WHO’S ON THE PLANE? MARCH UPDATE

After another really positive international break the Euros are now firmly in our sights. There are still plenty of questions surrounding the management situation and where the games are going to take place and whether any Welsh fans will be able to go, but those are conversations for another time.

On the pitch, more questions have now been answered as to which 23 players will be on the plane heading to Baku and Rome (or wherever we end up). I wrote a piece after the Nations League as to who I thought would make the squad - you can read that here.

Instead of trying to pick by position, I’ll split the players into four groups: definites, probables, possibles and doubtfuls.

A quick caveat - I’m assuming everyone is fit.

Enough ramble, here’s the Alternative Wales verdict on ‘who’s on the plane’.

Definites

I think the goalkeeper situation is one of the easiest to predict, It’s safe to say Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward and Adam Davies all make the squad. The real questions hangs over who starts. Ward started the two qualifiers this month, while Hennessey played a blinder against Mexico but Adam Davies is likely to be the only one of three to get any first team minutes for his club before the end of the season.

In defence, I think a few questions have been answered during the last three games. It’s clear that the 5 at the back is our main system heading into the summer which changes a few things from last time. Your definites at full back are the energetic and ever reliant, Connor Roberts and Neco Williams, who is really coming into his own and looks more of a star with every minute he plays in a Welsh shirt. Ben Davies is sure to go, a real constant in the squad over the last 6 or 7 years, despite missing the last camp with injury. His versatility on the left of the back three or at left back is very helpful, but puts question marks over how many out and out centre backs we take.

Despite a huge amount of clean sheets in the last year, the centre backs seem a little shaky. One thing for sure is that Joe Rodon will make it, he’s showing his future captain credentials and turned in a fantastic performance against Belgium and saved the three points with that last minute block against the Czech Republic. The question is, who lines up beside him, I’ll get to that later.

The centre midfield is a bit more clear after the last three games. Without question Joe Allen goes if he’s fit and so should Ethan Ampadu, despite his inconsistent club form. Joe Morrell as good as booked his ticket with more fantastic performances against Belgium and Czech Republic. He’s barely put a foot wrong since his introduction to the squad at the tail end of the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, despite an underwhelming club career.

Say what you want about Aaron Ramsey, if he’s fit, he’s in the squad, no question about that. He offers something we don’t have anywhere else in the squad and when he’s at his best, he’s unplayable.

Harry Wilson started both qualifiers and finished off what was a fantastic team goal against Belgium and with Cardiff looking much better under McCarthy, Wilson is a sure bet to make the 23.

Out wide, it’s a no brainer that Gareth Bale and Daniel James make the squad and will no doubt be two of the first names on the team sheet for every game at the tournament, there’s nothing I can say that hasn’t been said before about them. Two huge players that are pivotal to how we play and compliment Kieffer Moore’s aerial ability.

At the end of the World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign, if you’d told any Wales fan that the then Barnsley striker, Kieffer Moore, would be one of Wales’ most important players going into Euro 2020, you’d have been laughed out of the room. Despite not starting the last two qualifiers, Kieffer is a guarantee for the squad. Another goal against Mexico and an impactful sub appearance against Czech Republic showed Wales fans just how good he can be. Along with his outstanding club form, Kieffer Moore is a force to be reckoned with ahead of the tournament.

That’s 15 of the 23 accounted for.

Probables

I think it’s fair to say Rhys Norrington-Davies might be a little hard done by to be in this section, but he’s our only real out and out left wing back option and even looked good on the left of the back three against Mexico. He’s playing fairly regularly for Stoke in the Championship and is likely to make the final 23.

Chris Mepham started alongside Joe Rodon in both qualifiers and despite being in and out of the team and some questionable moments in the two qualifiers, he’s likely to feature in the squad.

Until last night James Lawrence would probably have been in the possibles and at the end of the Euro qualifying campaign, he would likely have been in the doubtful section but with the new three centre backs system we’ve started playing since last autumn and the added bonus that he’s a left footer, he’s likely to deputise for Ben Davies on the left of the three.

