Andy Robertson problem comes and bites Scotland in crucial Euro 2024 game

Andy Robertson suffered a frustratingly familiar problem as he sought to drag his nation through the group stages at Euro 2024 against Hungary. The Liverpool left-back put in a strong overall performance, but was found wanting in one key area, as his country ultimately suffered elimination.

Up against Liverpool teammate Dominik Szoboszlai, who is also the national captain, Robertson was always likely to be the main man for his country. His performance was full of the typical ambition and industry, as he sought to maintain width and height on the left flank.

Indeed, if Arne Slot was watching, he will have seen nothing to suggest that he needs to replace one of the stalwarts of the Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield any time soon. But Robertson holds himself to high standards, and is likely to be frustrated with one aspect of his performance.

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With Hungary also needing three points to stand a realistic chance of progressing, it was a nervous, cagey encounter — at least until the 10 minutes of stoppage time, added after a serious-looking injury to Barnabas Varga following a collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn. The striker is now stable and conscious, but Szoboszlai was left visibly affected by the incident, having rushed the stretcher over to his teammate.

Prior to that frenetic finish, however, it looked as though it might well take a set piece to force a breakthrough for either side. That made it especially intriguing from a Liverpool perspective, given that both Szoboszlai and Robertson take the lion's share of these responsibilities for their countries.

Neither of them ever truly found their range, with Szoboszlai no doubt frustrated he could not make more of a free kick in a very dangerous shooting position. But the Hungary star did at least put in a number of dangerous deliveries, both from corners and a cleverly-worked free kick where Scotland were expecting another shot at goal.

Robertson, by contrast, failed to deliver any real threat from dead balls. "Maybe that's why McTominay was on set pieces," commented Grace Robertson on X.

She was not the only one to make the observation. "I love the guy to bits but Andrew Robertson is absolutely honking on set pieces," remarked Top of the Kop.

And it has to be said that this is not an entirely unfamiliar problem. For a player who delivers the ball so cleanly in open play, racking up record numbers of assists for a defender in the Premier League, Robertson has always seemed to struggle with the dead ball at Liverpool.

He had showed some signs of improvement in that side of his game at club level, but failed to deliver in this massive game for Scotland, hitting the first man all too often. No doubt that will play on his mind on the plane home.

Liverpool.com says: You have to feel for Robertson. It's hard carrying the hopes of a nation, especially from a position where it's hard to really run the game.

Ultimately, he was not to blame for the exit at all, putting in a generally good showing. But this recurring issue at corners in particular is the one Achilles heel from which he suffers.