‘It wasn’t pretty’ - John McGinn identifies what Scotland must improve after laboured North Macedonia victory
Former Hibs star demands greater belief ahead of Monday's trip to Switzerland
John McGinn has called for greater belief and positivity from Scotland after his decisive second-half double secured a laboured 2-1 victory over North Macedonia at Hampden Park.
The Aston Villa midfielder spared Sebastian Pocognoli another frustrating evening in front of an expectant home crowd in Mount Florida by scoring twice to ensure Scotland collected three valuable Nations League points and kept their outside promotion play-off hopes alive.
While the result provided a welcome boost for the new Belgian head coach, the performance left much to be desired. The hosts created numerous opportunities but struggled to find the clinical edge required to put the winless visitors away, while a familiar defensive frailty threatened to undermine their efforts.
A relieved McGinn acknowledged that his team-mates must improve considerably before Monday's must-win clash against runaway Group B leaders Switzerland.
“Small flashes of what we’re trying to do has come through tonight,” reflected the former Hibs star post-match. “Of course, we’ve got to be better. It’s a poor goal to lose. We’ve got to be cleaner on the ball. But we’ve got this Nations League to use now as a sort of building block towards the next qualifiers. Tonight was all about getting the three points. Yes at times it wasn’t pretty, but it was an important win.
Having dominated much of the first half without finding a breakthrough, Scotland could easily have allowed frustration to creep into their performance. Billy Gilmour's extraordinary miss from just few yards out less than a minute after the restart only added to the sense that it might not be their night.
McGinn, however, insisted the half-time message from Pocognoli was centred on maintaining composure, although he felt Scotland could have shown greater urgency when possession was surrendered.
“Just not get frustrated,” he revealed. “But I think we could have been a bit more intense off the ball when we gave it away, try and win it higher up the pitch so we don’t need to all run 50 yards to win it back.
“We certainly improved in that second half. It’s a terrible time to lose the goal. I know it comes from a corner, but we’ve got to do better on the ball beforehand. So we have got a lot f work to do, but it’s important that we’ve got the first win here.”
McGinn’s brace took his international tally to 24 goals, drawing him level with Hughie Gallacher in third place on Scotland's all-time scoring charts. It was another significant personal milestone for a player whose importance to the national side continues to grow.
McGinn: We must play with more belief
Focus now turns to the Swiss, where Scotland face a considerably sterner examination of their progress under Pocognoli. McGinn believes the quality exists within the squad, but wants to see the squad’s younger members play with greater confidence and conviction.
Asked what he would like to see more of in St Gallen, McGinn responded: “Probably a bit more belief. We’ve got good players in there, good young players, that need to come in and make an impact. So just believe more, be more positive.
“If there’s a pass to play forward, play it forward. Don’t worry about anyone shouting at them. Whether that’s us, people in the stand, coaches. We’re all good players. So just play what you believe in, play what you see.”