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Great result for wales. It’ll be interesting because if they can take some points here and there in this group we will have a great chance of progressing through like in 15/2016!
It was like a replay of the Estonia game in the WC qualifiers, except we won!. Latvia had a team of relative giants and we were vulnerable every time they had a set piece near our box. The No 20 was 6ft 6 ffs and a few not much taller. Thankfully we restricted them to few opportunities of that sort.
As others said, having over 70% possession means little if you do little with it. The speed of passing was so slow we rarely dragged them out of a disciplined shape. We looked best against that kind of opposition when the centre backs stepped forward and played through the middle of the field playing into Wilson and others at feet where there was more space than wide. We seemed reluctant to exploit that space though, taking safer options.
Kudos, because of this to Neco Williams, who had a poor game in Croatia that even though they double loaded the flanks he was our most threatening outlet.
Tbf, we more or less predicted exactly what the game would be like in the pub beforehand.
We can't go from not being able to string a pass together to zipping the ball around the pitch in one game, it's a process that will take time, and I'd rather see Wales have possession of the ball than the opposition.
I agree about Neco, Croatia are very strong in that area of the pitch, but it was a good learning experience for him to come up against that type of football. I can't believe Modric is 37 and he is still that good.
I walked to the ground looking up the Latvian team. Almost all play in the their national league. Apart from seeing a few who looked more at home in a basketball team it should have been our easiest game. If Wilson scored early doors I think it would have been.
The idea that a competent team of international players can't move from managing a game away against superior opposition to controlling a game at home vs weak opposition in 90 minutes is laughable.
I agree, but we've got 4 points and we are in a most favourable position compared to the other teams in our group. Let's judge the team when our key missing players are back and some of the youngsters break through. I am optimistic about the future once we have rejigged the midfield and settle on a style of play.
Interesting observation but what has that to do with your prognosis that a barely competent international team can't go from not being able to string a pass together to zipping the ball around the pitch in one game?
There are definitely teams I have seen in the FA Cup this year and in previous years that can't adjust. Usually they on a giant killers ground though.
Four points out of 6 is magic. The Turkey games will be pivotal., I agree with you that Page is not Cesar Minotti but if you look at the squad and bench last night it is difficult to see what different options he could have put on the pitch.
It was the slowness of passing that did me. It was so easy for Latvia to keep their shape even with 25% possession.
Mepham and Rodon need to be comfortable playing out from the back and they don't always inspire confidence, but it was good to see Ampadu interacting with them against Croatia. Our midfield also needs tweaking if we are going to play this kind of football, so hopefully the new coach is working on it. Having Johnson back should make a difference, as he is one of the better counter-attacking players in the PL. I'm not overly concerned with the current setup as there is definitely a path forward.
Its easy to have 75% possession when you knock it about between the back 3 and a holding midfielder. It was so boring.
I get that Wales aren't a force in international football but it was a shit game and if I never watch an international game again it wouldn't bother me.
Isn't expecting better being positive as well then?
Depends on how you look at life I suppose.
I think Wales could be better. We aren't doing what I think we are capable of, which is scoring more than 1 against a poor team.
As soon as a team puts men behind the ball we pass it backwards and don't seem to know what we are doing.