GK: Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward, Adam Davies DEF: Ashley Williams (C), Tom Lockyer, Ben Cabango, James Lawrence, Connor Roberts, Ben Davies, Neco Williams, Chris Gunter MID: Aaron Ramsey, Ethan Ampadu, Jonny Williams, David Brooks, Matt Smith, Joe Morrell, Will Vaulks, Dylan Levitt FWD: Gareth Bale, Hal-Robson Kanu, Tyler Roberts, Kieffer Moore, Rabbi Matondo, Dan James, Harry Wilson First call ups for Neco Wiliams and Ben Cabango, who I'd both expect to make their debuts. Two winnable games. I'd like to see us line up like this against Finland: Ward Roberts - Cabango - Wiliams (C) - Davies Ampadu - Morrell Bale - Ramsey - James Moore
Brooks, Ramsey, Tyler Roberts and Ashley Williams all out injured. Replaced by Ben Woodburn and Brennan Johnson. Joe Rodon has started to play friendlies for Wales now, but I'm guessing Giggs doesn't want to risk him. The regular injuries are concerning for Brooks and Ramsey. Particularly Brooks, as I think it could cost him a Premier League move this summer. Ashley Williams is without a club, and there's a chance he might be retiring. I think the most likely team for Finland now would be: Hennessey Roberts - Cabango - Lockyer - Davies Ampadu - Morrell Bale - Wilson - James Moore Looking slightly further ahead to the Bulgaria game in Cardiff, and that's absolutely a must win game looking at their squad. They haven't got anybody with more than 43 caps, or anybody with more than 3 goals, and no players playing at a good standard of football or any notable names who previously have. I imagine it could be quite cagey if they stick eleven men behind the ball, but we need to have the quality to score past those sort of sides at home.
I am sure he will - then just be asked the same questions again. Probably one of the few footballers who could not be playing for his club but perform for his country.
Big selection. Ethan Ampadu starting at centre-back, Dylan Levitt starts centre midfield. Bale in as captain. Hennessey Roberts - Lockyer - Ampadu - Davies Levitt - Morrell Bale - Joniesta - James Moore
Very good result, in what is likely to be our most difficult game in the group. We need to back it up with a win against Bulgaria though, who actually got a really decent result against Ireland tonight and almost got a win. Performance was generally good, but you can tell from both sides that we're just about to start a new season. The sharpness in attack wasn't there for large spells, but I think we deserved the win. Defensively we did really well, and I'd have Ethan Ampadu as the Man of the Match. It's effectively a pre-season game for him, and given the lack of football he's had in the last six months, it's understandable that he isn't sharp. He'd have wanted to keep playing, but tonight we had a better chance replacing him with somebody fresher and sharper so he was rightly subbed off. His achievements speak for themselves to be honest, having to ease in to this new season doesn't take away from any of them.
He's on the wage he was on because he was deemed to be worth it after winning four Champions Leagues and scoring two winning goals, including one of the greatest goals of all time. To add to that he's arguably the greatest player in his nations history, and has won two PFA Player of the Year awards in England for an unfavourable team. It isn't his fault Madrid thought he was worth that, and has since agreed to leave (which was stopped by Madrid last summer) and pretty openly says he wants to leave this summer. I don't see what him not being match sharp, and being taken off for fresher legs in the second half has to do with how much he earns.
Yeah, they've won nine out of their last ten game at home. I think people's perspective would be a little different if they were in Helsinki eight pints in and absolutely bouncing behind the goal, but obviously it's a bit flat when both sides aren't really sharp and it's behind closed doors.
Neco Williams "I had interest off England but my intentions were with Wales. I'm Welsh, my family's Welsh, my friends are all Welsh. England were trying to snap at me but I weren't having none of it."
Does he? What is he supposed to do in order to be the best he can be in this situation? He's agreed to leave, Real Madrid stopped the move. He's publicly said he wants to leave, but there isn't a lot he can really do unless Real Madrid accept another offer and there's only a handful of clubs that can afford him that aren't necessarily going to bend over backwards to sign a player who is injury prone. Yes, he's on a lot of money, but that isn't exactly his fault. Anyone is going to accept the contract he got offered. Regardless of you thinking he earns too much money, I don't really see how that makes him 'the most overhyped footballer of all time', it doesn't have anything to do with his footballing ability or achievements. And you've still not tied in what him being substituted for fresh legs has to do with his footballing ability or achievements either. He gets an absolutely unreal amount of scrutiny, where every smile gets construed as him not caring, anything he does in his spare time gets construed as him not caring about football and where he gets slated for being substituted.
Respectfully I disagree. I don't think he gets anywhere near enough scrutiny a lot of people perceive him to be this victim of Real Madrid but the fact is he's a world class talent he'd be playing if he wanted to he's easily good enough. I'm not confessing to know the inner workings of Real Madrid but as an outsider it comes across like he is the problem much like Ozil at Arsenal there is only so many times you can shift the blame...it's never Bale's fault but he still held up that flag he knows what he's doing he is sitting out his contract which is a shame because he's a great player. Just my two cents as a neutral anyway. Apologies for the punctuation I'm terrible at typing x
