Let's surprise Malta and unleash two strikers, says McAvennie

According to the former Celtic and West Ham striker, who remarkably was capped just five times despite a prolific scoring record north and south of the border, Strachan's defensive outlook has led to the deflation and general indifference that has so far permeated the build-up to Sunday's World Cup qualifying campaign opener against Malta at the Ta' Qali National Stadium.

"If they don't win on Sunday then that's it done," McAvennie went as far to say. And with the make-up of Strachan's squad and how he feels the Scotland team will again be set up, he fears that a repeat of the horror show in Tbilisi that torpedoed Scotland's last qualifying campaign could be on the cards.

"I hope this isn't another Georgia, and I hope I'm totally wrong, but it's hot over there and if these boys are going to go over there and play lethargically then I can see Malta getting something, maybe a draw," he said.

"Being too defensive cost us the last time, we didn't make the last tournament because we didn't score enough goals -simple as that. I was sitting watching that on holiday and I was absolutely gutted that Scotland weren't there. What a party that would have been, and the fans deserve to go to a tournament because they spend a lot of money following Scotland.

"Gordon likes to play with two holding midfield players and that's just wrong to me. I'm a fully paid-up member of the strikers' society and I want to see two strikers on the pitch, especially in a game like this. Why not just have a go at them?

"It never worked in the last campaign, so let's just go out and have a go, and give them something that they won't expect. Let them off the leash. If we don't make it, then at least you can then say that we gave it a go. The regret from the last one was that we never [did that].

"In this campaign, let's give it a go, and if we make it great but if not, at least we can put our hands up and say we gave it everything."
McAvennie was delighted by the call-up of Hearts striker Tony Watt, but he is less enamoured with the continued disregard for the attacking talents of Ross McCormack.

Scotland assistant manager Mark McGhee referred to the player not fitting the system being employed for this game, but McAvennie believes the system should fit the best players, not the other way around.
"I'm not disputing Gordon is a good manager, but if you've not got the players to play his system I just think you've got to change it," he said. "He's wanting to play a set way but when you've got Steven Fletcher then you've not got any pace up front.
"In international football you need pace, and I don't know if there's that much pace in the team now.
"I like Tony Watt. I was a big fan of him when he was at Celtic and I thought maybe the powers that be should have put their arm around him at the time because he's a different beast. I'm delighted that he's got the call-up.
"I just don't understand though why Ross McCormack isn't even in the squad. He's scoring goals, and I just think that's what football is all about. You look at McCormack, and I don't think there are many other players that are worth more than Pounds 12 million in the Scotland team.

"He's scoring a lot more goals than Chris Martin and he's a lot more mobile than him, no disrespect.
"I would even have McCormack in ahead of Fletcher, he will score more goals. I'd like to see a lot more freedom in the Scotland team."
Frank McAvennie was speaking at the launch of a new charity partnership between Mr Singh's Indian and Tapas and Mary's Meals UK. Mary's Meals feeds more than one million children every year around the world and Mr Singh's will feed a child with every curry bought.