Craig Levein believes Steve Clarke will continue with his much-criticised back three for Scotland after their fortunate win over the Czech Republic.
The visitors dug themselves out of a hole after the cobbled together hosts took an early lead through Jakub Pesek, with Lyndon Dykes’ first Scotland goal and another Ryan Christie penalty.
But they were forced to hang on and can count themselves extremely lucky to escape Olomouc with all three points and sit top of their Nations League group.
In reality, it could so easily have been the national team’s worst night since a meek surrender in the same country ten years ago when the former Hearts boss opted to play without a recognised striker in Prague.
‘We’re going into this Israel game and you know what football’s like, this could be a standalone game,” said Levein.
“They might come out and play really in the shape. You just never know.
“You’re trying to predict what’s going to happen based on the two matches that we've watched in the last three or four days.
“Common sense would tell you that if we’re playing against a really good side in this system and giving up the amount of chances that we have in these two matches, chances are we aren’t going to win that game.”
Clarke’s decision to play Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay as part of a back three was criticised against Israel on Friday, and again last night after he was caught out for the Czech’s goal.
And while Levein doesn't necessarily believe it's the way forward, he can see Clarke sticking to his guns for next month’s vital play-off semi-final against the Israelis.
“The problem is he’s played Scott McTominay twice now in that position and it would lead me to think that’s what he’s going to do in the nect match.
“I feel a little bit sorry for Scott McTominay because it takes years to develop the second sense of being able to defend properly.
“There are things that you need to be able to do. Instead of watching the ball, you need to be watching the players round about you.
“Too many times in that space between McTominay and [Liam] Palmer, players were running in there unmarked.
“I wouldn’t mind so much if Palmer and [Andy] Robertson had been peppering their box with crosses being really high up the field, but that wasn’t the case either.
“There were periods in the match when we got our wing backs up high and looked confident.
“But when we got back into our half, especially against a team who move the ball quickly, we struggled in those two spaces.
“That needs to improve.”
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