered at times, unable to keep up with the quick passing of a team that could do some damage at the World Cup.
It was therefore not the right environment to truly judge attacking players given a rare start, such as Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway or Charlton's Lyndon Dykes. Service was in short supply. Findlay Curtis won his first cap when the teenager appeared as a late substitute. It has been quite the rise for Rangers kid who is on loan at Kilmarnock. As Scotland are not blessed with wide options, he has a live chance of being on the plane to America.
There are places up for grabs at the back as well. Grant Hanley and John Souttar have been a largely dependable central defensive duo for Clarke, but Hanley has only just returned from injury and despite signing a new contract at Rangers, Souttar has lost his nailed-on first-team status to Emmanuel Fernandez and Nasser Djiga.
Hendry and McKenna enter the Scotland reckoning
Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna were given a chance at the heart of Scotland's back four. They are easily forgotten in the argument as to who should play - primarily because they play their club football abroad. McKenna is at Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, while Hendry remains in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq.
On an evening of few positives, the two defenders came out of this well. They were under the cosh for most of the match and largely held firm. A clean sheet appeared on the cards until Junya Ito netted on 84 minutes. "Scotland defended well," was Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu's assessment afterwards. Clarke concurred.
What Hendry and McKenna have in their favour is a natural right-left footed partnership. They are physical and quicker across the ground than the other centre-backs at Clarke's disposal. And they are experienced. Hendry has 37 caps, McKenna now on 48.
Out of sight, out of mind is the best way to describe Hendry, who is often never quoted as a starter. McKenna is a regular starter in a Dinamo Zagreb team that is clear at the summit of the Croatian league. These are not bad levels at all.
Nathan Patterson was handed a rare start at right-back. He is not flavour of the month under David Moyes at Everton. He looked like a player in need of game-time, and one hopes that more opportunities might materialise on Merseyside between now and the end of the season.
Behind him, Angus Gunn played in goal. He's seen even less action than Patterson, merely a back-up at Nottingham Forest with just a solitary club appearance this season.
Gunn fared well enough. He made some smart saves, the best of which was a sprawling block at Ito's feet. He was sold a dummy by the same man for the winning strike, plonked on his backside by some neat skill. He will benefit for this run-out.
An interested spectator in the Hampden main stand was Craig Gordon. The 43-year-old injured Hearts stopper has been taking injections in a bid to cure his shoulder issues. Right now, Gunn has the gloves and did little to suggest he will cede them to Gordon.
Scotland will have to do a lot of defending at the World Cup. Maybe not against Haiti, but certainly against Morocco and Brazil. In that regard, Gunn, Hendry and McKenna did their chances no harm of being starters.
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