Can Wales still qualify for the World Cup? What has gone wrong? And what do the fans think of their chances?

Feature, Opinion, Welsh National Football Team

Wales still have hope of advancing from their World Cup qualifying group despite a stuttering campaign.

A 1-1 draw in Belgrade against group D leaders Serbia on Sunday afternoon preserved Wales’ hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

Wales are perhaps fortunate to still be in with a chance after drawing five of the first six games in this campaign, but qualification is still possible.

It felt like two points dropped for many after Wales took the lead in Serbia, however, the result can at the very least serve as a moment to stop and reflect on how far the nation have come.

Just five years ago, Wales crumbled in Serbia, losing 6-1 in a dire display manager Chris Coleman describes as the lowest point of his career.

Just five years on, Welsh fans are having to reflect on a draw in Serbia and mourning chances and mistakes which, if they had gone another way, could have handed Wales all three points.

The expectations are significantly higher after reaching the Euro 2016 semi-final last summer, and rightly so.

However, international football is seldom easy, especially not in front of a packed out stadium in Belgrade.

A loss would have ended Wales’ chances on Sunday evening and the pressure was on to get a result - they did in the most difficult of places, and without Gareth Bale.

What has gone wrong so far?

Tonight’s result aside, Wales have made too many mistakes during this campaign, there’s no hiding it and not even Chris Coleman would hide from that.

It has to be said that Coleman himself has made errors, particularly in a costly home draw against Georgia when Wales got it all wrong tactically.

Wales need to be more adaptive to their opponents, they need to learn how to break the game up when they’re being dominated, and how to change things if it’s not going their way.

They are certainly capable of it, we’ve seen it during Euro 2016 and prior to that in the qualifying campaign.

It inevitably becomes a little more difficult when you have achieved such wonderful heights already.

But, Wales and Chris Coleman have been guilty of failing to evolve unlike their opponents who have begun to work out how to stop them.

Wales were much better against Serbia, it has to be said, but again they didn’t learn quick enough and on another night - a night like the fixture in Cardiff - allowing Serbia to pump crosses into the box could have cost them dearly.

It’s up to Chris Coleman now - and he has plenty of time to do it - to study the four remaining opponents and come up with a way to secure three points from each.

The same formation and style may not cut it in the remainder of this campaign and Wales need to adapt, and learn again to do what they need to in order to secure wins, just like they did in the last campaign.

And don’t forget to add Gareth Bale to the equation.

Can Wales still qualify?

In one word? Yes.

There are four games remaining and just four games to make up, with the two biggest games at home, and two ‘smallest’ games away.

It’s certainly going to be difficult, but if Wales win all four games, it’s unlikely they will miss out on the top two.

Ultimately, Wales just need to pull Ireland to within three points going into the last game against them at home, and they have every chance.

Chris Coleman will admit that Wales have left themselves with an uphill battle, but they know that and will believe they have the quality to turn things around in the remaining games.

The view from the stands

(Featured image: Jon Candy)