Watch Finland v Wales "high"lights (if you dare) and hear Toshack's thoughts

5 minutes of video … I’m surprised they found that much to show

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8301031.stm

Toshack’s dour summary

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/8301103.stm

Wales' World Cup Table after Finland defeat

FIFA World Cup European Qualifying : Group Four Table
		P	W	D	L	GD	PTS
1	Germany	9	8	1	0	21	25
2	Russia	9	7	0	2	13	21
3	Finland	9	5	2	2	0	17
4	Wales	9	3	0	6	-5	9
5	Azerbaijan	9	1	1	7	-10	4
6	Liechtenstein	9	0	2	7	-19	2

World Cup qualifier: FINLAND 2 WALES 1

There is good news ... Wales' wretched World Cup campaign is almost over. It ends on Wednesday in Liechenstein.

So much for the good news, the restof it is grim as they fell to their 6th defeat in 9 qualifiers - losing to all of the top 3 of Germany, Russia and Finland home and away guaranteeing 4th spot thanks to our ability to overcome those footballing power houses of Liechenstein and Azerbaijan.


The campaign reached a new low as Wales weren't even able to fill the subs bench and could only call on 4 replacements with the latest crop of injuries and withdrawals ... and retirements! Today's squad also go two lighter to Liechenstein as skipper Craig Bellamy and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey both earned themselves 1 match bans for dissent ... tactical? Maybe not.

The game is not much to write home about so I'll keep it that way. It was men against boys, literally, as most of the Finns were over 30 while most of the Welsh won under 21 and experience won the day.

Wales made the worst possible start in sunny but chilly Helsinki's Olympic Stadium as Ashley Williams was turned inside the box, Hennessey saved a first shot but the rebound ran kindly for POROKARA who had the easy task of stroking home the follow up.

It looked set for a grim afternoon but Wales ralled and delighted the 1,000 travelling fans in the meagre corwd of 13,000 as Dave Edwards broke clear, squared the ball for CRAIG BELLAMY who beat the defence and finished with aplomb.

Wales were on top but there was no further first half scoring but it all seemed set up for them. However the second 45 minutes was grim football of the lowest order, truly dreadful watching.

When it came to the crunch, The Finns got stronger in the last 20 when you hope the youthfulness of our bouys would come through. Hennessey had to make two good saves but had no chance as a move broke in the box, the otherwise excellent James Collins missed a last ditch challenge and left back MOISANDER toe poked home.

In added time, Wales should have grabbed a draw as Vokes and Bellamy linked to send Dave Edwards racing clear on goal but his effort was straight at Jasskelainen.

Positives? It's the same as the good news ... the campaign is nearly over!

A NEW LOW FOR wALES - WE CAN'T FILL THE SUB'S BENCH FOR A wORLD cUP GAME

Even by Welsh standards, the current World Cup campaign is one of the most miserable in living memory. They have been playing for little more than pride and an attempt to finish higher since midway so, thankfully, the Group games end in the next few days with today's outing in Finland followed by a trip to Liechenstein next Wednesday.


John Toshack has declared them must win as the Red Dragon can still finish third and help their Euro2012 seeding but a sharp reminder of how desparate and laughable it has all become comes into sharp focus later as we cannot even fill the subtsitute's bench.


The never ending run of retirement of senior players since Tosh has been at the helm combined with an always large list of injuries and pull-outs - the current crop include Cardiff City's Joe Ledley (recently involved in a minor public spat with Tosh), Gabbidon, Ricketts, Simon Davies, Collison, Stock, Earnshaw while Cotterill flew home yesterday for personal reasons - means the squad is decimated to just 13 outfield players, nearly all of them kids as well.


There is likely to be at least one spare seat on the bench in Helsinki later and, even then. it will include two goalkeepers.


We're an embarrassment! Just hope those who do represent us do us proud.

Wales World Cup Group after tonight's results

I think it's what you would call ... HOPELESS!

1 Germany P 6 pts 16
2 Russia P 5 pts 12
3 Finland P 4 pts 7
4 Wales P 6 pts 6
5 Azerbaijan P 4 pts 1
6 Liechtenstein P 5 pts 1

