When Gareth Bale retired he seemed to take most of the Welsh magic with him. Wales have been looking for a new talisman ever since, with the calm of a man searching for his car keys at 3 AM. Craig Bellamy is rebuilding the squad almost from scratch, and the pool he is fishing in is shallower than a puddle in the Sahara.
The dragon would like to breathe fire again. Somebody appears to have forgotten the matches.
Who can Wales rely on without Bale?
Brennan Johnson is the obvious answer. He has made a place for himself at Tottenham Hotspur with pace and direct running on the wing. Ethan Ampadu gives the defence leadership and experience from the Premier League. Harry Wilson's left foot and his set-piece delivery can unlock any defence.
The squad has played at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2020, so major tournament football is not new to them. Welsh team spirit is well known too, and this group will fight to the final whistle every game.
What they lack is a world-class match-winner. There are Premier League players scattered across the squad, but nobody who can bail them out of a bad night on his own. Wales without Bale is like jollof rice without pepper: something important is missing, and you notice it at once.
Expect brave performances, a few tears and an early flight home.
Next up tomorrow: number 28.
