World Cup Play-Off Final - Cymru v Ukraine

[hooky]

Love Tash Harding - her observations and honesty.

Noted Ramsey did not play that well. Hit the nail on the head on Johnson - referenced his excellent decision making under pressure - thinks he'll probably move ahead and become a first team player by the start of the WC

Like me she comes from Bargoed - so nice to agree / be impressed by someone from my home town!

[Albert]

Loved seeing Ampadu singing "yma o hyd" at the end ! Brilliant

[cynonvalley]

Jun 5, 2022 21:46:54 GMT hooky said:

Love Tash Harding - her observations and honesty.

Noted Ramsey did not play that well. Hit the nail on the head on Johnson - referenced his excellent decision making under pressure - thinks he'll probably move ahead and become a first team player by the start of the WC

Like me she comes from Bargoed - so nice to agree / be impressed by someone from my home town!

100% Brennan looked so good when he came on. He should be a nailed on starter from now on.

[hooky]

Almost forgot to say I was so thankful there was no pitch invasion at the end.

After seeing those two horrible incidents in recent football match (albeit I would not expect it to happen at our match), it was still great to see our fans respect the occasion, which allowed our players and as importantly, those of the Ukraine, thank their fans and in our case be able to celebrate with the fans.

[allezlesrouges]

CWPAN Y BYD BOIS!!! What a night! We were so loud before the game, it was incredible. Honoured to say I've been there for Belgium 1-0, Hungary 2-0, Austria 2-1 and now Ukraine 1-0. This might just top them all off for the all round experience. The pre-game was absolutely bumping, we got the result, then the after party was fantastic too! Anyway, here's some player ratings...

Hennessey 9 - A lot of people have probably given him MOTM but he was second for me. Wasn't sure about him being selected over Ward, but thought his experience would pay off - which it did in the end. Kept a clean sheet despite facing 9 shots on target, so you have to say what a performance from him. One of the reasons he isn't getting my MOTM is that none of his saves were mind-blowing. His save from the header was great but it wasn't right in the corner, so amazing performance but not quite 10/10

Davies 10 (MOTM) - I've been saying to my friends for a while that I think he's in the 2nd or 3rd best LCB in the world. Only Laporte & Alaba I think you can argue are ahead/level with him. I think tonight justifies that opinion. A lot of CBs work goes under the radar, so it's not just the amazing blocks he put in & throwing his body on the line, he's absolutely solid in the rest of his game too & made zero errors. He also brought the ball forward brilliantly too. Can see why he's a favourite of Conte. True warrior and should be captain for me after Bale, Ramsey & Allen

Rodon 8 - Keeps managing to churn out great performances despite his lack of game time, which for me shows how good he is - and how good he can be. Didn't do a lot wrong tonight but since he's moved to Spurs and struggled for minutes he's never appeared to be the dominant force I remember him being when he was regular at Swans. Long story short, he was great tonight, but I hope he gets games next year because with him in top form our back 3 is incredible

Ampadu 8.5 - Didn't do a single thing wrong, didn't waste the ball, didn't panic, got stuck in, played the occasion like a seasoned pro - then again he does now have 34 caps to his name! Didn't do anything as flashy as Davies today, but you need players like him to just do their jobs excellently

Neco 8.5 - Neco had the Ukrainian players on his side on toast. He's so good in tight areas, beating a man, driving forwards. Couple of times he mis-placed a few passes, and very occasionally gave it away or committed which meant Ukraine could break BUT he more than made up for it with the rest of his play. He reads the game so well, I feel he has also improved defensively. Top performance from not only a future star, but a star of the here and now

Connor 7 - Struggling to put to words exactly how he played. I think he was more reserved than usual, but perhaps this was a tactical thing, and Page wanted him to protect us a bit more. I did think he was a bit isolated at times down his side as Bale would drift a bit. Overall I think he was good, but nothing particularly stands out from his play

Allen 6.5 - Gave the ball away a few too many times in dangerous positions for my liking. You expect him to be the steady head, so it's frustrating when he put us under pressure unnecessarily. However, he was the better of the two in midfield, and felt he did carry Ramsey a bit. Hard playing as a 2 up against 3 as well, so I think overall he did well considering these things. Just think he could have been more decisive at times

Ramsey 4 - Probably the worst I've seen him play in a Wales shirt. I think he's clearly struggling for sharpness, and it seemed like after his first few actions didn't go his way that his confidence dropped. Gave the ball away way way too much, sometimes in dangerous areas. Missed a sitter that he would usually bury. Yeah not good from him at all - but luckily it doesn't matter so I won't dwell too much. Get a move & regular football Rambo!!

