Rob Page cut a dejected figure after his side's 2-0 defeat to Iran in the World Cup and admitted his players got what they deserved following a miserable showing. The Wales boss highlighted that too many of his stars had to be carried through the fixture, which made the task of securing a positive result in what was billed as a must-win game for his side nigh-on impossible.
For the first time, he suggested he may be forced to make significant changes for Tuesday's match against England.
Wales now face a huge task on Tuesday, needing to beat Gareth Southgate's side to stay in the tournament. They may even need to win by a mammoth four goals if either Iran or USA win their fixture, with their hopes of survival now hanging by a thread after a miserable showing against the Iranians.
READ MORE: Gareth Bale's definitive answer on Wales future as Rob Page offers hint on team to face England
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey were both heavily criticised following Friday's nightmare result, with talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor slamming the pair's performances. "Gareth Bale was poor again today, he didn’t turn up," said the former Aston Villa star. "Him and Aaron Ramsey didn’t get on the ball, didn’t try to take anyone on."
"It was poor from Wales… all the best trying to get a result against that England squad of players. It looked like Gareth Bale was saving himself. I said during the game, ‘Is he playing?’ You didn’t see him for 10, 15 minutes, he wouldn’t touch the ball. You’re thinking is he carrying something? Is he scared of getting injured?
"What they showed in the second half against the USA, it was promising," he added. "But to watch them tonight… they are [going] out now."
Team-mates Joe Allen and Ben Davies were quick to leap to the defence of the star duo though, with the latter citing the pair's impact for the Red Dragons over a number of years as a pivotal factor in Wales even being at the World Cup.
"Gareth and Aaron have turned up for Wales over and over again," said Davies. "They have shown the quality they have and, to be honest, I don't think we'd be here without them.
"To criticise them in any way is probably very unjust. I think we have to put our faith in them and that they can do it for us one more time."
But despite the Wales players still showing confidence in two of their most experienced peers, some fans have called for Bale and Ramsey to be axed, slamming their performances as lethargic, careless and underwhelming.
Do they have a point, or has the quality of the pair's performances been blown out of proportion amid frustration at the wider problems? We've taken a look at the stats and re-watched the game to get a full picture of the role they played in a miserable day for Welsh football.
These are some of the accusations levelled at them by fans, and what the evidence actually tells us.
'Ramsey gave the ball away so much I thought he was Iranian'
Unlike their 1-1 draw with the United States, Wales dominated the ball in the Iran game, finishing the game with 62% possession. But for someone of Ramsey's reputation, he was incredibly careless on the ball, squandering possession 21 times, more than any other player on the pitch, while he also lost all but one of his eight duels.
It was rare to see the former Arsenal man so off his game, but he simply wasn't good enough and was rightly subbed off after Wayne Hennessey's red card. Many were surprised that he had not been hauled off by Rob Page sooner, with Ethan Ampadu, one of Wales' bright sparks at this World Cup, taken off instead of the Nice midfielder 10 minutes earlier.
Ramsey wasn't the only wasteful man in a Wales shirt, however, with fellow Euro 2016 hero Joe Allen also at fault, giving the ball away immediately ahead of both Iran's injury-time goals after coming on as a substitute, while Connor Roberts nearly gifted Iran a first-half goal with a clumsy wayward pass, only for Ali Gholizadeh's finish to be ruled out for offside.
'Where is Bale? He's gone missing in Qatar'
Friday was a big day for Bale, as he became his country's all-time appearance record holder, but he will want to forget his performance in a hurry as he spent most of the game as a passenger. He is the man that Wales look to when they need a moment of magic, but that moment never looked like coming against Iran.
Welsh fans bemoaned a lack of impact from the talismanic forward on Friday, with Bale having just 36 touches of the ball in the space of 106 minutes, working out at roughly a single touch every three minutes. This was the lowest number of any Wales player who played the full game, with only Iranian goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini touching the ball fewer times with a total of 35.
Bale's miserable day is perhaps summed up best by the fact that for the first 13 minutes of the match, his only touch and sole contribution was taking the kick-off.
Despite being named Player of the Match in Wales' opening game against the USA, Bale also came under fire for his performance that night, again touching the ball just 35 times, fewer than any other player who was on the pitch for the whole game.
Of course, he also rose to the occasion to slot home a penalty in the USA game and secure a crucial point for Rob Page's side. But, with his team's survival at the World Cup now hanging by a thread, it is not at all unfair to say that the captain has yet to properly show up for his country on this, the biggest of stages.
'They both looked shattered after 15 minutes'
Wales were sluggish against the Iranians, with Bale and Ramsey both looking lethargic as they trudged around the pitch, labouring towards the ball while their opponents plotted their next move and caught them on the back foot again and again.
While fans would have expected so much more from two of the country's finest ever footballers, such a passive display is hardly surprising given the incredible lack of game time both players have had in the months leading up to the tournament in Qatar.
Ramsey has started 10 league games in 2022, while Bale has started just three, playing just 36 minutes of football since September for his club side. Having stayed on the field for the entirety of Wales' opening game against the USA, which lasted 104 minutes, Bale looked knackered before the end of the first half against Iran, only for that game to also run past the 100 minute mark.
It's also worth considering the early afternoon heat in which Wales faced Iran, with temperatures approaching 30°C in Doha when the gam kicked off. However, Bale had previously played down suggestions that the climate would get to Wales, saying: "It's warm, it's not crazy warm. Training is different to a game as the intensity is different. We have a plan as a squad on nutrition and hydration. As long as we can execute that, it will put us in a better position to deal with the heat and humidity."
However, suggestions that the pair were dead on their feet may be premature, with Ramsey covering 22.84km in games so far this tournament, more than any other Wales player, while his tally of 135 sprints across the two fixtures to date is also the most in the Welsh camp. Not only that, he has also made the most offers to receive possession (185).
Bale, meanwhile, has received the ball between the midfield and defensive line a total of 31 times across both fixtures - showing that he is doing what he can to get on the ball and move his side up the pitch.
While neither player was good enough on the day, it's clear that their struggles aren't down to a lack of effort.
What now?
Following the Iran game, both players have seen their international futures drawn into question, with some fans making it clear they think the pair are well past their best and should no longer be certainties in the Wales team.
But what cannot be questioned is the commitment and impact of both Ramsey and Bale to Wales ever since they made their debuts under John Toshack.
The duo - who have 187 caps and 61 international goals between them - will rightly hold legendary status in Welsh football having played in three major tournaments in six years.
So will Page really do the unthinkable and drop one, or even both, of the men who have been monumental figures in what has been a truly remarkable journey? As he said himself prior to the Iran clash, he'd be a brave man to tell Bale he isn't starting against England.
But his loyalty to some of those who were so crucial in even getting to Qatar could already have proven decisive in ensuring Wales do not extend their stay in the Middle East.
Tuesday's team announcement will be the most intriguing for some time.
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