Ben Woodburn might not have played for the Liverpool side this season but that has not stopped the Welsh attacker from getting a lot of plaudits, at least on the international stage. The youngster got off the bench to score the winner against Austria in the last international break, which was his debut for the Dragons as well.
With the international break on, Wales have a couple of tricky ties against Georgia and the Republic of Ireland, as they look to qualify for the World Cup in Russia. But they have been dealt a major blow as Gareth Bale has been ruled out due to an injury.
However, David Edwards of Reading believes Woodburn will step up, as the Dragons look to make it to their second consecutive international tournament.
Speaking to the Evening Telegraph, Edwards claimed that Woodburn is more or less cut from the same cloth as Bale as they both like to shine when the pressure is on them.
“I’ve seen a lot of Ben in this campaign and he reminds me of what Gareth was like when he was younger. And if you see what Gareth was like in the Euros, the bigger the stage, the more he thrives.
“There aren’t many players who can do that when the whole world is watching. But from what I’ve seen I’m pretty sure Ben is cut from the same cloth and he will relish the chance to show everyone he is the real deal.”
Wales are second in their group and are 4 points behind Serbia. Winning the final two games will at least give them a place in the play-offs, which will be held next month.
While the pressure is on the Welsh team, Woodburn would be hoping to make just as big an impact as he did the last time he put on the Red of Wales. Many expected Jurgen Klopp to give him a run in the Premier League but that has not taken place yet.
With our side struggling to convert chances and get three points, it might just be the right time to unleash our Welsh starlet.
It is highly unlikely that he would be playing in our next game, which is against Manchester United after the international break but since we would be facing Maribor in the Champions League after that, giving Woodburn a run-out would make a lot of sense and it would also provide a lot of rest and competition for the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7hN_DhrSgs
