Scotland: How can Steve Clarke rouse side for tenure-defining games?
Clarke was not so laidback. McGinn revealed that half-time of the Belarus match was the “wildest” he had ever seen the head coach.
After a record-breaking 72nd match in charge, Clarke said: “If you’d said at the start of this camp we’d come out with six points, everyone would’ve been really happy.
“But, I have to be honest, tonight I was really, really disappointed in my team.”
So how does he address that for arguably his most significant qualifiers to date?
Off the bench, Billy Gilmour subtly brought some control to Scotland’s play against Greece, who were threatening to run riot at Hampden for the second time in seven months.
But the injured Napoli midfielder will not be an option for Clarke in Athens, although he could return for the potential group decider with Denmark.
Fellow Serie A midfielder Lennon Miller, also capable of dictating and bringing composure to a game, will be missing as well after withdrawing injured.
Having faced 37 shots in two games at Hampden against Greece and Belarus, it is clear Scotland have been exposed in recent outings.
Clarke’s side rode their luck at times in their group opener in Denmark, but they looked a far more cohesive unit out of possession in a rigid 4-4-2 shape.
Christie, McGinn, Ferguson and Scott McTominay occupied a compact and energetic midfield four, with Dykes and Che Adams providing intense work rate and physicality as a forward pairing.
Bold decisions to not start Gilmour and Ben Gannon-Doak paid off as the Scots left Copenhagen with a well-earned point.
Knowing a draw would set up a winner-takes-all showdown with the Danes on Tuesday, might the Scotland boss revert to that formula in Greece?