Wales 3 Scotland 0 – Diamond victory for Tosh (From South Wales Argus)

Wales 3 Scotland 0 – Diamond victory for Tosh

8:10am Monday 16th November 2009

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JOHN Toshack’s diamond geezers put in a sparkling display to crush sorry Scotland at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.

Following the lead of Carlo Ancelotti’s Premier League pacesetters Chelsea, the Wales boss unveiled a new diamond formation with Aaron Ramsey playing just behind strikers Ched Evans and Simon Church.

And the Arsenal star dazzled the lacklustre Scots - setting up goals for David Edwards and Newport’s Church before scoring a stunner of his own in 20 breathless first half minutes.

It may only have been a friendly but this was one of the brightest displays in Toshack’s desperately disappointing five year reign, certainly the best in what has been a horrible 2009 for the national side.

Wales’ supporters, those that were there in another paltry crowd of just 13,844, left the ground with an unfamiliar feeling – one of hope and optimism for the future.

Not for 12 months, when his side won 1-0 in Denmark after narrow defeats in Germany and Russia, can Toshack have been so satisfied with a day’s work – not that he admitted as much in a strangely subdued post-match press conference.

He rightly pointed out that Scotland could have been 2-0 up in the first five minutes with the excellent Wayne Hennessey denying James McFadden with a superb reflex save before Kenny Miller hit the side-netting from 12 yards out.

But from then on there was only one side in it with captain Ashley Williams protecting the back four at the base of the diamond and the hard working Joe Ledley and Edwards either side leaving the way clear for the peerless Ramsey to terrorise the shambolic Scottish defence.

The fabulous travelling fans, 90% of them in kilts on a horrible day in the capital, were out-singing their Welsh counterparts until the 16th minute when that man Ramsey combined with unsung hero Sam Ricketts to fashion an opening goal of sublime quality.

The Bolton right-back played a brilliant one-two with Ramsey who swung in a cross which was just behind Edwards and the Wolves man did remarkably well to twist his body in mid-air and volley past Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall from around eight yards.

Then came the big moment for Church, whose grandparents hail from Newport, as Ramsey stroked a beautiful through ball to Ledley on 32 minutes and the Reading striker was on hand to poke home from close range.

Ledley almost got a goal of his own before Ramsey’s masterful third, 10 minutes before the break.

Picking up the ball just inside the Scots’ half after Darren Fletcher had lost possession, Wenger’s wonder kid had Celtic centre-back Stephen McManus back-pedalling as fast as he could and after a lucky break off Fletcher’s thigh he swept the ball past Marshall with supreme confidence.

Burley’s side were falling apart by that stage and it could have got even worse for them as Evans was denied at point-blank range and Church looked to have been pushed over in the box in the resulting melee.

Referee Cyril Zimmermann seemed to take pity on the visitors as he waved away the appeals and again two minutes after the break when he merely booked Marshall for handling the ball outside his box when a red card was surely merited.

That excitement aside, the second half was something of a non-event and, after Swansea’s Joe Allen replaced Ramsey on 57 minutes and both managers made multiple changes, any chance of a real hammering was over as the game drifted to a conclusion.

Gareth Bale saw a free-kick deflected a yard wide and new skipper and Wales player of the year Williams almost capped a perfect week with a surging run and shot only to see his effort fly over the top.

And Scotland nearly rewarded their fans for their vocal support when first Derek Riordan and then Kevin Kyle were superbly denied by Hennessey five minutes from time.

But even if Wales didn’t go on to inflict a really embarrassing five or six goal humbling on Burley’s boys, as seemed entirely possible at the interval, it was a display to at least make Toshack’s many detractors have second thoughts.

With captain Craig Bellamy, experienced midfielder Simon Davies and Newport’s James Collins to come back in, as well as fantastic prospects Chris Gunter and Jack Collison, when everyone is fit – if that ever happens – Wales have a half decent squad.

And with Ramsey at the head of the diamond formation they should pose a goal threat against anyone.

If only Toshack had sent his players out with the same ambition and drive at home to Finland, Germany and Russia this year instead of the stifling negativity which has become the norm, then things could have been very different.

Wales: Hennessey, Ricketts, Nyatanga (Gabbidon 60), Williams, Morgan, Bale, Ledley (King 80), Ramsey (Allen 57), Edwards (Cotterill 88), Evans (Vokes 45), Church (Earnshaw 45).

Subs Not Used: Brown, Easter, Dorman, Matthews, Blake. Booked: Morgan.

Scotland: Marshall, Hutton, McManus, Gary Caldwell, Fox (Steven Fletcher 55), Dorrans (Robson 71), Darren Fletcher, Cowie (Riordan 78), Miller (Wallace 55), Naismith (McCormack 62), McFadden (Kyle 62).

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Gallacher, Berra, Steven Caldwell, Adam. Booked: Marshall.

Attendance: 13,844

Referee: Cyrill Zimmermann (Switzerland)

Argus star man: Aaron Ramsey

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