James 7 - Thought he was good, and wasn't actually that wasteful in comparison to his Austria performance. Did his thing of being a threat on the break and closing down well - something that shouldn't be underestimated. Honestly, if he could finish he'd be one of the best wingers in the world. I think he needs to watch his place for the World Cup though, as Brennan will be hot on his heels now he's in the Prem

Bale 7.5 - Not that good of a performance from him overall, but he just causes panic over those set pieces doesn't he? That's what won us the game, and ultimately that was the decider for us yet again. Just an absolute hero - and I'm so happy for him that he gets to play in a World Cup like he deserves to. Build him a statue already

Moore 7 - Did his duty well tonight, I do wish the ball would stick with him more though. Sometimes it's just calling for him to hold the ball up like a real nuisance but his touch just gets away from him. Despite that he played his part in helping us to counter effectively, and gave us something to aim for at crosses, despite nothing falling his way

Diolch i Rob Page! Made the tweak tonight to move away from the 3-5-2 the Ukranians clearly practised extensively against and it did work. Yes they had chances, but I think they were always going to. 3-4-3 made us dangerous out wide and the tweak worked because we got over the line. Same for the Hennessey call as well. He'll be the first manager to take charge at 2 international tournaments, and the first to do a Euros and a WC. It's making me wonder, after the World Cup does he have much reason to stay?

[insertname]

Moore was crap tonight but to be fair as was pointed out on the commentary when he made the best runs they weren’t picked out. I genuinely believe that he’s going under the radar and is something of a curate’s egg in a Wales shirt. Either way it’s a great story, you can have limited ability but if you make the most of it you can end 64 years of hoodoo.

Also glad you picked up on Hennessey, some good stops but if Ward had let one of those in there would be a massive fume going on I feel

[cadno]

Jammy as fuck but we'll take it.

Thought Page got it wrong playing Ramsey deep alongside Allen, it's never worked, play him 10 or bing Wilson or Morrell in to make it a mid 3.

Made the right call with Hennessey though, said it before - our greatest of all time in goal, sorry Nev!

Ukraine very unlucky tonight but we've had plenty of unlucky nights over the years.

[mrpicton79]

Jun 5, 2022 22:31:01 GMT hooky said:

Almost forgot to say I was so thankful there was no pitch invasion at the end.

After seeing those two horrible incidents in recent football match (albeit I would not expect it to happen at our match), it was still great to see our fans respect the occasion, which allowed our players and as importantly, those of the Ukraine, thank their fans and in our case be able to celebrate with the fans.

Well technically there were a few lol www.youtube.com/watch?v=24YzQJwoj2Y

Although thankfully they were subdued pretty swiftly.

[morg]

Jun 6, 2022 5:13:28 GMT mrpicton79 said:

Jun 5, 2022 22:31:01 GMT hooky said:

Almost forgot to say I was so thankful there was no pitch invasion at the end.

After seeing those two horrible incidents in recent football match (albeit I would not expect it to happen at our match), it was still great to see our fans respect the occasion, which allowed our players and as importantly, those of the Ukraine, thank their fans and in our case be able to celebrate with the fans.

Well technically there were a few lol www.youtube.com/watch?v=24YzQJwoj2Y

Although thankfully they were subdued pretty swiftly.

Blimey... Were Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams stewarding yesterday?

[erasedcitizen]

Jun 6, 2022 1:09:29 GMT cadno said:

Jammy as fuck but we'll take it.

Thought Page got it wrong playing Ramsey deep alongside Allen, it's never worked, play him 10 or bing Wilson or Morrell in to make it a mid 3.

Made the right call with Hennessey though, said it before - our greatest of all time in goal, sorry Nev!

Ukraine very unlucky tonight but we've had plenty of unlucky nights over the years.

I've seen a few say we were jammy but I don't buy it. We were the better team despite being up against it with the officials and missed 2 excellent opportunities.

[robwrecsam]

Just checking it wasn’t a dream last night right guys?

[cadno]

Jun 6, 2022 6:37:29 GMT erasedcitizen said:

Jun 6, 2022 1:09:29 GMT cadno said:

Jammy as fuck but we'll take it.

Thought Page got it wrong playing Ramsey deep alongside Allen, it's never worked, play him 10 or bing Wilson or Morrell in to make it a mid 3.

Made the right call with Hennessey though, said it before - our greatest of all time in goal, sorry Nev!

Ukraine very unlucky tonight but we've had plenty of unlucky nights over the years.

I've seen a few say we were jammy but I don't buy it. We were the better team despite being up against it with the officials and missed 2 excellent opportunities.

