Rob Page panned for ‘slap’ comment after Armenia horror show as Wales’ three biggest problems identified

Wales manager Rob Page has come under fire after saying his side’s humiliating 4-2 loss at home to Armenia was a necessary ‘slap’ despite the defeat putting a real dent in their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s European Championships.

Page’s men were humbled on one of the darkest nights of his reign as goals from Lucas Zelarayan and Grant-Leon Ranos saw them condemned to their first home defeat in a Euros qualifying campaign since 2011, while Kieffer Moore was also shown a red card late on.

The loss means Wales now face what is likely to be a must-win game against Turkey next week if they are to reach a third successive European Championships but they will need to improve greatly from Friday night if they are to get a result, with goals from Daniel James and Harry Wilson the few positives aside from the return of David Brooks. For the latest Welsh football news, sign up here.

READ MORE: Wales player ratings vs Armenia as defenders have shockers and Moore sees red on horrible night

But despite the shocking display, Page tried to put a positive spin on it post-match as he claimed it was a “reality check” for his side, who trail Turkey and World Cup semi-finalists Croatia with five games left to play.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “Perhaps it’s the slap we need. A bit of a reality check. Everybody’s getting starry eyed and carried away. We had a great start in March but there aren’t any bad teams any more.

“Teams are going toe-to-toe and we’ve had a slap tonight. I didn’t know it was needed before the game. I felt in such a positive place coming into the game. I didn’t see that coming. It’s shocked me as much as anyone else tonight.”

However, Page’s comments have been criticised by former Wales striker Iwan Roberts, who slammed Wales’ performance at Cardiff City Stadium as “shocking,” claiming that the men in red “made Armenia look like Argentina”.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Roberts said: “I don’t agree with Rob’s comments… why do Wales need a slap in the face?We’ve only got eight games in this campaign. It’s not a league season of 46 games where you can afford one or two blips. It was a shocking result.”

“We started well and scored a good goal,” he added. “But then for some reason, as an XI, we just got deeper and deeper, gave away possession far too easily and gave Armenia a pathway back. We’ve just made Armenia look like Argentina.”

As well as rejecting Page’s assessment of the defeat, Roberts also identified Wales’ biggest problems in defence and attack, as well as picking out the player they missed most against the Armenians.

Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter and Jonny Williams all quit international football ahead of this qualifying campaign, but Roberts said the loss of midfielder Joe Allen proved to be the sorest of the lot on Friday night.

“The player we missed most was probably Joe Allen,” he said. “The way he would break up the play in midfield, it really protected the centre-backs. Aaron Ramsey did the role but nowhere near as good as Joe. We have got to find a way in the next two days to sort that out.”

The centre-backs themselves also caught some flak as Joe Rodon and Chris Mepham were described as “miles off the pace”, with the former struggling to get regular minutes at Ligue 1 side Rennes.

“Our success has been based on a solid defence – not just the back – but we’ve gone away from that. We’ve only kept one clean sheet in the last 11 games,” said Roberts.

“I felt sorry for Ben Davies and Connor Roberts because Joe Rodon and Chris Mepham didn’t take responsibility for the men they should have picked up, so the wing backs were getting dragged in too narrow, which gave Armenia too much time and space.”

He continued: “Rob has been in charge for 33 games and for 95% of those he has played a back five. During the World Cup qualifying campaign, against Austria and Ukraine in the play-offs, in the Nations League campaign, always a back five. Now all of a sudden he’s moved away from what brought success and gone to a back four and I don’t know why.

“I just don’t think you can play a back four with Rodon and Mepham because they’re miles off the pace because they’re just not playing enough for their clubs.”

According to Roberts, the problems are not just in defence either, with Moore – who is now suspended for Monday’s game against Turkey following his sending off – also not starting a game for Bournemouth since the beginning of the year, with his lack of game- time showing on Friday night.

Claiming that he was confused over Rodon’s career trajectory, he said:”I don’t know where Rodon’s career is going. He’s had three managers at Spurs who have not played him. He’s gone to Rennes for game time but started one of their last 14 games.

“It’s the same with Kieffer Moore, who hasn’t started for Bournemouth since mid-January and he’s our main man up front. It was the same at the World Cup. We looked miles off the pace in those three games and the same last night.”

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