Scotland Women's Football Team

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle has been speaking to the media as Scotland prepare to face Germany on Tuesday evening.

Here are the main points from his news conference:

• The squad is fit and ready to go for Tuesday's game with no fresh injury concerns.

• Despite suffering a 4-0 defeat at home on Friday night, McArdle is urging his side to continue to be "brave" and implement the same style of play.

• McArdle is "excited" by the talent in the younger members of the squad and is impressed with how they've coped among the senior team.

• The interim boss is expecting another "very difficult" match against Germany and stresses his side need to be "more compact" and also "more clinical" when they get chances.

• McArdle says his side can "be successful beyond the result" and says the most important thing is that the players are improving with every game.

We asked for your views on Scotland's 4-0 defeat against Germany in the Women's Nations League.

Here's what some of you said:

Brian: An absolutely disgraceful performance, team needs a complete overhaul. No fight, no passion and no hope. We travelled down from Aberdeen for that shambles.

Nick: This is no surprise, Scotland are a second or third tier level side. No matter where the game is played they're nowhere near good enough to challenge the big sides, and Germany are certainly one of those.

Ruaridh: Germany had better shape, better attacking options, and just all round looked more likely to score. Fair play to Scotland, they looked as though they weren't beaten, but Germany always looked like champions in the end.

Scott: I knew there was no chance of a victory, it was just a case of how many would the Germans score. The players put a lot of effort in but they are not going to be in any tournament any time soon sadly.

Mike: Sophie Howard leaves a weakness in the centre of defence - was slow to react and caught out of position throughout. The goalkeeper does not look like she is confident. Scotland had control of this game for large periods of the match but did not press into the box much. Lots of random kicking of the ball out from defence that meant the midfield were caught out frequently.

Shelagh: Proud of Scotland. They had good possession of the ball in the first half and controlled the game. They need to play with more confidence and a unified grit to win. Need to go into the games knowing they belong and deserve to be playing the best in the world. A collective mindset that we can win, not just compete is key, because they can win.

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Erin Cuthbert is urging Scotland to "be more ruthless" when they travel to Germany on Tuesday for their fourth Nations League group game.

The Scots suffered a 4-0 defeat at Tannadice on Friday night, a result which leaves them rock bottom of Group A1 and without a point on the board.

But Cuthbert, who earned her 75th cap, sees a lot of potential for Scotland going into the next game.

"I'm disappointed with the scoreline," the midfielder said.

"We've lost really silly goals, really unlucky goals. The difference was in both boxes, they were ruthless in attack and defence. They got a chance and they score it, we got one at the death and we didn't.

"We need to be a bit more ruthless in the game on Tuesday.

"Right until the end we were at least chasing a goal, we don't accept 4-0. I love the passion and the work rate the girls have, we need to bring that as a minimum to match teams like this."

After another disappointing defeat for Scotland, we want to know what you made of the performance. Were you at Tannadice or following the action from home? Either way we want your views on Scotland's 4-0 loss to Germany.

Have your say on Scotland's performance

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Tannadice

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If ever a team typified the tagline of being 'in transition', this Scotland team is it.

Dipping into his experience at youth level, interim head coach Michael McArdle has piled his trust on callow shoulders with the future at the forefront of his mind.

But Scotland, at present, are in need of a pick-me-up, having gone five games without a win and scoring only once in that time.

The hosts might have thought their first-half efforts in Dundee merited at least one, but again profligacy has caused them pain.

It's a tight turnaround until the sides meet again next week and in that short time McArdle has a long list of issues to contend with.

As well as the required ruthlessness up top, they need to be much more solid at the back. At times, they were scattered all over the shop.

This is a team for tomorrow, but there are areas which need to be addressed now.

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle: "It was a sore scoreline but I'm very proud of how the girls played.

"They were brave, we had a high block, we didn't want to sit back and give them too much space, so very brave in that sense.

"There's lots of positives that I'm sure we'll reflect on as the days go by but at the moment the scoreline hurts.

"Results matter, the League A goes on, the pressure comes more to the Austria game at the end of it. It's about believing, sticking by it.

"It's a transitional moment, there's a lot of young players there. Not winning games hurts but that pressure and expectation is a reward for the progress, it's a reward for being in League A and it's part of the journey.

