The sample size to judge the new Scotland boss may be relatively small -- especially when comparing Sebastien Pocognoli's four games in charge so far with his predecessor Steve Clarke's total of 81 -- but we've still been left with more questions than answers from what we've witnessed so far.
Victory over Slovenia at Hampden Park on Tuesday would have meant seven points from four games for Scotland, an acceptable total if achieved after taking just one point from their opening two games. Instead, the 2-1 home defeat means the Scots are now odds-on to finish third in Group B1 and miss out on a Pot Two seeding for December's European Championship qualifying draw.
So what did we learn from the new man's first four games in charge?
Game by game
Slovenia (a) -- In a disappointing first half, several players looked confused about their exact roles and duties. However the manager made a couple of tweaks at half-time -- including closing the space between the lines and playing the game further up the pitch -- which led to a dominant second half performance that should have resulted in Scotland coming away from Ljubljana with all three points.
Switzerland (h) -- Jack Hendry's tenth minute red card meant the prepared gameplan went out the window early on, resulting in a backs-to-the-wall display with Scotland only having 23% possession.
North Macedonia (a) -- The most complete performance of the four, with total dominance right up until Scott McKenna's late red card. Ben Gannon-Doak -- advertised as an advanced wing-back but, in essence, playing as an out-and-out winger -- had the freedom of the right flank in Skopje, while Billy Gilmour was imperious in a more advanced midfield role, leaving Lewis Ferguson to protect in front of the back three. On other day, with their shooting boots on, Scotland could easily have scored five or six in Skopje.
Slovenia (h) -- Dreadful. Fortunate to be ahead at half-time, with Slovenia missing a host of chances, and that was as good as it got for Scotland. Disjointed in defence throughout, especially in the second half, a non-existent press from a tired group of players and a system that was easy exploited by a nation ranked nine places below the Scots in FIFA's World Rankings. On other day, with their shooting boots on, Slovenia could easily have scored five or six in Glasgow.
Converting chances
Scotland had 17 attempts on goal in Slovenia and 25 in North Macedonia, with an xG of 2.16 and 3.45, yet only scored two goals in total.
At the news conference ahead of the return fixture against Slovenia, Pocognoli played down his team's profligacy in front of goal: "That's life ... You look for the positive or look for the negative. We create more chances, that's positive with a new group."
But positives were in short supply after the defeat on Tuesday night with the Scotland boss saying they got exactly what they deserved from the game, telling BBC Scotland: "We didn't deserve to get the win, that's the reality. On the ball and off the ball we were below the level we expect. We were not proactive enough.
"Probably the structure off the ball needs to be more proactive, front-footed to push the line higher. On the ball we were not clever enough. We were far from strong enough in the duels. It's a process about being brave, trying to defend forward and we were not compact in our defensive shape."
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Team selection and formation
Pocognoli's preferred system may be 3-4-2-1/3-4-1-2 but, in truth, a back four with wingers would suit this group of players much better. Right now it's square pegs in round holes.
This Scotland squad has a distinct lack of top-quality central defenders, therefore starting three of them -- 30% of your entire team minus the goalkeeper -- significantly weakens the side as a whole and denies the opportunity to include an additional creative player further up the pitch.
The box midfield of Ferguson -- Gilmour -- Christie -- McGinn didn't work against Slovenia at home, a lack of pace meant a lack of threat, and too often the players found themselves on the back foot and unable to support the lone striker. And why Kieron Bowie was dropped to the bench on Tuesday night after scoring his first Scotland goal in the previous game was a head-scratcher.
New faces
One of the few positives of this international window was undoubtedly the much-needed freshness in the Scotland squad. Six uncapped players were called-up -- Luis Binks (Brondby), Colby Donovan (Celtic), Luke Graham (Stoke), Josh McPake (Heart of Midlothian), Robbie Ure (Sevilla) and Stephen Welsh (Swansea) -- while Oli McBurnie (Hull City), Lennon Miller (Udinese), Josh Doig and Bowie (Sassuolo) and James Wilson (Heart of Midlothian) were recalled after missing out on the World Cup squad. And five members of Pocognoli's squad are also aged 20 or under.
Then, just three days later, all the momentum garnered from the victory over North Macedonia was lost with the dreadful performance at home to Slovenia. Freshness? Yes. Quality? Yet to be determined.
