Nations League: Scotland v Slovenia
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Tuesday, 6 October, 19:45 BST
What now for Sebastien Pocognoli after his first win – and first goals – as Scotland head coach finally arrived in North Macedonia?
Having started his tenure with a goalless draw in Slovenia last month, the same opponents arrive at Hampden Park on Tuesday following their own narrow 2-1 defeat away to group leaders Switzerland.
Pocognoli will again be forced into at least one change after the red card shown to Scott McKenna near in the closing stages in Skopje.
But what other tweaks might he make and what starting XI would you pick for the final Nations League outing of the current international window?
For all his talk in the build-up to his first camp in charge about having to use his whole squad over the four games, Pocognoli has only made limited changes in each.
Given his choice of starting XI in North Macedonia produced the first victory of his era, you would expect it would be along the same lines again, starting with San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Angus Gunn.
Two caveats to that. The absence of McKenna, the Dinamo Zagreb having been an ever-present so far, and the fatigue of four games over 11 days on some experienced and ageing legs.
It would be a surprise if Al-Ettifaq's Jack Hendry, free of his own suspension, did not make a swift return beside Brondby's Luis Binks and Swansea City's Stephen Welsh, who again enhanced their reputations in Skopje, despite Stoke City's Luke Graham not looking out of place either as he made his debut from the bench.
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Captain Andy Robertson bombed down the wing like a man possessed, shooting at every sight at goal, in his determination to make his mark as he earned his 100th cap.
The Tottenham Hotspur left-back is surely assured of taking another step closer to Kenny Dalglish's cap record despite the fresh legs of Sassuolo's Josh Doig waiting in the wings.
Brentford's Aaron Hickey, Torino's Nathan Patterson and Celtic's Colby Donovan are all specialists down the right.
However, given Ben Gannon-Doak showed he could combine tracking back in defence with rampaging down the other wing, it would be a surprise if the Bournemouth 20-year-old was not utilised in that role again given it is a home game where Scotland will again hope to be doing most of the attacking.
It would also be a major surprise if Pocognoli was to choose this as the time to disrupt the midfield diamond that has shone bright in the first three games.
The only question could be where John McGinn might play in front of Napoli's Billy Gilmour and Bologna's Lewis Ferguson – more of that later.
However, the Aston Villa 31-year-old will feel he answered his recent critics with his penalty in North Macedonia.
Udinese's Lennon Miller seems likely to be left frustrated again, while Heart of Midlothian winger Josh McPake and Blackburn Rovers' Kristi Montgomery probably face a longer wait for their debuts.
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His first Scotland goal is likely to secure Sassuolo striker Kieron Bowie's place in the starting line-up.
Meanwhile, although Oli McBurnie has still to break his Scotland duck after 19 caps, the Hull City 30-year-old contributed so many sublime touches and lay-offs in Skopje that it might make it difficult for Robbie Ure to win another starting place despite the Sevilla 24-year-old own promise.
The only question might be whether McBurnie is used in a more withdrawn role on the left, mirrored by McGinn on the right, instead of in a two-pronged front line.
We will only know Pocognoli's thinking an hour before kick-off at Hampden, but what would you do? Tell us below.
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Source: BBC