"There will be results in the future because of the young players we're bringing through at the moment."

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On a disappointing night for Scotland, Rachel McLauchlan showed great quality on the ball and got up and down the pitch all game.

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Scotland interim head coach Mick McArdle has been speaking to the media before the Nations League A fixture against Germany on Friday.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• On the news the UK is set to host the Women's World Cup in 2035, McArdle says it is a "great inspiration" and can have a "massive impact" on women's Scottish football.

• McArdle is "truly proud" to lead Scotland and it has given him "the taste of working at the highest level more".

• He says the biggest change at national level is "working with higher quality players, more experienced, but also against high quality opposition".

• McArdle insists the "pressure and expectation" Scotland now face is a "reward for the hard work and evolution" of the women's game in this country.

• The 2-1 defeat by Netherlands last time out was a "good opportunity to enjoy controlling a game without the ball" and McArdle is hopeful the Germany match will give his side a "benchmark from a tactical perspective".

• He has challenged his team to try to "hurt Germany" and says being at home for the first game of the double-header "lets you have the best shot at them".

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Midfielder Erin Cuthbert is primed to make a positive impact on her Scotland return after thriving in a hectic period for quadruple-chasing Chelsea.

Three wins over Manchester City in recent weeks saw Cuthbert's club side win the League Cup, remain on course to retain the Women's Super League title and progress to the Champions League semi-finals.

The WSL leaders also remain in the hunt for the FA Cup after booking a place in the last four.

That frantic spell has meant little rest for Cuthbert, but the 26-year-old is lapping up a change of scenery with the national team as they prepare for a Nations League double-header with Germany.

Cuthbert, who missed interim head coach Mick McArdle's opening two matches with a rib injury, said: "I love the business end of the season, it's brilliant. I just love the games that matter the most, the most pressurised moments.

"I feel like it brings out a different Erin and the best of me. But the past couple of weeks I've not really had a great amount of sleep. I've had loads of travel.

"I think as an elite athlete in the business at the end of the season, you just accept you're not going to sleep, you're going to feel pressure. The pressure keeps you up at night. But it's what we love doing.

"If I didn't have any pressure, then what's the point doing it? I enjoy the pressure, I thrive upon it. I know it's a tough part of the season, but it's what every single person wants to be part of.

"I just love the refresh here at Scotland and hearing the Scottish accent, just being back with the girls in general. It's nice to break it up because amongst all the pressure at Chelsea, you just come here in a bit more of a relaxed environment.

"I'm excited for the games ahead. It's a new campaign, feels like a sort of fresh squad, fresh kit as well, fresh everything, so I'm looking forward to seeing what we can achieve."

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"I'm not even going to say maybe, it was without doubt the best football I've seen her play."

That's just how well Scotland captain Rachel Corsie thinks midfielder Erin Cuthbert is currently performing.

Scotland host Germany in the first of a Nations League A double-header on Friday and will be bolstered by the returning Cuthbert, who missed their opening matches against Austria and Netherlands in February because of a rib problem. Both games ended in defeat for interim head coach Michael McArdle.

Cuthbert has been in fine form for WSL leaders Chelsea and helped them overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit to knock out Manchester City in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals last week.

"It's a boost with Erin back. I just saw her play the first 45 minutes at the weekend, and I was at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night," Corsie, who remains sidelined through injury, told the Behind the Goals podcast.

"I'm not even going to say maybe, it was without doubt best football I've seen her play. It's the efficiency of what she does, it's so effective.

"And she's sort of buzzing about, I know that she's feeling good; she knows that she's in a good bit of form, and she's enjoying it."

Third in the Fifa rankings, Germany visit Tannadice on Friday night before the teams meet again in Wolfsburg four days later.

"We'll spend large parts of the game, I would think, against Germany under pressure," Corsie added.

"We've been in those games before, we've had a lot of games like that where we've shown we can compete and be really difficult to break down, so I would expect us to have to try and be really diligent and disciplined in that area of pitch."

Former Scotland midfielder Leanne Crichton echoed Corsie's sentiment that it will be a night of hard graft out of possession, saying: "They'll need to be comfortable without the ball, that's the reality against the Germans."

With the first leg on Scottish soil, though, the sidelined skipper does see some reason to be hopeful.