Matt Smith put in a fantastic performance against Mexico and showed that he’s a good back up to the centre midfielders. Hopefully more game time with Doncaster will help his cause.

Jonny Williams has been a regular for a long time now and is popular amongst the squad and fans. He made a fantastic assist for Kieffer Moore against Mexico and came off the bench against the Czech Republic. He offers something a bit different to other players in the squad. I think it’s fairly likely he’ll go and will prove to be asset off the bench,

We haven’t seen much of David Brooks over the last couple of years, but when he has played for Wales, he’s shown his quality. He could be a top half premier league player if he can find some form and stay injury free. If he’s fit, despite not getting much game time over the last 24 months, he’s surely got too much quality to leave at home.

We’re up to 21 now, there’s two spots left and some big decisions to be made.

Possibles

The last spot in defence is between the first Welsh male centurion, Chris Gunter, Swansea’s rising star, Ben Cabango and Luton’s Tom Lockyer. It’s a really, really tough call to make. Chris Gunter and Ben Cabango both staked their claims in a solid performance against Mexico. Gunter does offer so much off the pitch and can deputise on the right or at centre back. Lockyer might be closer to doubtful at the moment after missing out on the last camp due to injury, despite some solid performances at the end of the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign. It’s a really tough call between Cabango and Gunter. This is probably Gunter’s last chance at a major tournament and Cabango will no doubt be a regular at the heart of the Wales defence for years to come. The jury’s out for now, but maybe my sentiment is leaning more towards Chris Gunter at the moment.

Despite being sent home early from the recent camp, Hal Robson-Kanu and Tyler Roberts will both be in contention for the final spot. Both offer something different in attack, they aren’t prolific goal scorers but you know they’ll work hard for the side. Roberts has got some good game time in recent weeks for Leeds, in a slightly deeper role to what we’ve seen for Wales and has shown he can be versatile, which helps his cause. I think we’ve seen the best of Hal in a Wales shirt and hasn’t featured much for the national team since coming out of international retirement so there’s not much to go by. It’s a similar head vs heart situation, similar to Gunter or Cabango, but I don’t have the same sentiment for Hal like I do for Gunter so Tyler Roberts shades it for me. There is an argument to take neither to accommodate Cabango, especially after Wilson started in a ‘false 9’ role in the last qualifies but if Moore can’t feature for whatever reason, we’re looking a little bit thin in the centre forward department.

Doubtfuls

I don’t think many of the players in this section can have too many complaints - most of them are still young and can offer some depth if any of the players mentioned above can’t make the squad. Rabbi Matondo, Dylan Levitt and Brennan Johnson will all likely miss out, but I’m sure will still be involved with the squad going forward as they grow into their careers. Ben Woodburn hasn’t really kicked on since he broke onto the scene in 2017 but he’s still 21 and like the others previously stated, I’m sure we’ll see him feature when he hopefully can get his career back on track.

It’s all a little too late for Josh Sheehan, who has looked good in his short cameos in the last few months but he’s not going to unseat any of the centre midfielders. The same goes for Will Vaulks, who has become a touchy subject amongst the fan base. His form for Cardiff has been brilliant but I don’t think the management think he suits the style they’re going for and has missed out on the last two international camps.

Tom Lawrence is another who has become a victim of the youthful revolution in the squad. He doesn’t get close to Dan James, Harry Wilson, David Brooks etc.

Tom King is a decent option if one of the keepers can’t make the squad, but he’s unlikely to get in over any of the three selected above.

Players from the class of 2016 such as Neil Taylor, James Chester and Sam Vokes are completely out of contention nowadays and won’t get a sniff.

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So in conclusion, the Alternative Wales 23-man squad, as of March 2021, is as follows:

Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward, Adam Davies, Connor Roberts, Neco Williams, Ben Davies, Joe Rodon, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Chris Mepham, James Lawrence, Chris Gunter, Joe Allen, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Morrell, Matt Smith, Aaron Ramsey, Jonny Williams, Harry Wilson, Gareth Bale, Dan James, David Brooks, Kieffer Moore, Tyler Roberts.

Ryan March

Article Photo by Lewis Mitchell