THERE were moments in Budapest when Scotland looked and played like an actual football team.

Passes were completed, runs read, tackles won and opponents beaten.

Isn’t it amazing what happens when the best players start games. We should try this more often.

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Alex McLeish’s job remains a difficult one; however, a deserved away win in Hungary courtesy of a performance which genuinely offered some much-needed optimism would have helped his mood and cleared his mind.

The national team manager, on this evidence, has something to work with. I'll take that.

The Scots were so much better than last Friday’s defeat to Costa Rica - they do struggle far more at Hampden which is becoming a thing – and while we are not perfect, just for a change, it was definite progress.

On an awful pitch and against a Hungary side which while not great had one or two decent players, and quite a few who thought nothing of leaving their mark on an opponent in this not so friendly match, we were okay to good and, right now, okay to good is as all the new (old) manager could hope for given he's had ten days with them.

Unlike the previous match, this was a Scottish team which had energy, could keep possession and created chances. Indeed, we should have scored more.

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There was also confidence and after a sluggish start, a real cohesion to the team.

And the manager will be better for this.

If McLeish has learned anything over the past two games, then surely it’s what his midfield will be when the first qualifying game against Albania comes about.

Callum McGregor, so often ignored by Gordon Strachan, really looked the part and that's because he's a talent.

The Celtic man continually found space in a crowded midfield, played some nice stuff and was comfortable on the ball. He has a huge part to play for his country.

Stuart Armstrong, without being brilliant, was full of running and will improve once he gets his sharpness back and while John McGinn can play a lot better, the Hibernian man still had a good night.

This trio have potential. It’s not a bad midfield at all. It should have been given more of a chance to click longer before now.

The three of them like to play the ball on the ground and by their very nature are positive footballers. They are our best midfielders and please, in the name of Dalglish, it would be great to see a Scotland team play their best team from now on.

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Everyone else seems to do it.

Ryan Fraser’s superb cross set-up the goal and on the other side was Andy Robertson and while the Liverpool man didn’t see enough of the ball, his quality is not for debate.

Fraser took a fair few sore ones and yet kept going at right wing-back. He has a good evening.

Whether the 3-5-2 system is here to stay remains to be seen.

The front two of Matt Phillips and James Forrest was an experiment which probably won’t be repeated and yet the two of them were fine, especially Phillips who took his goal well and held up the ball which really isn’t his game.

However, if Phillips can play like this with Leigh Griffiths beside him, McLeish might have a partnership.

Debutant Jack Hendry coasted the game, Scott McKenna showed up really well – again – and Charlie Mulgrew talked them through the night.

We shall draw a discreet veil over Mulgrew’s penalty miss.

Aberdeen’s McKenna has been a revelation over the past two games. Good on him. He’s a strong lad, full of confidence and likes to play the ball out from the back. McKenna is a player and might just be the best defender to come out of Pittodrie since his international manager who, lest we forget, was a pretty useful centre-half.

Not only that, but Allan McGregor made a couple of fantastic saves. It’s enough to get you almost excited.

Right, let’s now be all Scottish and dour. There are still some concerns. There always is.

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Scotland are always going to give any team chances to score, we are not great at set-pieces, either defending or attacking them, but if you are looking for perfect then become German.

McLeish still have to win over the doubters - he knows this fine well - but it's not as if the country doesn't wish the big man well.

For me, the players have always been good enough. It's just a case of finding our best eleven and getting them into a system which best works for them.

This felt like the start of something. Let's hope it is.

Kieran Tierney wasn't there, Griffiths was also missing and it would be good to see what John Souttar of Hearts could do. There is no such thing as having too many good, young centre-halves.

The reaction to last Friday was over the top and it would be similarly unwise to read too much into this win.

However, after so many years of hurt and the failures of the last two campaigns, any positivity is welcome.