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Post by cadno on Mar 28, 2023 22:19:05 GMT
Only complaint is the lack of substitutions. I felt we were screaming out for fresh legs and think we might have got a 2nd with the right subs Overall though there's no point complaining as this is an absolute dream start. We'd have all bitten a hand off for 4 pts wouldn't we? Especially with Turkey losing at home to Croatia Armenia is the game I'm most worried about as they are better than Latvia but equally organised Agreed about the subs, thought bringing Cooper / Bradshaw on at 70mins would’ve given us a jolt of energy & been more positive. Page really is a safe and conservative manager 😴 Anyway like you say, 4 points happy days |
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 28, 2023 22:23:47 GMT
Back 4 and keeper have done well overall in these games. big call what to do with Ben Davies Play him, I don't think its a big call. Drop Roberts and Neco as RB. Drop Wilson and go 5 at the back. |
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Post by surge on Mar 28, 2023 22:26:23 GMT
4 points from 2 games is very, very pleasing.
Have to remember the context in which these games happened (retirements, new staff, injury drop-outs) which adds up to a lot of unfamiliarity for players and fans.
I didn't like Canton chastising Family Stand for their lights display at all. They're kids, let them have their fun, as long as doesn't distract our players. Light display isn't my cup of tea but Canton was relatively quiet, understandably given nature of game and need to build better connections with new squad, so criticism probably could have been reversed.
Danny Ward has performed well in two very different games, Dan James was good tonight and contender for player of the game, Harry Wilson looks like he's becoming more influential and Ramsey is making this team his own.
Wish we had more goals but we can see it as an important night rather than a fun one.
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Post by talyfan on Mar 28, 2023 22:26:34 GMT
Back 4 and keeper have done well overall in these games. big call what to do with Ben Davies Play him, I don't think its a big call. Drop Roberts and Neco as RB. Drop Wilson and go 5 at the back. So that would look like Ward Mepham Rodon Davies Neco Morrell Ampadu RND(or maybe Dan James?) Johnson Ramsey Moore |
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 28, 2023 22:26:37 GMT
We were hanging on, Latvia made 5 substitutions we made 1, that turned the game from us controlling it to them pressing us, yes they didn't test ward BUT they could have had a lucky knock down ala Broadheads goal on Saturday. Page needs to have the balls to make substitutions, the substitutes made a difference on Saturday away against the bronze medal team at the world cup, yet he didn't have the balls to do it tonight against a team over 90 places below us who didn't present any problems, he needs to learn and learn quickly otherwise we will lose a very good chance of qualifying automatically. I accept Page is not an International Manager, but seriously, did you think Latvia were going to score tonight ? They were poor and we looked competent enough, there can always be freak results but we didn't ever look like loosing this. I've been nervous before, but tonight I never thought we'd be in trouble throughout, thought the game management so spot on. They scored 2 against Ireland. They had a few good opportunities lets not kid ourselves. |
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Post by fiveattheback on Mar 28, 2023 22:27:40 GMT
Back 4 and keeper have done well overall in these games. big call what to do with Ben Davies Have they? I thought Roberts was poor tonight. Davies coming in also adds a natural left footer to the back 4 |
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Post by surge on Mar 28, 2023 22:30:29 GMT
I too would have used bench more tonight.
Arument against being that disrupts flow of our performance when the XI was managing the game well.
But I thought Kieffer Moore tired (still important for defending set-pieces at the end mind) and I would have introduced Bradshaw.
Page got desired result in the end. Feels like he's still winning people over.
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Post by jbt95 on Mar 28, 2023 22:30:52 GMT
Page is clueless. Get him out. The tactics and ideas are so poor. He needs to go. Never felt like this before. I'm guessing you were born in 1995 if you've never felt like this before. Trust me, it can get a lot worse than this. Yes born in 95, tomorrow is my 20th anniversary of my first game v Azerbaijan and been to every home competitive game since, other than covid. Page is clueless. He talks a load of rubbish. Get him out. |
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Post by jimexotic on Mar 28, 2023 22:31:42 GMT
Can't drop Wilson after that tonight, he was brilliant.
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 28, 2023 22:32:28 GMT
Play him, I don't think its a big call. Drop Roberts and Neco as RB. Drop Wilson and go 5 at the back. So that would look like Ward Mepham Rodon Davies Neco Morrell Ampadu RND(or maybe Dan James?) Johnson Ramsey Moore We've played 4 at the back lately. Ward Neco Mepham Rodon Davies Ampadu Morrell Johnson Ramsey James Moore There is a few depending on preference people can switch about. But Davies is a level above most of the players. |
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Post by evans1282 on Mar 28, 2023 22:35:05 GMT
Decent performance lack of goals left it possible for one fluke to kill us,but no way were we hanging on ,I really think I'm watching different games to some posters.I like the way we play, but sometimes a little mixing up would be nice,first half James and Roberts were so free it was laughable, but instead of the odd long diagonal we would Play two or three lateral passes allowing them to shuffle over and cover,their keeper was the difference between a
standard win and a rout,again Mepham impressed me and is starting to bring the ball out which I like to see,Rodon as well more composed.
