Scotland head coach Steve Clarke admitted his side need to find more quality in the final third after their 1-0 defeat to the Ivory Coast at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
An eighth defeat in the last 11 friendlies was not as much of an issue as the way they were undone on a counter-attack for Nicolas Pepe’s goal and then struggled to create any clear-cut chances despite being the better side in the second half.
“Another defeat, I never like losing but I don’t think we deserved to lose,” said Clarke.
“I thought we started really well in the game, really bright, really clever, trying to get forward and then we lose a really poor goal on the counter-attack – the organisation behind that attack wasn’t right and good teams will punish you.
“I thought the reaction to going 1-0 down wasn’t too good, we lost control of the game when we should have kept control as we had stated well and that is something we have to become better at.
“Second half I thought we were excellent: we dominated the game, we had more of the ball, we looked a threat and got a number of balls into the box but didn’t create anything which was particularly clear, which was credit to Ivory Coast.
“I thought they defended well in the second half but I thought we asked them to defend well.
“Second half we tried to play on the front foot, by and large we did, and we just need to find a little bit of quality or a little bit of calmness when we get to the final third of the pitch and if you do that the chances will come.
“I think it’s something which can come. You just need the players who are making the final pass or the final delivery or the final shot just to relax a little bit and maybe as we get closer to the tournament they will do that. Hopefully.”
Clarke refused to talk about his future beyond the World Cup – he has yet to agree an extension to stay on beyond Scotland’s first appearance since 1998 – but confirmed their final warm-up match will be against Bolivia in New Jersey on June 6.
“I want to concentrate on the World Cup. I’m sure if something happens you guys will know and if it doesn’t happen I’m not bothered,” he added.
“I want to be in the right frame of mind, I want my players to be in the right frame of mind. What happens will happen. I’m not talking about my contract any more.”
Clarke also rejected suggestions the booing which accompanied the final whistle was negatively impacting his players after a second successive defeat.
“I wouldn’t like to think so. I think the more you speak about it the more you encourage people to be negative, so I’d rather not talk about it,” he said.
“I thought my team was really positive and that’s what I take out of the game.”
