Lack of width limits Scots

But the Scotland manager will today realise he has much work on his hands if he is to prove successful in transforming the national team into the dynamic force he claims it can be.

If the 0-0 draw with Northern Ireland - who played with 10 men for the final 33 minutes - proved one thing it was there is a serious lack of creativity.

Like his predecessors, Burley's biggest conundrum will be trying to find a way to break down the opposition. When facing teams who sit in and get men behind the ball, we simply have no idea how to engineer a route to goal.

The passing can be pleasing on the eye but, as Kevin Thomson, Darren Fletcher and Scott Brown stroke the ball about the middle of the park, there must be a realisation you don't hurt teams unless play reaches the final third.

And one of the reasons we aren't getting the ball into dangerous areas is the lack of width. Brown started on the right of midfield, a role he at times occupies at Celtic, but he is at his best in the centre.

So Burley has to try and come up with someone who can take a man on, deliver a cross and give the strikers something to attack. Debutant Kris Commons gave the impression he could be the very man.

The winger qualified through the grandparent rule and it has been a while since Scotland have been in a position to field a wide player who has the ability to take on a full-back and get a decent delivery into the penalty area.

And it might just take the pressure off James McFadden, who was once again our best player on the night - by a distance.

In him, Burley has someone capable of producing something out of the ordinary. But there will be times, regardless of his efforts and ingenuity, when it just won't happen for the Birmingham player.

And for all Kenny Miller's work-rate and determination, last night was his eighth game since re-joining Rangers in the summer in which he has failed to find the net.

Burley, however, believes it will come in time. He said: "We tried James McFadden and Kenny Miller up front and they maybe just lacked that little bit of cutting edge.

"When you are at home and you have a few chances and you put teams under pressure, you are looking to put the ball in the net.

"We were unfortunate a couple of times not to score, so it was just a lack of cutting edge that would have won us the game.

"There is still a bit of work to be done, but they worked hard and it takes time to form a partnership.

"At home, you are looking to play with your two strikers and put people under pressure. At times I thought they did well, but there is still work to be done. They are both excellent strikers and excellent players - it maybe just didn't happen overnight."

There was little in the way of goalmouth action in the first half, but the second 45 minutes produced more incidents of note.

Scotland were handed the advantage when Northern Ireland's Ryan McGivern was shown a second yellow card for two fouls on Brown. McFadden, Barry Robson and Darren Barr had attempts to open the scoring.

But the best chance of the evening fell to David Healy after team-mate Warren Feeney was pulled down inside the box by goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who took over from Craig Gordon at the interval.

But the Gers shot-stopper made amends with a great, low save to deny the striker. And Burley, in the end, was maybe pleased at picking up a draw even though he is still looking for his first victory as boss.

"We knew Northern Ireland would make it difficult for us," he said. "They are a solid international side.

"But it was a good workout and I was able to blood a number of new players and they did well.

"Overall, I thought we passed it quite well, but there are areas we can still improve on."

Now though, there can be no slip-ups.The road to South Africa begins next month and Scotland must hit the ground running. Macedonia will provide tough opposition but, to reach a major tournament, they and Iceland four days later have to be defeated.

Burley has talked a good game and seems to have a good approach to the game - but all that matters now is results.

And to get them he has got to find a way to create chances and score goals. That will be his biggest problem.

Scotland: Gordon (McGregor 46), Alexander, McManus (Barr 46), Weir (Berra 72), Naysmith, Brown, Thomson (Robson 46), Darren Fletcher (Stewart 69), Morrison (Commons 62), Miller, McFadden. Subs not used: Marshall, Whittaker, Boyd, Steven Fletcher, Clarkson. Booked: McGregor.

Northern Ireland: Taylor, McAuley (Duff 76), Evans, Craigan, McGivern, Baird, Clingan (O'Connor 58), Davis, Brunt (Feeney 55), Healy, Paterson (Shiels 46). Subs not used: Mannus. Sent off: McGivern (57). Booked: McGivern.

Attendance: 28,072.

Referee: N Vollquartz (Denmark). NEED TO KNOW

Was it a good game? It was anything but. Little in the way of scoring opportunities for either side. Two average international teams on show.

Scotland's best player? James McFadden at least tries to come up with something different and looked as though he might produce a moment of magic.

Northern Ireland's top man? Manchester United's Jonny Evans proved why he is so highly rated by Sir Alex Ferguson with a solid display at the heart of the defence.

How was the ref? Denmark's Nicolai Vollquartz was correct to award the visitors a penalty but a little harsh in his decision to show Ryan McGivern a second yellow card in a friendly fixture.

Who is up next? The start of the World Cup qualifying campaign as Scotland take on Macedonia away on September 6.