Robertson's milestone
Before kick-off in Skopje on Saturday night, Kenny Dalglish was the only man to have played 100 times for Scotland, representing his country on 102 occasions between 1971 and 1986. He's now been joined in the Centurion Tartan Club by Andy Robertson, the current captain of the national team, who won caps 98, 99, 100 and 101 during this international break.
Barring injury while playing for Spurs over the next few weeks, Robertson will equal then surpass Dalglish -- one of his heroes -- during November's double-header at home to North Macedonia then away to Switzerland. Dalglish's record has stood since Nov. 12 1986 when he won his 102nd cap against Luxembourg in a 3-0 win at Hampden in a qualifier for the 1988 European Championships.
Midfield dilemma
Fitting all three of Napoli's Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson from Bologna and Aston Villa captain John McGinn into his midfield was easy for Sebastian Pocognoli during this international break, but that's because Scotland's best player -- Scott McTominay -- was unavailable following successful heart surgery to correct a mild, benign arrhythmia.
So, what happens when McTominay returns next month for the two remaining Nations League group games?
Assuming Pocognoli sticks with his preferred formation, keeping Gilmour, Ferguson and McGinn in the line-up while also including McTominay would mean playing only one striker and having McTominay and McGinn support the front man, with Gilmour and Ferguson playing deeper than their midfield teammates.
Which players would then provide the width in that set-up? Posing that question leads us to the manager's next dilemma...
Ben Gannon-Doak
Predominantly a right-winger, Gannon-Doak was used as an attacking right wing-back against both North Macedonia in Skopje and Slovenia at Hampden. That was Pocognoli's plan from the outset: bring his young talent off the bench for the first two games before unleashing him from the start for the next two.
Aaron Hickey played the right wing-back position against Slovenia in Ljubljana before Nathan Patterson was used there against Switzerland in Glasgow -- two defenders who were asked to attack rather than playing an attacker who would also be asked to defend, with the thought process being that less defending would be required in games three and four because Scotland would have a lot more of the ball than they would have in games one and two.
It's been quite some time since Scotland could call upon a similar type of player as Ben Gannon-Doak, one who'll get bums-off-seats due to his exciting and unpredictable style of play. But, like most wingers, inconsistency is also a problem. For all Gannon-Doak's undeniable ability, he needs to improve his final ball. And he also needs more time on the pitch at club level, with the 20-year-old yet to start a Premier League game for Bournemouth since his £20 million move from Liverpool in August 2025.
Goalkeeping issues
Over the years Scotland have had a plethora of top-class keepers to choose from -- Jim Leighton, Andy Goram and Craig Gordon to name but three. However Steve Clarke's recent World Cup squad contained three goalies, all of whom were selected despite not being first choice at any of their respective clubs.
Things have changed slightly in the past few months -- Angus Gunn moved to Major League Soccer in July and he starts every week for San Jose Earthquakes, Falkirk No. 1 Scott Bain has been recalled by his country while Jon McCracken is a regular starter for Bradford City in League One. But the current Scotland goalkeeping situation remains a distinct case of quantity over quality -- Gunn can consider himself fortunate to be in the lofty position he's in.
Of the four keepers in Pocognoli's squad for these four games -- the three mentioned above plus Rangers back-up Liam Kelly -- only McCracken is under the age of 30. Long-term, the answer may lie with Heart of Midlothian's Liam McFarlane, the 22-year-old who is currently performing well on loan at Partick Thistle. He's also the starter for Tony Docherty's Scotland under-21 team.
McFarlane travelled to the United States this summer as Scotland's training goalkeeper for the World Cup and it's understood he was close to being called-up by Pocognoli for these Nations League games, but ultimately it was decided to keep him with the under-21s to maximise his game time.
Discipline
Two red cards in four games. Not ideal. Scott McKenna can perhaps consider himself unfortunate to see red late on in Skopje for a reckless-but-not-serious-foul-play challenge on North Macedonia's Agon Elezi. However Jack Hendry left his teammates with a mountain to climb after just ten minutes against Switzerland at Hampden when he hauled down Dan Ndoye as he raced clear, with VAR eventually clarifying the foul occurred outside the box and instructing referee Nenad Minakovic to nullify the initial penalty award but upgrade the yellow card to a red.