Sebastien Pocognoli begins his Scotland tenure on Saturday when Slovenia host the Nations League fixture at Stadion Stozice in Ljubljana, with the match scheduled for 14:00 BST and live on the BBC. The Belgian’s first squad included eight uncapped players before Findlay Curtis and James Wilson were released to the under-21s, making both the starting line-up and the approach for the game difficult to predict.
Pocognoli’s preferred shape offers the clearest clue. During his time in charge of Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco, he generally favoured a 3-4-2-1 formation and its variations. Scotland named five centre-backs in the squad, so a back three is likely. Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna are the experienced survivors from Steve Clarke’s World Cup group, and Pocognoli’s stated wish to balance new and old faces ‘to keep the cohesion in the team’ means they both appear likely starters. Their physical profile also suits the aggressive style the head coach wants.
The final centre-back berth appears less certain. Swansea City’s Stephen Welsh, Stoke City’s Luke Graham and Brondby captain Luis Binks are competing for it. Welsh is the only right-footed option of the three, which could give him an edge if McKenna plays on the left and Hendry in the middle. Graham, however, has been operating on the left of a back three for Stoke, a role that could allow McKenna to shift central and Hendry to the right. The decision will depend on the balance Scotland seek.
Out wide, Andy Robertson is a certainty to win his 98th cap at left wing-back, while Aaron Hickey is surely in prime position on the other side. That could squeeze the wide attackers. Ben Gannon-Doak was key under Clarke because of his speed and ability to beat players, and Josh McPake has shown similar qualities for Hearts on the same flank. But Pocognoli often uses two narrow attackers either side of a centre-forward and relies on wing-backs for width. One of those forward places would surely be reserved for John McGinn, given his goal threat, running power, experience in a similar role on the left and work off the ball. Ryan Christie is another candidate if Scotland play only two holding midfielders from their deep pool, Lewis Ferguson and Billy Gilmour; Christie is also relentless out of possession. Gannon-Doak was named as a forward in the squad and McPake as a midfielder, raising the question of whether either can play closer to a striker and whether they have the defensive instincts to do so centrally.
The centre-forward role is equally open. Kieron Bowie, Robbie Ure and Oli McBurnie are the options, and all three are in good form and confident. Ure and McBurnie are yet to score for their clubs this term. Ure has just made a morale-boosting move to Sevilla after his exploits in Sweden and faced Barcelona only a week ago. McBurnie is playing well for Hull City in the Premier League and scored 19 goals during their promotion charge last term. He is the oldest and most experienced of the three, yet he has never impressed in 16 previous caps. McBurnie says he has a point to prove after a few years in the international wilderness, and starting him would be the ultimate vote of confidence from Pocognoli amid a few Tartan Army grumbles.
Pocognoli has spoken of ‘positive nervousness’ before his Scotland debut. With a squad containing so many uncapped players and a system that may leave some familiar names on the bench, his first selection will reveal how quickly he intends to reshape the side.