In Scotland’s 2-0 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 qualifying round, Aston Villa star John McGinn found it difficult to have an impression since Steve Clarke’s team didn’t get much of the ball.
Alvaro Morata’s second-half goal and Ryan Porteous’ own goal prevented Steve Clarke’s team from securing their spot in the competition next year. The 28-year-old started the important qualifying match in Seville on Thursday (12 October).
McGinn played on the right side of a midfield four and was as active off the ball as he usually is, but he was occasionally wasteful with the ball and frequently gave it back to the home team, which caused Scotland a number of issues.
Throughout the game, Clarke’s team only controlled 26% of the ball, and in his 33 touches, McGinn managed to give the ball away 11 times while also getting stripped of it twice by an opponent. However, the Villa star did successfully complete both of his two dribbling attempts.
The outstanding Spanish midfield of Gavi, Rodri, and Mikel Merino forced the Aston Villa player into frequent battles in the middle of the field. The player had great tackling skills, winning his single challenge and five of his seven attempted ground duels.
He was able to disrupt play once from the right side and recorded one interception as Spain controlled the ball well throughout the game, forcing Scotland to work extremely hard to get out of possession.
In addition, McGinn was able to draw two fouls and should have been awarded a third after being crudely taken down on the edge of the Spanish penalty area. However, the referee allowed play to continue despite the heavy amount of contact that the Villa midfielder had received.
In contrast to the 21 correct passes he made in his previous appearance for Unai Emery’s team against Wolves in the Premier League, the 28-year-old was virtually anonymous on the ball in this game, completing only 13 precise passes with 25% of his attempts missing their intended target.
McGinn did better when shooting long balls, finishing three of his five attempts while making one crucial pass late in the game. However, most of his work was done inside of his own half rather than in the advanced areas he has started to occupy at Aston Villa.
Although it is not particularly shameful to struggle against a side with as many options in the center of the field as Spain, McGinn’s performance in Seville was anonymous and may have given Emery some fuel for thought in contrast to the fantastic displays Villa field has witnessed from him this year.
