Sifting through the wreckage to find the positives from a defeat to what is essentially Portugal’s reserves is not a fun way to partake of a Sunday evening. In fairness to Alex McLeish’s side there were some elements to take from the performance in the opening half which seemed far more cohesive that the shambles that was the defeat in Israel last Thursday night. Still, though, whether you look at the game through the most optimistic glasses, the fact is that even at this ridiculously early stage, McLeish has the look of a manager who is already under tremendous pressure. The manner of the three goals shipped to Portugal had the hallmark of team already weary from being on the same familiar treadmill. For all the rare glimpses that suggest Scotland might be able to build something, the overall impression gleaned from watching McLeish’s side is that this is a team in absolute decline. How to arrest it is the most prescient question but on recent evidence there is no suggestion that answers appear to be forthcoming.

1. The more things change, the more they stay the same. A sloppy goal was Scotland’s undoing just before the interval, with the likelihood being it’s a phrase that seems destined to be the hallmark of the national team. The timing itself was grim, as the sanctuary of the dressing room beckoned, but it felt particularly painful than they had looked far more coherent and solid than they did for most of the game against Israel. The tempo went out of the game as the minutes ticked by, indicative perhaps of the fact there was no competitive element to the encounter. Interestingly, one of the positives the SFA might draw from the game is the fact it was far better attended that might have been anticipated, particularly on the back of recent results and performances.

2. Scotland look far more energetic with the likes of James Forrest and Stuart Armstrong in from the start. Forrest in particular seemed to bring so much energy and enthusiasm to Scotland who looked far more compact and industrious than they did on Thursday night against Israel. The winger offered Scotland far more creativity than they had against Israel and it seems to tie in with simplifying the philosophy behind the starting XI; players on top of their game are handed a starting jersey and are deployed in the positions in which they favour. Armstrong's lack of game time at club level became apparent as the game wore on but that initial energy was something that Scotland utilised.

3. The loss of Scott Brown from the international squad as well as Darren Fletcher has lent Scotland the look of a team who are without a leader. There seems to be no influence on the pitch with Scotland routinely sporting a rudderless look, particularly when things are not going for them. This ended up another insipid and dispiriting performance and it is difficult to find indications of just where Scotland are laying foundations to build a team upon. The defence is fragile, the confidence is bust, there is a lack of creativity and too few chances created.

4. One of the first phone-calls McLeish has to make is to Leigh Griffiths, assuming the Celtic striker will answer. Scotland do not have the luxury of leaving out players who can add something to the squad. Whatever is behind Griffiths’ decision to remove himself from the fray – and whether it is nothing more than a large petted lip or not - he fact is that Scotland suffer from a dearth of genuine options, particularly up front. Sorting out the issue between the striker and Alex McLeish before the next round of games in November seems like an obvious next step to take. Scotland need their best players and Griffiths needs to be in and around the squad.

5. Friendlies, regardless of the opposition, feel like a chore. The second period of this game was flat with both sides effectively just going through the motions. It is unlikely that these games offer an indication of anything that was unknown before kick-off. The real food for thought for Alex McLeish came in Israel when Scotland seemed to disintegrate on Thursday night and despite the fact the opening 45 minutes here against Portugal seemed to offer something, it was the same old story as the game progressed. Scotland managed to save some of their blushes with Steven Naismith’s late goal that made the scoreline a little less painful but the fact is that this is a Scotland side who are in absolute disarray.