Chris Martin could be a shock selection gamble for Scotland against world champions Germany at Hampden Park tonight.
There has been a clamour for Celtic’s in-form frontman Leigh Griffiths to be given a chance against the Group D leaders in a match that Gordon Strachan’s team now has a real need for at least a point from.
But Martin has emerged as a likelier option if Strachan decides to drop Steven Fletcher.
The head coach is concerned about the sheer size of the Germans and how to combat it.
And he looks to be swithering over the retention of Fletcher as the man to lead the line and get Scotland up the pitch, or turn to the man whose last start was a disappointing 45-minute performance in a friendly against England.
“How big are Germany?” Strachan asked. “We need to have a certain amount of height in the team to combat corner kicks and free-kicks.
“I need some height in here somewhere along the line to deal with this. So it is getting a balance between the height, the strength, the patience and still have enough to go forward and cause a problem.
“That’s what I want. I want height and how do we counter-attack, pass, attack them and take players on?
“The Germans can look like men against boys because they are so good at passing and physical as well. How do we put that in the team?
“We have the system, it’s trying to get the names and bodies in there.”
Many believed it to be a straight choice between Griffiths’ goals and Fletcher’s all-round play, but it was Strachan who threw Martin’s name in.
“Martin gives you an option as well,” he pointed out.
“He has strength, he can stand in there and take the ball in.
“He can’t run about like other people but he has the strength to get the ball under control and bring people into the game.
“I think his goalscoring record is as good as anybody’s over the last two years.
“In a more competitive league as well.”
The Scott Brown and James Morrison central midfield pairing didn’t produce the hoped for result in Georgia, and Strachan has two English Premier League regulars who he could turn to for the second part of the international double header.
But Strachan won’t be going two in, two out.
“It’s too simplistic to say that because there are other things to that,” he insisted.
“Morrison can play further forward. There is a lot we can do with these guys.
“At the moment I think our central midfielders are, yeah, as good as Scotland have.
“The bravery Morrison and Brown show on the ball was quite phenomenal. And McArthur. And Fletcher. I like that about them.
“Listen, McArthur has been great for Crystal Palace. If anybody is in the form team just now it is James.”