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 28, 2023 22:36:48 GMT
Can't drop Wilson after that tonight, he was brilliant. It was Latvia though. When did he last do it against anyone similar to Cymru? Its a positive step but hes not performed for Cymru for a few years. |
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Post by cadno on Mar 28, 2023 22:38:55 GMT
Fair enough everyone sees the game differently , I could be wrong but thought both Neco and Connor been really good overall last 2 games , got legs and able to keep possession , get out of tight areas and move forward, a bit more dynamic than Ben Davies … tricky to drop him tho! Mepham and Rodon been good enough too
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Post by cadno on Mar 28, 2023 22:39:14 GMT
Can't drop Wilson after that tonight, he was brilliant. Love Harry Wilson, he was class |
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Post by welshwhite on Mar 28, 2023 22:39:21 GMT
I accept Page is not an International Manager, but seriously, did you think Latvia were going to score tonight ? They were poor and we looked competent enough, there can always be freak results but we didn't ever look like loosing this. I've been nervous before, but tonight I never thought we'd be in trouble throughout, thought the game management so spot on. They scored 2 against Ireland. They had a few good opportunities lets not kid ourselves. C'mon mon, they never looked liked scoring give the lads some credit. We fkn played well !! |
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Post by jimexotic on Mar 28, 2023 22:39:47 GMT
But if he plays well it is something to build on. He played well against Austria a year ago and the Czechs away. Davies left back and Neco right back, Roberts benched, Brennan will have to wait, everything else can work.
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 28, 2023 22:44:39 GMT
Fair enough everyone sees the game differently , I could be wrong but thought both Neco and Connor been really good overall last 2 games , got legs and able to keep possession , get out of tight areas and move forward, a bit more dynamic than Ben Davies … tricky to drop him tho! Mepham and Rodon been good enough too I'm a massive Roberts fan but hes just not been at it for a while for me. I thought his positioning was excellent but then you need to get a cross in and get them sweating. For whatever reason it was slow it down and play neat football with Wilson that allows Latvia to recover, he was doing the fullbacks job for him. |
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Post by jimexotic on Mar 28, 2023 22:49:10 GMT
I don't think any of expected 4 points and a lot of us feared 1 so this has been a successful group of games, especially with all things considered. Davies and RND to come back from injury, youngsters to continue to develop, Brennan to join up hopefully, things are looking a lot better than I thought they would be. Broadhead looked lively when he came on too and Ward, well done big man.
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 28, 2023 22:53:48 GMT
They scored 2 against Ireland. They had a few good opportunities lets not kid ourselves. C'mon mon, they never looked liked scoring give the lads some credit. We fkn played well !! So why are people saying Ward did well? His communication of a rock solid defence? Ward made a good save early on. They had a physical threat from set pieces. Ward was coming out and collecting a few late on taking pressure off us. Morrell getting caught on it. That flick Ward got down for. The misskicked volley and block by Rodon. I think people are unsighted because of poor finishing or the fact they didnt go in. All of them were chances and it was a difficult end to watch. Fair play to you if you knew they wouldnt score, I was relieved to hear the final whistle, probably as Page was when he threw Cabango on. |
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Post by playslikeiniesta on Mar 28, 2023 22:56:27 GMT
Seeing as the mods deleted the thread and have no interest in discussing the shockingly poor atmosphere in the stadium tonight….what are people’s thoughts on how bad the fans in the stadium were and how can we make sure everyone gets behind the team and supports them in future games to help carry them through regardless?
