EMBARRASSMENT has become a constant companion to the Scotland team in recent years, although the feeling is occasionally lifted by an encouraging result.

This has been the first campaign in which the suffering has been remorseless, though.

The players used in the six winless World Cup ties so far, and those who could yet be selected in the remaining four, are running out of time to address an ugly prospect. Until now, Scotland have never gone through an entire set of World Cup or European Championship qualifiers without winning at least once. That is more than a possibility now. In fact it is the most likely outcome. Not only is the Group A campaign more than halfway through, Scotland's remaining quartet of fixtures is more difficult than those they have already completed. It is remarkable that the side is already out of the competition having yet to play the top seeds in the group, Croatia.

There is no obvious source of the next competitive win: the campaign now winds down in Croatia on June 7, then at home to the section's most impressive side, Belgium, on September 6. A trip to Macedonia four days later offers arguably the best chance of three points, yet Scotland could not beat them at Hampden. To clutch at straws, perhaps Croatia will already be confirmed as group winners, or runners-up, and will not need to play their strongest side in the final game at Hampden on October 15.

On any reasonable projection, though, 10 qualifiers without a victory look entirely possible. Former manager Craig Levein's pre-tournament claim that Scotland could win all 10 matches – and to be fair he meant each individual contest was plausibly winnable, not that all 30 points would be harvested – has turned out to be a grotesque exaggeration of Scotland's potential. "As a squad, you don't want to be known as the group who has that record," said Jordan Rhodes, who made his first competitive start in Serbia. "We've just got to knuckle down. We've been a bit unlucky with a couple of decisions in certain games but we will just try our best."

Between the next two qualifiers, Scotland have a certain friendly. Somehow the prospect of taking on England at Wembley on August 14 still quickens the pulse a little. That's an emotional reaction based entirely on nostalgia, of course, given that the group of current players heading south against the Auld Enemy looks grotesquely ill-equipped for the assignment.

Liam Bridcutt and George Boyd became full internationalists in Serbia and Bridcutt's patchy but generally effective contribution was taken as arguably the only minor encouragement from an otherwise forgettable defeat. The little Brighton & Hove Albion player was busy an energetic as a deep, defensive midfielder. "Liam is a good player," said Rhodes, who knows him from the npower Championship. "There were a couple of debutants – George Boyd as well – and they both showed what they can do."

Bridcutt's debut was praised by his most-capped colleague. "Taking the conditions into the equation, I think he did very well," said Kenny Miller. "I don't know if many people in Scotland have seen much of him but he is a very good player and he is going to get better. The job he was asked to do, sitting in and protecting the back four, he does very well. He's a good find and a good addition.

"George Boyd is another one. He's now got 90 minutes under his belt and did well. He gets a bit of recognition in the Championship because he's an attacking player who gets some fantastic goals and has great ability. But it was always going to be tough in Serbia, particularly on that surface, for players like George to show what they can do. But what he did show was a willingness to work and do the dirty side of the job of the team."

Miller has produced plenty of those sort of shifts himself over the years, of course. Coming on as a late replacement for Rhodes in Novi Sad lifted him to 68 caps, seventh on the all-time list of appearances. He will be 34 before this year is out, though, and admitted that he will seek a meeting with Strachan to discuss whether he will continue for Scotland next season. He will make himself available for the Croatia game but it could be his 69th and final cap.

"That's something I'm going to have to have a look at. I'll have a wee chat with the manager because there are a lot of young, fresh faces in the squad now and there will always come a time when older lads have to step out of the way and let the younger guys come through."