Pat Nevin has now suggested that Scotland are ‘dependent’ on Aston Villa star John McGinn.
Speaking on the Football Daily Podcast, Nevin was analysing Scotland’s 3-0 win over Cyprus yesterday.
Scotland ran out deserved winners in their opening qualifying match for the European Championships next year.
However, they didn’t put the tie to bed until the final ten minutes.
John McGinn opened the scoring for Scotland in the first-half after scoring a tap-in at the back post.
However, it was a late Scott McTominay brace that earned Scotland a vital three points.
Nevin suggested after the match that McGinn’s role for Scotland is very different to the one he plays at Aston Villa.
The 28-year-old has failed to score for his club this season.
In fact, he’s found the back of the net five times for Scotland his he last scored for Aston Villa.
Nevin believes Scotland depend on Villa star McGinn
Speaking after the match, Nevin said: “Look, we’re dependent on him.
“He’s playing in a brilliant position, he’s much, much further forward than most midfielders.
“He’s almost playing as a ten sometimes, rather than an eight, but he’s getting into good positions.”
McGinn has been relied upon by Steven Gerrard and Unai Emery as a deep-lying central midfielder this season.
However, although this has benefitted the playmaking side of his game, he’s getting in fewer prominent positions to affect the game in the final third.
Gerrard believed last summer that the signing of Boubacar Kamara would allow McGinn to play further forward.
That didn’t happen, and Emery has stuck with playing McGinn further back to allow Emi Buendia and Jacob Ramsey to fill the attacking midfield role.
Villa fans will hope that McGinn will carry his Scotland form into domestic football as Nevin suggests.
Having the 28-year-old arrive from deeper areas to score goals has been very valuable in recent seasons.
If Aston Villa are to make an unlikely late charge into the European spots this season, they’ll need some extra goals from sources other than Ollie Watkins.
McGinn could prove to be that man in the final months of the campaign.