After the disappointment of the Euros, Scotland fans wanted to see something fresh, new and different – especially in attack. It has arrived in the form of Ben Doak.
In Germany last summer, Scotland brought the party in the stands but lacked a real cutting edge. They scored just twice before their group stage exit – and one was an own goal. There was a huge reliance on talisman John McGinn, not just in terms of finishing but creativity too.
Now Steve Clarke has found his answer. This past week, McGinn has found the net twice in two big moments for Scotland – and both were laid on a plate by 19-year-old Doak. It feels like an important step for this team.
In Warsaw on Monday night, it took Doak and McGinn just three minutes to combine but the danger for Poland did not end there. Four minutes later, Doak was at it again – nearly creating another goal for Lyndon Dykes.
Doak and Dykes would combine later in the half in another missed chance, before the former had a run-and-shot blocked by Poland goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski. The teenage winger tired in the second half, before coming off, but he left the pitch with his reputation as fresh as ever.
“He’s a threat, very direct and he gets at defenders,” said manager Steve Clarke after the win over Poland. “Having been a full-back myself, a winger that gets at you like that makes it difficult for defenders. He brings us something different.”
“I saw him as a youngster at Celtic first of all. The thing that impressed me was his end product – do a pass, dribble, or try and get a shot,” former Scotland forward Steven Naismith told Sky Sports News on Tuesday.
“In the last two games, we’ve seen that. And that’s why he’s got the assists. But his overall performances are at top level.”
But it was arguably Doak’s display last Friday night, under the Hampden Park lights, which was even more impressive. Mainly due to the sheer amount of damage Doak caused Croatia full-back Josko Gvardiol.
The left-back, of Manchester City no less, struggled to deal with the talented young winger all night, including being on the wrong end of one rapid spin and turn which went viral on social media.
It ended with Doak taking on Gvardiol one final time before, just like in Poland three days later, crossing for McGinn to score. Not bad for someone who turned 19 just last week.
“Once you’re on the pitch, I don’t see names or faces,” Doak said after the Croatia game. “I just see another team trying to beat us, so we need to beat them. When I’m on the ball, I don’t notice who I’m against. It’s just a kit.”
Taking the ball and running at defenders has been the name of Doak’s game this season. He is also impressing at club level in that regard.
Only Vinicius Jr and Bradley Barcola – of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain respectively – have carried the ball into the opposition penalty area more often than Middlesbrough’s Doak, on loan from Liverpool.
However, the hidden context of that statistic is that Doak has played 300 fewer minutes than Vinicius and Barcola this season. No player in Europe is taking the ball, running with it, and bringing into good areas as often nor as regularly as this talented Scottish teen.
Intriguingly, Doak is ahead of Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah on this list, begging the question as to whether the next stage of the Scottish winger’s progression is getting into Arne Slot’s first-team – particularly with doubts over Salah’s own Anfield future.
One player who could help that step is Scotland captain Andy Robertson, also of Liverpool, who is “always on Doaky just because of the Liverpool connection.
“I just like being on him and trying to get the best out of him,” Robertson added before the Poland game.
“The wee man’s flying and he’s doing so well, which is great to see. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
So bright that Doak is likely to one day replace McGinn as Scotland’s talisman. Already many are wondering what would have happened at the Euros last summer had Doak not pulled out of the provisional Scotland squad due to injury.
Doak is a player who loves the ball at his feet with space to run into. He could have the world at his feet, with the rest of his career to attack.
