Scott McTominay was notably absent from Scotland's initial squad selection for the Nations League, having recently undergone minor heart surgery. The procedure is expected to keep him out of action for a few weeks. Alongside him, Rangers' Lawrence Shankland and Torino's Che Adams are also missing due to injuries. Despite these absences, all 28 players named in manager Sebastien Pocognoli's extended squad for Scotland's opening Nations League matches have remained available, with no further injuries reported. The goalkeeper position has historically been a concern for Scotland, especially under former manager Steve Clarke. At the time, veteran Craig Gordon, with 84 caps, was nearing the end of his career, and alternatives struggled to gain regular playing time. Now, Angus Gunn, Scotland's first-choice goalkeeper, has become a regular starter with San Jose Earthquakes after his summer move from Nottingham Forest. Scott Bain is performing well for Falkirk, and Jon McCracken has helped Bradford City reach the top of League One after his transfer from Dundee. The only Scottish goalkeeper not playing for his current club is Rangers' Liam Kelly. With the absence of Shankland and Adams, Pocognoli had the opportunity to bring in new talent among the forwards. Oli McBurnie, recalled to the squad, continues to start for Hull City as they return to the Premier League. Robbie Ure started for Sevilla in a 3-1 loss to Barcelona, while James Wilson has secured a first-team spot at Hearts after returning from his loan at Tottenham Hotspur. However, Kieron Bowie and wingers Findlay Curtis and Ben Gannon-Doak were only substitutes for Sassuolo, Rangers, and Bournemouth, respectively. Gannon-Doak's limited playing time is a concern given his role as a key source of pace for Scotland. His club-mate Ryan Christie had a brief boost by starting only his second game of the season, but he was substituted after 75 minutes in a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool. All seven of Pocognoli's central midfielders started this weekend, including Lennon Miller, who played for Udinese in their 1-0 loss to Cagliari. Billy Gilmour scored his second senior goal for Napoli in a 1-1 draw with Fiorentina and was named man of the match. Lewis Ferguson started every game as Bologna captain, including their draw with Torino. Nathan Patterson made his second appearance as a substitute for Torino since his loan move from Everton, highlighting the ongoing challenge in the right-back position. Aaron Hickey came off the bench in Brentford's 3-0 win over Chelsea. Colby Donovan started again for Celtic, though the team suffered a third consecutive defeat. All three left-backs—Kieran Tierney, Andy Robertson, and Josh Doig—were involved in losses after starting. Scott McKenna was an unused substitute for Dinamo Zagreb in their match against Lokomotiva. Billy Gilmour was the only goalscorer of the weekend, while Andy Robertson and Aston Villa's John McGinn each provided an assist in Spurs' 3-2 defeat. Pocognoli may rely on this experienced trio to provide creative spark for the Nations League matches, starting with a game away to Slovenia on Saturday.