Scotland 'not good enough' to impress at World Cup?

The situation is a real disaster. An abject failure. We did our best. We had a good trajectory. Whoever said following Scotland was a rollercoaster ride was never more right, as these fan comments suggest. Steve Clarke's team traveled confidently to the World Cup with one goal in mind: to make history and become the first team to reach the knockout stages of a major tournament. That mission is now in great doubt, following the 3-0 defeat against Brazil last Wednesday. When the whistle sounded at the impressive Miami Stadium, the Scottish players fell to the pitch, shaking their heads in despair. Here we go again. In the hours that followed, the performance dictated much of the discussion, leading to mixed emotions among fans, both at home and away. The nation now waits anxiously. In the meantime, how do you feel? 'I think we're going home' - Clarke and McGinn lament Scotland's mistakes. Scotland's World Cup hopes are at risk after their 3-0 defeat to Brazil. Vinicius Jr interrupts the party and leaves the Scots discouraged... but are they out of the race? It appears the general consensus reflects the mood of the players and Clarke, who spoke after the game. Frustrated. Not because of the defeat against a Brazilian team coached by Carlo Ancelotti, with Vinicius Junior, Matheus Cunha and the returned hero Neymar, but because of the way they allowed their South American opponents to defeat them.

a lesson. The Real Madrid forward had the ball in the net three times in the first half. Fortunately, only two goals were awarded. The error-strewn defense was humiliated three times in total. It could have been more, given the disorganization of the Scottish defensive line and the vivacity of the Brazilian attack. Patrick W: I have no problem losing 3-0 to Brazil, but we were the ones who hurt ourselves. The damage was done by settling for a goal against Haiti and the negative approach against Morocco. Chris: Disappointing. I didn't expect us to be flying high, but to play so negatively in all three games is just so, so bad. I'm disappointed that the fans didn't have a goal to celebrate. Glenn: Unfortunately, we were useless. We looked like a pub team. Embarrassing. Robbie: Now it's a waiting game. They let themselves look bad, yes. Was I surprised? No. It's what Scotland does, we're experts at it. Perhaps it is time to reflect again on the capabilities, or lack thereof, within the national team. A heated debate about Scotland's level Now that sparks another debate. As heard on Sportsound between Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann and BBC Scotland's chief sports journalist Tom English. The latter suggested that Scotland's players are "not good enough" to compete at the elite level of international football - nine tournament appearances in the last two European Championships and this World Cup without scoring a deflected goal would suggest as much. But the old

Scottish winger McCann contested that you can't "close the doors like that". "You have a player who was voted the best midfielder in Italy, Lewis Ferguson. You have a player who is in discussions for the Ballon d'Or, Scott McTominay. You have the Aston Villa captain, John McGinn, who has just won the Europa League," said McCann. All of this is true, which is where much of the fans' frustration lies... Barry: An abject failure on the international stage for two tournaments in a row, Steve Clarke has taken these players as far as he can and it would be better for everyone involved if he did the right thing and tore up their new contract. Scotland needs new ideas. Dougie: It's not the coach's fault. No manager makes the mistakes Scotland made on the pitch, but is he the right man to take the team forward? There is such a thing as misplaced loyalty, and it is clear that these players cannot succeed in tournaments. If it were a club, there would be an almost total cleaning. William: Once again Scotland were bad in a big tournament. They were weak in all three games, conceding easy goals and without looking like they were going to score. The team takes no responsibility and constantly opts for the easy option. Our players are simply not good enough. We don't deserve to pass. Hugh: We did our best. First World Cup in my life (I'm old enough to have voted three times). I'm genuinely proud of our guys, whether we go home tonight or

u don't. We were drawn against Brazil and Morocco (again); they are better teams, there is little that can be done about that. We had a good run and we fought. The move is something that few within the team now expect. "A miracle" is what John McGinn and company need. At times against the iconic Brazilians in yellow, however, they passed the ball in a way that should not have required the near-impossible feats it now requires. With the ball at their feet, the Scots were fluid at times. By far, it was their most composed performance on the ball and, for long periods of their tough defeat, they looked... decent. But Clarke demanded more. Everyone demanded more. "I think when you see the physicality, the power and the technique of both Morocco and Brazil, you can see that we have to try and do something on our own," Clarke said. "Do better, that's it. Be better in possession. Take responsibility." Can Scotland be better, though? Or is this the best they can do?