Kenny Miller picks Scotland's team to play Switzerland in 'all or nothing' clash

Ex-Scottish skipper Kenny Miller picks the 'best time' for Steve Clarke to pick in the 'all or nothing' Euro 2024 clash against Switzerland.

• "I think Steve gave Grant Hanley the opportunity in the two warm-up games to show that he was ready for the game, and I think we saw in the Finland game that he probably wasn't quite ready."
• "Personally, I'd have played Billy Gilmour. He'd have given us that calm head, and bravery to get on the ball and make the passes, and maybe just take the sting out of the game a little. I think that might be a change that comes on Wednesday."
• "I just don't think we've got the ability to go more offensive."
• "I think that - given the nature of the defeat on Friday night, you probably now need to go and get four points from the next two games, which means on Wednesday, we just can't get beat."
• "Look, we're the lowest ranked team in this group, so you'd be crazy to think that we're going to walk into either of those remaining two games and roll them over. We're going to have to earn it..."
• "Those kinds of teams - the Germans, the French, maybe even the Dutch - possess a bit more quality, and I just think England will fall short as a result... I really do."
• "It even goes back to the era of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes... there's just no coming together. You've got all of these world-class parts, but they're not coming together as part of a world-class machine. It's been the case for years."
  

I don't really have any complaints about the starting line-up that Steve Clarke went with; I think it would've been the team I'd have picked - although maybe I'd have looked at Billy Gilmour playing over Ryan Christie. I think Steve gave Grant Hanley the opportunity in the two warm-up games to show that he was ready for the game, and I think we saw in the Finland game that he probably wasn't quite ready, so for me it was right that Ryan Porteous got the nod alongside Jack Hendry and Kieran Tierney. 

It was then just a case of who was going to be in that midfield with John McGinn, Scott McTominay and Callum McGregor. Those three guys were nailed on to play, and then it was a toss-up between Billy Gilmour and Ryan Christie. Both have their own different skillsets, they're both capable of handling the ball in tight areas. I would say Gilmour is more suited to playing in that deeper, controlling role. He'll always be available for his teammates, he'll always take the ball, even if it's just to lend it and bounce it back to you, or attract a bit of pressure. He's better suited to that role.

We were always going to be up against it, without the ball, against Germany, and so maybe Ryan Christie's legs, and his energy, would've been an important factor which helped him get the nod. Also, when you do get the ball, you do need that attacking edge and, while I don't think we really boast many players who are capable in that area, you'd say Ryan is certainly one of them. I could see why he was given the nod, but personally I'd have played Billy Gilmour. Billy would've given us that option in the middle, when we had the ball. He'd have given us that calm head, and bravery to get on the ball and make the passes, and maybe just take the sting out of the game a little. 

I think that might be a change that comes on Wednesday. Obviously we're going to have to change things at the back, because of Porteous' red card, and it'll almost definitely be Hanley who'll be stepping in. But, aside from that, I think the only other change we could see on Wednesday is Gilmour for Christie. 

I just don't think we've got the ability to go more offensive. Listen, I don't think we necessarily play a defensive formation; it might look like that because of the personnel we have within the team. In defence, it's a 5-4-1, but when we're attacking, for me, it's a 3-4-2-1. Ryan Christie and John McGinn are almost playing off the striker, and we get our wing-backs high up the pitch. 

In terms of changes, I don't think the shape will change on Wednesday. I'd be absolutely flabbergasted if we changed our shape. There's maybe an opportunity to change things up-front, because you've got Lawrence Shankland who could come in, you've got Tommy Conway who could also bring something different, but I just can't see us changing the shape. 

Listen, we knew that Scotland's chances in this tournament weren't going to be decided by the Germany game; the best chance of accumulating points in this group is in the next two games. But you were always looking at it and thinking, OK, if Scotland were to lose, then what did we want to happen in the other game? Obviously, a draw between Switzerland and Hungary would've been the best outcome, but the fact is that Switzerland won that game, and we play them next. 

I think that - given the nature of the defeat on Friday night, you probably now need to go and get four points from the next two games, which means on Wednesday, we just can't get beat. You know, we can't afford to lose that game, it's as simple as that. Even if we were to lose that game by a solitary goal, we've then got a -5 goal difference and no points, going into the last game. 

By the way, Hungary could be in a similar situation in this group; you know, if they lose to Germany, they'd be sat on zero points, going into their last game against us. So, both teams could be heading into that last game, needing a win - potentially by a couple of goals, as well - so what an incredible game we could have on our hands there...

I just can't see us going through with three points and a -4 goal difference. We're going to need four points. Listen, if we can beat Switzerland, that would be an incredible result, and it would put us in such a strong position going into the Hungary game. 

The problem with playing Germany first, is that we're now chasing. You know, we now need to find a result to give us a chance. We can't afford to lose another game. 

Look, we're the lowest ranked team in this group, so you'd be crazy to think that we're going to walk into either of those remaining two games and roll them over. We're going to have to earn it; we're going to have to play at the top of our capability, and that's not something we've shown in a long time now. The only time I've seen us playing at a level where I've thought 'OK, we can compete', was in that first-half against the Netherlands... and that ended up in a 4-0 defeat.

I suppose, on Sunday night, we saw a typical England performance, but it was also a typical 'opening game of a tournament' performance, where it was quite cagey. I think people were expecting them to hit the heights of Spain and Germany, but it just wasn't that. Listen, they were playing against a stuffy opponent - I just don't think they'll win the tournament; they could have that type of game against, say, France, where it's a stuffy game and they just come unstuck. And those kinds of teams - the Germans, the French, maybe even the Dutch - possess a bit more quality, and I just think England will fall short as a result... I really do. 

Look, they started great. There are some really, really good players within that team who can change a game in an instant, and that's a great position to be in. If it clicks, and it clicks at the right time, in those big games, then of course, they can go far. This is a group of world-class players, but it feels like there's a lack of belief about what they're doing at times. It even goes back to the era of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes... there's just no coming together. You've got all of these world-class parts, but they're not coming together as part of a world-class machine. It's been the case for years.

This team, to be fair, seems to be moving in the right direction, in terms of the togetherness, and the team spirit. But their qualities just don't seem to be tying in at the moment. You look at that attack; you know, you've got Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka... these guys are incredible players, but they're not as cohesive as what they should be.

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