Scotland vs Denmark: Favorite hosts Lady Luck, patients and Hampden noise

How could Scotland start so poorly and finish so impressively?

“Was it because we have that mentality that it might lead to a point, so we’re cautious?” Dodds asked. “Maybe the cautious approach came from what we needed outside the game, but then we realized in the end, we were desperate and we were going to do it, but it didn’t really matter in the end, did it?

“It’s all about energy and belief. That’s when we’re at our best. It’s about trying.”

Macfadyen believed that “poor defence” and “nervousness” from their previous recent encounters with Greece contributed to the eventful defeat on Saturday.

“I thought our press was really bad,” he said. “They found it very easy to play in the areas they wanted to play in and we didn’t stop them.

“The distances were too big between defence, midfield and attack, so the pressing was never working, but then the second half started much better, more aggressive, and we are pushing the players forward.

“You look at Andy Robertson’s cross that scored Ryan Christie’s goal. Earlier in the game, it probably goes back, because it’s not perfect, it bounces.

“Earlier on, John McGinn wasn’t getting forward, Scott McTominay wasn’t getting forward. We’re at our best when McGinn gets forward, when McTominay gets into the box, when Robertson gets off the line and crosses into the box, and for whatever reason, the last three games haven’t been like that.”

“We need to believe in ourselves more,” Clark said afterwards.

“I don’t know why they don’t believe in themselves, being the players we all know they can be,” McFadden said, recalling his struggle to beat Belarus at Hampden.

“I don’t know if it’s a lack of belief, I don’t know if it’s confidence, but when you watch players do things they wouldn’t normally do, and it’s not for the benefit of the team, you start to think is maybe it’s time to replace some of these players and then you see them step forward and play the way they can play.

“Is it because it is the World Cup and there is a real fear of failure?”