Wales face trial run of doomsday scenario: Can they cope without Bale?
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Updated 23/03/2016 at 07:28 GMT
Chris Coleman is fine-tuning Wales’s preparations for Euro 2016 in this week's friendlies, but he's doing so without star player Gareth Bale.
Gareth Bale
Image credit: Imago
Bale has only just returned from a lengthy injury absence, and was left out of the squad for the friendlies against Northern Ireland and Ukraine.
Coleman explained that both he and Real Madrid thought a little bit of extra rest would help the player - as well as giving him the chance to spend some time with his newborn daughter, who arrived this week
"It's not just the games, it's the travelling," said Coleman. "It was a joint decision with Real Madrid. It suits both parties that he doesn't play."
Less than three months away from the start of their first major tournament in nearly 60 years, Bale's absence gives Coleman a chance to see how his men could line up in the absence of Bale, should injury strike between now and June.
How will they fare without him? And, indeed, without another key player in Aaron Ramsey, the Arsenal midfielder still recovering from a hamstring injury.
Let’s take a closer look at how the Welsh are shaping up ahead of their first international football tournament since the 1958 World Cup.
How did they get here?
Wales hadn’t come close to qualifying for a major international tournament since Russia won a tightly-contested Euro 2004 play-off.
A team built around Ryan Giggs, Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy almost achieved the improbable under the guidance of Mark Hughes and beat Italy in a memorable game at the Millennium Stadium.
After coming so close they fell apart in the years that passed. Hughes took the reins at Blackburn before the misery of the John Toshack era saw qualification became a distant dream once again.
The Speed era saw respectability and optimism return before it was tragically cut short, and after a disappointing attempt at qualification for the 2014 World Cup hopes were high for Coleman’s side coming into the newly formatted 24-team Euros.
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Wales manager Chris Coleman celebrates after Gareth Bale's goal against Belgium
Image credit: Reuters
But what followed went beyond the Welsh’s wildest dreams. An impressive campaign saw them finish second behind group winners Belgium, with Gareth Bale scoring seven of their 11 goals in 10 matches.
Defensive solidity was the order of the day under Coleman and it will remain so as they head to France with hope and optimism this summer.
Who are they playing?
In a gentle warm-up before Coleman has to announce his 23-man squad in May, Wales face Northern Ireland in Cardiff on Thursday and travel to play Ukraine on Monday. The fixtures are typical of what the manager will demand from his side this summer. They are low-key and low-risk, but he will ultimately be looking for victory in both.
In both games the emphasis will be on defensive shape and hard-work, both hallmarks of the Coleman era that have got them to this point. He knows that in a group containing England, Slovakia and Russia – where Wales have more than an outside chance of reaching the last 16 – the training ground drilling will have to be spot on.
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Liverpool's Joe Allen in action against Sunderland
Image credit: Reuters
Surely the lack of Bale and Ramsey hurts their chances?
The absence of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are obvious blows, but in a way it is no bad thing right now.
Coleman can use the opportunity to assess the credentials of the lesser heralded players in his squad, and their ability to seize the moment with the star duo missing.
The manager will want to know how his players cope without the influence of Bale in particular, who was so instrumental throughout the qualifying campaign.
There will be a fear that Wales are over-reliant on Bale, that his presence on the pitch allows other players to shirk their responsibilities. This is the perfect opportunity, then, to put those fears to bed.
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Crystal Palace's Joe Ledley in action with Stoke City's Erik Pieters
Image credit: Reuters
Who can step up in their absence?
The core of the side remains, with Premier League regulars Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Ashley Williams and Ben Davies providing the genuine outfield quality.
West Brom defender James Chester has the opportunity to press a claim for a starting role in the absence of James Collins, who has enjoyed an impressive season with West Ham.
But it’s in midfield and attack where Coleman will be looking for players to step up to the plate. Much focus will centre on Allen, who will become Wales’ creative hub in the next two games.
Up-front Sam Vokes has the chance to stake his claim to be a starter in France after a decent return in the Championship with Burnley.
The striker struggled in his sole Premier League season last year but has struck 14 times in 39 games for the league leaders and is in better goal-scoring form than fellow forward options Simon Church and Hal Robson-Kanu.
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Burnley's Sam Vokes celebrates his goal
Image credit: PA Photos
How are they set for France?
That Coleman’s squad contains four players at League One Walsall, Gillingham and Barnsley only highlights the disparity in quality available to the manager in his 26-man squad.
Coping without Bale, who has proved susceptible to injury at Real Madrid this season, will likely prove terminal for Wales’ chances of making an impression this summer.
Coleman will hope his side can get by and learn to play in his absence, but they lack the collective quality in the attacking third to break teams down in his absence.
The strength lies in defence, with Williams and Collins an effective central defensive partnership, well used to what the Premier League has to throw at them.
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Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey holds his back as he is substituted
Image credit: Reuters
Ramsey suffered a thigh injury for Arsenal earlier in March but will be back in good time before the end of the season. Instead it is Bale’s fitness issues that are a more pressing concern.
The 26-year-old has had a season consistently disrupted by muscle injuries and missed eight games with a calf injury earlier this year. The Real Madrid man has made only 20 appearances and has completed 90 minutes only once since January.
His fitness between now and the end-of-the-season will dictate how Wales fare this summer.
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