What we learned as Wales fall short of the mark in Cardiff

Wales were unable to seal their promotion place on Friday evening against Denmark and despite the 2-1 loss, Ryan Giggs will certainly look to take some positives from the tie.

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David Brooks makes his claim for the foreseeable future

With a number of young players coming through the ranks within the Welsh squad, perhaps no name currently shines brighter than that of David Brooks. The Bournemouth playmaker looked electric on the ball this Friday evening, impressing his manager with his creative spark and willingness to run at the Danish defence.

“He’s a player I want to watch and every time he gets the ball something is going to happen.” Said Giggs.

“He’s still young, he is going to have good games and not so good games but he’s still learning.”

Brooks certainly looked to make an impact, nearly creating the opener with James Chester heading narrowly wide of the mark, whilst his own attempt in the second-half showcased his abilities, weaving through numerous players before getting a shot away.

One thing is for certain, Brooks has a strong claim for his spot in this Wales side, and if his play continues to develop, he will no doubt be a star for the years to come.

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Denmark resilience shines through

Despite several chances to put the ball into the back of the net, the Welsh side simply lacked their clinical edge against Denmark. Whilst some of the blame can be put down to poor finishing, credit must be given to the defensive resilience shown by Denmark, especially given the absence of captain Simon Kjaer.

Kasper Schmeichel showed his influence on the game, with a spectacular second-half save from a Gareth Bale free-kick that if not for the Danish stopper, could have meant a very different outcome. In what looked a certain goal, Schmeichel proved to be a major reason in the victory with crucial stops in the tie.

Perhaps inexperience from a Welsh perspective or defensive discipline for the Danes, the visitors proved to be a very difficult side to break down when it mattered.

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Joe Allen completes all around masterclass in midfield

With probably the star performance from a Welsh perspective Friday night, Joe Allen was simply everywhere for Ryan Giggs’ side. Crucial tackles, searching passes and man-marking Christian Eriksen, Allen simply showed why he is so highly valued in a Welsh jersey.

The Stoke City midfielder did not rest until the final whistle, with his hard work and passionate battling for the ball certainly not going unnoticed. Without Ethan Ampadu in the starting 11, Allen showed his experience by commanding the middle of the park, flinging himself towards every 50/50 ball that came in his direction.

With his desire to win the ball a major factor in the Welsh possession game, Allen was always looking to make an impact, whether that be defensively or through his passing ability, his influence was certainly felt for Wales.

(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)