My Facebook status at Final Whistle summed it up better than any match review will do on here. It read, "I can't decide if that Wales show was shocking or appalling but it was truly crap".
Wales entered a new campaign full of hope, a feeling that the promising young players who have now amassed plenty of caps will now show their quality, but one match into the campaign, those hopes are already in tatters.
As usual, there were absentees (notably the long-term injured hot duo Aaron Ramsey and Jack Collison, the short-term injured Darcy Blake and the always injured Danny Gabbidon) but you would still have backed the side to have at least secured a comfortable point and wished for more but certainly not less.
The side in Podrica was Wayne Hennessey, Sam Ricketts-Ashley Williams-James Collins-Chris Gunter; David Edwards-David Vaughan-Craig Bellamy-Joe Ledley-Gareth Bale; Steve Morison.
Eyebrows were raised at manager John Toshack's 4-5-1 style formation was Millwall's Steve Morison as the target with Gareth Bale advanced along with Craig Bellamy but it gave the visitors pace and skill and for the opening 20 minutes, it all looked very promising as pressure was created, the game was played in Montenegro's half and half chance were created but wayward shooting and the final pass not coming off meant the Montenegro keeper was not tested at all.
From midway through the half, Montenegro found some momentum and Wales looked very poor at the back and with it, the game turned and was lost.
When the goal arrived on the half hour, Wales had already got away with a couple of close scrapes and it had been coming but what a poor one to concede as Montenegro skipper, Roma's VUKCEVIC skinned a "couldn't be arsed" looking challenge from James Collins and then beat Hennessey at his near post, the keeper caught out as he anticipated a shot across him.
A golden chance fell to Craig Bellamy in the final moments of the half but if Wales performance was shown in just one moment, it was Bellers lethargically firing horribly high and wide.
I'm afraid it was a similar story in the second half, the home side looking very comfortable and their keeper having no work to do. Wales did push on and won a couple of edge of box free-kicks but wasted them. Montenegro always looked more likely to get a 2nd but Wales got anything.
With 15 minutes to go, James Collins' miserable night was complete as he took an elbow to the face which may have caused him jaw, eye, cheekbone problems (he is still being assessed but is in a sorry way by all accounts) and there was a final flurry as sub Simon Church headed against the bar on 90 minutes and then has one disallowed in added time for offside as he turned home a rebound after Ledley got in Wales only shot on target of the night.
The most shocking thing for me is that no player emerged with any credit, they all looked a shadow of the players they are, producing nothing like their club form. How can that be explained?
Next up is Bulgaria at home next month but Wales have sucked all interest out of their campaign already. Pre-game, the squad had been calling to play England at Cardiff City's ground instead of Millennium Stadium. If it carries on like this, it may as well be over the road at Leckwith Athletic Stadium.
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