The better team? I'll have whatever you've been taking

[iot]

Jun 5, 2022 23:10:32 GMT allezlesrouges said:

CWPAN Y BYD BOIS!!! What a night! We were so loud before the game, it was incredible. Honoured to say I've been there for Belgium 1-0, Hungary 2-0, Austria 2-1 and now Ukraine 1-0. This might just top them all off for the all round experience. The pre-game was absolutely bumping, we got the result, then the after party was fantastic too! Anyway, here's some player ratings...

Hennessey 9 - A lot of people have probably given him MOTM but he was second for me. Wasn't sure about him being selected over Ward, but thought his experience would pay off - which it did in the end. Kept a clean sheet despite facing 9 shots on target, so you have to say what a performance from him. One of the reasons he isn't getting my MOTM is that none of his saves were mind-blowing. His save from the header was great but it wasn't right in the corner, so amazing performance but not quite 10/10

Davies 10 (MOTM) - I've been saying to my friends for a while that I think he's in the 2nd or 3rd best LCB in the world. Only Laporte & Alaba I think you can argue are ahead/level with him. I think tonight justifies that opinion. A lot of CBs work goes under the radar, so it's not just the amazing blocks he put in & throwing his body on the line, he's absolutely solid in the rest of his game too & made zero errors. He also brought the ball forward brilliantly too. Can see why he's a favourite of Conte. True warrior and should be captain for me after Bale, Ramsey & Allen

Rodon 8 - Keeps managing to churn out great performances despite his lack of game time, which for me shows how good he is - and how good he can be. Didn't do a lot wrong tonight but since he's moved to Spurs and struggled for minutes he's never appeared to be the dominant force I remember him being when he was regular at Swans. Long story short, he was great tonight, but I hope he gets games next year because with him in top form our back 3 is incredible

Ampadu 8.5 - Didn't do a single thing wrong, didn't waste the ball, didn't panic, got stuck in, played the occasion like a seasoned pro - then again he does now have 34 caps to his name! Didn't do anything as flashy as Davies today, but you need players like him to just do their jobs excellently

Neco 8.5 - Neco had the Ukrainian players on his side on toast. He's so good in tight areas, beating a man, driving forwards. Couple of times he mis-placed a few passes, and very occasionally gave it away or committed which meant Ukraine could break BUT he more than made up for it with the rest of his play. He reads the game so well, I feel he has also improved defensively. Top performance from not only a future star, but a star of the here and now

Connor 7 - Struggling to put to words exactly how he played. I think he was more reserved than usual, but perhaps this was a tactical thing, and Page wanted him to protect us a bit more. I did think he was a bit isolated at times down his side as Bale would drift a bit. Overall I think he was good, but nothing particularly stands out from his play

Allen 6.5 - Gave the ball away a few too many times in dangerous positions for my liking. You expect him to be the steady head, so it's frustrating when he put us under pressure unnecessarily. However, he was the better of the two in midfield, and felt he did carry Ramsey a bit. Hard playing as a 2 up against 3 as well, so I think overall he did well considering these things. Just think he could have been more decisive at times

Ramsey 4 - Probably the worst I've seen him play in a Wales shirt. I think he's clearly struggling for sharpness, and it seemed like after his first few actions didn't go his way that his confidence dropped. Gave the ball away way way too much, sometimes in dangerous areas. Missed a sitter that he would usually bury. Yeah not good from him at all - but luckily it doesn't matter so I won't dwell too much. Get a move & regular football Rambo!!

James 7 - Thought he was good, and wasn't actually that wasteful in comparison to his Austria performance. Did his thing of being a threat on the break and closing down well - something that shouldn't be underestimated. Honestly, if he could finish he'd be one of the best wingers in the world. I think he needs to watch his place for the World Cup though, as Brennan will be hot on his heels now he's in the Prem

Bale 7.5 - Not that good of a performance from him overall, but he just causes panic over those set pieces doesn't he? That's what won us the game, and ultimately that was the decider for us yet again. Just an absolute hero - and I'm so happy for him that he gets to play in a World Cup like he deserves to. Build him a statue already

Moore 7 - Did his duty well tonight, I do wish the ball would stick with him more though. Sometimes it's just calling for him to hold the ball up like a real nuisance but his touch just gets away from him. Despite that he played his part in helping us to counter effectively, and gave us something to aim for at crosses, despite nothing falling his way

Diolch i Rob Page! Made the tweak tonight to move away from the 3-5-2 the Ukranians clearly practised extensively against and it did work. Yes they had chances, but I think they were always going to. 3-4-3 made us dangerous out wide and the tweak worked because we got over the line. Same for the Hennessey call as well. He'll be the first manager to take charge at 2 international tournaments, and the first to do a Euros and a WC. It's making me wonder, after the World Cup does he have much reason to stay?

What an incredible night. So amazing to say we're in the World Cup, it really is a dream come true!