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Post by fireboy0610 on Mar 28, 2023 22:57:12 GMT
We were hanging on, Latvia made 5 substitutions we made 1, that turned the game from us controlling it to them pressing us, yes they didn't test ward BUT they could have had a lucky knock down ala Broadheads goal on Saturday. Page needs to have the balls to make substitutions, the substitutes made a difference on Saturday away against the bronze medal team at the world cup, yet he didn't have the balls to do it tonight against a team over 90 places below us who didn't present any problems, he needs to learn and learn quickly otherwise we will lose a very good chance of qualifying automatically. I accept Page is not an International Manager, but seriously, did you think Latvia were going to score tonight ? They were poor and we looked competent enough, there can always be freak results but we didn't ever look like loosing this. I've been nervous before, but tonight I never thought we'd be in trouble throughout, thought the game management so spot on. We didn't against Croatia but got a lucky goal, it could have happened again, it normally does to us, we weren't in trouble apart from early on but if substitutions were made imo we would have seen this game out easier than it turned out. |
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 28, 2023 23:00:59 GMT
But if he plays well it is something to build on. He played well against Austria a year ago and the Czechs away. Davies left back and Neco right back, Roberts benched, Brennan will have to wait, everything else can work. It is, but I think it has to be Ramsey or Wilson. Theyre too similar. I hoped Wilson could play in CM instead of an attacking role so we can accomadate both. But both like short passes trying to find gaps in defence. Any organised defence has them for breakfast. |
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Post by dai on Mar 28, 2023 23:01:36 GMT
I thought it was a very good first half, bar the unconverted chances. We pinned them back for most of the first 45 minutes, but should have turned that possession into goals. You could argue we were a bit pedestrian though, and I would have personally like to have seen us move the ball around a bit quicker.
Can't fault the players, they gave it their all tonight, but there were loads of tired legs on that pitch towards the end.
However, I just can't bring myself to give any sort of praise to Page. The game became very ragged in the second half, and Latvia grew stronger after their subs while we became fatigued. I really don't understand this strange managerial logic to let 10/11 players play 90 minutes of football in the middle of an already busy footballing calendar, without doing any subs (Broadhead apart). It's just nonsensical.
He needs to realise that making subs can positively affect a game, yet he seems scared of doing anything to upset the 'balance' on the pitch. Does it really need to get to the point where we are clinging on to a 1-0 win against the lowest ranked team in the group?
Can someone please explain to me the advantage of this tactic?
RE. Atmosphere. I was fortunate to be in the hospitality section tonight. The atmosphere around me was quite poor, lots of people talking amongst themselves, not really interested - but a lot of these were guests and not proper football fans I guess. The overall atmosphere I would say was very flat, Canton the quietest I've seen for a while.
Finally the ref, one of the most inconsistent, incompetent performances I've seen for a while. We seem to get shite refs on a pretty consistent basis.
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Post by jimexotic on Mar 28, 2023 23:11:34 GMT
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Post by dai on Mar 28, 2023 23:15:28 GMT
Tbh, I'm not surprised we didn't score more goals, just concerned about the manner of the performance in the second half and the lack of energy due to players' fatigue. I had my money on Latvia replicating what we did to Croatia. |
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Post by CrackityJones on Mar 28, 2023 23:17:32 GMT
The lack of substitutes was very odd
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Post by erasedcitizen on Mar 28, 2023 23:42:35 GMT
The lack of substitutes was very odd This would be my only criticism. Latvia used 5 and as a result had more energy in store in the dying minutes. |
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Post by quetzal on Mar 28, 2023 23:48:35 GMT
Harry Wilson good at home, crap away. Fair assessment?
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Post by jbt95 on Mar 29, 2023 6:15:11 GMT
Only complaint is the lack of substitutions. I felt we were screaming out for fresh legs and think we might have got a 2nd with the right subs Overall though there's no point complaining as this is an absolute dream start. We'd have all bitten a hand off for 4 pts wouldn't we? Especially with Turkey losing at home to Croatia Armenia is the game I'm most worried about as they are better than Latvia but equally organised It’s a dream start on paper but not from the performance, tactics or vision etc. If we had played any other pot 1 side on Saturday they would’ve hammered us. Croatia don’t score many goals, they had two 0-0 draws in the WC group stage and their knock out games went to extra time. If Perisic shot that hit the crossbar goes in we lose the game. Some fluky goal at the end of injury time doesn’t mean Page is a genius. He treated the game like a friendly. He clearly has favourites, the line up was predictable for both games. Broadhead only came on v Latvia because he scored v Croatia. Latvia pushed us at the end and he didn’t do anything like bringing on a defender or somebody to sit in the middle of the park. Another side would’ve beaten us. |
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Post by iot on Mar 29, 2023 6:58:04 GMT
I think the criticism around the lack of subs is a fair one, but just shows the lack of confidence the coaches have I the personnel on the bench. I thought Broadhead didn't really affect the game when he came on and, if we're honest, our performance did drop after the subs were made on Saturday.
Wilson was our best player so I'm not sure replacing him was the correct decision. Moore did look knackered, but as others have noted they had soke very big lads and were a threat in set pieces. If we'd brought on Bradshaw instead of Moore and proceeded to concede from a corner, I'm sure there would have been complaints.
So I don't think it's as clear cut as some are making out, but do agree we should have made more changes - maybe Cooper for Rambo around 70, Sorba for Wilson around 80
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