Scotland: How have Steve Clarke's side turned World Cup campaign around?

Nathan Patterson, centre, scores his first Scotland goal against Moldova on Friday

There's something about 12 November that Scotland finds so appealing.

Fast forward to 2021, and Steve Clarke's side recorded their fifth - yes, fifth - win on the spin to book a spot in the World Cup play-offs. You wait for one bus to come along...

It all seemed a long way away back in September, though. Scotland were toiling in their qualification group, languishing fourth, with just one win inside 90 minutes in their previous 10 competitive games, including three matches of an anti-climactic Euros in the summer.

So, how did Clarke and his side turn things around?

• Scotland beat Moldova to clinch World Cup play-off place
• 'He never gets old' - 'Peter Pan' Gordon hailed after penalty save

Sluggish start and Danish doing

Once Scotland bring their group to a close on Monday at home to Denmark, the Tartan Army are potentially just 180 minutes - please no more penalty shootouts - away from ending a 24-year wait to grace a World Cup. My word.

Yet, eight months ago a man called Sasa Kalajdzic threatened to put an end to Scotland's World Cup campaign before it had really got going, with the Stuttgart striker netting twice at Hampden for Austria in the group opener.

Scotland fought back both times for a draw, and also salvaged a point three days later away to Israel. But two points from two games games was far from an ideal start and already their hopes were being written off.

After a disappointing Euro 2020 where Scotland claimed just one point from three games, a torturous 90 minutes in Copenhagen then followed as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat that should have been at least double that figure by the break.

With the only win coming against minnows Faroe Islands, it left Scotland with five points from a possible 12, fourth in the table and two points off Austria and Israel. Not many could see what was about to unfold.

Scotland were completely outclassed when they faced Denmark in September

Fantastic five to the rescue

Scotland needed five big results. And they got all of them.

First Lyndon Dykes' goal sneaked a 1-0 home win over Moldova in early September, and the Queens Park Rangers striker was on the spot again in Austria days later, this time putting away a penalty in Vienna as VAR became Scotland's friend.

Now a play-off spot appeared to be Scotland's to lose. But the footballing gods have never allowed us to have things the easy way, eh?

Not once, but twice on October nights the Tartan Army were put through it before late, late wins were secured over Israel and the Faroes.

And then, on to Moldova. Goals from Nathan Patterson and Che Adams - and a penalty save from Craig Gordon - ensured Scotland's play-off spot in Chisinau on Friday in arguably Scotland's most commanding and comfortable performance of recent years.

Now the focus turns to Monday's game with Denmark, and the lure of a potential home semi-final if something can be garnered.

How have Scotland turned things around?

While David Marshall's place in Scottish football folklore is secured for evermore after that night in Belgrade, he has been ousted from the number one spot by Hearts goalkeeper Gordon, who is showing no signs of ageing even as he approaches his 40th birthday.

While the old guard are doing their bit, new blood has invigorated this group. Patterson and Billy Gilmour made their international debuts just before Euro 2020. The former, who scored his first Scotland goal against Moldova, has dislodged Stephen O'Donnell at right wing-back despite a lack of playing time at Rangers. Gilmour's struggle to get a game on loan at Norwich looks befuddling the more he stars for Scotland.

Grant Hanley, so often castigated in a Scotland shirt, is playing the best football of his international career. With him, Scott McTominay and Dykes all missing in Chisinau, there were fears Scotland were weakened. But Jack Hendry, Liam Cooper and Adams all stepped in and Scotland still thrived.

Clarke's side are more potent in attack. They have scored eight goals in their last five games compared to just one in four before that.

It's not just that they are taking more chances, they are creating more too. They have had 76 shots at goal in the last five games - 12 more than they had mustered in their previous five.

Defensively they have faced fewer shots at goal too - 44 in that winning run compared to 47 in the five before that, with four clean sheets in their last five games. And they are retaining the ball more, with 1870 successful passes to 1706.

The counter argument, of course, is they were facing teams of the calibre of England, Denmark, Croatia and the Czech Republic. However, three of their last five games have been on the road, including a visit to Austria who took Euro 2020 winners Italy to extra time in the knockout stage in June.

'There's great depth' - analysis

Former Scotland striker Steven Thompson

You add in the five players that are missing tonight and we have a really strong squad all over the pitch now. There's great depth there.

Patterson has been first class, you can tell he's a real talent. He showed his quality and athleticism in abundance tonight.

It's great to be sitting here talking positively about the team. We go into Monday now, which is huge. A home tie in the semi-final would be a massive advantage.

Former Scotland manager Craig Levein

The group of players we're selecting is mainly from the Premier League in England. They're all mainly important players for their clubs, too.

There are plenty of impressive youngsters around Scotland as well. The future is really bright.