On Ramsey's performance, I came away from the stadium yesterday feeling exactly the same way. I thought he had a stinker with his touch all over the place. However watching the game back this morning, he was actually a lot better than I realised. He had a good first 10 mins when Ukraine were dominant, where he must have dispossessed them 3 or 4 times. He then had a terrible middle part to the first half where he lost the ball a few times and put us under pressure. But there were lots of other good moments during the rest of the game. He should have scored, but it was he who got himself into that position for that massive chance. He did brilliantly to set up the other massive chance for bale. There was another time where he did really well to set up Wilson at the end where he won that free kick, there was the brilliant cross he put in in the first half that no one got on the end of, and another brilliant touch in the box and a dangerous ball across the 6 yard box that was cut out. So all in all, he won back possession way more than I remembered and was involved in creating 4 or 5 good to half chances.

Disagree with you and insertname on Hennessey's save from that header - it was an incredible save. It doesn't look as good in slow motion, but in real time you could see it was a bullet header from point blank range and hennessey had to react really quickly. It was the type of chance where more often than not the keeper wouldn't have saved it.

Davies was absolutely a 10/10 with a gigantic performance, whilst Neco was the next best performer with a really good, energetic performance himself. I would mark Ampadu down personally, he and Rodon got badly dragged out of position or played around a couple of times which led to their big chances. 

On the game itself, obviously Ukraine were dominant but on the balance of good chances created, we probably edged it. 

[iot]

Jun 6, 2022 8:11:21 GMT cadno said:

Jun 6, 2022 6:37:29 GMT erasedcitizen said:

I've seen a few say we were jammy but I don't buy it. We were the better team despite being up against it with the officials and missed 2 excellent opportunities.

The better team? I'll have whatever you've been taking

I thought the same as you, but watched the game back and they had no more good chances than us. If anything we edged it

[erasedcitizen]

Jun 6, 2022 8:11:21 GMT cadno said:

Jun 6, 2022 6:37:29 GMT erasedcitizen said:

I've seen a few say we were jammy but I don't buy it. We were the better team despite being up against it with the officials and missed 2 excellent opportunities.

The better team? I'll have whatever you've been taking

Football is about more than simple possession and looking threatening, we defended magnificently and came out on top because of that. We also crafted a couple of opportunities which were more gilt-edged than anything Ukraine came up with.

We were the better team and won because of that, not because we were lucky. I think calling us lucky does the lads a disservice.

[cadno]

Jun 6, 2022 8:27:23 GMT erasedcitizen said:

Jun 6, 2022 8:11:21 GMT cadno said:

The better team? I'll have whatever you've been taking

Football is about more than simple possession and looking threatening, we defended magnificently and came out on top because of that. We also crafted a couple of opportunities which were more gilt-edged than anything Ukraine came up with.

We were the better team and won because of that, not because we were lucky. I think calling us lucky does the lads a disservice.

Fair enough, we did alright off the ball, showed a lot of heart with last ditch blocks etc. Hennessey had a world class performance & a few things didn't fall for Ukraine. On balance, Ukraine deserved to win. But the better team doesn't always win.

[cadno]

Jun 6, 2022 8:26:14 GMT iot said:

Jun 6, 2022 8:11:21 GMT cadno said:

The better team? I'll have whatever you've been taking

I thought the same as you, but watched the game back and they had no more good chances than us. If anything we edged it

Fair enough, nerves during the game maybe skewed my perception of things! We won anyway

[llan123]

They were significantly better than us on the ball but we had the more clear cut chances and we defended superbly, I think we were on balance the better side and good value for our win. Incredible atmosphere again last night and great to see only a few people tried to get on the pitch. A mass pitch invasion really would have ruined the special atmosphere after the game last night.

[bringbackelmo]

First half we were really up against it, how we went in ahead at HT I don't know. Second half much better and we could have scored another two or three. Magnificent performance. I'm not sure about jammy, but who cares.

[allezlesrouges]

Jun 6, 2022 8:20:38 GMT iot said:

Jun 5, 2022 23:10:32 GMT allezlesrouges said:

CWPAN Y BYD BOIS!!! What a night! We were so loud before the game, it was incredible. Honoured to say I've been there for Belgium 1-0, Hungary 2-0, Austria 2-1 and now Ukraine 1-0. This might just top them all off for the all round experience. The pre-game was absolutely bumping, we got the result, then the after party was fantastic too! Anyway, here's some player ratings...

