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Are Wales better than us?


Malcolm

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Just now, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said:

Difference is, when Wales qualify, they actually get out the group and give their fans something to believe in, even in 1958!

Aye, that too!

To be honest, I reckon they've got a decent chance of getting out of their World Cup group too.

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7 minutes ago, scotlad said:

Aye, that too!

To be honest, I reckon they've got a decent chance of getting out of their World Cup group too.

And that is what's so galling about Wednesday. We looked defeated even before the ball had been kicked, but the prize at the end was probably the best group we could have ever had at a major tournament, especially as bottom seeds. We'll never have that chance ever again

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Just now, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said:

And that is what's so galling about Wednesday. We looked defeated when before the ball had been kicked, but the prize at the end was probably the best group we could have ever had at a major tournament, especially as bottom seeds. We'll never have that chance ever again


we shat it.

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1 minute ago, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said:

And that is what's so galling about Wednesday. We looked defeated even before the ball had been kicked, but the prize at the end was probably the best group we could have ever had at a major tournament, especially as bottom seeds. We'll never have that chance ever again

Absolutely.  We worked so hard to finish as one of the best runners-up, get an okay draw in the play-offs then piss the chance up the wall.  🤦‍♂️

Even our qualifying group this time was one of the easier ones we've had in recent years.

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12 minutes ago, scotlad said:

An over-the-hill Bale is still better than any attacking player we've produced in decades, I'd take him in a heartbeat. 

Of their starting XI I'd also take Daniel James, possibly Ben Davies and Conor Roberts would surely be a better option at right-back than the journeyman from Motherwell that Clarke likes to play there.

Wales are a better team than us though in the sense that they are set-up better, coached better and have a better mentality.  They also got some huge slices of luck, starting from getting two play-off ties at home and carrying on to the game today.  

Then again, who could begrudge them a bit of luck after 64 years?  This must feel soooo sweet for their fans who've stuck with them during the bad years when they were cannon fodder in qualifying groups, finishing in the bottom two.  I know how good I felt when we got to the Euros, this must be like that and then some!

I'm starting to think we're too nice as well.  That's why, apart from a few weirdos, no one really dislikes us too much, but equally no one really fears us either.

Truly the Partick Thistle of international football! 

Ever national side would take him 5 years ago but would you take Bale now though? He's not played club football in yonks and can't see him doing much next season other than wrap himself in cotton wool for any team daft enough give him a wage.  

If we'd qualified I'd take him for the gravitas and special teams. As we're concentrating in euro 24 he's not going to still be going by then unless something changes.

Roberts would be second choice behind Patterson surely but on the basis he actually starts playing for Everton 

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The thing that is really pissing me off is we had the Ukraine situation rammed down our throats including the bizarre sky news segment.  It was being projected we'd be heartless bastards to beat them.

The twenty minutes post match I could stomach today and Ukraine is totally off the radar.

Bale celebrating an og off their captain like it was all down to him was vomit inducing and lacked class. We simply do not possess that mentality.

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41 minutes ago, thesaint said:

Nothing should ever make you hope england win. Not ever. 

When it comes to Wales I have some horrible memories of watching Scotland at that stadium. Especially the involving Bale. Their fans are knobs as well.
 

I suppose when  the England v Wales comes along then at best I will be indifferent. Both teams failing to get out the group would be a bonus. 

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18 minutes ago, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said:

but the prize at the end was probably the best group we could have ever had at a major tournament, especially as bottom seeds. We'll never have that chance ever again

With the World Cup going to 48 teams there's a fair chance groups will be weaker next time.

I wouldn't have fancied playing Iran in the desert heat either.

 

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2 hours ago, ThistleWhistle said:

There's the difference- we were embarrassed to compete for 60 minutes whereas diet England celebrate like fuck when one of the poor bastards scores an own goal.

 

Exactly this!  The Welsh didn't give a fuck about Ukraine’s 'plight' and that's how we should've approached our game.

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4 minutes ago, EddardStark said:

When it comes to Wales I have some horrible memories of watching Scotland at that stadium. Especially the involving Bale. Their fans are knobs as well.
 

I suppose when  the England v Wales comes along then at best I will be indifferent. Both teams failing to get out the group would be a bonus. 

My follow up to my Stoke mate was never thought there would be a group in a world cup where Iran were the least dislikeable.

I realise they're homophobic and not not great on women's rights but on the other hand they're not Welsh 

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2 hours ago, Ally Bongo said:

I never noticed any pre match hysteria about Ukraine's football team or ex Wales Internationalists saying they wanted Ukraine to win 

I noticed that too. It was like the media had satiated their sympathy for Ukraine after the Scotland - Ukraine game, and by Thursday's papers they had moved on.  (If there is a Welsh equivalent to Graham Souness--and I suspect there's not--the media probably wouldn't have been interested anyway).

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3 minutes ago, ParisInAKilt said:

Not buying any of the excuses for us not beating Ukraine related to the war etc, especially off the back of similar performances over the years. Not good enough extends to not being consistent when it matters. 

Really?  You reckon that didn't even impact in the slightest?

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1 minute ago, ParisInAKilt said:

Not buying any of the excuses for us not beating Ukraine related to the war etc, especially off the back of similar performances over the years. Not good enough extends to not being consistent when it matters. 

