FT: WALES 2 - 4 BELGIUM. Match thread

[Pearcey3]

Nah Ashley. Ben Davies didn't do really well v Doku.😂

😆

[Heathblue]

Harsh. They haven’t played too badly, but this squad of players just isn’t good enough.

I dont think so, at this level players must be at it 100% switched on every single minute, Bellamy chose to take Brooks off and left James on, neither did that much, James the lost the ball for their 2nd goal and went for the ball in the penalty area, Macedonia didn't concede the other day and we shipped 4 at home, the pedestrian back 4 passing with our midfield static standing next to their players offering no out ball, Ben Davies cantering over to Docku giving him time to have a pie and a pint before passing it, Thomas at the end admiring Trossard and watching him slide it home it's just not good enough if we were to be serious contenders to win the game, the ref never did us any favours but IMO we contributed more to our defeat than the ref, both were pens under the modern game so no complaints there. Docku is a marvelous player and offers a serious threat but him aside i dont think this is a great Belgium side De-Bryne isn't what he was, but he's always looking at breaking into the box like he was continually doing tonight, it was if we had never seen him do this before, I thought we were just poor from manager through the players, our 2nd goal was nice however. it seems we are getting poorer under Bellamy or the better opposition is finding it easier to expose us knowing we will just pass it square, back, square back and sideways at a lethargic pace.

[Tuerto]

Rodon, Ampadu and Neko Williams are PL regulars. Ben Davies is vastly experienced at PL. So it's not like they are lower League level. We seem so easy to play against. So easy to open up.

Bellamy wont sit in against any team. Two banks of nothing, it's not his way. He takes teams on. Personally i don't mind it, it makes for an entertaining game.

[Hilts]

All the summarisers are worse than the players. It's not an achievement to have Belgium sit and counter when you ship 4 and could easily have conceded a few more.

[The Lone Gunman]

Rodon, Ampadu and Neko Williams are PL regulars. Ben Davies is vastly experienced at PL. So it's not like they are lower League level. We seem so easy to play against. So easy to open up.

Rodon and Ampadu were playing in the Championship earlier this year. Their side currently sits 15th in the Premier League. Williams’ side is currently 17th. Cabango is a Championship player. Meanwhile, veteran Davies hasn’t played a single minute for Spurs this season in any competition.

That’s not a strong defence by any stretch of the imagination.

[Wales-Bales]

Well, enough people were lapping it up only a few months back. He's still learning, and that's not a defence of him, i don't particularly like Bellamy, but in fairness to him he's been brave and when it's worked people on here have praised him to the hilt. Nothing much has changed in terms of tactics and playing style, we just don't have the quality against much better opposition, we don't have the concentration levels. I don't think that we were that bad this evening, The final two goals were poor to give away.

I think other teams have worked us out and we don't have any countermeasures.

[Hilts]

I think other teams have worked us out and we don't have any countermeasures.

I think we have just come up against better teams.

[Pearcey3]

Rodon and Ampadu were playing in the Championship earlier this year. Their side currently sits 15th in the Premier League. WilliamsÂ’ side is currently 17th. Cabango is a Championship player. Meanwhile, veteran Davies hasnÂ’t played a single minute for Spurs this season in any competition.

ThatÂ’s not a strong defence by any stretch of the imagination.

By historical standards that's not bad. Our most successful side that reached the semi finals of the Euros had a Championship full back in Chris Gunter and James Chester who rarely started for West Brom! They were both starters in that Welsh side as was Wayne Hennessey who wasn't getting much game time either.

[Pearcey3]

Bellamy wont sit in against any team. Two banks of nothing, it's not his way. He takes teams on. Personally i don't mind it, it makes for an entertaining game.

Yes I think that's fair but I think we need to be more pragmatic against the better sides.

[Tuerto]

I think other teams have worked us out and we don't have any countermeasures.

Probably, and Bellamy wont deviate from the way he sets out to play, he doesn't seem to react to scorelines or passages pf play. It will either make him or break him.

[The Lone Gunman]

By historical standards that's not bad.

But by realistic standards, it’s not good.

On the plus side, a first cap tonight for Joe Rodent. *

(* Not my joke, I just saw it on Facebook.)

[Pedro de la Rosa]

By historical standards that's not bad. Our most successful side that reached the semi finals of the Euros had a Championship full back in Chris Gunter and James Chester who rarely started for West Brom! They were both starters in that Welsh side as was Wayne Hennessey who wasn't getting much game time either.

Chester was an outstanding Championship centre back, and he walks into our side. Hennnessey played 29, 29 and 27 PL games in the 3 seasons either side of Euro 2016.

We are also crazy open, they don't get any help from the wingers. We are easy to play against, and we're punchless going forwards. It's the weakest group of players we've had for well over a decade.

[LA Bluebird]

Probably, and Bellamy wont deviate from the way he sets out to play, he doesn't seem to react to scorelines or passages pf play. It will either make him or break him.

It's going to break him then, it's one thing to play like that in Nations League that are glorified friendlies and get some moral victories when we play bigger teams close, quite another to play like that in games that matter.

Just like his mentor Kompany at Burnley, playing that way when you don't have the players to do it is suicide. Maybe if he lucks into the Bayern job next he'll look like a tactical genius too.

[LA Bluebird]

Chester was an outstanding Championship centre back, and he walks into our side. Hennnessey played 29, 29 and 27 PL games in the 3 seasons either side of Euro 2016.

We are also crazy open, they don't get any help from the wingers. We are easy to play against, and we're punchless going forwards. It's the weakest group of players we've had for well over a decade.

Yup, put those teams next to each other and you'd say maybe Neco Williams and Harry Wilson are anywhere close to starting for the 2016 team? The spine of the team is so much stronger in 2016 it's not even funny. Even if you somehow forget about a prime Bale and Ramsey who when fit were both world class players.

[Dave Blue]

The group will pan out as expected. We could have predicted this a year ago. We haven’t the talent now to beat a team like Belgium but it’s taken 3 penalties to defeat us in those games.
We need a kind draw in the play offs to even have a sniff.

[Dave Blue]

There was a total lack of checking your surroundings.

Just like their winner in the away game. Left side non existent nor marking in the box.

[Pearcey3]

But by realistic standards, it’s not good.

On the plus side, a first cap tonight for Joe Rodent. *

(* Not my joke, I just saw it on Facebook.)

😆

[Tuerto]

Us the rat entitled to a Welsh cap?

[City123]

Yup, put those teams next to each other and you'd say maybe Neco Williams and Harry Wilson are anywhere close to starting for the 2016 team? The spine of the team is so much stronger in 2016 it's not even funny. Even if you somehow forget about a prime Bale and Ramsey who when fit were both world class players.

Williams certainly starts ahead of Gunter or Taylor.

I reckon Moore at his best would have started up top, could possibly make a case for Ampadu & Rodon too. Maybe even Connor Roberts over Gunter but that would be controversial

Wilson wouldn't get anywhere near starting as his competition would be Bale & Ramsey.