Hennessey 9 - A lot of people have probably given him MOTM but he was second for me. Wasn't sure about him being selected over Ward, but thought his experience would pay off - which it did in the end. Kept a clean sheet despite facing 9 shots on target, so you have to say what a performance from him. One of the reasons he isn't getting my MOTM is that none of his saves were mind-blowing. His save from the header was great but it wasn't right in the corner, so amazing performance but not quite 10/10

Davies 10 (MOTM) - I've been saying to my friends for a while that I think he's in the 2nd or 3rd best LCB in the world. Only Laporte & Alaba I think you can argue are ahead/level with him. I think tonight justifies that opinion. A lot of CBs work goes under the radar, so it's not just the amazing blocks he put in & throwing his body on the line, he's absolutely solid in the rest of his game too & made zero errors. He also brought the ball forward brilliantly too. Can see why he's a favourite of Conte. True warrior and should be captain for me after Bale, Ramsey & Allen

Rodon 8 - Keeps managing to churn out great performances despite his lack of game time, which for me shows how good he is - and how good he can be. Didn't do a lot wrong tonight but since he's moved to Spurs and struggled for minutes he's never appeared to be the dominant force I remember him being when he was regular at Swans. Long story short, he was great tonight, but I hope he gets games next year because with him in top form our back 3 is incredible

Ampadu 8.5 - Didn't do a single thing wrong, didn't waste the ball, didn't panic, got stuck in, played the occasion like a seasoned pro - then again he does now have 34 caps to his name! Didn't do anything as flashy as Davies today, but you need players like him to just do their jobs excellently

Neco 8.5 - Neco had the Ukrainian players on his side on toast. He's so good in tight areas, beating a man, driving forwards. Couple of times he mis-placed a few passes, and very occasionally gave it away or committed which meant Ukraine could break BUT he more than made up for it with the rest of his play. He reads the game so well, I feel he has also improved defensively. Top performance from not only a future star, but a star of the here and now

Connor 7 - Struggling to put to words exactly how he played. I think he was more reserved than usual, but perhaps this was a tactical thing, and Page wanted him to protect us a bit more. I did think he was a bit isolated at times down his side as Bale would drift a bit. Overall I think he was good, but nothing particularly stands out from his play

Allen 6.5 - Gave the ball away a few too many times in dangerous positions for my liking. You expect him to be the steady head, so it's frustrating when he put us under pressure unnecessarily. However, he was the better of the two in midfield, and felt he did carry Ramsey a bit. Hard playing as a 2 up against 3 as well, so I think overall he did well considering these things. Just think he could have been more decisive at times

Ramsey 4 - Probably the worst I've seen him play in a Wales shirt. I think he's clearly struggling for sharpness, and it seemed like after his first few actions didn't go his way that his confidence dropped. Gave the ball away way way too much, sometimes in dangerous areas. Missed a sitter that he would usually bury. Yeah not good from him at all - but luckily it doesn't matter so I won't dwell too much. Get a move & regular football Rambo!!

James 7 - Thought he was good, and wasn't actually that wasteful in comparison to his Austria performance. Did his thing of being a threat on the break and closing down well - something that shouldn't be underestimated. Honestly, if he could finish he'd be one of the best wingers in the world. I think he needs to watch his place for the World Cup though, as Brennan will be hot on his heels now he's in the Prem

Bale 7.5 - Not that good of a performance from him overall, but he just causes panic over those set pieces doesn't he? That's what won us the game, and ultimately that was the decider for us yet again. Just an absolute hero - and I'm so happy for him that he gets to play in a World Cup like he deserves to. Build him a statue already

Moore 7 - Did his duty well tonight, I do wish the ball would stick with him more though. Sometimes it's just calling for him to hold the ball up like a real nuisance but his touch just gets away from him. Despite that he played his part in helping us to counter effectively, and gave us something to aim for at crosses, despite nothing falling his way

Diolch i Rob Page! Made the tweak tonight to move away from the 3-5-2 the Ukranians clearly practised extensively against and it did work. Yes they had chances, but I think they were always going to. 3-4-3 made us dangerous out wide and the tweak worked because we got over the line. Same for the Hennessey call as well. He'll be the first manager to take charge at 2 international tournaments, and the first to do a Euros and a WC. It's making me wonder, after the World Cup does he have much reason to stay?

What an incredible night. So amazing to say we're in the World Cup, it really is a dream come true!

On Ramsey's performance, I came away from the stadium yesterday feeling exactly the same way. I thought he had a stinker with his touch all over the place. However watching the game back this morning, he was actually a lot better than I realised. He had a good first 10 mins when Ukraine were dominant, where he must have dispossessed them 3 or 4 times. He then had a terrible middle part to the first half where he lost the ball a few times and put us under pressure. But there were lots of other good moments during the rest of the game. He should have scored, but it was he who got himself into that position for that massive chance. He did brilliantly to set up the other massive chance for bale. There was another time where he did really well to set up Wilson at the end where he won that free kick, there was the brilliant cross he put in in the first half that no one got on the end of, and another brilliant touch in the box and a dangerous ball across the 6 yard box that was cut out. So all in all, he won back possession way more than I remembered and was involved in creating 4 or 5 good to half chances.

