Scotland's inaugural home fixture under new manager Sebastien Pocognoli ended in disappointment as Switzerland dismantled the hosts 3-0 at Hampden, raising immediate questions about the goalkeeper position ahead of crucial Nations League encounters. While Jack Hendry's 11th-minute red card—awarded for denying Dan Ndoye a goalscoring opportunity—fundamentally altered the match dynamics, goalkeeper Angus Gunn's performance drew particular scrutiny from pundits analyzing the comprehensive defeat. Halliday's assessment proved cutting: the San Jose Earthquakes stopper, now 30 years old, was arguably culpable for both the opening goal and the third, with Halliday declaring he was "looking for more from Angus Gunn."
The first goal arrived almost immediately after Hendry's dismissal, though Scotland initially appeared fortunate when referee Nenad Minakovic's penalty decision was overturned by VAR to a free-kick on the box's edge. That reprieve proved illusory. Ricardo Rodriguez struck the set-piece past Gunn with what Halliday characterized as a shot "at shoulder height and not a lot of pace"—a finish the pundit deemed "so poor" from the goalkeeper's perspective. Later, with Switzerland already commanding proceedings through Nico Elvedi's doubled advantage, Zeki Amdouni's strike traveled through Gunn's arms into the net. While McFadden acknowledged its power, he suggested this represented a save Gunn "can keep out."
The goalkeeper shortage facing Scottish football adds weight to the debate. Gunn started all three World Cup matches ahead of alternatives Liam Kelly and Craig Gordon, with the latter's inclusion at age 43 underscoring the scarcity of quality competition for the number one position. Craig Gordon's retirement and Falkirk's Scott Bain's arrival for the Nations League campaign further emphasize depleted options. Halliday pointedly observed that "there's not somebody that's battering the door down to take his jersey because a lot of them aren't playing football," yet expressed nostalgia for Scotland's established goalkeeping lineage—suggesting legendary predecessors like Allan McGregor, David Marshall, Jim Leighton, and Andy Goram would have handled these situations differently over the previous two-and-a-half decades.
Gunn himself acknowledged disappointment, telling media he would review the conceded goals to identify improvements before upcoming fixtures against North Macedonia and Slovenia. "They were good strikes but, as a goalkeeper, I'm always disappointed when I concede a goal," he stated, committing to self-analysis. Whether Pocognoli considers a goalkeeping change for the challenging double-header remains uncertain, particularly given the absence of compelling alternatives pressing for selection.