Although they are the hosts, there is still a certain amount of expectation surrounding them at this tournament. However, I don’t think their supporters have any conceit or confidence that they will win these Euros.
It wouldn’t be disrespectful to Scotland to say that a draw would be disastrous for them. In other words, Germany is eager to start winning so that the nation would support them, much like they did as the host team in the 2006 World Cup.
Though I believe it may be a long shot, I have a hunch Germany will cross this boundary.
While many would point to Scotland’s recent record of just one victory in nine games, Steve Clarke faced some challenging friendlies in order to put his players to the test. Even if they ultimately lost to France, the Netherlands, and England, I really appreciate their mentality.
They performed incredibly well in qualifying, but they now have some tough choices to make due to injury. For example, do they choose Lawrence Shankland or Che Adams up front? Shankland is an extremely dangerous finisher, but Adams is a better all-around center forward.
Scotland too has some back-end problems. Their players have all had successful seasons, so they are powerful in midfield. However, they will need to be bold with the ball and grab chances when they present themselves.
