Wales lack character and bottle

BBC Sport's Mark Aizlewood gives his damming verdict on Wales' 3-2 defeat against Norway.

Another very disappointing result for Wales.

They've now played nine games in the group and been in front in six of those games, but still failed to win a game.

Therefore, I think the time has come to question the character and commitment of the players. They work so hard to get in front but then they don't seem to have the know-how or the quality to stay in front.

The hardest thing in international football is getting into winning positions.

Once you get yourself into that position, that's when character and bottle play such an important part.

One of the biggest problems with professional football these days is that managers have to deal with very fragile egos

Mark Aizlewood

It's not a question of team spirit because in all my time in football, I've never heard a player or manager say the team spirit is bad.

To always point to a good team spirit is effectively just a throw away comment - it does not mean anything.

So the only way to judge a team's performance is on the results.

And there's no denying the fact that these group of players have been very disappointing.

Wales have one game left - against Belarus next month.

If they don't mange to get a win, this will be the first Welsh team not to win a game in a World Cup qualifying campaign.

That's the harsh reality of the situation facing these players. And it's not going to be easy against Belarus because they've still fighting for a play-off place.

Giggs let his frustration boil over in Oslo

One of the biggest problems with professional football these days is that managers have to deal with very fragile egos.

Mark Hughes has the difficult job of massaging and boosting those egos just to keep the players on side.

Any hint of criticism and the hairs on the back of their neck stand up.

I just wish the hair on the back of their necks would stand up when they actually put on that Welsh shirt. It might make a difference.

Ryan Giggs' sending off was unfortunate, but to be honest he showed a lack of discipline. He was obviously frustrated towards the end of the match, but his first yellow card was for dissent.

The pressure is now firmly on the team to get a win, it will be interesting to see how the players will react

Mark Aizlewood

After that, you are always walking on a tightrope. But a world-class player like Giggs should never be booked for dissent in an international match.

I thought Mark Hughes had one of his better games as manager against Norway.

The only criticism of his management so far is his reluctance to bring on substitutes and try something different.

But the biggest positive of all to come out of this qualifying campaign is to dispel the myth among the Welsh public, and to some extent within the squad itself, that all Wales need to do to win matches is to have Ryan Giggs on the field.

Giggs has played in all but one of the group matches, and Wales have not won a game. I'm not saying it's his fault.

But I think it will help Giggs now that the expectation on his shoulders is decreasing.

He's not the saviour of Welsh football - he's just Wales' only world-class player.

The pressure is now firmly on the team to get a win, it will be interesting to see how the players react.