Wales continued their impressive form over the last international break, extending their unbeaten run to eight games under Craig Bellamy. With strong performances at both ends of the pitch, they reinforced their growing confidence and quality as a squad.
We discuss their recent form and what’s next for Wales as they look ahead to securing their spot at the World Cup next year.
We discuss their recent form and what’s next for Wales as they look ahead to securing their spot at the World Cup next year.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Now, Wales continued their impressive form over the last international break, extending
00:08their unbeaten run under Craig Bellamy to eight games. With strong performances at both
00:14ends of the pitch, they reinforced their growing confidence and quality as a squad. Bellamy's
00:20side showed resilience and attacking intent, securing crucial results that keep the momentum
00:25high heading into the next round of fixtures. With a solid defensive foundation and exciting
00:31attacking options, Wales look well-prepared for the challenges ahead. We discuss their
00:36recent form and what's next for Wales as they look ahead to securing their spot at the World
00:41Cup next year.
00:43Rich, let's just have a look at the Welsh national team now. You have to go all the
00:50way back to June 2024 for their last loss. Obviously, Craig Bellamy comes in and he's
00:55made a massive marked improvement, a massive difference and a raise of expectations. You
01:01feel they had a strong end to the Nations League campaign, now into World Cup qualification
01:06and winning a draw, obviously a late draw, incredibly late, away at North Macedonia to
01:13get a 1-1 draw there. Bellamy seems like he's sort of living up to this huge pressure that
01:19comes with the Welsh managerial job. As we mentioned before, it sort of stems from that
01:25Euro 2016 campaign and the feel factor of fans knowing that Wales can compete on an
01:32international stage. There's unbeaten streak now to eight games, they don't play again
01:37until June. It's all but positive at Wales at the moment and it seems like it's a great
01:44place to be in terms of a project and you really want to make sure they are in the next
01:49World Cup.
01:50Absolutely. Even if you look at that Macedonia draw on Tuesday night, it's only two years
01:57ago that North Macedonia drew 1-1 with England as well in the Euro qualification game. They
02:02are by no means pushovers. I know maybe on paper it looks like a bit of an abject result
02:08in that sense, but what Wales have now is a bit more licence to attack. There's a bit
02:13more freedom and confidence in their players. They've just got this spirit, even in the
02:17North Macedonia game, conceding in the 91st minute but finding an equaliser in the 95th
02:22minute. As soon as the ball hit the back of the net from Joe Allen's mistake, the players
02:27were all back at the centre circle ready to kick off again. There was this belief that
02:31Wales could get the result, which they did.
02:35I think the quirk from this qualification campaign is because Wales are basically guaranteed
02:43a playoff for the World Cup anyway. That is the underlying issue, I think, just with European
02:49qualification in general. It doesn't really matter how well or poorly the campaign goes,
02:54they will be at lifeline. Obviously, the focus is on trying to win the group. With Belgium
02:59in the group, though, it's far easier said than done. They beat Ukraine over two legs
03:04in their own Nations League playoff game over the international break.
03:10I think what Bellamy needs to do now is, and he's well aware of it, is that there's
03:15an expectation. It's not some feel-good story now if Wales qualify for a major campaign.
03:20We're well aware that it's a lot easier to qualify for major tournaments now than it
03:24has been in the past. Lots of smaller nations are managing to do it. I think in that respect
03:30it's very good, but with an expanded World Cup on the horizon, Wales need to actually
03:35be there now. I think what this qualification campaign is, is it's almost a bit of a free
03:42hit for Bellamy, even for qualifying for the last World Cup. It was Bale's magic moments
03:46that got them over the line. You still look at the Wales squad now and you wonder who
03:50is that player who's going to step up and do it? Obviously, we saw Brooks do so against
03:55Macedonia, Kiefer Moore with a fantastic assist, but Brooks and Brennan Johnson, they can't
04:02both play 90 minutes every single match. They are the two players with probably the
04:07most technical ability. Harry Wilson's had a good season as well at Fulham, but who is
04:11actually going to step up now? There is a platform, there's an opening for another player
04:15to become the catalyst of this team. Maybe it works better the other way that Wales aren't
04:21as much of a one-man team now. I know they were more a collective before anyway, and
04:27Bale was just the icing on top who made things happen, but there is an opening there. While
04:32I think there's a bit more team cohesion, the overall levels may be increased, I still
04:36think Wales are just missing that player in their prime who can win games and secure results
04:42on their own.