Wales 0 Finland 2 - the press have their say

Bad Finns Happen & Wales Hopes Go Kuqi
As The Visitors make it 0-2

Wales not ready for finals - Toshack

RTE.ie

Bellamy comes to terms with failure

The Press Association

Bellamy: Wales World Cup hopes are over

WalesOnline

Players need club games - Toshack

BBC News

We can recover insists Toshack

The Press Association

Toshack apologises to fans over poor Wales showing

WalesOnline

Finns go bad to worse for Wales as World Cup hopes go bust

WalesOnline

Wales' World Cup Hopes Slim After 2-0 Defeat

Sky News

Bellamy in despair as World dream dies again

Independent

Qualification blow for Wales

ITV.com

Bellamy writes off Wales's World Cup hopes

AFP

Toshack's dreams dashed

SkySports

European qualifying: Finland still hopeful for 2010

CBC.ca

World Cup Comment: Jari Litmanen- Still A Finnish Force At 38

Goal.com

Finland victory dents Welsh World Cup hopes

Reuters UK

Finland defeats Wales 2-0 to keep its slim World Cup hopes alive

The Canadian Press

Craig Bellamy: I Don't Know Where Wales Go From Here

Goal.com

Welsh World Cup hopes end with a whimper against Finland

Telegraph.co.uk

Wales 0-2 Finland: Kuqi solo goal finishes it

ESPN

Wales Put To The Sword By Clinical Finland

Goal.com

Toshack admits Wales were poor and World Cup contention is over

Toshack is diplomatic is this interview

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_of_wales/7970126.stm

However, his Captain, Craig Bellmay, doesn't share that grace or philosophy. Bellers, wearing his heart on his sleeve but another who was poor today, said, "You've probably seen two poor sides trying to contest this group and none have a glimmer of hope of qualifying. That is fact on what I have just seen today against Finland. Where do we go from here? God knows."

World Cup qualifier: WALES 0 FINLAND 2 match report

Sorry Nelson, we'd love to be there
but Tosh and the team won't let us

After spending all week telling us how today was a must in game and that any other result was the end of the road, losing 2-0 in Cardiff to Finland was devastating but so poor and inept was the Welsh performance, the tactics and the key decisions that you wonder of there is rarely a better future and talented team. On this evidence, we're having a laugh.

Welsh football has continual lows and very very highs but this ranks among the lowest - out of the World Cup with barely half the qualifier games played!

The passion has been sucked out of the support. It's hard to understand why but there was no appetite for fans to go. I actually missed a Welsh World Cup qualifier in Cardiff for the first time in my life, I accepted we were going nowhere, these are tought times and my money is being saved to watch Cardiff City. A lack of promotion, marketing and publicity saw less than 15,000 tickets sold but a late surge pushed it just past 22,000.


Wales: Hennessey, Gunter-Collins-Nyatanga-Bale. Fletcher-Davies-Koumas-Edwards-Ledley, Bellamy.

There lies a problem before the game even started. A must win game, playing at home and Wales go 4-5-1.

The first half saw Wales have all the possession but create zilch. In fact, the Finns keeper wasn't required to make a save in the entire 90 minutes which is damning.

However Wales were on top and you felt a breakthrough might come but a soft goal conceded 2 minutes before the interval to a real sucker punch as the oldest player on the pitch Jari Litmamen (I thought he had retired years ago) caught the Welsh defence square with a pass and Hibs' JOHANSSON finsihed easily. It could even have been worse as Bale was lucky not to concede a penalty for a trup on Forssel.

You hoped Wales would come beack with fire to fight for the game but, instead, they meekly surrendered, the Finns playing well within themselves still bossed the rest of the game. It needed Collins with blocks, Hennsessy and saves and Ledley clearing off the line to prevent further damage.

Sadly Wales had no answer and Toshack didn't help his or his country's with some bafling subs. Robinson, a defensive midfielder, replacing Fletcher like-for-like, Ledley - one of Wales' livelier players taken off for Earnie when Koumas was doing nothing out there but even Aaron Ramsey, given half hour and his World Cup debut, couldn't do a thing.

So it was left to Crystal Palace's Shelfi KUQI to kill the game with a late second goal, the stadium emptied. The worry for Wales now is Wednesday's visit of Germany, it could prove embarrassing if they play this badly again.

(Un)Crowded House

Quite a bit of debate today as Wales head to 2 home World Cup Qualifiers against Finland and Germany with very poor crowds expected.


Finland were the visiting nation to play at Millennium Stadium not so long ago and that was in front of a 72,500 crowd. This weekend, only 15,000 tickets have been sold and the FAW aren't bracing themselves for too many more.


Germany always fill the ground and, while at this stage, ticket sales haven't been announced, home sales and believed to be little more while the gate will be bigger due to the Germans attending.


So how/why has it come to this? Some blame poor marketing but that's an excuse, not a reason. After all, they never marketed any/much differently when we sold out the ground. There are clear reasons why they're not being well attended.

- They're dead rubbers. We got talent and promise and could be witnessing the birth of the next excellent Welsh side but we got no chance of qualification this time. I'm as optimistic as the next man but realistic too.

