Manager Sebastien Pocognoli is heading into his first home match with Scotland against Switzerland on Tuesday, fresh off a goalless Nations League draw in Slovenia on Saturday. That makes it three straight matches without a goal for the team, yet Pocognoli is publicly stating there are “no concerns” about the scoring drought.
Pocognoli Says No Need to Panic, But the Clock’s Ticking
Pocognoli, who made his managerial debut with the Slovenia draw, isn’t sweating the lack of goals. He told reporters, “It was one game, some games you score, some games you are unlucky.” His confidence comes from a belief in his squad’s firepower. “I don’t think there’s any concerns from my side to score goals because we have good strikers,” he said. “It’s not only the strikers but we are creating chances from many positions.” The Belgian boss hopes a goal against Switzerland can “open another topic” and wants his team to “start strong in the game.” Midfielder Lewis Ferguson, who played the full 90 in Ljubljana, backed up his coach. He felt they could have bagged “two or three” on Saturday and noted, “The strikers will be disappointed but I think we’d be more worried as a group if we weren’t creating those chances.”
Facing a Tough Test with Switzerland
Scotland’s task is only getting tougher with the World Cup quarter-finalists from Switzerland rolling into town. Ranked 14th by FIFA, a full 28 places above Scotland, the Swiss opened their campaign with a comfortable 3-0 victory away to North Macedonia. They previously drew 1-1 at Euro 2024 with Scotland, and their last meeting at Hampden 20 years ago was a 3-1 friendly win for the visitors. Pocognoli hopes the Slovenia match served “like a training session” for Murat Yakin’s side. His objectives for Tuesday are clear: “To play 90 minutes like we finished the game in Slovenia,” and “to try to take the control of the game as much as possible.” He called his first home game a “special moment” he’s been looking forward to since his appointment. On a brighter note, Billy Gilmour was back with a player-of-the-match display against Slovenia after missing the World Cup through injury, and Ferguson believes he and Gilmour have what it takes to form a long-term midfield partnership, calling them “two completely different profiles” that “work off each other really well.”
Experimentation Amid Key Absences
The manager also hinted at “experimentation” for upcoming games, looking to “find a balance to get results but also to see different approaches on the pitch.” This could be crucial with some big names missing from the squad. Napoli star Scott McTominay is out as he recovers from a minor heart procedure, while Lawrence Shankland and Che Adams are both injured. Kieran Tierney is also unavailable. Pocognoli aims to get “the most information after the camp, to use in the future.” Tomorrow’s match against Switzerland isn’t just about snapping that goalless streak, it’s about showing what this new era under Pocognoli is truly capable of when the pressure is on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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