Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has played down concerns over a double injury blow ahead of Tuesday night's Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland in Warsaw. Blackburn Rovers defender Grant Hanley has failed to travel after sustaining a knee injury in Saturday's 1-0 win over Georgia, while winger Ikechi Anya is a major doubt with a calf problem.
Brighton & Hove Albion's Gordon Greer is expected to deputise for Hanley in central defence, having formed a good partnership with Russell Martin in previous matches. Strachan confirmed that Hanley 'took a knock to his knee in the Georgia game and is away home', while Anya has 'tightness in his calf' and will be assessed on Tuesday morning.
Despite the setbacks, Strachan remains calm, stating: 'We'd prefer to have both players but we'll be all right. In defence, Gordon Greer has had a good partnership with Russell Martin. We have another couple of lads we could bring in, as well, so we've got plenty of bodies.' He added that the team is 'not scared of the situation because we have other people ready to go'.
Anya's potential absence could open the door for Darren Fletcher or Barry Bannan, though Strachan admitted there is no direct like-for-like replacement. James Morrison could also move forward to accommodate Fletcher. The Scotland boss praised his squad's adaptability, noting how they quickly adjusted their tactics during the Georgia match after a change in the opposition's formation.
Poland will be a formidable opponent, having defeated world champions Germany 2-0 on Saturday. Strachan acknowledged the difficulty of the qualifying group, describing it as 'the hardest group of all the sections' and predicting 'ups and downs down to the final game'. He emphasised the importance of preparation and performance, saying: 'All you can do is prepare for a game of football, as we did on Saturday, and as they did, and put in performances.'
