Levein's strikerless formation was right, says Houston
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Your support makes all the difference.Scotland assistant manager Peter Houston offered a robust defence of the 4-6-0 formation used by Craig Levein in Friday's 1-0 defeat to the Czech Republic claiming it was a "great strategy" which could be repeated.
In a one-sided Euro 2012 qualifier in Prague, the visitors played without out-and-out strikers and eventually lost, leaving them with four points from three games ahead of the visit of world champions Spain to Hampden Park tomorrow.
Despite widespread criticism of the formation, which continued over the weekend, Houston was unrepentant and said: "You have a duty to try and get something points-wise for the country. I agreed with [manager] Craig [Levein]. I felt it was the right way to go about it, to hit them on the counter-attack. I had watched a couple of DVDs of the Czech Republic and I thought it was a great strategy to come up with."
Asked if Levein (pictured) would use the unusual approach in the future, Houston replied: "If it is the right thing to do. It doesn't mean that we go into the game against Spain with the same formation.
"Every game has a different outlook. Spain have different players from the Czech Republic, we will look forward to it. We are keen to play the world champions in what will be a difficult game. But footballers like to play at the top level and nobody is better than the world champions."
Tottenham full-back Alan Hutton, Wigan defender Gary Caldwell, West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans and Rangers utility man Steven Whittaker were not risked in yesterday's training session but Houston was confident that "the majority, if not all" would be available for selection. Caldwell played 75 minutes in Prague, his first action of the season for club or country following a hip operation, and Houston did not rule him out from making back-to-back appearances.
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