Wales need Moore if they are to make impression at Euros
Started him in the four competitive
THE World Cup campaign is back on track.
Next up for Wales, a friendly with Albania aside, is the opening Euro 2020 showdown with Switzerland in June, closely followed by Turkey, Italy and we hope a few knockout matches.
Time is running out for whoever is in charge – be that Ryan Giggs or Rob Page - to settle on a final XI.
But there were plenty of clues about what needs to be done during the 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic.
We take a look ....
What Moore can he do?
SOMEWHERE in between Giggs standing aside and Rob Page taking over as caretaker boss, Kieffer Moore has lost his place in the Wales team.
It’s actually quite bizarre, for a number of reasons.
One, he had appeared to suddenly become indispensable after Giggs discovered Welsh ancestry in the centreforward powerhouse and he helped transform Wales’ results.
Two, Wales are undoubtedly a betterbalanced team with Moore in the lineup.
Three, he’s bang in form this season. Four, Giggs had learned the lesson of playing without a proper striker in back-to-back defeats against Croatia and Hungary.
Enter Moore – and an eight match unbeaten run ensued as he held up the ball, won headers, put himself about, ran the channels, linked beautifully with Gareth Bale and Dan James and scored goals.
You have to have a pivot, a main focal point up front, and Moore is better suited to that role than Harry Wilson, David Brooks, Tom Lawrence or James, who have each been used by Wales as false nines.
Moore was actually suspended for the last game Giggs was in charge of, a 1-0 win over Bulgaria. The assumption was he would return. Yet Page hasn’t games he has managed, albeit Moore made a huge impact after coming on as a substitute in three of them.
In fairness to Page, before the recent round of games that Moore looked out on his feet in the closing 20 minutes of Cardiff’s win over Swansea City, thus needed to be managed carefully during the three international matches just gone.
But come the Euros, there is a strong argument for saying Wales need to revert to type and start Moore.
Two Welsh greats in the making
It’s wonderful to watch young players really step up to the mark in matches that matter.
As such, we saw the continued development of two potentially great Wales defenders in the making against the Czech Republic as Neco Williams and Joe Rodon stood up to be counted.
Neco is still only 19, but he just looks to have everything. He’s brilliant on the ball, swashbuckling, defensively strong. Has pace, recovery powers and athleticism to bomb up and down the flank.
He also possesses the football intelligence to know when come infield to look for the ball in space, and can play right or left.
Williams just oozes class and you can see why Jurgen Klopp is reluctant to even let him go out on loan, even though Trent Alexander Arnold is standing in his way of a Liverpool starting spot.
Rodon just looks to have everything. He’s big, strong, great on the ball, quick, heads the ball away, puts in last-ditch interceptions. That block at the end against the Czechs had the wow factor about it, was as much a match-winning moment as Dan James’ goal.
Almost as great was the punch of the air Rodon produced afterwards, his
Welsh passion burning through as he knew the Czechs had been denied what looked a certain equaliser.
Dan James – couldn’t happen to a nicer guy
There seem to be no airs to Dan James. What you see is what you get – a humble, down to earth young man who is just loving the ride.
He has copped a fair bit of flak, and lost his place in the Manchester United team.
But did you hear James rant or moan,
whether on social media or in the papers? No, he acted with complete dignity, even though some of the criticism coming his way was over the top.
James almost had to carry the burden of Manchester United on his shoulders in his first season at Old Trafford, which was completely unfair for one so young who had just joined from Swansea City.
I loved a TV interview I saw him give after one recent United win, where he said he was aware of the issues he needed to sort out with his game and was working on them with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. See what I mean about humble? All being kept in house, behind the scenes.
Anyway, James has gone from United outcast to playing a key role again this season. He was too good to keep down.
And his stock has risen further as a result of his beautifully-taken headed winner against the Czechs, a goal that will give him enormous confidence for the Euros.
Playing off Moore, James has the ability to take those Euros by storm, latching onto knockdowns from the big man and using his searing pace to race clear of defenders.
Bale has still got it
Gareth Bale may have lost some of the headlines to other members of the Wales team, but he’s still very much the main man.
Class is permanent, as proven by that outstanding cross for James’ winner. No other player on the pitch could have produced that moment of magic.
More and more as captain, Bale is looking the leader of this team and helping to guide the youngsters through games.
That Welsh passion still burns as deeply, too. There was a moment five minutes from time where Bale was battling for the ball, and it bounced between him and a Czech defender into touch.
They each demanded the throw-in. When it was given to Wales, Bale crouched and punched the air with glee.
It was such a simple thing, but he was desperate to regain possession, get the Czechs away from the danger area and hold onto Wales’ lead.
That’s what winning with Wales means to Bale. We may not see the Bale of old at the Euros, but we’ll still be watching Wales’ talisman in action.
And he’ll still have his moments.