Could the creative Blues midfielder replicate Pedri’s performance against Sweden? (Pictures : .)
Jose Mourinho says Scotland lack “real talent” and urged Steve Clarke to bring Chelsea starlet Billy Gilmour into the starting XI against England, believing he can play a role similar to that of England. Spanish Pedri.
The tartan army will descend on Wembley on Friday night as the two former rivals face off at Euro 2020, with the Scots knowing they likely need at least one point to keep hope of moving up to the final 16 after losing their opener against Czech Republic.
Champions League winner Gilmour was an unused substitute in that game, but Mourinho believes Scotland have sorely missed his passing ability and creativity and believes he can have a similar impact as young Barcelona Pedri, who shone in Spain’s first match despite his tender years.
Pedri looked like an aspiring superstar against Sweden (Photo:.)
“Scotland are a team with a good mentality but without real talent, especially in attack,” Mourinho wrote in his pre-match column for The Sun.
“I was surprised by Scotland against the Czechs by how they really struggled to build their game. The quality was not high.
Offering Gilmour as a solution, he continued: “I saw how difficult it was for Scotland to play from the back and reach the midfield so I would ask if Billy Gilmour can’t give them more possession.
“I watched Spain play this young Pedri and I wonder if Gilmour can’t give Scotland more.”
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The Barcelona youngster was preferred over Thiago Alcantara of Liverpool and made 105 passes against Sweden before being substituted after an hour – the most players on the pitch at that time; in comparison, Scott McTominay played the most assists of any Scottish midfielder against the Czech Republic with just 47.
While Mourinho hasn’t completely canceled Scotland’s chances of causing an upheaval at Wembley, he firmly believes England will be too strong.
He continued: “Scotland are super motivated and they have that Braveheart spirit, but in football it’s very, very rare that miracles happen. When I say miracles, I mean a team overcoming a huge difference in quality.
Scotland will need more than a Gilmour Masterclass to beat England (Photo:.)
“Can Scotland go to Wembley and win? Yes, because it’s a football game – but no, because England are a much better team with much better players.
“When you clearly have the strongest team – and you’re in a much better position, needing a point from two games, while Scotland need four points against the top two teams in the group – the only thing England needs is to respect the opposition.
“You have to believe that the Scottish mentality can make their team much better than the sum of its parts – but England are much, much better.”
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