Hayley Ladd column: Wales out to prove top tier status in Iceland 'final'

In her latest BBC Sport column, Manchester United defender Hayley Ladd looks forward to games against Iceland and Germany as Wales bid to avoid Nations League relegation.

It is great being back in camp with the girls ahead of what feels like a massive week ahead for us.

There is no mistaking that the Iceland game has an added pressure. It is in essence a final for us, because we are desperate to remain in the top league of the Nations League.

We feel like we are a top-tier nation now and we want to prove that, but obviously the defeat to Iceland last time around gives us little margin for error.

We were proud of a lot of elements of the performance against Iceland, but that game certainly feels like the one that got away from us.

Possibly that game came a little too early for us in the campaign as we were still finding our feet. I do not think we were at the sort of level we are now, in terms of competing against the top nations.

Wales lost the opening match of their inaugural Nations league campaign 1-0 to Iceland in Reykjavik on 22 September

We feel more prepared to get the win that we need this week and the best way to put the defeat in Iceland to bed would be to beat them in Cardiff.

We try to see each individual game as a different challenge, but there is no escaping the reality of the outcome and the fact we want to avoid relegation.

There are many positives to take from the campaign regardless of what happens this week, but we know what we want and need to do.

If we want to qualify for the Euros, competing with the likes of Germany, Denmark and Iceland is exactly what we will need to do.

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It is lovely for us to be at home for two games, one in Cardiff and one in Swansea, with the Iceland game followed by the difficult challenge of playing an excellent Germany.

We spent a week away in the last camp in Germany and Denmark and it's nice now to be back in Cardiff.

We feel we learned an awful lot from those two very tough away games.

Christmas vibes in camp with secret Santa on the way

There is a nice Christmas vibe and some of us have been doing a secret Santa.

It is not too serious. The budget is £20 and last year it was a good laugh - there is normally a joke gift or two.

I will not say who it was, but one of the girls last year received an inflatable boyfriend, so we do try to have a giggle with it.

I will not reveal who I have drawn either, but I am pretty happy with the outcome!

Hayley Ladd was an unused substitute as a record 43,615 crowd for a Manchester United WSL game watched their derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford

Big strides and big crowds in WSL

It was great to see the recent Manchester derby beat the Manchester United home attendance record at Old Trafford. It was a great spectacle and there was an excellent energy at the game.

We then went to Ashton Gate and beat Bristol City 2-0 on a day where Bristol also broke their attendance record, so it just goes to show that the Women's Super League continues to go from strength to strength.

It was a lovely feeling to see Ashton Gate like that as I went back to my former club - to see the girls walking out to fireworks and an amazing atmosphere.

For me personally, I would like more minutes for my club, but obviously competition is very high, especially in the midfield area.

It is nice to have my international team-mate Gemma Evans playing with me now. She is definitely finding her feet at United.

It can be difficult when you join a new club and I know Gemma was nervous on her first day - she asked me to meet her in the car park to walk in with her.

I know she has said that in an interview, so I am not throwing her under a bus by revealing it!

She is doing well and I am really proud of her.

Thinking of Natasha and Nadia

Speaking of people I care about a lot, I'd like to finish by talking about my former Bristol and Wales team-mate Nadia Lawrence and draw some attention to what a tough time her family are having at the moment.

Nadia Lawrence and Hayley Ladd after the 4-0 European Championship qualifying victory against the Faroe Islands in 2020

Nadia's family is going through a really challenging time as her sister Natasha is currently in Singleton Hospital following a stint in intensive therapy due to complications caused by stage four secondary breast cancer.

Tash has been struggling with her health for some time now and it's an awful time for her.

Nadia is still in touch with lots of the girls and we are trying to raise awareness of Natasha's situation as the family are fundraising to explore alternative treatments and have set up a GoFundMe page.

The amount that has already been raised shows just how loved Tash is and I wanted to take this opportunity to say that we are all thinking about her, Nadia and the whole family.