Disagree with you and insertname on Hennessey's save from that header - it was an incredible save. It doesn't look as good in slow motion, but in real time you could see it was a bullet header from point blank range and hennessey had to react really quickly. It was the type of chance where more often than not the keeper wouldn't have saved it.

Davies was absolutely a 10/10 with a gigantic performance, whilst Neco was the next best performer with a really good, energetic performance himself. I would mark Ampadu down personally, he and Rodon got badly dragged out of position or played around a couple of times which led to their big chances. 

On the game itself, obviously Ukraine were dominant but on the balance of good chances created, we probably edged it. 

Fair points, maybe harsh on Ramsey as I do remember him being involved in some good play too. I think just overall in a nervy game I'm looking for players to not put us under needless pressure, which he did quite a few more times than you'd expect from a player of his experience & calibre - which is probably why I marked him very low. Perhaps harsh because as you say he did some things well

Yeah that was certainly Hennessey's best save. Up until that point I think his other saves weren't too difficult, but that was certainly the pick of the bunch. If Davies wasn't so good then I'd have definitely gone for Wayne as my 10/10, but just looking for ways to differentiate them. No doubt that save was impressive and match defining

Neco I could easily have bumped up to a 9, but I think whilst he was brilliant a 9 out of 10 performance from him would involve a little more attacking output. But regardless, he's a star in the making. Think he'll be in the 100 cap club to be honest

[texan]

Jun 5, 2022 23:10:32 GMT allezlesrouges said:

Ampadu 8.5 - Didn't do a single thing wrong, didn't waste the ball, didn't panic, got stuck in, played the occasion like a seasoned pro - then again he does now have 34 caps to his name! Didn't do anything as flashy as Davies today, but you need players like him to just do their jobs excellently

Well he did do one thing, allowed himself to get pulled into midfield for that chance when Tsygankov was set free that ended up being offside. He was completely wrong-sided meaning that Rodon had to leave his man and track back in an attempt to stop him.

He gets caught out like that a little too often, did it v Austria as well but got away with it there too. The one side of his game he really needs to tighten up on.

[allezlesrouges]

Jun 6, 2022 11:02:24 GMT texan said:

Jun 5, 2022 23:10:32 GMT allezlesrouges said:

Ampadu 8.5 - Didn't do a single thing wrong, didn't waste the ball, didn't panic, got stuck in, played the occasion like a seasoned pro - then again he does now have 34 caps to his name! Didn't do anything as flashy as Davies today, but you need players like him to just do their jobs excellently

Well he did do one thing, allowed himself to get pulled into midfield for that chance when Tsygankov was set free that ended up being offside. He was completely wrong-sided meaning that Rodon had to leave his man and track back in an attempt to stop him.

He gets caught out like that a little too often, did it v Austria as well but got away with it there too. The one side of his game he really needs to tighten up on.

Can't remember that one - will keep an eye out for when I re-watch the game

[iot]

Jun 6, 2022 11:02:24 GMT texan said:

Jun 5, 2022 23:10:32 GMT allezlesrouges said:

Ampadu 8.5 - Didn't do a single thing wrong, didn't waste the ball, didn't panic, got stuck in, played the occasion like a seasoned pro - then again he does now have 34 caps to his name! Didn't do anything as flashy as Davies today, but you need players like him to just do their jobs excellently

Well he did do one thing, allowed himself to get pulled into midfield for that chance when Tsygankov was set free that ended up being offside. He was completely wrong-sided meaning that Rodon had to leave his man and track back in an attempt to stop him.

He gets caught out like that a little too often, did it v Austria as well but got away with it there too. The one side of his game he really needs to tighten up on.

I would say the same is true of Rodon. He often goes in with forwards to nip the ball, fails to do so and ends up in no-mans land. The Ukrainians played it around him once or twice a little too easily as well.

[iot]

Jun 5, 2022 23:10:32 GMT allezlesrouges said:

CWPAN Y BYD BOIS!!! What a night! We were so loud before the game, it was incredible. Honoured to say I've been there for Belgium 1-0, Hungary 2-0, Austria 2-1 and now Ukraine 1-0. This might just top them all off for the all round experience. The pre-game was absolutely bumping, we got the result, then the after party was fantastic too! Anyway, here's some player ratings...

