A little look at Group A in Euro 2020

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Italy

Undoubtedly group favourites, Italy haven't lost a competitive game at home since September 1999 when Denmark won 3-2 in Naples, though several countries have won friendlies out there since then. They've won 48 of their last 59 unbeaten competitive home games. Our record against Italy stands at 2 wins and 7 defeats. We've played 6 times in Italy. Ian Rush gave us a win in 1988 in a friendly, but every other match out there has ended in defeat, where Italy have scored 3 once and 4 four times.

Turkey

The lowest ranked of the sides in the group, they've had a decent few years. Qualified from their group as close runner up to France (who they beat and drew with), they've only lost 3 games in 3 years, to Iceland in qualifying for these Euros, plus Hungary twice in the Nations' League. Last few years suggest they can be heavy scorers but let in a few as well. It's been 40 years since we last beat Turkey - a World Cup qualifier where Carl Harris scored the winner (who?). Our last meeting was that infamous 6-4 defeat in Istanbul.

Switzerland

Recent results have been excellent - they've won all 5 internationals this year. Just survived in Nations' League A due to Ukrainian Covid issues. Had a disappointing time in that, though with Spain and Germany also in the group, that was to be expected. Wales have never beaten Switzerland away, though we won our last game against them at home.

Wales

Won Nations' League B with something to spare and qualified for the Euros in a tough group. Only 3 defeats in the last 2 years, to Belgium, France and England, suggest we are difficult to beat, but we're now in a major tournament against better sides. We have the second best defensive record over the last couple of years of the teams in the group, but the worst attacking record. Since that scintillating 4-1 win over Ireland in 2018, we've played 28 games and only scored more than one on 4 occasions, twice to Azerbaijan. We do have a knack of not playing well and pinching games though. On paper I think we have a more than decent starting XI, but we need the spirit of 2016 to get us through the group stage. Our lack of goals is a worry for me.

[Der Kaiser]

Think this will be a bit too much for us in all honesty. Italy are a better side now than England were 5 years ago, and seem to be flying somewhat under the radar, and the other two in the group are markedly better than Russia and Slovakia. Our team is definitely better across the board but the star factor has dimmed for me, teams won't fear Bale and Ramsey in the same fashion and rightly so as they've regressed.

More worryingly unless I'm completely wrong, this false 9 lark is going to be our undoing. Not starting Kieffer is a poor decision and it looks as if we're heading that way, does Rob Page hate City? Vaulks has a case to be starting and he's not even in the squad.

Given how we look to be setting up, playing a resurgent Italy in Rome and the other two being in form, and very good in their own right, I foresee us returning with 0 points and I really wont be surprised if we don't get a goal. Glass half full!

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Think this will be a bit too much for us in all honesty. Italy are a better side now than England were 5 years ago, and seem to be flying somewhat under the radar, and the other two in the group are markedly better than Russia and Slovakia. Our team is definitely better across the board but the star factor has dimmed for me, teams won't fear Bale and Ramsey in the same fashion and rightly so as they've regressed.

More worryingly unless I'm completely wrong, this false 9 lark is going to be our undoing. Not starting Kieffer is a poor decision and it looks as if we're heading that way, does Rob Page hate City? Vaulks has a case to be starting and he's not even in the squad.

I agree and think we'll be out in the group stage. Russia were really poor in Euro 2016 and I can't see either Switzerland or Turkey being that bad.

I hope Kieffer starts. He's the biggest threat we have up front and gives the team a platform. I wonder if he's been rested deliberately? Vaulks doesn't deserve to be in the squad for me, though. He can't pass the ball.

[City123]

I personally don't get the hype around Turkey, they've had good results but they concede a lot & have had some poor results in there, 2 losses to Hungary, draws with Latvia & Guinea. They've conceded 20 in their last 14 games (which includes games against Latvia, Guinea & Moldova).

I think Slovakia are a little under rated looking back. They'd gone into Euro16 having beaten Germany, Spain, Ukraine and Switzerland and were favourites to beat us. They were a good side and it was a tough group

I feel Wales have been overlooked by many going into this. We've had good results & decent performances. We were right in the game against France and looked good against Belgium for large periods. We've been able to dig deep for results whilst even our reserves are capable of beating a good side in Mexico. We recovered from a poor start in qualifying and won the Nations League group comfortably. I'm not saying we're going to win the thing but we also shouldn't be writing the team off as no hopers.

