'Scotland fans can fret - but they need to keep perspective too'
There was further cause to feel worried about Scotland's lack of edge up front. George Hirst worked himself to a standstill, created a few half-chances for himself, but couldn't execute. In the Lyndon Dykes role, Hirst did a better version of Lyndon Dykes than Lyndon Dykes.
He was mobile, powerful, full of running. But these two suffer from the same ailment - they're strikers who are not very good at striking the ball into an opponent's net no matter who they're playing for. The Scottish player with the best numbers by far this season is Oli McBurnie of Hull.
McBurnie hasn't played for Scotland for five years - and may never again - but he has 13 goals and seven assists in 30 games in the English Championship. Hull are fifth in the table. Ross Stewart of Southampton might have been worth a look.
Kieron Bowie now seems out of the picture after his move to Italy. Clarke is a creature of habit and it's difficult to see any of these guys getting in the shake-up now. This was Scotland's last game before Clarke picks the 26 for America.
It's hard to envisage a lightning bolt at this stage. If possible X-factor wildcards - Calvin Miller and Elliot Watt, for instance - were even the tiniest dot on Clarke's radar we'd have known it by now. Lennon Miller didn't see any minutes against Japan or Ivory Coast.