Scotland team v Japan: No starting place for Rangers and Celtic men as opportunities beckon

The friendly match is the first step on the road to the USA for Steve Clarke and his players as they look to fine-tune tactics, build confidence and boost cohesion before the tournament begins in June.

There is sure to be a vibrant pre-match atmosphere as Scotland return to the national stadium for the first time since the memorable 4-2 win over Denmark in November that sealed qualification.

While friendlies can be used for experimentation, and results are not the be-all and end-all, Clarke will be actutely aware of the need to maintain positive momentum going into the World Cup.

Scotland will also look to address their poor record overall in recent friendlies, particularly at home, where they have gone 10 matches without a victory since a 1-0 friendly win over Denmark in 2016.

Japan, who are 19th in the Fifa world rankings, 19 places above Scotland, will be tough opponents but a good performance and result will allow the feel-good factor to continue into Tuesday's match against Ivory Coast at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.

Which brings us to Clarke's team selection and tactics. Always a hot topic of debate, the Scotland head coach has frustrated the Tartan Army at times with his tendancy to stick to his tried and trusted players regardless of club form.

He has, of course, proved many of his doubters wrong by leading the nation to a first World Cup, and a third major finals under his watch after back-to-back Euros appearances.

The switch to a back four has given the team more balance and it would seem unlikely that Clarke will be tempted to revert to his unloved three-man defence system ahead of the World Cup.

Angus Gunn will almost certainly start against both Japan and Ivory Coast given he has been Scotland's number one goalkeeper, when fit, since switching allegience from England three years ago.

He will be the player to benefit most from these World Cup warm-up matches given his lack of action for Nottingham Forest, where he has played just 45 minutes this season. His last start came for Scotland against Belarus in October.

In defence, Grant Hanley is often a first pick for Clarke but with the Hibs defender having not played any football since February 1 due to a hamstring injury, it would seem ill-advised to thrust him straight into a start against a top side like Japan.

Hanley’s defensive partner for much of the World Cup qualifying campaign, John Souttar, has been out of sorts lately and benched by Rangers so perhaps Jack Hendry could be in line for his first Scotland start since Euro 2024 at right centre-back. Hendry’s mobility could be required against a pacey Japanese frontline, although it is difficult to gauge his club form out in Saudi Arabia, where his Al-Ettifaq side are seventh in the table.

Dominic Hyam, the Wrexham captain, is another option but only has one cap to his name, which came as a late substitute against Norway three years ago. Scott McKenna, who by all accounts is enjoying a strong season with Dinamo Zagreb, would be the obvious choice to start at left centre-back - a position he will look to nail down ahead of the World Cup.

Club minutes and form factor

Anthony Ralston has often played at right-back for Scotland when Aaron Hickey has been unavailable, but he is now so far down the pecking order at Celtic - behind even Under-21 international Colby Donovan - that it would be a surprise if he was part of Saturday's Scotland starting line-up.

If Clarke is hoping to learn something from these friendlies, then either Nathan Patterson or Ross McCrorie should be given the nod at right-back. Patterson is struggling for game-time at Everton but has shown promise in a Scotland jersey whenever he has played. Based on club form and minutes, McCrorie would be the choice to start at right-back. He is having an excellent season with Bristol City with three goals and six assists in 33 Championship appearances and the time appears right for him to earn his second cap.

Left-back is a straight choice between Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney. The Scotland captain is being used more sparingly by Liverpool this season - which may be no bad thing as far as the national team is concerned - while Tierney has emerged as one of Celtic's standout players after his early season fitness struggles. A sensible move would be to start one against Japan, and the other against Ivory Coast to manage minutes and maximise opportunity.

Midfield remains Scotland's strongest position and Billy GIlmour, who is back playing regularly for Napoli after missing nearly fourth months with a groin issue, would expect to start having proven himself capable of dictating games at international level.

Lewis Ferguson, who captained Bologna into the Europa League quarter-finals last week, would start alongside him but Lennon Miller, now playing regularly for Udinese after a slow start to life in Italy, should be given good minutes off the bench with a view to potentially starting on Tuesday.

Star man Scott McTominay, who has only recently returned from injury for Napoli, would be deployed as a number 10 to ensure he is in the opposition box for any bicycle kick opportunities, with Aston Villa captain John McGinn coming in off the left, and Ryan Christie providing width on the right. It would be a positive move to see squad newcomer Findlay Curtis earn his first cap off the bench.

The striker position is an interesting one. No-one in the squad can say they have 100 per cent nailed down the position going into the World Cup although Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes are the two Clarke has tended to put his trust in.

A friendly would seem to provide the perfect chance to provide Tommy Conway with his first Scotland start after the Middlesbrough forward was recalled to the squad. Eight goals and four assists in the Championship is a solid return and the absent Ben Gannon-Doak has shown the difference that pace in behind can make to Scotland in the final third. If not now, then when will his chance come?

Scotland predicted XI v Japan: Gunn; McCrorie, Hendry, McKenna, Robertson; Gilmour, Ferguson; Christie, McTominay, McGinn; Conway.

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