Goalkeeper Craig Gordon has warned the players in front of him to underestimate Gibraltar at their peril as Scotland aim to avoid the preverbial banana skin on Sunday.
Shots on target for Group D’s bottom side have been few and far between so far in this qualifying campaign, so it’s safe to assume that the Celtic shot-stopper is unlikely to have the busiest of games at the weekend.
However, Gordon has been involved with the national set-up for long enough to know that for whatever reason – there is no such thing as a walkover when it comes to Scotland.
“These are the games we have to win and historically it hasn’t been that easy for us,” he admitted.
“Getting the win is what we have to focus on first and foremost.
“If we can do that then looking to score a few goals comes afterwards but winning the game is the main thing.
“It’s more than likely it will be a quiet day for me, but you have to prepare properly for every match.
“We are looking to come out and attack.
“It might be a different role for the goalkeeper, it might be more of a sweeper role.
“I don’t know what the manager will do in terms of setting the team up, but I think it will be important that if they play one up front and send the ball over the top then someone is there.
“We need to make sure the tempo remains high so you don’t want to give them respite by the goalkeeper taking two and three touches.
“We need to make sure if they send the ball up the park it’s coming straight back at them so they’re not getting a break.
“We want to play the game so they are running as much as possible.
“The goalkeeper has a responsibility to keep the tempo of the game up and not a lot of people realise that.
“You prepare for every match as it comes along and this one might be a slightly different preparation.
“But come Sunday everyone will be ready to go.”
While Scotland will be fully expected to beat Gibraltar and comfortably at that, one only needs to go back four-and-a-half years for proof that things are easier said than done.
A Stephen McManus header deep into injury time against Liechtenstein in 2010 saved Scotland from what would have been one of the most embarrassing results in their football history, and Gordon had one of the best seats in the house that evening at Hampden.
“I was in a television studio the night of the Liechtenstein game,” he recalled.
“That was a different life I had back then.
“Towards the end I was sitting there worried what I was going to say at full-time to defend the rest of the boys.
“So thankfully we managed to grind it out because I don’t know what I would have said if we’d drawn that one.
“When Stephen McManus scored I jumped out of my seat in the studio because it was hugely important to get that win.
“That night is a reminder of what can happen in any game of football.
“It can be difficult and at this level you don’t want to lose a goal to give yourself an uphill task.
“If you do that it can get edgy so we’re well aware of the need for a fast start and a good tempo so we can take care of things.”
From a personal point of view, Gordon’s international comeback has been just another pleasing milestone on his incredible return to form following knee surgery and he is keen to keep hold of the goalkeeper’s jersey.
Competition for that spot between the sticks is tougher than ever, but the 32-year-old hopes to have done enough in his first half cameo at Hampden on Wednesday night to secure a spot in Gordon Strachan’s starting 11.
“It was great to stand out there and sing the national anthem again,” he concluded.
“You’d always prefer to play the first half rather than the second.
“It was just good to get back out there, though, it was enjoyable and both keepers got a clean sheet.
“I don’t know what will happen on Sunday, the manager will decide that.
“He told us on Wednesday morning and I’m sure it will be the same again at the weekend.
“In every match he names the team in the morning and we go through our shape and set pieces.
“So I’d imagine that’s what he’ll do again for Gibraltar.
“We ground the result against Northern Ireland out on Wednesday and it wasn’t our best performance.
“I don’t think we’ll be trying to kid anyone on by pretending it was but we came away with a win.
“But it was important to keep the momentum going.
“We’d talked about it during the week because it’s difficult to keep it going when the games are so far apart.
“So we wanted a win on Wednesday to make sure we go into Sunday against Gibraltar with the confidence of a victory behind us, and we got that.”