Scotland's defensive unit has been disrupted by the lack of Kieran Tierney for the upcoming World Cup semi-final play-off with Ukraine however who's going to step in for the Arsenal star.
Former darkish blue's hero Steven Pressley has assessed boss Steve Clarke's most well-liked three on the again formation and potential candidates for Tierney's common left sided function.
The 32-time capped Hearts legend makes a couple of shock admissions over his first picks for the Hampden showdown on June 1st earlier than hopefully going through Wales in Cardiff on 5 June for a spot on the World Cup in Qatar.
Scotland will confront three Nations League matches, with a visit to tackle the Republic of Eire in between residence and away video games towards Armenia.
Pressley is at present Head of Particular person Improvement at Brentford and he informed Document Sport his three-at-the again choice virtually picks itself.
Scott McTominay
"I watched Scott stay lately when Manchester United performed at our stadium and he operated in a midfield place that day.
"He was most likely the perfect performer of their staff, he was excellent. I admire he is very adaptable however I really feel his strongest place is doubtless in the midst of the pitch. That is the place his abilities are greatest served.
"I like gamers to play their positions and which will sound simplistic; they are often adaptable when required.
"McTominay can go field to field and be an enormous affect as a ball winner so I would have him within the center as we've sufficient choices on the again to not require him to drop again.
"There may be greater than sufficient high quality by way of the back-up for Tierney and probably the most essential components of fielding any staff and formation is steadiness.
"Whoever performs in Tierney's function needs to be left sided, whether or not it is a again three or 4, whoever performs in that left aspect is vital as it may be an excessive amount of of an adjustment for a proper sided participant which McTominay is. Being on the left aspect of a again three is a good greater adjustment so I would deploy a left sided participant to do this job.
Liam Cooper
"Cooper is a participant I've all the time preferred and I watched him on the weekend when Brentford performed Leeds United.
"I did not assume he delivered an impressive efficiency, he was regular and I really feel he is actually matured as a footballer and has continued to progress.
"It is clear to see the development in him since he established himself as a Premier League participant and he's now utilizing all of that have.
"He's definitely a possible possibility as he is left sided which is an important side to get the steadiness proper within the staff. Cooper is an effective possibility as defensive cowl.
Scott McKenna
"I am an enormous fan of McKenna, I actually like this child and I all the time have. He has good tempo and good mobility, he additionally has nice physicality and has had a very good season at Nottingham Forest.
"He could be my most well-liked choice to fill the void which Tierney's damage has created. He is tailored so nicely to the sport down south and that is proven by simply how nicely he is carried out on this marketing campaign the place he is performed an enormous half in his membership gaining promotion.
"In the event you take a look at how Forest play beneath Steve Cooper, they typically play with a again three and have carried out that every one season.
"So McKenna could be the pure substitute in that place as he is been employed in that place all season and it is simply one other side which has me favouring him.
Jack Hendry
"Hendry is a proper sided participant so he does not actually come into my ideas as a substitute for Tierney. He additionally has one other challenge regardless of being a part of the Brugge aspect which gained the Belgian title as he hasn't performed quite a lot of soccer.
"He is been forged to the aspect a bit bit and that could be a large issue and that is a problem regardless of scoring the purpose which gained his staff the league.
"Scotland play a system which could be very very like Sheffield United's once they had been within the Premier League, they set as much as enable their central defenders to get ahead and Tierney does that so nicely, he is like an auxiliary wing-back.
"He provides us a distinct dynamic whether or not that is bursting down the left aspect or arriving late contained in the field and I simply do not see Hendry being suited to that function.
Grant Hanley
"I might solely play Hanley because the central man in a again three and I consider he is been an impressive performer for Scotland.
"He had a wonderful European Championships and could be very underestimated. He is superb at simply doing the fundamentals nicely, he is faster than folks give him credit score for, he's a powerful defender and an excellent communicator. He could also be underestimated however he has served Scotland brilliantly and is clearly a participant valued and trusted by Clarke.
John Souttar
"He is a bit like Hendry in that I would not take into account him as an possibility for the left aspect. I used to be as much as watch the Scottish Cup Remaining on the weekend and I believed his efficiency was wonderful. He was arguably the perfect outfield participant for Hearts on the day.
"I like Souttar rather a lot, he has some nice defensive attributes however my solely concern could be his health ranges, has he performed sufficient video games to advantage the beginning and I am undecided about that.
"A match John Souttar with quite a lot of soccer behind him might undoubtedly be a starter for Scotland in a again three but it surely's an enormous ask for these video games. That stated, he would get the nod from me.
"Considered one of his strengths is that he is very fast and once you play in a again three, some managers need to use large athletic full-backs however in Souttar you get good athleticism and good velocity, once more he'd give the aspect that steadiness which is so essential.
Steven Pressley's again three to face Ukraine: John Souttar, Grant Hanley, Scott McKenna