Vogts aiming to avoid any slip-ups in Iceland

A month after the Faroe Islands threatened to inflict his worst humiliation in four decades of football, Berti Vogts was asked what his final words to the Scotland team would be before they face Iceland in their second Euro 2004 qualifier today. Beaming broadly, the German replied: "Don't do that again."

Scotland would once have expected to beat a remote island of barely 300,000 inhabitants that is closer to Greenland than mainland Europe. Yet this is arguably the worst-ever Scottish side, as well as possibly Iceland's finest, and Vogts confessed that he would settle for a point in Reykjavik.

"We'd have to be happy with a draw and look to beat Iceland at home," he said, going on to admit he had considered phoning Harry Potter to ask for "one piece of magic". Given the results since he succeeded Craig Brown – five defeats and a dishonourable draw – it may take the entire Magic Circle to affect an improvement.

The wizardry Scotland used to be able to conjure is not available to Vogts, so the side that will take the pitch in the 14,000-capacity Laugardalsvollur stadium will show only cosmetic changes from the trauma of Torshavn. Hearts' Steven Pressley is set to replace the "refusenik" David Weir in defence, while Dunfermline's Steve Crawford will come in for the raw Kevin Kyle up front.

The real difference, as Vogts reiterated yesterday, must be in Scotland's sense of professionalism and tactical discipline. Above all, they have to avoid a repeat of the slow starts which cost them dearly against Denmark in August and left them facing humiliation in the Faroes.

It is a point Vogts has tried to drum into his players, who have two-a-sides in training in an attempt to foster intensity, and one echoed by his captain. "We've got to play with a bit of nastiness," said Paul Lambert. "It was sheer heart that got us a draw in the Faroes, but if we win here we'll have four points out of six. We'd have taken that before the campaign started."

Atli Edvaldsson, Iceland's manager, played down suggestions that they were favourites, but his starting line-up will contain several players with Premiership experience in England. One, the Ipswich defender Hermann Hreidarsson, declared himself fit last night, having earlier been ruled out by injury.

Once Iceland were content merely to affect groups rather than qualifying from them. Now a combination of their own strength and Scotland's vulnerability have encouraged the belief that they could make the play-offs behind Germany. Stoke City's Brynjar Gunnarsson believes this group represents "the best chance we've ever had".

Gunnarsson added: "The Scots haven't been playing well. But even if they weren't in the crisis some people say they are, we'd still fancy our chances. There is pressure on Scotland, though that could work against us as well because they'll probably be fighting for their lives. They really need a result to keep them in contention, but Reykjavik isn't the best place to try to get it. This is as good an Iceland side as we've had."

That claim needs to be put into context. After the 3-1 home win over the Czech Republic in the World Cup 13 months ago, Iceland lost 3-0 in Belfast and 6-0 in Copenhagen. This season has brought a 3-0 defeat of Andorra and a 2-0 loss in Hungary, since when they have lost Rikki Dadason, their second top scorer of all time, to injury, although Scotland still have Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen to contend with.

ICELAND (4-4-2; probable): Arason (Rosenborg); Gunnarsson (Stoke), Hreidarsson (Ipswich), L Sigurdsson (West Brom), Vidarsson (Lokeren); J-K Gudjonsson (Real Betis), Ingimarsson (Wolves), Kristinsson (Lokeren), Gudnason (Keflavik); Gudjohnsen (Chelsea), Helguson (Watford).

SCOTLAND (3-5-2; probable): Douglas (Celtic); Wilkie (Dundee), Pressley (Hearts), Dailly (West Ham); Ross, Ferguson (both Rangers), Lambert, McNamara (both Celtic), Naysmith (Everton); Crawford (Dunfermline), Thompson (Dundee United).

Referee: A Sars (France).