Ukraine were the better team on Wednesday. Even if we had played well we still might not have won but we’ll never know. 

I only watched the first half tonight but Ukraine were the better team for most of it. Big difference is Wales defended properly when it mattered and they had luck up the other end. You can’t ship goals the way we did on Wednesday and expect to beat anyone. 

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4 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

Ukraine were the better team on Wednesday. Even if we had played well we still might not have won but we’ll never know. 

I only watched the first half tonight but Ukraine were the better team for most of it. Big difference is Wales defended properly when it mattered and they had luck up the other end. You can’t ship goals the way we did on Wednesday and expect to beat anyone. 

Ironically I only watched the second half but Wales deserved it based on what I watched, missed the better chances and generally looked comfortable.

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35 minutes ago, ThistleWhistle said:

Ever national side would take him 5 years ago but would you take Bale now though? He's not played club football in yonks and can't see him doing much next season other than wrap himself in cotton wool for any team daft enough give him a wage.  

If we'd qualified I'd take him for the gravitas and special teams. As we're concentrating in euro 24 he's not going to still be going by then unless something changes.

Roberts would be second choice behind Patterson surely but on the basis he actually starts playing for Everton 

Aye, I'd take him even now.  He can still produce moments of magic from seemingly nothing.  That's essentially how Wales managed to get through these play-offs.

He might not be able to run around as much like he used to but I'd still have someone with his technical ability in the team, even if he could only give us 75 minutes or so.  We've plenty of guys who could do his running for him.

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1 hour ago, McTeeko said:

Agreed. Play your best players in their best positions. It’s as simple as that. Instead we have a central midfielder in the back three while two proper centre halves sit on the bench and a left footed right back with two natural right backs on the bench. Unreal. 

I know what you are getting at but have to say I disagree.

International football is full of players who dont play in their natural position because quite often you have 2 guys who are a level above everybody else but play in the same position. Ie Tierney and Robertson. It would be absolute madness to drop Tierney and play Cooper for example.

Ukraine dont play the Man City guy at left back. 

Imo you put your best team on the pitch. If that means playing a CM at RCB because you believe he offers you more there than the defenders that play week in week out then so be it. Everybody jumps on a bad result and points to guys like McTominay however by far and away our worst defender on Wed was Cooper who was playing in his natural position so playing Hendry or Souter (who wasnt fully fit) would have made zero difference.

People quickly forget the good performances and results we have had playing the same guys out of position.

The difference with Wales is that they have had one of the best 5 players in the world over the past decade playing an attacking positon. Put Bale in the Scotland team over the past decade and we qualify for multiple tournaments.

Wales also tore up the script about a decade ago. Literally put in all the youngsters and accepted getting humped for a few years. These guys then had the experience and quality to deliever what they have done. Compare that to the comments on Hickey, a 19 year old starring in Serie A week in week out, playing left and right wing back, has 1 dodgy game when he wasnt helped by the tactics or formattion and we have people calling for him to never play again or be dropped for Tony Ralston, a player who even the most die hard Celtic fan would admit is 2nd choice RB at Celtic and whose ability ceiling is probably a top 6 Scottish Premier Division team.

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Just now, ParisInAKilt said:

Ironically I only watched the second half but Wales deserved it based on what I watched, missed the better chances and generally looked comfortable.

Wales won the game so I can’t really argue Ukraine deserved to win but they should have scored at least 2 in the first half. They took their chances against us and didn’t against Wales.

Wales approached the game properly and we didn’t. Can’t say much more than that. 

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2 minutes ago, Diamond Scot said:

I know what you are getting at but have to say I disagree.

International football is full of players who dont play in their natural position because quite often you have 2 guys who are a level above everybody else but play in the same position. Ie Tierney and Robertson. It would be absolute madness to drop Tierney and play Cooper for example.

Ukraine dont play the Man City guy at left back. 

Imo you put your best team on the pitch. If that means playing a CM at RCB because you believe he offers you more there than the defenders that play week in week out then so be it. Everybody jumps on a bad result and points to guys like McTominay however by far and away our worst defender on Wed was Cooper who was playing in his natural position so playing Hendry or Souter (who wasnt fully fit) would have made zero difference.

People quickly forget the good performances and results we have had playing the same guys out of position.

The difference with Wales is that they have had one of the best 5 players in the world over the past decade playing an attacking positon. Put Bale in the Scotland team over the past decade and we qualify for multiple tournaments.

Wales also tore up the script about a decade ago. Literally put in all the youngsters and accepted getting humped for a few years. These guys then had the experience and quality to deliever what they have done. Compare that to the comments on Hickey, a 19 year old starring in Serie A week in week out, playing left and right wing back, has 1 dodgy game when he wasnt helped by the tactics or formattion and we have people calling for him to never play again or be dropped for Tony Ralston, a player who even the most die hard Celtic fan would admit is 2nd choice RB at Celtic and whose ability ceiling is probably a top 6 Scottish Premier Division team.

On the point of playing someone who's a level up but in the wrong position, McTominay might be a division up on McKenna, but no-one can ignore McKenna's form over McTominay's displays

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They frown on alcohol, ban my favourite sandwich filling for religious reasons, aren't great with women's right and support homophobia in law.

However on the other hand at least they're not Welsh, English or American.  Suitably 2022 I therefore want Iran to win their world cup group. 

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