Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney started for Scotland in their opening game of Euro 2024 against Germany.
The Scots had a difficult road to the Euros but they got there in the end. They were drawn alongside Germany, Hungary and Switzerland in what is a very tricky group.
Scotland went into the opening game against the hosts as the underdogs on Friday night. Not many expected to see them get a result, but people felt they would put up a fight.
However, the game at the Allianz Arena was a one-sided affair from the first minute until the last, and Germany picked up a deserved 5-1 win in the end, with Kai Havertz starring for the hosts.
Tierney was a part of the backline that started the game, but there wasn’t a lot he could’ve done to have prevented the humiliating defeat.
Scottish media deliver verdict on Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney after 5-1 defeat
Tierney has had a difficult couple of years.
The Scot lost his place in the Arsenal side in the 2022/23 season and was then sent out on loan to La Liga club Real Sociedad in the following campaign.
It doesn’t look like Tierney has a future at Arsenal anymore, but the former Celtic man is still a very important player for his country.
Tierney started on the left side of Scotland’s back-three against Germany on Friday night, and everyone expected him to have an impact in the attacking third with his overlapping runs.
However, the Arsenal man barely got to get on the front foot because Germany were all over Scotland for large parts of the game.
Tierney celebrated his first tackle after just three minutes, but the smile on his face disappeared soon after.
Scotland got absolutely battered by the hosts and lost the game 5-1. Here’s how the Scottish media reacted to Tierney’s display.
The National Scot gave him a 6/10 rating and wrote: “Cheered when forcing a by-kick in the opening stages but left with little else to celebrate over the course. Made some powerful strides forward but lacked an out ball.”
The Scotsman wrote after giving a 4/10 rating: “The hope before the match was that Tierney could link up with captain and galivanting wing-back Andy Robertson down the left-hand side and be such a threat for Scotland.
“Those aspirations were quickly extinguished. Tierney plays so well in a three when he is able to stride forward and contribute to attack but he was completely unable to in this match.
His sole purpose was to defend – and boy, did the Real Sociedad loanee have a lot of that to do. Part of a defence that was ragdolled by Germany’s vibrant forward line. Taken off for Scott McKenna later on in proceedings. Will hope to see more of ball in next two matches.”
Finally, Football Scotland gave him a 5/10 rating and said: “Celebrated winning a goal-kick after, literally, 3 mins. Told the story of the game.”
Arsenal are ready to sell Tierney for a bargain fee
Tierney’s career at Arsenal is as good as over.
The Scotland international is a phenomenal player when he is fit. He has all the qualities to play at the top level, but his injury issues make him unreliable. To add to that, he doesn’t fit in Mikel Arteta’s inverted full-back system.
That’s why Arsenal are ready to sell him this summer, and Football Transfers recently claimed that they are looking for just £15 million to let him go.
The Sunday Post (page 68, June 9, 2024), on the other hand, claimed that the Gunners would sell him for just £10 million in this window.
TBR Football exclusively revealed before Euro 2024 that Arsenal have told Tierney that he is free to leave.
No transfer is expected to take place before the end of the Euros, but if Scotland play like they did on Friday night, they will be back home very soon.