Cardiff City goal ace Kieffer Moore must start for Wales at the Euros and the Liverpool and Tottenham starlets destined to become Welsh greats
We take a look at what we learned from Wales' World Cup triumph over the Czech Republic
By Paul Abbandonato
Wednesday 31st March 2021
Wales need to see this at the Euros, but Kieffer Moore needs to start games
The World Cup campaign is back on track.
Next up for Wales, a friendly with Albania aside, is the opening Euro 2016 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 centre-forward powerhouse and he helped transform Wales' results.
Two, Wales are undoubtedly a better balanced team with Moore in the line-up.
Three, he's bang in form this season, a glut of Cardiff City - and Wales - goals to his name.
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 started him in the four competitive games he has managed, albeit Moore made a huge impact after coming on as a substitute in three of them.
In fairness to Page, we pointed out 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.
Page could argue he has done just that, sending Moore back reasonably refreshed for the final eight fixtures of the Bluebirds' season where he is the main hope for a top six charge.
But come the Euros, there is a strong argument for saying Wales need to revert to type and start Moore.
It will mean ditching five at the back, with Aaron Ramsey also having to be fitted into the equation at 10, but the presence of those two - with Bale and James either side - definitely gives Wales a more cohesive and dangerous look.
Harry Wilson and David Brooks are also there to slot in as and when, or have significant impacts from the bench, as the Euro games come thick and fast.
The strides Moore has made in the last year and a bit have been remarkable and Wales need to use everything he offers to occupy and trouble opposition defenders and create space for Bale, James and Ramsey to rampage into.
Giggs - or Page - have a potent weapon at their disposal, they need to use him.
Wales crafted a beautiful goal without Moore against Belgium, but you just sense they can do a whole lot more with him.
My XI for the Euros: Hennessey; Neco Williams, Rodon, Lawrence, Ben Davies; Ampadu, Allen, Ramsey; Bale, Moore, James.
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.
As a right-footer, he is obviously better suited to the right. Which is unfortunate for Swansea City's Connor Roberts, who himself has many of the qualities outlined above and has been outstanding for club and country.
But if Wales are playing a back four, with Ben Davies on the left, only one of Neco or Roberts can start at the Euros.
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.
By the time Neco's blossoming career is over, we could be celebrating one of the finest right-backs in Welsh football history. That's how good he can become.
Speaking of which, occasionally great Welsh centre-backs come around. Kevin Ratcliffe, Danny Gabbidon, each so naturally talented. Ashley Williams didn't quite have those gifts, but he too possessed qualities that made him absolutely rock solid.
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