Source: Team_Talk
Miller: Levein tactics were right
Kenny Miller has backed Craig Levein's tactics in Lithuania as he claimed only a better final ball was missing in a dominant Scotland display.[LNB] Miller started up front on his own, as expected, for the Euro 2012 opener in Kaunas but Levein sprung a surprise with his first selection for a competitive game by choosing Steven Naismith ahead of James McFadden on the left flank.[LNB]Scotland looked in control from the start of the game and had several decent opportunities but failed to find the killer touch in a goalless draw.[LNB]McFadden came on midway through the second half and joined Miller up front for the last 20 minutes, with Naismith also getting further forward in the latter stages.[LNB]Some observers fear Levein missed a good chance to take three points by failing to adopt a more ambitious approach as the game developed.[LNB]However, Miller feels Levein's 4-5-1 formation and the players' work rate allowed Scotland to dominate.[LNB]McFadden and Kris Boyd could be in line to start when Scotland host group minnows Liechtenstein on Tuesday night but Miller feels the first selection was spot-on.[LNB]"You would have to ask the manager how we will line up now but I felt we took the game to Lithuania on Friday night," the Rangers striker said.[LNB]"We played with one up front but you saw in the first half how high we pressed the ball and how hard we worked to try to get the ball back as soon as we lost it.[LNB]"That's the way you have to play. The energy we've got in the midfield with Fletch (Darren Fletcher) and Broony (Scott Brown) in particular in the middle and wee Naisy out wide, you have got to play like that and I think you will see the same on Tuesday."[LNB]Miller had Scotland's best chance when he headed Barry Robson's cross straight at the goalkeeper while Naismith failed to make the most of two decent opportunities from the edge of the penalty area.[LNB]Robson came close several times from long range and was disappointed with himself for not delivering better balls into the box.[LNB]Allan McGregor made one excellent save after Saulius Mikoliunas appeared to foul David Weir but was otherwise comfortable as Scotland kept their first clean sheet on the road for three years.[LNB]And Miller feels that offers encouragement at the start of a qualifying campaign in a group that also features Spain and Czech Republic.[LNB]"I thought we played well," the 30-year-old said. "We controlled the game without creating any real clear-cut chances.[LNB]"I had a header in the second half and tried to get a power and guide it towards the corner, but unfortunately it never happened and it went straight to the keeper.[LNB]"Wee Naisy in the last 10 minutes, if he gets his touch right and gets his shot away, you would fancy him to score. But on a bobbly pitch the ball got stuck under his feet.[LNB]"It wasn't to be, the final pass and the final ball could have been a wee bit better to set up a goalscoring chance.[LNB]"But we've come away, got a clean sheet, we definitely worked hard, which is the standard for when you come away from home with Scotland. We'll take that into Tuesday night.[LNB]"Bar the foul on big Davie Weir in the first half and a fantastic save from Allan in the first half, we felt comfortable in the game.[LNB]"For long spells, we dominated. It's probably as much possession we've had in any away game I can remember.[LNB]"That final pass, if it had just been that bit better, it might have given us more opportunities."[LNB]Levein will make changes for the Hampden contest but he had no regrets over his tactics in Kaunas.[LNB]"We have a group of players who are honest and hard-working and I think that's a good place to start," the Scotland manager told BBC Radio Scotland.[LNB]"We've been in decline for a while and it's incumbent upon on me to pick the best way of getting results.[LNB]"If we had nicked a goal, everybody would be saying things were great.[LNB]"There's a level of enthusiasm, energy and passion I want to instil in the side and I'm going to stick to doing what I think is right.[LNB]"Along the way there will be criticism and praise but that's part of being a manager - you take the rough with the smooth.[LNB]"Ultimately, what will decide whether I've done a good job or not is if we have a chance of qualifying for the European Championship.[LNB]"It's not after one match and certainly not when, for me, the signs are that there are better times ahead."[LNB]Levein confirmed there would be changes for the Hampden contest.[LNB]"It will probably need one or two more flair players to try and break the opposition down," he said.[LNB]"The shape might change and certainly the personnel will change."
