Scotland's Alex McLeish fancies French recipe for success
- Published
Leigh Griffiths has scored four goals in 17 Scotland appearances - twice as many as any other squad member
Alex McLeish is hoping Scotland can repeat France's recipe for success as he looks to find a winning formula despite a lack of goals.
Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths is the top marksman - with four goals - in the manager's latest squad for games against Belgium and Albania.
"France won the World Cup without their strikers scoring a goal," McLeish said.
"So we have to look for a dynamic in terms of other players contributing goals."
Scotland host World Cup semi-finalists Belgium next Friday before opening their Nations League campaign against Albania three days later in Glasgow.
Only five of 23-man McLeish's squad have so far found the net at international level.
Griffiths' three rivals for the striking berth - Swansea City's Oliver McBurnie, Sporting Kansas City's Johnny Russell and West Bromwich Albion's Matt Phillips - have one goal between them and that came from the latter after being converted by McLeish from his usual position on the wing.
"But we have Leigh Griffiths, who is a born goalscorer and, when he was at his peak of fitness, scored those two goals against England last year, albeit free-kicks," the national manager said.
"Johnny Russell, for instance, in our South American trip this summer, looked very interesting in terms of his ability to get into the box.
"McBurnie is maturing and he's started the season very well. He's scoring goals, he's making goals, he's causing defenders problems.
"There are things he can improve on and he should have been off the mark for us already, but the more he is involved in international football, the more he will improve."
Scotland lost to both Peru and Mexico during an end-of-season tour that received some criticism from present and former players and managers - and for which several regular starters were rested.
"I think it was a great trip in the end," McLeish insisted. "It made it worthwhile to see all the young players playing.
"Yes, there were a lot of absentees among the experienced players, but otherwise you don't get a chance to see what the country is developing."
McLeish has retained 12 of those who travelled in his latest squad, but injury has denied him the services of Aberdeen centre-half Scott McKenna, who captained the Scots against Mexico, while possible replacement Christophe Berra has been ruled out by Hearts until the new year.
"We're quite lucky in terms of that side of the defence, having people like Kieran Tierney there," McLeish insisted.
"Scott's been very consistent in the last internationals that he has played and he's grown with every game I feel. So it is a little bit of a blow, but we have really good players who can go in.
"It is quite a young squad. It does seem like a new era, but I won't be disregarding anybody who has worn the jersey before either."