Hennessey 9 - A lot of people have probably given him MOTM but he was second for me. Wasn't sure about him being selected over Ward, but thought his experience would pay off - which it did in the end. Kept a clean sheet despite facing 9 shots on target, so you have to say what a performance from him. One of the reasons he isn't getting my MOTM is that none of his saves were mind-blowing. His save from the header was great but it wasn't right in the corner, so amazing performance but not quite 10/10

Davies 10 (MOTM) - I've been saying to my friends for a while that I think he's in the 2nd or 3rd best LCB in the world. Only Laporte & Alaba I think you can argue are ahead/level with him. I think tonight justifies that opinion. A lot of CBs work goes under the radar, so it's not just the amazing blocks he put in & throwing his body on the line, he's absolutely solid in the rest of his game too & made zero errors. He also brought the ball forward brilliantly too. Can see why he's a favourite of Conte. True warrior and should be captain for me after Bale, Ramsey & Allen

Rodon 8 - Keeps managing to churn out great performances despite his lack of game time, which for me shows how good he is - and how good he can be. Didn't do a lot wrong tonight but since he's moved to Spurs and struggled for minutes he's never appeared to be the dominant force I remember him being when he was regular at Swans. Long story short, he was great tonight, but I hope he gets games next year because with him in top form our back 3 is incredible

Ampadu 8.5 - Didn't do a single thing wrong, didn't waste the ball, didn't panic, got stuck in, played the occasion like a seasoned pro - then again he does now have 34 caps to his name! Didn't do anything as flashy as Davies today, but you need players like him to just do their jobs excellently

Neco 8.5 - Neco had the Ukrainian players on his side on toast. He's so good in tight areas, beating a man, driving forwards. Couple of times he mis-placed a few passes, and very occasionally gave it away or committed which meant Ukraine could break BUT he more than made up for it with the rest of his play. He reads the game so well, I feel he has also improved defensively. Top performance from not only a future star, but a star of the here and now

Connor 7 - Struggling to put to words exactly how he played. I think he was more reserved than usual, but perhaps this was a tactical thing, and Page wanted him to protect us a bit more. I did think he was a bit isolated at times down his side as Bale would drift a bit. Overall I think he was good, but nothing particularly stands out from his play

Allen 6.5 - Gave the ball away a few too many times in dangerous positions for my liking. You expect him to be the steady head, so it's frustrating when he put us under pressure unnecessarily. However, he was the better of the two in midfield, and felt he did carry Ramsey a bit. Hard playing as a 2 up against 3 as well, so I think overall he did well considering these things. Just think he could have been more decisive at times

Ramsey 4 - Probably the worst I've seen him play in a Wales shirt. I think he's clearly struggling for sharpness, and it seemed like after his first few actions didn't go his way that his confidence dropped. Gave the ball away way way too much, sometimes in dangerous areas. Missed a sitter that he would usually bury. Yeah not good from him at all - but luckily it doesn't matter so I won't dwell too much. Get a move & regular football Rambo!!

James 7 - Thought he was good, and wasn't actually that wasteful in comparison to his Austria performance. Did his thing of being a threat on the break and closing down well - something that shouldn't be underestimated. Honestly, if he could finish he'd be one of the best wingers in the world. I think he needs to watch his place for the World Cup though, as Brennan will be hot on his heels now he's in the Prem

Bale 7.5 - Not that good of a performance from him overall, but he just causes panic over those set pieces doesn't he? That's what won us the game, and ultimately that was the decider for us yet again. Just an absolute hero - and I'm so happy for him that he gets to play in a World Cup like he deserves to. Build him a statue already

Moore 7 - Did his duty well tonight, I do wish the ball would stick with him more though. Sometimes it's just calling for him to hold the ball up like a real nuisance but his touch just gets away from him. Despite that he played his part in helping us to counter effectively, and gave us something to aim for at crosses, despite nothing falling his way

Diolch i Rob Page! Made the tweak tonight to move away from the 3-5-2 the Ukranians clearly practised extensively against and it did work. Yes they had chances, but I think they were always going to. 3-4-3 made us dangerous out wide and the tweak worked because we got over the line. Same for the Hennessey call as well. He'll be the first manager to take charge at 2 international tournaments, and the first to do a Euros and a WC. It's making me wonder, after the World Cup does he have much reason to stay?

I think only Hennessey, Davies, and Neco played very well, with the rest decent to a little more than decent, so I'd go with slightly less generous scores:

Hennessey - 9
Davies - 9.5
Rodon - 7
Ampadu - 7
Neco - 8
Roberts - 6
Allen - 6
Ramsey - 5.5
James - 7
Bale - 6
Moore - 6

[dai]

Surprised to see Allen being rated low.

I think he was deffo a 7 or 8 considering he had Ramsey alongside him who kept losing the ball, and he was basically doing the job of two people. Also kept his head VERY well after the early yellow. Worthy of far more than 6 or 6.5.

