Not saying Wales as a team nor a nation now suddenly thinks we are a Bertie big rollox of the football world now we've qualified for a world cup BUT at the same time lets not kid ourselves - Wales have been VERY poor over this nations league campaign – Bale tried to suggest it was almost good they’d been so bad (especially conceding the late goals) in the nations league so they could learn for the world cup, but surely its a fundamental that once you yourself have scored a late equalizer [against admittedly superior opposition – no shame in losing to any of the other teams the group] you stay focused and don’t then go and concede an even later fatal blow?

I get that Wales, barring a few players, are middling at best but even so we haven’t been particularly good for a while now – and the damp squib of an exit from Euro 2020 [21] albeit at the hands of an emotionally charged Denmark sort of summed us up – a lot of chest beating and singing but not an awful lot on the pitch itself – let’s get the team on the same ‘page’ back to basics and not let the ‘spirit’ overtake the skills – Wales CAN do well in the world cup but at this rate sadly will not.

That said at least we didn’t lose 4:0 in any of the games and apologies in advance for p’ing on your chips.

Very poor? You're having a laugh. I think you've been watching different games to me. Playing a lot of our younger and fringe players we have played some decent football against some VERY good sides.

Having actually been to all the games bar Poland, we’ve played some great stuff and given a lot of air time to the squad against some serious opposition…. The Dutch people I spoke to were very complimentary about us (easy to say once youve win I admit). We are now at the top table.

Exile 1976 wrote: June 15th, 2022, 4:41 pm Very poor? You're having a laugh. I think you've been watching different games to me. Playing a lot of our younger and fringe players we have played some decent football against some VERY good sides.

Agreeing with this . Have been particularly impressed with the composed finishing of Johnson who appears a good addition to the squad.

“Very” poor on reflection is harsh but the results speak for themselves, the World Cup is a priority not a panacea - in my own life I’m unambitious and make excuses but in elite sport a pat on the head doesn’t butter any parsnips & all the faux nationalism won’t win us games/earn us points it’s not conceding late goals and taking our chances that will do that

Faux nationalism? You’re an absolute helmet.
These games were solely used to give young/fringe players experience against quality teams before the WC… the performances were very good, bar a couple of lapses in concentration after late equalisers.
That said, we didn’t get decent results before Euro 2016 and we did alright there.
We’ve got a squad packed with League 2, 1, Championship and players not getting picked for their top flight sides. I, like many of my fellow Welsh fans at the games don’t expect us to pull up any trees and certainly not getting cocky, just looking forward to watching us in a World Cup for the first time since 1958.

Exile 1976 wrote: June 15th, 2022, 4:41 pm Very poor? You're having a laugh. I think you've been watching different games to me. Playing a lot of our younger and fringe players we have played some decent football against some VERY good sides.

Spot on Exile

Exile 1976 wrote: June 15th, 2022, 9:42 pm Faux nationalism? You’re an absolute helmet.
These games were solely used to give young/fringe players experience against quality teams before the WC… the performances were very good, bar a couple of lapses in concentration after late equalisers.
That said, we didn’t get decent results before Euro 2016 and we did alright there.
We’ve got a squad packed with League 2, 1, Championship and players not getting picked for their top flight sides. I, like many of my fellow Welsh fans at the games don’t expect us to pull up any trees and certainly not getting cocky, just looking forward to watching us in a World Cup for the first time since 1958.

C'mon Exile! I'm not on here to agree with everyone but 'absolute helmet' (that said I've been called worse!) I meant the faux nationalism around the games which just all seems a bit silly (oh how we hate and fought those beastly English while at the same time singing 'Men of Harlech' to celebrate a victory against a colonial foe in Africa [Rourke's drift] which went hand in hand with the 'English') and I do get that 'blooding' players is important but was narked about the late goals - maybe I'm being bah humbug but top teams (even those who are not that 'top') don't do that in quite the same or as you say simply have better players (which is where I'm being unfair and maybe a bit of a 'helmet').

I just felt that certainly the game I saw live [v Belgium] both teams were dare I use the term again 'poor'. I just worry that as opposed to as you say 2016 now there seems to be a vibe around the Wales team which is unhelpful.

I'm not backtracking but do concede I made my point badly and probably, 'helmet' aside, agree with you but many around me at the game seemed to have the attitude not only of 'Belgium?! we'll have em' but as if we were going to go to Qatar to win it...