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Wales go to Latvia on Monday in dire want of a win to revive their faltering Euro 2024 qualifying marketing campaign and carry the strain on supervisor Robert Web page.
Web page and his gamers have confronted fierce criticism after successful solely one in all their previous 13 video games.
With Wales fourth in Group D, victory towards backside aspect Latvia in Riga is all-but important if they’re to qualify mechanically.
“I am unable to let that [pressure] have an effect on me. I am unable to take into consideration that,” stated Web page.
“I’ve received a job to do. I need to qualify for me, as a Welsh supporter myself.
“Because the supervisor, I need to be on this job for the remainder of my contract. I actually get pleasure from working with this group of gamers.
“We’re in an trade the place you should win video games of soccer. We’re in a interval of transition as nicely.
“I am unable to affect what the board or individuals above do. All I can fear about is successful video games of soccer and giving it my greatest shot.
“If I try this and it would not work out for me then not less than I can stroll away with my head held excessive.”
Web page’s future has been doubtful since defeats towards Armenia and Turkey in June consigned Wales to fourth place in Group D with 4 video games left to play.
The previous Northampton City and Port Vale boss was a nationwide hero final yr when he grew to become the first man to guide Wales to a World Cup since 1958.
However since beating Ukraine of their World Cup play-off last in June 2022, Wales have mustered just one win, a 1-0 dwelling victory over Latvia in March.
Because of this, the Soccer Affiliation of Wales (FAW) has been reviewing Web page’s place whereas a rising variety of followers are calling for his dismissal.
“It is expectations. There’s a era of supporters who’ve seen Wales qualify for main tournaments,” Web page added.
“Shedding gamers makes the job more durable, however expectations say that we needs to be qualifying. It isn’t as straightforward as that.
“We are going to proceed to attempt to qualify for each match.
“The outcomes the opposite night time have gone for us. Till it is mathematically inconceivable we are going to hold going.”
Wales path group leaders Turkey by six factors and are three adrift of second-placed Croatia, who’ve a sport in hand on Web page’s aspect.
With solely the highest two qualifying mechanically, the very best Wales can seemingly hope for is a play-off place by means of their Nations League standing.
Latvia, ranked 134th on this planet, have misplaced all 4 of their video games to this point and had been thrashed 5-0 in Croatia on Friday.
Staff information
Wales warmed up for this significant fixture with a goalless pleasant draw at dwelling to South Korea on Thursday.
Regardless of declaring beforehand that he would “fairly not play” that sport, Web page chosen a stronger group than anticipated and it’s doubtless he’ll choose for the same line-up towards Latvia.
Captain Aaron Ramsey was rested at Cardiff Metropolis Stadium and may anticipate to return in midfield, the place Birmingham Metropolis’s 19-year-old Jordan James impressed on his first begin towards South Korea.
Striker Kieffer Moore and midfielder Joe Morrell are suspended for the journey to Riga, whereas wingers Daniel James and Wes Burns and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey are out injured.
Match details
- Wales have received each of their video games towards Lativa, successful 2-0 in a pleasant in August 2004 and 1-0 earlier this yr in a European Championship qualifier.
- Latvia have misplaced 11 of their 13 video games in all competitions towards the British dwelling nations – the opposite video games had been victories over Northern Eire in 1995 (2-1, Euro qualifier) and 2007 (1-0, Euro qualifier).
- Latvia have misplaced eight of their previous 9 dwelling European Championship qualifying matches, successful the opposite 1-0 towards Austria in November 2019.
- Wales have received simply one in all their previous seven away European Championship qualifiers (two attracts, 4 defeats), a 2-0 win at Azerbaijan in November 2019, and are winless in each on this marketing campaign.
- Wales have failed to attain in every of their earlier two internationals; solely as soon as below Robert Web page have they gone three successive video games with out scoring, doing so between June and September 2021.
- Latvia have scored in every of their earlier seven dwelling internationals (10 targets), with Janis Ikaunieks one in all two gamers to attain greater than as soon as throughout that point (2 – additionally Roberts Uldrikis).
- Ought to he characteristic towards Latvia, Connor Roberts can be making his fiftieth worldwide look for Wales – below Robert Web page, solely Joe Rodon and Daniel James (each 31 video games) have featured extra instances for the nationwide group than him (29 video games).
