Southampton man must start if Scotland are to upset England at Euro 2020
By Marc Walker
Southampton players Stuart Armstrong and Che Adams will be hoping to be involved from the start as Scotland take on England at Euro 2020 this evening.
A disappointing 2-0 loss to Czech Republic in their opening Group D game saw Scotland create some decent chances but lose out to an excellently-taken brace from opposing striker Patrick Schick.
There is still an opportunity for Steve Clarke’s side to progress to the knockout stages but they will need at least one win against strong-looking England and Croatia sides.
After his bright performance from the bench in the opening game, Saints man Che Adams will surely need to start if Scotland are to get the result they need tonight.
Southampton striker adds things that Scotland will need
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The impact that Adams had on Scotland against the Czech Republic was noticeable. He linked well with the midfield and managed to retain the ball around the penalty area, giving his side the best chance to create chances to get back into the contest.
He provides a lot more than fellow striker Lyndon Dykes. Dykes was fairly successful in the air in the opener but was unable to do little with the ball at his feet, meaning his display looked very one-dimensional.
Steve Clarke is likely to use a 3-5-2 system, so maybe a combination of Dykes and Adams would provide two striker with strengths that compliment each other. A direct pass to Dykes could lead to a flick-on to Adams, and the Saints man could then use his intelligence around the box to link with onrushing midfielders.
It remains to be seen whether Clarke will go for this positive combination and whether Adams’ fellow Saint Stuart Armstrong will retain his place in the starting line-up.
England vs Scotland kicks off at 8pm UK time and viewers should tune into ITV to watch the much-anticipated game.