World Cup 2022: Who will manager Robert Page select in Wales squad?

Rhys Norrington-Davies (third from left) celebrates with team-mates after scoring his first Wales goal in the 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands

Only four games remain for Wales before they make a long-awaited return to football's grandest stage.

Wales' World Cup opener against the USA is a little over five months away and the clock is ticking for those with work to do to ensure they will be on the flight no player wants to miss.

So while Wales' flurry of Nations League fixtures may have come at the end of a long season - and in the same break as the far more significant World Cup play-off final win against Ukraine - the fact is that there are opportunities to be grasped in this international window.

"Of course with the World Cup [approaching], everyone wants to be on that plane," said winger Rabbi Matondo.

"[Wednesday's defeat to the Netherlands] was a chance for some of us to show we are worthy of being on the plane.

"There are four more games before the World Cup to do that so we will keep pushing. We will give our all."

Wales face another demanding Nations League assignment when Belgium visit the Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday.

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Their season finally ends on Tuesday, 14 June with a trip to Amsterdam for a rematch with the Dutch, who were 2-1 winners in Cardiff.

The Nations League returns in September, when Wales travel to Belgium before hosting the Poles, and the next fixture on the list is the start of their World Cup campaign against the Americans at the Al Rayyan Stadium on 21 November.

While there may be at least one warm-up match - if the calendar allows - before the World Cup begins, the fact is that there is little time remaining for any players on the fringes of Robert Page's squad to convince him of their value.

Rabbi Matondo is being linked with a summer move away from Schalke 04 having spent last season on loan in Belgium

Wales in a 'great place'

Wales' squad is largely settled and there are numerous players who, assuming they have no injury issues, are certainties to go to Qatar.

But there are still some question marks in most areas of Page's squad.

The Wales boss called up 27 players for the current international window. There are only 23 spaces up for grabs in November.

"We have got to make sure our club form is good, that people are getting minutes under their belts to put us in the best shape possible," said Fulham's attacking midfielder Harry Wilson, one of those whose ticket to the tournament looks assured.

"I think we are in a great place."

Managers always say they relish selection dilemmas and, while some members of this Wales squad are clear standouts in their respective positions, Page is facing a few of those.

Which questions must be answered?

It would be a shock if Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward and Adam Davies do not fill the three goalkeeping slots in Qatar, but there are question marks in defence.

Chris Gunter is a stalwart of the Wales squad but finds himself without a club having been released by Charlton Athletic. Page will hope the vastly experienced full-back quickly finds new employers.

Ben Cabango has enjoyed a couple of fine seasons at Swansea City, but missed out this month through injury and is yet to stamp his mark on the Wales side.

Ben Cabango flourished at Swansea in 2021-22 but is yet to establish himself at international level

He has work to do, as does Ipswich Town's Wes Burns, despite an impressive debut in Poland last week.

Sheffield United's Rhys Norrington-Davies is another whose place may come up for debate, though he did himself plenty of good with an all-action display against the Dutch.

"I know you are not going to pick [based] on one performance," former Wales striker Nathan Blake told BBC Radio Wales after the Netherlands loss.

"He (Norrington-Davies) was probably 90% there. There was just a small question mark over him, but that performance was brilliant."

Wales forward Natasha Harding was "not quite sure" about Norrington-Davies but felt his display on Wednesday had secured his place in Page's plans.

One big contribution, it seems, can make a significant difference with the World Cup around the corner.

"One who may be more of a question mark now is Dylan Levitt," Harding added on BBC Radio Wales.

"He (Page) has probably got question marks over Rubin Colwill, Matt Smith [and] Sorba Thomas, [who] didn't even feature."

As well as Manchester United's Levitt and Smith, of MK Dons, Will Vaulks may come into the debate over midfield places, although his first task is to find a club having been released by Cardiff City.

Further forward, Vaulks' former Cardiff team-mate Mark Harris probably still needs to convince Page of his worth, as does Nathan Broadhead, the Everton striker who impressed on loan at Sunderland last season.

Tyler Roberts missed out on this international window through injury

The uncapped Broadhead was called up for this window only to withdraw through injury.

Matondo, who is back at Schalke 04 following a strong loan spell with Belgian club Cercle Brugge, is in the same category as Broadhead and Harris.

Then there is Leeds United's Tyler Roberts, who missed out with injury this month but has been a regular in Wales squads in recent times.

David Brooks is another player who remains firmly in Page's thoughts.

Brooks has not played since October 2021 having been diagnosed with cancer, but Page has "dangled the carrot" of a World Cup place in front of the Bournemouth attacking midfielder.

When you consider the likes of Brooks, Roberts and Cabango were not named in the current Wales squad - and that it had four more players than the final World Cup party will include - it is clear that there are tight calls to be made.

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