As Wales enter the European Championship playoffs, they will be without former captain Sophie Ingle.
The Chelsea stalwart is out for the foreseeable future after suffering an ACL injury in a preseason friendly against Feyenoord.
As a result, Wales manager Rhian Wilkinson now has to find a way to play without Ingle in her squad. At last week’s squad announcement, the Canadian hinted that her shape and style won’t differ too much, even without Ingle’s presence.
Therefore, who can come into that role as Wales try and reach a major tournament for the first time?
Hayley Ladd
To many, the obvious option to fill the gap left by Ingle will be Hayley Ladd.
Plenty of Red Wall members will be used to watching Ladd play in the heart of the defence, but those who watch her regularly with Manchester United will know her natural position is at the base of the midfield. Therefore, if there’s a gap in that position, moving Ladd into it makes a lot of sense.
If Wilkinson is to move the Red Devil up the field, there are plenty of players who can take up her place in the back line. The returning Josie Green has looked more than accomplished playing there in recent times for Wales, while Mayzee Davies has made a good impression whenever she’s come off the bench.
The only blot on her record is that Ladd isn’t getting any game time currently. United have played five games this season, and Ladd has only played 80 minutes: all of them coming in a League Cup game against Liverpool.
Wilkinson has, however, stressed that Ladd has always come into camp fully fit and has always trained at the highest level. So, if there is a natural replacement for Ingle, Ladd could well be the answer.
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Ceri Holland
If Wilkinson opts to keep Ladd in the defence, her fellow vice-captain, Ceri Holland, could take up a midfield position instead.
Throughout the group stages, Holland was used in a variety of positions, from midfielder to wing-back to winger to striker, and in every position she was asked to play in, she thrived. But it’s that central midfield spot that she plays for her club Liverpool.
There were fears that Holland would come into camp with a bit of a knock, but she did manage to play a half for her club over the weekend in their draw against Crystal Palace. That is crucial, because what Holland brings to the position is boundless energy, and that will be important in a game where Slovakia could choose to play on the counter.
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Lois Joel
Newcastle United midfielder Lois Joel only has five caps for Wales so far, but her experience at club level makes a candidate to come in for Ingle.
Whenever Joel has come on in the red of Wales, she, like Holland, has played in a lot of different positions. Even when she started against Ukraine, she was placed in a wing-back spot, and even though Cymru didn’t win, Joel put in a very solid display.
What makes Joel standout as a candidate is what she’s done with her clubs. At London City Lionesses, she was appointed captain ahead of players with plenty of international experience like Ruesha Littlejohn and Danielle Carter. It takes a certain kind of character to be able to take on that role in a team full of experience, and Joel did it expertly.
Her lack of international minutes may be a knock against her in games as high stake as these ones, but in the not-too-distant future, Joel is going to be a big part of this team.
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Rachel Rowe
There are plenty of wingers who have experience of playing in the middle of the park, and Rachel Rowe is maybe the best candidate in that field.
The Southampton star can make a claim that she has been Wales’ best player so far this campaign, and she has made that wing spot her own under Wilkinson. However, we know she can play centrally and play it well.
With Rangers she picked up the SWPL Player of the Year award, and with the Saints, she is one of their most important players. With her in the middle of the park, while she may not have a sitting role like Ingle does, she will have licence to float around, string the phases together and make an impact.
Carrie Jones and Jess Fishlock can also play in deeper roles, but Rowe could add something very different to this team.
We will find out what Rhian Wilkinson does on Friday afternoon, when Wales travel to take on Slovakia in the first leg of their European playoff semi-final.
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