[barrybloo]

I think (optimisticly I give you)
that we could quite possibly qualify from this group. And looking further ahead get to the quarter finals. After that of course it would take a 2016 miracle job. But you never know.....

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Think this will be a bit too much for us in all honesty. Italy are a better side now than England were 5 years ago, and seem to be flying somewhat under the radar, and the other two in the group are markedly better than Russia and Slovakia. Our team is definitely better across the board but the star factor has dimmed for me, teams won't fear Bale and Ramsey in the same fashion and rightly so as they've regressed.

More worryingly unless I'm completely wrong, this false 9 lark is going to be our undoing. Not starting Kieffer is a poor decision and it looks as if we're heading that way, does Rob Page hate City? Vaulks has a case to be starting and he's not even in the squad.

Given how we look to be setting up, playing a resurgent Italy in Rome and the other two being in form, and very good in their own right, I foresee us returning with 0 points and I really wont be surprised if we don't get a goal. Glass half full!

..hey kaisser..
I thought exactly the same thing in 2016..we weren't scoring...not playing well...but they surprised us all.
I have the same feeling as you , but it's in our genes to be pessimistic after so many near misses.
We've been involved in 3 tournaments..58..76..16..2 quarters and a semi ((ooer missus)..let's believe for a while

[the other bob wilson]

In 2016, we were a settled side with a manager who had been there for a few years and was respected by the players. This time around, important players have been missing for long periods with Aaron Ramsey having become someone who it was best to assume he wouldn't be available.

I don't see that all of the uncertainty over Ryan Giggs is helping matters, but, although I think he's wrong about Keiffer Moore, Rob Page being in charge has definitely not had an adverse effect on results.

However, around three or four years ago, I'd look at the young attacking talent we had coming through and think that scoring goals is not going to be be a problem, but it is and if it were nor for someone who was playing for National League side Forest Green while we were getting to the Semi Finals in 2016, we'd be scoring far less. I feel much like I did before 2016 at the moment - back then I expected us to go our in the group stage and just wanted us to score a goal,. I was completely wrong then though and I can be again, but it will need a return to something like their best from Bale and Ramsey and the likes of Wilson, Brooks and, to a lesser extent, James being more influential than they have been for that to happen.

[goats]

Last warm up game before euro 16 we lost 3.0 to Sweden.....not sure we all had so much hope back then? Beat Switzerland Saturday and anything can happen

[BLUETIT]

The two centre half’s, Mepham & Rodon are my worry. Both accidents waiting to happen.

Both of them, reach out with their arms, when players go past ‘um. Cards and pelanties in abundance, waiting to happen.

[Grangenders]

It’s going to much tougher this time around. Even being very optimistic, we could finish second in the group. Then we’d be likely to meet Belgium / Denmark in the round of 16, possibly followed by the Netherlands in the quarters.

Being slightly less optimistic and finishing 3rd would see us again face Belgium / Denmark, or worse the winner of the France / Germany / Portugal group in the round of 16. In this scenario I’d probably not worry about who we might meet in the quarters...

[MacAdder]

Our best chance of progressing is beating the Swiss on the weekend and after that it's bonus time.

Team-wise, I don't think our defence is as strong as 2016 although there isn't much in it.
The difference for me is that our talismen back then are 5 years older and we always looked like we could create and score goals.

I don't think many people are expecting us to get further than the group stages.

All will have to be on top form but one jammy win would get us out of the group.
Hopefully it's Saturday!

[Pearcey3]

It looks like a very even group. I think we have a very good chance of getting through to the last 16. All our key players are fit. I just hope Page plays Moore. With Bale and James down the flanks and Ramsey behind Moore we have plenty of threat.

I’m going for a 1-1 v Switzerland on Saturday.

[SuisseBluebird]

We have the advantage in the group of not playing the group favourites Italy until the final game, so it offers a chance for Wales to stamp their mark against teams they should be competitive against. Turkey have to travel back from Rome before Wednesday's game so not exactly ideal preparation for them. A win and a draw should be enough to secure progression to the round of 16 whether it be in 2nd or 3rd place.

I think this tournament will see a lot of teams playing patiently, operating with a 5 man back line consisting of 3 centre backs and 2 wing backs. Wales have the players to make such a formation work, and ideally I would like to see Ampadu operate as the central centre back with Rodon and Davies either side. It would give Ampadu the freedom to push up and join midfield when Wales are in possession with Allen (who deserves to start in my opinion) and enable Ramsey the freedom to float in the space behind the front three, which in order to be effective needs Moore at centre forward. I would also be tempted to play Wilson at right wing considering he has just played a full season with Moore, and then Bale at left wing.

