Scotland tactics
In keeping with his usual consistency in selection, Gordon Strachan retained the bulk of the players that started in the victory over Republic of Ireland. Chris Martin to replace the injured Steven Fletcher was the only change the Scotland boss made.
Strachan set his side up to defend in a 4-4-2 formation, with Steven Naismith leading the pressing alongside Martin in the middle-third. Wide midfielders Shaun Maloney and Ikechi Anya had to press to the sides of central midfielders Scott Brown and Charlie Mulgrew in a four-man midfield when defending.
When in possession, the Scots had to attack in a 4-2-3-1 formation but with left attacking midfielder Anya using his pace to get past England’s right-back Nathaniel Clyne from the left flank, while right attacking midfielder Maloney needed to join Naismith in floating in between the lines.
Central midfielder Brown started with more freedom to break forward when the hosts had sustained possession, while Mulgrew mostly operated as a holding midfielder. Full-backs Steven Whittaker and Andrew Robertson had to push into the offensive half and link up with the wide midfielders down the flanks.
England tactics
Roy Hodgson went for a 4-3-3 formation in this game, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain holding the width on the right flank while Danny Welbeck joined Wayne Rooney in the box when they attacked.
They had to conform to a 4-5-1 defensive formation, with Welbeck and Oxlade-Chamberlain dropping into midfield.
When the Three Lions had the ball, Luke Shaw had the freedom to push all the way into the offensive-third to provide the width on the left flank while Nathaniel Clyne could only push into the middle-third looking to link up with Oxlade-Chamberlain down the right flank.
In midfield, Jack Wilshere had to sit in front of the central defenders, while James Milner and Stewart Downing operated as the most advanced central midfielders pushing forward and supporting play through the middle.
When out of possession, Rooney had to lead the pressing while Welbeck and Oxlade-Chamberlain tracked back with Scotland’s fullbacks. In central midfield, Milner and Downing had to press on Scotland’s central midfielders while Wilshere needed to mind the space in between the lines completing the five midfielders in the 4-5-1 defensive formation.
Key tactical changes
Both sides exhausted their six substitutions which all came with tactical changes but the most significant one that threatened England’s lead came just after the hour-mark. Stevie May and Barry Bannan’s introduction opened the game up as the Scots tried to chase the game.
May came on as a centre forward, which allowed James Morrison to drop into central midfield alongside Darren Fletcher. Maloney switched flanks, freeing up the right flank for Bannan, and holding midfielder Mulgrew dropped to central defence alongside Russell Martin.
Scotland kept their shape but these changes gave them more threat with more attack-minded players in the side. Strachan’s team pushed their defensive line higher when in possession, they gave more freedom to both of their full-backs and they gradually created more chances.
England, on the other hand, took a more conservative position, especially in the last 20 minutes. They introduced Rickie Lambert as a centre forward, with Rooney and Raheem Sterling flanking the Liverpool forward when they attacked, mostly on the break.
Since Scotland earned their goal by committing more bodies forward, they were easily punished at the other end with the increased spaces they left behind.
