Nobody has scored more goals in the Scottish Premiership this season than Lawrence Shankland. The Hearts striker has found the back of the net 20 times in just 30 games with 14 of them coming in his last 15 outings. Until recently, Shankland was an outside bet to make Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad. Not anymore.
By Graham Ruthven
Shankland is in the Scotland squad for the upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland and will almost certainly be on the plane to Germany this summer. Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes are more experienced at international level, but Shankland offers a different dimension. He is a natural goalscorer.
Such has been the success Shankland has enjoyed this season, many now believe he should be a lot more than just a squad figure for Scotland at Euro 2024. Indeed, it is increasingly being argued that Shankland should be in line for a starting role in Germany. He could provide the firepower Scotland need.
Scotland didn’t exactly struggle for firepower during Euro 2024 qualification. Steve Clarke’s team scored 17 goals in just eight matches including two against Spain and five in two games against Norway who they finished ahead of to qualify automatically. However, only one of those goals came from Scotland’s first and second-choice strikers – Adams and Dykes.
John McGinn and Scott McTominay shouldered the majority of the goalscoring burden through qualification with the latter sensationally out-scoring Erling Haaland by finding the back of the net no fewer than seven times. Clarke’s system is designed to allow for late runners from midfield and it has squeezed the most out of McGinn and McTominay. They are Scotland’s most reliable difference-makers.
Even accounting for this, though, Scotland could do with a number nine who is on the pitch to do more than just facilitate midfield runners. Shankland has already demonstrated his ruthlessness at international level by scoring a late equaliser away to Georgia last year and deserves another opportunity to prove himself in a Scotland shirt.
In many ways, Shankland lacks some of the qualities that top-level centre forwards require. He doesn’t have a turn of pace. In fact, there are times the Hearts forward looks downright slow. Shankland, however, has the intelligence and positional awareness to make up for this. He knows where to be and when to be there and that counts for a lot.
While Shankland is certainly a natural goalscorer, he is far from a penalty box poacher. Indeed, the 28-year-old’s highlight reel of long-range strikes is an impressive one. He can finish from inside the box, he can score from outside it, he’s physically strong, he’s dangerous in the air, his first touch is exceptional – there is a lot for Clarke to work with.
“Just experience, more experience,” said Clarke when asked what had made the difference for Shankland in recent times. “More responsibility – he’s captain of the club. Playing in a Hearts team that is competitive at the top end of the table. All those little factors come together. He’s a goalscorer. A goalscorer playing in a good Hearts team that’s creating chances and Lawrence is scoring the goals. He’s done well.”
Under Clarke, the Scotland squad has been a tight-knit group. He has sought to create a club-like environment with Scotland benefiting from the continuity of having a core of experienced players who have played together for a number of years. It’s unlikely there will be any surprises in his Euro 2024 squad selection. Clarke will also have just 23 places to hand out compared to the 26 he had at Euro 2020.
It had been reported that Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon would be pursued to switch international allegiance from England to Scotland before this summer, but the latter has taken another step in his development this season and the former has struggled for much of the campaign through injury.
That Barnes and Gordon were even on the radar suggests Clarke is open to remoulding his attack should he feel there is an option who could improve Scotland in the final third. Shankland has been part of the national team picture for years, but his form this season suggests he could be that option.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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