His well-drilled side usually adopt a flexible 4-4-2 formation with wide runners from midfield supporting John Hartson in attack.

The aerial ability of Hartson is the key ploy for Wales with the pace of Craig Bellamy, Ryan Giggs, and Wales' footballer of the year, Robert Earnshaw, feeding off Hartson's knock-downs.

Hughes also has some of the Premiership's best wingers at his disposal. The dribbling skills of Jason Koumas, Simon Davies and Giggs stretch defences giving Bellamy and Hartson space to cause havoc in the penalty box as Italy found out in 2002.

These tricky forwards would never see the ball if it weren't for the efforts of Robbie Savage and skipper Gary Speed in the middle of the pitch.

Savage is suspended on Saturday and his deputy Andy Johnson has withdrawn with a back injury.

Savage's terrier-like approach will be badly missed as he usually shields a fragile defence that struggles to protect goalkeeper Paul Jones.