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Gordon Strachan says Scotland need to improve before qualifier against Slovenia

Gordon Strachan looks on during the international freindly between Scotland and Canada at Easter Road
Image: Gordon Strachan says Scotland have plenty to work on before Sunday's game with Slovenia

Gordon Strachan says Scotland "need to improve lots of things" before Sunday's crucial World Cup Qualifier against Slovenia.

The Tartan Army were held to a 1-1 draw by Canada in a friendly on Wednesday evening with Fraser Aird putting the visitors ahead inside 11 minutes before Steven Naismith equalised on the 35 minute mark.

They currently sit in fifth place of Group F in qualifying with three points needed from the Hampden Park fixture, but after a lacklusture performance, Strachan says there is plenty of work to do over the next few days.

"We need to improve on a lot of things," the Scotland manager told Sky Sports following the game.

"It's very hard to ask players who are not playing regularly to come in and play and have their touch just right. It's small things, even with Leigh Griffiths having a shot at the end, when he's playing, that ball goes in the back of the net.

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Highlights of Scotland's draw with Canada in their international friendly at Easter Road

"Passes were a bit short, we gave ourselves a problem because our touch wasn't very good in the first 10 or 15 minutes which kind of spooked us, we gave the ball away a couple of times.

"I am so glad we took that game now. I would hate to have discovered a lot of things that I discovered tonight on Sunday.

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Steven Naismith goal celebration with Lee Wallace, Scotland v Canada, international friendly
Image: Steven Naismith scored the equalising goal for Scotland on Wednesday

"It's good to find out right now and it was a good decision by playing this and you've seen that tonight there were a lot of guys who were very rusty, a few of them haven't played for a while so of there is a bonus from the night, that is a bonus.

"We have plans for Sunday but the plans are now coming to fruition and after that, it is a lot clearer what we have to do on Sunday."

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Strachan handed a debut to Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney and made five of the maximum six changes allowed in an international friendly as he looks towards choosing a side for the Slovenia game.

"I'm clearer now [on who to pick]. Ikechi Anya was a bit of a bonus at right-back, he did well annd Jordan Rhodes didn't do badly when he came on. Tom Cairney had a decent start to his career.

Scotland's Tom Cairney (right) and Canada's Samuel Piette battle for the ball during the International Friendly match at Easter Road, Edinburgh
Image: Tom Cairney made his debut for Scotland at Easter Road

"But because we got spooked with our passing in the first ten or 15 minutes, we were not brave enough to pass it through them and give it to people who were unmarked.

"I think we got to a stage where we have to play safe because we're not playing very well tonight but I think you have to get rid of that fear and play with freedom. I'd rather see us losing the ball and being brave than being negative."

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