Why Kieffer Moore must start against Switzerland in EURO 2020 opener

Wales begin the EURO 2020 on Saturday against Switzerland at Baku Olympic Stadium and there is a selection headache ahead of it.

Wales’ inauguratory opponents will be no pushovers, either- after all, they place 13th in FIFA’s official world rankings and have the likes of Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Haris Seferovic to call upon.

Realistically, though, it harbours Wales’ best opportunity of clinching three points in what promises to be a fiercely-contested group stage. 

The inclusion of one player may just dictate the outcome.

Those aforementioned friendlies- neither of which resulted in victory for the Red Dragons- shared a unified outcry. An outcry for Kieffer Moore to lead the line.

Recently, Robert Page has opted to utilise Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey in the false nine role. He’s played the two friendlies in that position, but it’s easy to see why so many Wales supporters wish to see Moore weaponised as the team’s focal point this month.

He simply has to start. 

Moore, who is debuting at his first International tournament since making his Welsh bow in September 2019, is fresh off the back of a 20-goal haul with Cardiff City.

His inspired debut campaign with the Bluebirds made him the first Cardiff player to reach that sacred benchmark since the late, but great Peter Whittingham back in 2009/10, surfacing the striker as an endeared figure in the Welsh Capital as a result.

It’s not only his ability to find the back of the net that has earned him so many plaudits, though.

Standing imposingly tall at 6’5, Moore towers over most opposing defenders and has a sizeable aerial advantage. Over the course of the 20/21 Championship campaign, he won the most aerial duels per game with an almighty 10.5. The closest competitor? Rotherham forward Matt Smith, with seven to his name.

And, with a number of players in the Welsh squad capable of executing menacing deliveries such as Dan James, David Brooks, Harry Wilson and even Gareth Bale, his prowess in the air could well come to fruition.

Rather evidently, the 28-year old boasts supreme physical prowess, too. With ease, he can shrug off defenders, hold the ball up and dispatch flick-ons- when you have players like James and Bale who are quick off the mark and tend to run in behind, it’s a vital asset to possess within your team. 

Moore’s linkup play, however, tends to slip under the radar. That can possibly be attributed to the notions synonymous with players of his stature, with the general feeling that towering center-forwards like himself are destined to operate as a battering ram to simply ‘hoof’ the ball up to. Whilst he can fill that role, there is much more to his game that betrays the fallacies.

The former Wigan Athletic hitman is blessed with a gracious first touch, which he often displays before embarking on a driving run into dangerous positions of the pitch. It’s seemingly unthinkable that a 6’5 footballer can move quickly and run the channels, but that’s exactly what Moore has done on so many occasions for Cardiff. 

His work rate is equally impressive- a tireless, relentless grafter for the team, Moore frequently drops deep to get on the ball and presses non-stop from the front, allowing for openings in the final third and typifying the high intensity that Wales like to deploy.

Anyone who has seen the forward in action for Cardiff or Wales will concur; there is more to Moore than what meets the eye.

And as for Ramsey, he too is an indispensable component for Page’s side. He, in contrast to a plethora of Wales’ exciting batch of younger talent, boasts heaps of experience at International tournaments and starred in their magical EURO 2016 run from midfield. 

Five years on from the fabled memories in France, the talent that Ramsey has is still undeniable. It is a talent that is more suited to the middle of the park, given his ability to thread precise passes, venture forward in possession, and play between the lines. 

It has worked throughout his career, dating back to his formative years at Cardiff and now, to his decorated days at Arsenal and Juventus. Likewise, employing Moore as the focal point has worked a real treat for Wales.

Though hailing from the coastal town of Torquay, Cornwall, Moore qualifies for Wales due to his Welsh grandmother and has amassed 17 caps to date, scoring five goals and playing a key role in their qualification for the European Championships.

It would be a shame, potentially a tournament-deciding decision, for Moore not to lead the line this summer.

(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)