It didn’t help that there was a valley-sized void where Wales’ midfield needed to be. For almost an hour, Ethan Ampadu chased the ball and, more often than not, lost causes but the 22-year-old, on loan at Spezia from Chelsea, was ploughing a lone furrow. Whenever he left his post in front of the back three, no-one covered, leaving Wales’ centre-backs worryingly exposed.
Where was Aaron Ramsey? In his absence, Page picked a p*ss-poor tribute act to the one-time marauding midfielder, who ran on his long-since-expired reputation for 87 minutes. That’s on Page, too. As Iran seized more control the longer the game went, it was cringingly clear that Ampadu needed help. Instead, he got a rest, with Joe Allen sent on to do Ramsey’s running, rather than assert some control in the midfield.
Were it not for Wayne Hennessey going full Harald Schumacher with three minutes of normal time remaining, Ramsey, inexplicably, would have seen out the game. But 87 of the 112 minutes was enough to give away possession 21 times and lose all but one of his eight duels. While Iran played around him, the ex-Arsenal star managed neither a tackle nor an interception.
Ramsey was awful and Gareth Bale little better. But you don’t hook Bale. At least, Wales don’t hook Bale. This is a side built largely on the aura of their captain and the prospect that, however bad it gets, Bale is always good for a madness. But that seemed little more than a forlorn hope here, even after Iran hit both posts and wasted an almost-open goal in nine second-half seconds.
The skipper could be good for another one of his moments against England next Tuesday and that might be enough to see them squeeze through. But Wales can’t bank on another Bale out. No doubt they will face England with maximum commitment and spirits replenished, but Page has some major changes to make, perhaps uncomfortable ones, if they are to avoid being back in Cardiff come Wednesday.
I was amazed how poor they were. Especially in the second half. Allen can't have been fit because his contribution was to be at fault for both goals. Midfield weren't showing so defenders had to punt it. Ramsey just looked knackered and lost the ball a lot. Gutted for them.
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