After Playing 4-4-1-1 against Macedonia, 4-3-3 against Iceland, and 4-5-1 against Norway, and now 4-4-2 angainst Argentina, one has to wonder if George Burley is ever going to play the same formation for more than one game, thus creating the fluidity and consistancy that Scotland were so obviously missing last night at Hampden Park.

True enough, Burley did have 7 regular players injured to contend with, but that being said, the side that started the game against Argentina was hardly a team of make-weights and replacements.

Argentina dominated from the first whistle as they looked to impress their new boss and they opened the scoring after just eight minutes through Atletico Madrid winger Maxi.

Carlos Tevez played the ball into Jonas Gutierrez who in turn slipped the ball to Maxi inside the six-yard box and he comfortably slotted the ball past Allan McGregor.

Defender Martin Demichelis headed a Gutierrez corner just past the post after a minute.

Five minutes later, McGregor was forced into a fabulous save from Mascherano's long-range volley.

Argentina scored the opener with another fine move that split open the Scotland defence.

The tireless Tevez picked up the ball on the right-hand side of the box, slipping it to Gutierrez, whose short, first-time pass put Rodriguez in and the Atletico Madrid player clinically slid the ball past McGregor from close range.

In the 19th minute, with no change in the pattern of play, Tevez sent Ezequiel Lavezzi through on goal with a slide-rule pass and McGregor had to block the angled shot from close range with his feet.

Scotland from there on seemed to get some urgency about them, something which has been missing throughout the qualifiers so far, and started pressing Argentina, who by all acounts actually spent long spells in their own area, even if the possesion statistics belied that, and James McFadden forced a block Demichelis to deny what was almost a certain goal from the veteran Scotland Forward, and win Scotland a corner.

However, Argentina bared their teeth again in the 35th minute when defender Javier Zanetti raced down the right and cut the ball back to Tevez, who had time to take a touch on the edge of the box before blazing over the bar.

Then five minutes from the break, some hesitation from Demichelis inside the Argentina penalty area as he ushered the ball back to his keeper allowed McFadden to rob him but the Birmingham striker's low drive was too weak to bother Juan Pablo Carrizo, who had looked decidedly dodgy all game, which was only inspiring Scotland to take more shots

In the 51st minute, after Scotland tried unsuccessfully to pass their way out of defence, Lavezzi drove over the bar from just inside the box.

It was indicative of the South Americans' more casual approach to the game, although there was still the occasional shaft of skill to light up proceedings, provided by Tevez in the 58th minute when he burst forward with pace only to once again drive over.

Argentina dropped the tempo and Scotland sensed there was a way back but there appeared to be a lack of cutting edge to the home side's play.

In the 70th minute, substitute Lee Miller passed up a great chance to equalise when he headed a corner from substitute Shaun Maloney, on for Paul Hartley, past the post from around six yards out.

Three minutes later, after McManus had fouled Demichelis 25 yards from goal, Gabriel Heinze curled a free-kick two yards over the bar.

The game petered out and the Scottish fans in the 32,492 crowd left the ground perhaps grateful the visitors had not registered a more convincing win.

But George Burley seemed happy with the way his side responded to going 1-0 down and being outclassed in the opening exchanges.

"It was a very good exercise," Burley told Sky Sports 1. "We knew we were going against top-class opposition, a load of quality.

We were able to look at a few players. I thought the first 15 minutes, they overran us. They pushed us right back with their movement.

But after that, I thought we held our own, had one or two opportunities and worked very hard."

The defeat was the third home match in which Scotland have failed to find the net, but Burley is confident the goals will start to flow.

"If you make opportunities, I'm sure some of them will go in," added Burley.

"We've got some good players but international football's very difficult.

It's not easy to score goals against top opposition but we've got some useful players."

The game was seen as a good warm-up for March's World Cup qualifier with Holland, but Burley knows the Dutch will provide a different threat.

"Every game's different. Argentina's style is different from Holland but what they are is a top-class side, same as Holland," noted Burley.

given some of the substitutions he made last night, and the fact that with a first choice team we were playing well and looking increasingly likely to score combined with some of the comments he has made to the media after games, i have to admit that i am increasingly of the opinion that perhaps George Burley is not the man to lead us to South Africa, although of course, it is still early days, the indications are that it could end up another Vogst-esque debacle.