It hasn't always been easy watching Scotland play competitive international matches and the Nations League has not been great viewing... or at least not until the final two matches. After some more horrible performances, bad results and a ludicrous number of squad dropouts, it was starting to look like Alex McLeish's second spell in charge as a manager might be doomed to failure and due to be cut short.

And then Scotland humped Albania 4-0 with a team full of purpose, pace and ingenuity and beat Israel to finish top of the group. What's going on? Is this a Scotland team capable of qualifying for a tournament for the first time since 1998?

Change of shape

McLeish's big problem has been figuring out what his best starting XI is, something made all the more difficult when his two best players are both left-backs and some of those who play at the highest level don't wish to be included. Premier League players James McArthur, Matt Ritchie and Robert Snodgrass asked not to be called-up while players including John Souttar, John McGinn, Leigh Griffiths, and Steven Naismith were all injured.

Scotland have unsuccessfully attempted to force Kieran Tierney and Andrew Robertson into the same team to beat the left-back surplus they have so cruelly been cursed with. A 3-4-3 on paper, the shape allowed Robertson to make use of his ability to get forward in a more advanced wing-back role, with Tierney a centre-back in defensive phases and either lending support wide or in midfield when attacking.