AS Bon Jovi, those keen students of European football, once noted: woah, we're halfway there.

The quest to reach Euro 2016 has reached its midpoint and already it is looking good for one country in particular. Hosts France. And England too, of course, whose perfect start to qualification begs the obvious question: why do they always get the easy groups?

For once, though, they may not be the sole British representative when an expanded European Championships gets underway in Paris in just over 14 months' time. Wales, looking to reach their first major finals since 1958, sit proudly top of Group B, while Northern Ireland are also well-placed for a maiden European Championship appearance, tucked in just behind Romania in Group F.

And then there is Scotland who must be privately cursing the fact that, now that they have finally got their act together, they find themselves in one of the hardest of all the qualifying groups. It was ever thus.

Still, that Gordon Strachan's squad have played half of their fixtures and remain in a strong position to qualify is not something that has transpired too often in recent years. As fourth seeds, to be sitting in third place a point behind leaders Poland and level on points with favourites Germany has got to be viewed as a positive start. Were qualifying to have concluded on Sunday night, Scotland would have made it to France as the side in third place with the best record out of all the groups.

It didn't, of course, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading into the back half of the campaign. Results to date have gone as well as could have been realistically hoped for. The solitary loss came away in Germany in the opening game, despite a bright Scotland performance that delivered an away goal and a four-minute spell where a shock looked briefly on the cards. Germany's subsequent loss in Poland and then draw at home to the Republic of Ireland took some of the sheen away from the Scotland display and obliterated the pre-tournament prognosis that the Germans would sweep all before them. Their stuttering start has greatly altered how the group has been viewed without being hugely detrimental to Scotland's prospects.

Their draw in Warsaw was also a reasonable outcome. Some will say Scotland should have held on to the 2-1 lead they enjoyed heading into the final 15 minutes of the game. Others will point out that Scotland were lucky to survive the late bombardment from Poland to emerge with a point.

Home wins over Georgia and Gibraltar were achieved not without a scare or two along the way, while, most significantly, a solitary Shaun Maloney strike delivered what could be a pivotal home win over the Irish. That result, combined with Ireland only drawing at home to Poland on Sunday night, would seem to leave the Poles as the main obstacle between Scotland and qualification, assuming Germany kick on over the remaining five matches to comfortably top the group and take one of the two automatic places.

The good news is that Scotland's destiny remains in their own hands but some help from Poland's opponents would not go amiss either. Both countries play three matches before they meet in what could be a group-defining clash at Hampden on October 8. Poland take on Georgia at home, travel to play Germany in Nuremberg, and then host Gibraltar. It is not inconceivable Adam Nawalka's side could emerge from that clutch of fixtures with a further six points to their name, taking them to 17.

Scotland, in the same period, face a more difficult trio of games. The most immediate task is to face up again to an Ireland side in June looking both for revenge for the defeat at Celtic Park in November and, more importantly, to keep their own qualification prospects alive. Scotland would probably settle for stealing out of Dublin with a point.

After that they have a tricky-looking trip to play Georgia. This has not been a great campaign for the former Soviet state, whose only points from five games have come against the minnows of Gibraltar. They are a country, however, who have historically made it hard for Scotland. A defeat in Tbilisi all but ended Alex McLeish's sides chances of reaching Euro 2008, while it took a last-minute goal by Craig Beattie earlier in the same campaign for Scotland to win the home fixture. Three points on this occasion, however, will surely be a necessity for Strachan's men.

Three days later and Scotland welcome Germany to Hampden. Again, it seems difficult to envisage a home victory but a draw should not be out of the question. That would give Scotland an extra five points, taking them to 15, and hypothetically two behind Poland.

That would set up a tantalising contest between the pair at Hampden where a home victory would all but see Scotland through. With a final game to come against Gibraltar in neutral Faro, it would take the mother of all calamities for Strachan's side to finish the group with fewer than 21 points. Even if Poland were to win their final home match against the Irish, they would still fall a point behind Scotland. Sounds straightforward on paper....