But I think Page is more likely to settle for James, Bale and Wilson up top, with Ampadu and Ramsey in central midfield and Mepham coming in at centre back. He and his coaching staff see a lot more of the players than we do, so you would hope they get it right, but Wales seem incapable of creating persistent chances in the final third without Moore helping to create space and allow the likes of Bale and Ramsey to make an impact.

[Shrewsbury Blue]

The best team in the group should be Italy and they have the huge advantage of playing their games at home. One thing that might benefit Wales is they play Wales last when they may already have beaten Turkey and Switzerland and qualified for the next round. If this is the case they may well field some of their fringe players and not be running themselves into the ground to win the match.

Don't really see much to chose between Wales Switzerland and Turkey suspect anyone of them could go through.

Noticed that the Welsh press are strongly advocating playing Moore so there is strong pressure on Page to play him.

[surge]

We have the advantage in the group of not playing the group favourites Italy until the final game ....

Presuming your username discloses your location, would you be able to say anything more about the Switzerland team? The only thing I know about them really is that they're a side used to playing in tournaments.

So frustrating to watch episode three of Ellis James' football program then read a fan suggesting manager hates a specific club - we do so much better with "together stronger" than we did before, and there is so little to back up that club reaction suggestion.

Thread on the false 9: https://twitter.com/CymruWatch/statu...84267056177159

I wonder if it's partially that Moore's such a one off in the Welsh ranks (the next best player like him is Jack Vale at Blackburn Rovers youth team) that we have to get used to playing an alternative system to continue building for the future/any games he's not available?

It's going to be a bit tough, I'd agree that it's tougher than last time, but I saw enough in first 30 minutes against France to know it's doable.

[SuisseBluebird]

Presuming your username discloses your location, would you be able to say anything more about the Switzerland team? The only thing I know about them really is that they're a side used to playing in tournaments.

So frustrating to watch episode three of Ellis James' football program then read a fan suggesting manager hates a specific club - we do so much better with "together stronger" than we did before, and there is so little to back up that club reaction suggestion.

Thread on the false 9: https://twitter.com/CymruWatch/statu...84267056177159

I wonder if it's partially that Moore's such a one off in the Welsh ranks (the next best player like him is Jack Vale at Blackburn Rovers youth team) that we have to get used to playing an alternative system to continue building for the future/any games he's not available?

It's going to be a bit tough, I'd agree that it's tougher than last time, but I saw enough in first 30 minutes against France to know it's doable.

You presume correctly, I am based in Switzerland.

The Swiss are reasonably confident of their chances against Wales and Turkey. They play with the same formation that we expect Wales to play with 3 centre backs, 2 wing backs, 2 central midfielders and a centre forward flanked by two wingers.

As has been previously mentioned here, Wales do not have the settled camp they had going into Euro 2016 whereas Switzerland with Petkovic have a coach and a playing identity that has been embedded in them and proved reasonably successful for 7 years.

The spine of their team is really impressive and under rated in my opinion. Akanji and Elvedi at centre back and they have solid options at defensive and central midfield with Zakaria, Xhaka and Freuler. So as to be expected, Switzerland are pretty resolute and solid in defence.

As for attack, Shaqiri is their obvious attacking threat but Embolo if he starts is one to take note of as well. And Seferovic and Gavranovic are both cut from the same cloth, traditional centre forwards that the likes of Shaqiri and Zuber can work off from.

All important battle is for Wales to compete in central midfield, no easy task, and we assume Wales will go with Ramsey and Ampadu, who will have their work cut out for them.

Will be watching with my Swiss friends, so hoping for some friendly banter following a Wales victory.

[goats]

Who will go off injured first? Rambo or Allen? I’ll go for Allen as he hasn’t played all season almost

[surge]

You presume correctly, I am based in Switzerland.

The Swiss are reasonably confident...

Thank you for this

Group A (where we are) and Group F (France, Portugal, Germany) appear to be the most difficult groups we could have been placed into. Nevertheless, this group has shown a real spirit and knack for winning games of late.

[Pearcey3]

Just watched the four episodes of Ellis James Football Nation. Very good. Very painful. So many disappointments. I remember all of them...well not 58 but those onwards. So great we are in another finals

[ToTaL ITK]

we will lose every match be last in the group and it'll all be a waste of time.And thats looking on the bright side