Steve Clarke has alerted Scotland that the Morocco squad they will encounter on Friday is more formidable than the team that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
Scotland began their tournament with a narrow 1-0 victory over Haiti, while Morocco showcased their prowess in a 1-1 draw against Brazil. When asked if Morocco would present as significant a challenge as Brazil did, Clarke responded firmly, saying, “We are under no illusion about the size of the task,”
“I feel Morocco are a really, really good side. They reached the last four of the last World Cup and I have a feeling this Morocco team is slightly better than that, so that gives you an idea of the task ahead. They have power, they have pace, they have little bits of skill that can open up a game. For me they are the real deal, a top side. We will have to be at our very best to compete. “It is a big challenge for us. We give them a lot of respect. We expect they will probably have more of the ball, more possession. We have to make sure that when we have the ball we can be a threat to Morocco.” Clarke remarked. “Every system that we have ever played, we have put a lot of work into,”
Clarke acknowledged that facing Morocco presents a significant challenge. “I have shown over my time as head coach that we can play different systems. It is something that we have always wanted to expand on, more systems, different personnel for different games. “Sometimes the Scottish psyche and mentality is that we are a little more comfortable when we are the underdog. We were the favourites against Haiti and found the game a struggle, but we managed to win. This time we are the underdogs and sometimes Scotland prefer it that way.” he added.
Possible Tactical Adjustments
In preparation for this match, Clarke utilized a back three during a friendly against Côte d’Ivoire in March, hinting at a possible tactical shift for the game against Morocco. It is highly likely that Scotland will not employ the 4-4-2 formation they used against Haiti. “You just have to play the game,” Clarke stated. “The first thing is to try and win, if you can’t win then don’t lose. Permutations and whatever else is for you guys [the media] and all the punters to think about, not for us. “The players feel good about themselves. They wanted to win a game at a major tournament and have done that. Now they want the next step, which is to get what we need out of the next two games to make a little bit of history for Scotland. The training was electric today. We feel good.”
Clarke noted the psychological aspects of the game, mentioning that Scotland often feels more at ease when considered the underdogs. “In among all the good news that has come out the World Cup for Scotland, that is obviously very sad for his family; his daughters, his grandchildren,”
Path to Knockout Stage
Unless an improbable series of results occurs, a single point should suffice for Scotland to secure a knockout stage berth for the first time in their history. They could potentially advance with three points, which would involve considerations of goal difference. Nonetheless, Clarke expressed a preference to disregard such calculations. “My thoughts and condolences are with his family.” he explained. “The first thing is to try and win; if you can’t win, then don’t lose. Permutations and whatever else is for you guys [the media] and all the punters to think about, not for us.”
“The players feel good about themselves. They wanted to win a game at a major tournament and have done that. Now they want the next step, which is to get what we need out of the next two games to make a little bit of history for Scotland. The training was electric today. We feel good,”
Tribute to Fan
During his pre-match media obligations, Clarke took a moment to express his condolences to the family of Donny Strathie, a 76-year-old Scotland fan who passed away following the Haiti match. “In among all the good news that has come out the World Cup for Scotland, that is obviously very sad for his family; his daughters, his grandchildren,” said Clarke. “My thoughts and condolences are with his family.”
