Saturday 18 June 2016 16:19, UK
Gareth Bale admits Wales need to play with more freedom if they are to perform to the best of their abilities in Euro 2016.
A 2-1 victory over Slovakia in their opening Group B game was followed by a 2-1 defeat to England on Thursday, with Bale scoring the opening goal in Lens.
Chris Coleman's side face Russia in their final group game on Monday evening and Bale feels a return to the bravado shown by Wales in getting to France will help them progress in the tournament.
"We need to be better with the ball, move the ball like we have been in qualifying and maybe we haven't done that [during the tournament] as much and that is a big area we need to improve on," he said.
"But we have defended amazingly and have done very well in that sense. If we can get the ball down and play more, then hopefully I can influence it a bit more and the other players can do the same.
"First and foremost, we can't concede, and if we do, we need to match them for goals. We know what needs to be done and we are fully focused on the job in hand.
"Our fate is in our own hands, and if you'd given us this at the start of the tournament we would have taken it."
The Real Madrid player admits he does not know too much about Russia, who were beaten 2-1 by Slovakia after drawing their opening match with England 1-1 amid scenes of chaos in Marseille in the build-up to the game and in the Stade Velodrome during the game itself.
Bale has confidence in his team, though, and insists they have the measure of Leonid Slutsky's side.
"I hadn't seen too much of them before, we just watched a little bit on them," added Bale.
"They are obviously a very good team, we understand that, and they are in this tournament because they qualified and you have to be a good team to do that.
"We know their weaknesses, we know their strengths, and we have to play our game again and go at them. We want to win.
"We don't want to just turn up and make up the numbers, we want to give it a go."
Bale also paid tribute to the Wales supporters who have made their voices heard in their support of the team.
"We know we have a huge amount of support anywhere we go. We probably had fewer fans in the stadium against England although we were louder," he said.
"Wherever our fans are, they make themselves known. They sing and cheer no matter what the occasion and I am sure it will be the same again in Toulouse."