- Promotions not marketing would have made a difference but the FAW are too worried about upsetting Tournament Ticket holders so would rather preserve 15,000 than say, like at price reductions, 2 for 1 promotions, a special Buy a Finland ticket and get Germany for free or £5, take your wife/kids for free etc. Why not free tickets for schools just to come a crowd? In tough times, people need reasons and encouragment to spend.

- I bet it's not just me who begrudges paying 10% booking fee in top and then £5 to post them out to line the pockets of Ticketline. It's poor practise for an event like this.

- It is souless at games. I hate being confined to one side on the ground just to look good for tv. Those of s there have to look at empty seats on three sides. There's more atmosphere on the moon.

- Yet again, players have been cocooned in the hotel all week - they should spend a few hours visiting tv/radio stations, signing sessions in city centres etc and more. What have they done to sell the game?

- Like many football fans in South Wales, following Cardiff or Swansea on a play-off/promotion run in costs enough but is more exciting - that's where my money is going. I can't afford both. I'm saving my money to follow the away trips on the run-in.


What does make me laugh though are one-eyed non-thinking rugby fans gloating how they would fill it if they played Flatholm. As if they have a point!

Let's face it, rugby fans follow the event. All bar a minority only show up 5 times a year to watch the sport and that's when Wales play. Where the hell are all these people the other 30 weeks of the season when Blues, Scarlets, Ospreys and co cannot muster a combined crowd to match Cardiff City??

Football fans follow the sport and are there every week which is why City, Swans and co get big crowds and it's many of those same face who are there with Wales as well.

It needs the FAW to take a lead to fill a 78,000 stadium in timkes like there.

They've done nothing so they get nothing.

Cotterill and Earnie look ahead to Wales v Finland

World Cup Game 4: GERMANY 1 WALES 0

Just like last month in Russia, Wales full side were gallant and did us proud but yet again have nothing to show for it as they fell to a late defeat. This time, Trochowski's wonderful 72nd minute strike gave Germany a 1-0 victory in Monchengladbach. In truth, it was no more than they deserved but Wales made it hard.

After John Toshack went gung-ho with 4-4-2 vs Liechtenstein last weekend(!), he returned to his routine 4-5-1 tonight playing Craig Bellamy as the sole striker and making James Collins a third central defender with Ashley Williams and Craig Morgan.

1,500 Welsh fans made a fantastic noise and they, like the rest of us, were wondering if we could produce a shock result as it was 0-0 at the interval with Wales managing only one shot which Bellamy pushed wide and the Germans giving Hennessey just one save. The opening 20 minutes saw the sides test each other before the Germans starting pushing on but they were restricted to long range shots, a couple of which were magnificently blocked by James Collins.

The second period started end to end like a Cup tie with Wales having slightly the better of it but the Germans seemed to step up a gear and although they were mainly restricted to efforts outside the box, there were so many and they have quality hitters, that you felt it would be a matter of time before they scored. Collins blocked, Hennessey saved, shots grazed the bar or went inches wide before Trochowski turned David Edwards inside out and fizzed an effort across Hennessey. Not long after, it was almost two-nil and game over but Ballack's free-kick struck a post.

Wales made changes and came close when Bellamy brilliantly beat Lahm and cut across the area but his ball was between Ched Evamns and Gunter and by the time Gunts took responsibility, he was closed down and blocked.

The Germans now look to be cruising their way to World Cup qualification with Wales locked in a three way race with Russia and Finland for 2nd and the runners-up spot even though we are not halfway through the qualifiers. The Russians are probably favourites but next test for Wales is Finland in the New Year.

WALES WORLD CUP FIXTURE DATES CONFIRMED

All the home games, despite John Toshack’s pleas, will be played in Cardiff at Millennium Stadium. As always, they’ve given themselves a chance of a strong start but it didn’t work out that way with Euro’2008 so let’s hope for a far better campaign this time around.


Wales 2010 World Cup qualifiers - Group 4

6 September 2008 Lichetenstein v Germany, Wales v Azerbaijan
10 September Finland v Germany, Azerbaijan v Lichtenstein, Russia v Wales
11 October Germany v Russia, Wales v Lichtenstein, Finland v Azerbaijan
15 October Germany v Wales, Russia v Finland

28 March 2009 Germany v Lichtenstein, Russia v Azerbaijan, Wales v Finland
1 April Wales v Germany, Lichtenstein v Russia
6 June Finland v Lichtenstein, Azerbaijan v Wales
10 June Finland v Russia
19 August Azerbaijan v Germany
5 September Azerbaijan v Finland, Russia v Lichtenstein
9 September Wales v Russia, Lichtenstein v Finland, Germany v Azerbaijan
10 October Russia v Germany, Lichtenstein v Azerbaijan, Finland v Wales
14 October Germany v Finland, Azerbaijan v Russia, Lichtenstein v Wales