Gordon: We're better prepared for Ireland and Ukraine tests

Craig Gordon feels Scotland are much better prepared physically and mentally to face Ukraine and Republic of Ireland after having to "grind out" performances against their Nations League opponents in June.

Scotland conceded three goals against each of their upcoming adversaries in their post-season international schedule.

A Hampden defeat by Ukraine ended Scotland's World Cup hopes and their Nations League bid took a battering in Dublin.

But two comfortable wins over Armenia and results in other games have left Scotland with everything to play for ahead of another hectic programme.

Scotland host Ukraine on Wednesday before taking on the Irish and then Ukraine again inside a week.

Hearts goalkeeper Gordon, who is confident of shaking off a knee knock, said: "It was a disappointing camp all round last time, and we need to do better. We know that.

"It's a different stage of the season. Hopefully we have got a lot more players who are in a better frame of mind, better condition, than we were at the end of last season.

"There were a lot of tired players trying to grind it out at a difficult stage of the season. A lot of players had played 50-60 games already leading up to that, and it's impossible to keep going at the very highest level when you have to play that amount of games."

Gordon, who went into the camp on the back of a Scottish Cup final defeat, added: "You had a lot of players who had had a lot of disappointments towards the end of the season, missing out on Champions League, top-four qualification, whatever it may be.

"There were a few players who had disappointing ends to the season and it was very difficult then to lift it to go again.

"However much mentally you want to do it, physically when you have played that amount of