SCOTLAND have shown in recent times just how good a team they can be, with the 3-0 defeat of Ukraine last week a similar standard of performance to the one Steve Clarke’s men produced when seeing off Denmark at the national stadium by two goals to nil last November.
On the flip side of the coin though, critics would be able to point out that the win over the Danes came when they had already qualified from the World Cup qualifying group as section winners, while the Scots were turned over by Ukraine when it really mattered, in the play-off semi-final back in June.
Callum McGregor has now challenged his teammates in the international set-up to now show that they can turn it on even when the pressure is on, as it now will be as Scotland travel to Poland for a final day showdown with the Ukrainians to secure top spot in Nations League Group E, and the play-off for the European Championships that comes with it.
"It was a high pressure game in the summer with the narrative around it, everyone was hyping the game up,” McGregor said. "For us as a squad, we need to learn to deal with those situations better. In terms of high pressure games, play-offs, semi-finals, there is a lot on the line so that's something we need to learn to deal with as a group. "When we had the chance on Wednesday to try and level the score a bit, there was probably more emphasis on the tactical side of the game and the football and actually going and playing the game properly. "We will learn that as a group and that's how you deal with things. When you get disappointment you have to go again and be strong.
"That's how football works. You need to stay calm, you need to stay level headed. It was a good result and performance [on Wednesday] but that's it finished. We need to reset and go again on Tuesday. "We want to finish this group positively and if we can qualify from this group then that would be excellent but that has to be the aim. "It'll be difficult going away from home, as long as the intent is there to go and win the game, and the performance is similar to Wednesday then there's no reason why we can't win the game.” One of the features of the Scotland performance last week was the impressive midfield partnership between McGregor and Scott McTominay, with the duo often being denied the opportunity to play alongside one another in the middle of the park due to the Manchester United man’s regular role as an auxiliary defender with his country.
The Celtic captain believes the pairing worked well, with the style of both players complementing the other’s.
"It's good as he's an intelligent footballer as well,” he said.
“He sees the pictures, he's athletic and can get about the pitch and he's good on the ball as well.
“It provided a good balance in the game, especially with the attacking players going down the outside. "We had Kieran (Tierney) joining in at times, Nathan (Patterson) early and then Aaron (Hickey) when he came on. It was a good box of four which locked out the game.”
Now McGregor is determined to see the job out in Poland on Tuesday night, and gain a measure of revenge on Ukraine for ending Scotland’s World Cup dreams.
"It was disappointing what happened in the summer, we had to show that we were hurt as a group by what they took off of us in the summer,” he said.
“Now we have another chance next week to go and back this up. "Football is a good game in that sense as it gives you little chances to go and even the score and I think we need to try and frame it that way as well.
“When we go over there we want to be positive.”