[1gwaunview]

Jun 6, 2022 11:57:58 GMT dai said:

Surprised to see Allen being rated low.

I think he was deffo a 7 or 8 considering he had Ramsey alongside him who kept losing the ball, and he was basically doing the job of two people. Also kept his head VERY well after the early yellow. Worthy of far more than 6 or 6.5.

Agree with you Ramsey was poor last night.  Rarely plays well in that position alongside Allen, who had his work cut out against the Ukraine.

[iot]

Jun 6, 2022 11:57:58 GMT dai said:

Surprised to see Allen being rated low.

I think he was deffo a 7 or 8 considering he had Ramsey alongside him who kept losing the ball, and he was basically doing the job of two people. Also kept his head VERY well after the early yellow. Worthy of far more than 6 or 6.5.

Allen lost the ball almost as often as ramsey. He lost the ball twice which directly led to Ukrainian chances, and then there's the penalty that should have been given where he badly dawdled on the ball (very unlike him). That should have been given, and if it had he would have been rated much lower, which he shouldn't really as the action remains the same.

[dai]

Jun 6, 2022 12:02:14 GMT iot said:

Jun 6, 2022 11:57:58 GMT dai said:

Surprised to see Allen being rated low.

I think he was deffo a 7 or 8 considering he had Ramsey alongside him who kept losing the ball, and he was basically doing the job of two people. Also kept his head VERY well after the early yellow. Worthy of far more than 6 or 6.5.

Allen lost the ball almost as often as ramsey. He lost the ball twice which directly led to Ukrainian chances, and then there's the penalty that should have been given where he badly dawdled on the ball (very unlike him). That should have been given, and if it had he would have been rated much lower, which he shouldn't really as the action remains the same.

We'll disagree that he lost the ball 'as often as Ramsey'. Nonsense. 

Watch the game again and look at all the interceptions, headers and clearances he made. He covered everywhere in front of the defence. It's easy to focus on the negatives. 

[iot]

Jun 6, 2022 12:08:46 GMT dai said:

Jun 6, 2022 12:02:14 GMT iot said:

Allen lost the ball almost as often as ramsey. He lost the ball twice which directly led to Ukrainian chances, and then there's the penalty that should have been given where he badly dawdled on the ball (very unlike him). That should have been given, and if it had he would have been rated much lower, which he shouldn't really as the action remains the same.

We'll disagree that he lost the ball 'as often as Ramsey'. Nonsense. 

Watch the game again and look at all the interceptions, headers and clearances he made. He covered everywhere in front of the defence. It's easy to focus on the negatives. 

Did watch the game again this morning. Allen didn't lose the ball quite as often as Rambo, but on three occasions he put us under big pressure by losing the ball in really dangerous positions + the penalty incident. So he gave away more opportunities to the Ukrainians than Ramsey. On the other side, you're right in that he did a lot of good things too, so it was a very mixed performance hence the 6/10 score. If you watch the game again, please do look at how often Ramsey retained possession too - by my count it was 3 or 4 times in the first 10 mins, and he did really well on 4 or 5 of the chances created

[insertname]

Jun 5, 2022 23:10:32 GMT allezlesrouges said:

Diolch i Rob Page! Made the tweak tonight to move away from the 3-5-2 the Ukranians clearly practised extensively against and it did work. Yes they had chances, but I think they were always going to. 3-4-3 made us dangerous out wide and the tweak worked because we got over the line. Same for the Hennessey call as well. He'll be the first manager to take charge at 2 international tournaments, and the first to do a Euros and a WC. It's making me wonder, after the World Cup does he have much reason to stay?

No and he shouldn’t really. International football for a young manager is always a short term affair with contracts lasting to the end of the next tournament cycle, with such a limited range of outcomes that can be defined as “success” (let’s face it we are never going to be contenders to win a tournament) once you’ve qualified for the Euros and the World Cup you’ve done the lot and should probably move on for the sake of your own career before you stay long enough to make yourself public enemy number one.

Even as a fan it feels different now. All those years where the World Cup has been the holy grail, now it’s been done it feels like, if it were a video game, Welsh football would have been completed and the credits would be rolling.

What I can’t get over is that this feeling of having completed Welsh international football will have been achieved in just an 8 year window. So for someone born in 1998, from the age of 14 (as they would start being able to properly take it all in) they would only have really known success, bar the ROI game.

I kind of feel that in many ways that for me it was all about the journey and the agony of glorious defeat rather than the success. The endless mickey taking by English friends with me promising them “this time next campaign, we’ll be top of the group!” but of course we never were. That’s all over now, it’s all been done. In 6 years. Mental.