GORDON Strachan has urged his players to maintain their discipline in the Russia 2018 qualifier against Malta tonight and avoid picking up needless bookings which will rule them out of the meeting with Slovakia next month.
The national team will be looking to follow up their 3-0 triumph over Lithuania in Vilnius on Friday night with another win when they take on the bottom-placed side in Group F at Hampden this evening.
If they do it will be the first time in 10 years they have won both legs of a qualifying double header and will significantly increase their chances of securing second spot and a play-off place - if England beat Slovakia at Wembley especially.
However, Scott Brown, Leigh Griffiths, Grant Hanley, James McArthur and Charlie Mulgrew are all one yellow card away from a suspension and if any of them are cautioned they will miss the match against Jan Kozak’s side at home on October 5.
Scotland could edge two points clear of Slovakia in second spot with one game remaining - against Slovenia over in Ljubljana three days later – if they win that one and Strachan could do with having the likes of Brown, Griffiths, McArthur and Mulgrew available.
The 60-year-old stressed that he would not leave any player out of his side to face Malta just because they were in danger of being ruled out of the Slovakia game and would urge all of his charges to play their natural game.
However, Strachan, who admitted that being without his captain or first choice centre half or striker would be a concern, has stressed to his charges that they need to be sensible and not fall foul of Danish referee Jakob Kehlet.
He said: “Play the game, but just don’t do silly things. We advised these guys the other night, yes, get angry, but don’t kick the ball away or shout at the referee.
“If you get booked by making a tackle that’s going to help us. If you make a mistake then there is nothing we can do about that. Stand up and be counted. Don’t be bullied by anyone for the sake of not getting that yellow card.
“In certain areas we have to be really worried about someone getting a yellow card and in other areas it’s okay because we are well covered there. Again that’s getting back to the strong areas and not so strong areas.”
Asked if was tempted to leave out Brown, Griffiths, McArthur or Mulgrew and pick a lesser side due to the fact that Scotland are expected to beat Malta, who have lost all seven of their qualifying games to date, comfortably, Strachan said: “No, this has to be done. You have to get a win.”
Strachan is confident that Brown and Griffiths, two players who have been as renowned for their madcap antics off the park as the excellence of their play on it in the past, have the temperament to avoid picking up bookings.
“You get more mature,” he said. “You’ve all seen the maturity of them. They seem to have a different way about them here, where they see they can’t get away with doing sillier things at this level.
“Maybe it is because international referees are on top of you. As a matter of fact, the international referee was good the other night asked me to speak to a player about something that might be a problem later on in the game.
“So I spoke to him. They are right on top of it, they can see everything. They don’t let you get away with anything.”
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