Anyone got any alka-seltzer?

Argentina won a drab contest and let's be brutally honest, they deserved to beat a Scotland side desperately in need of a post-binge fry-up and irn-bru.

A lull had descended over Murrayfield right from the start with Scotland looking sluggish and not being able to get out of second gear.

A far cry from seven days previously when they were quick to every tackle and threw bodies galore in a passionate display which ground out a memorable result against Australia.

Had the same intensity been present in the first half last weekend, Scotland would have won this game quite easily as Argentina themselves were nursing a hangover of a different sort.

The previous weekend, no doubt mulling over the fact they blew a great chance to beat England, they put up a poor show to let Wales cruise past them.

It was evident they were still sore from this as Scotland dominated the first 40 minutes. I use the term loosely though as despite Andy Robinson's men enjoying the bulk of possession and territory, it was hardly a show to have you on the edge of your seat.

Six-nil up at half-time but it should have been more - why Rory Lamont didn't pass the ball to Thom Evans who would have been in for a certain try we'll never know but yet again, another failure to covert pressure into tries cost Scotland in the end.

Unlike their football team, Argentina have an excellent coach in charge and no doubt Santiago Phelan let his side know in no certain terms what he thought of their mediocre show because come the second half, the Pumas bared their teeth.

Although they'll officially deny it, Scotland did go out after the interval thinking this would be a stroll in the park. They were rudely told that the game lasts 80 not 40 minutes.

Argentina may not have been pretty to watch - neither are Italy. But unlike the Azzurri, the South Americans know how to make their game-plan effective and put teams under pressure.

Led superbly by captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Argentina fronted up to Scotland, slowed the ball down and took their chances.

Of course it didn't help that Scotland shot themselves in the foot and if Phil Godman is to be the nation's number one choice at fly-half, his kicking from hand and passing must improve otherwise other teams will target him as our weak point and force us to continually be on the backfoot.

Godman got away with a poor display of kicking from hand against Australia largely thanks to our strong defence on the day and the fact his Wallaby opposite, Matt Giteau, was having a rare nightmare.

But not tonight Josaphine as a former French hooker once said as some atrocious kicking did nothing to ease the pressure on Scotland and allowed Argentina to keep up the momentum they were generating.

Quick ball is always the key to breaking down the opposition's backs but passes thrown at head-height - in some cases forcing the centres and wings to jump up for the ball - is inexcusable at this level.

Alas the option to replace and out-of-form Godman was not there. Andy Robinson - for reasons known to himself but a disturbing echo of the Hadden era - had left Dan Parks watching the game at home on the telly.

This game and the Australian one was crying out for the Glasgow man - who has been in good form this season - as his kicking game is superior to his Edinburgh counterpart. Although it is up to Parks to demonstrate that when Glasgow and Edinburgh meet in the Xmas/Ne'er double-header.

Parks, like Godman, is prone to the odd bad day (although one wonders why the former is blasted yet the latter is comforted when they happen) but when on song, he is very effective.

Thom Evans wasn't naming names or pointing blame but did speak afterwards of his frustration of passes reaching him at head-height and having to leap up to collect them.

Godman can't be wholly to blame for that as centres Alex Grove (strangely moved from outside centre to inside for this one) and Ben Cairns were also culpable.

Given the average standard of ball they received from Godman they really should have known better but decided to copy their fly-half in this respect.

When you have wingers like Evans and Sean Lamont who are strong and have a great burst of pace (the former especially) they must be given decent ball to have a chance to run and split the opposing defence.

Thom did have an indifferent start to the season with Glasgow but it was no coincidence that he returned to his old self once brother Max came back from injury to line up as outside-centre for the Warriors.

Not because Thom was missing his sibling but the fact that Max knows the importance of quick and accurate ball but can himself step on the gas to create more openings for whoever is playing on the wings.

Assuming he stays away from injury, Max Evans must be included in the starting line-up for the Six Nations because as Argentina showed, Scotland can't rely on kicked penalties alone and need to create and score tries.

Slow ball and sloppy kicking and passing suited Argentina down to the ground and when they got their chance to seal victory, they took it and ensured that despite beating Australia, Scotland are still a work in progress.