Corsie said: "It's an advantage to be at home. I think that home game probably comes [with] a little extra optimism from my perspective because I just think, can we really try and push and get something out of that?

"I feel optimistic, I do."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle insists the experience of playing elite sides is the only way for the national team to narrow the gap to the top.

Germany lie in wait in early April at Tannadice in the first of a double-header in Nations League A.

The Germans are ranked second in Europe and third in the world rankings, clearly presenting a formidable test as Scotland seek their first points after beginning the group with defeats by Austria and Netherlands.

"We've earned the reward of League A, so it's perfect for us now to go out and test yourself against that level," McArdle said after revealing the return of Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert for these fixtures.

"Testing yourself against the best, especially for our younger players, it's perfect for us to play and see those benchmarks.

"You see the difference between League B and League A. You'll get 30% to 50% less chances in and around the box. The opposition will have more against you and it's about that clinical action on both boxes.

"The only way we're going to progress to the highest level is playing them more often."

Recent results suggest Scotland will struggle to avoid dropping down to League B after this cycle but McArdle insists if that happens, they will be better equipped to deliver at that level.

"Absolutely, you've got to be accountable to that and that pressure is always a reward for how well you're doing," he added.

"If that was the outcome, then you have to then use that to dominate within, but also that's the last cycle before the [Euro] play-offs. Obviously, opportunity for qualification. So it's about hitting rhythm at that point as well."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle has been speaking with the media after announcing his squad for the upcoming Nations League double-header against Germany.

Here are the key points:

• Erin Cuthbert, Amy Rodgers and Sandy MacIver replace Mia McAulay, Eilidh Shore and Erin Clachers. McArdle is delighted to welcome back the "significant experience" of Chelsea midfielder Cuthbert in particular.

• He believes Germany offer the "perfect opposition" being ranked second in Europe and third in the world and also having 30 players represented across the Champions League quarter-finals as he looks to test Scotland "against the best".

• Despite Scotland narrowly losing their opening two fixtures away to Austria and at home to Netherlands, McArdle was "proud" of the performances and adds: "Fine margins, it's that both boxes again and you see the difference between League B and League A. You'll get 30% to 50% less chances in and around the box."

• McArdle pointed to Caroline Weir and Cuthbert as crucial to the development of younger players in the squad given their elite experience at Champions League level.

• He also insisted that if Scotland do drop into League B after this cycle they should be in a stronger position as a result of these games.

• On his future and interim role, McArdle, who was appointed in January, says: "It's been clear from the start that they would update me if anything changed. So the process is ongoing and we've planned for this to be ongoing as well."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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When Emma Lawton received her first Scotland call up earlier this month, she didn't expected to start one never mind two Nations League games.

Given the "surreal" six months she's had, though, she probably should have had a wee bit more faith.

The Celtic full-back not only made her international debut in Austria, and followed it up with a second start on Tuesday against the Netherlands, she scored her first goal for her country too, giving the Scots a shock lead before the Dutch fought back for a 2-1 win at Hampden.

"I was just ready for any rebounds and I hit it," Lawton said of her first-half strike. "Luckily it flew into the goal. I'm really pleased with it."

Summing up an "enjoyable but challenging" time in camp, the goalscorer spoke of the "crazy" experience of having tea with some of her idols.

"I've watched a lot of these players for years," she told BBC Scotland.

"To be training and playing with them, and eating dinner with them, has been crazy. It is a really great group of girls.

"It's been really enjoyable, very challenging, but I am really happy to be here.

"I didn't think I'd play to be honest. To start both games, I'm proud to have done that, pleased with it.

"Knowing [interim head coach] Michael [McArdle] has been really good. The girls have really liked him. It has been a positive week for us. We have taken steps in the right way."

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Scotland goalkeeper Lee Gibson is "proud" of her team-mates despite their defeat to the Netherlands.

The Scots lost their Nations League opener away to Austria on Friday night and despite a much improved performance at home to the Dutch, they were on the end of a 2-1 defeat.

Next up, back-to-back games against Germany in April.

"We know Group A in the Nations League is going to be really tough so when you plays teams at home you know you need to try and pick up points," Gibson said.

"But I'm proud of the team, excited about the direction we're going in. It's going to be two really difficult games come April.

"We're trying to get to grips with the new management over a short period of time but there's plenty to build on and we're just excited to get back out on the pitch."