text: Wales not worried about suspension threat hanging over players - Ben Davies | Daily Mail Online
  Wales not worried about suspension threat hanging over players - Ben Davies
  Published: 08:53 EST, 23 March 2017 | Updated: 08:58 EST, 23 March 2017
  Ben Davies insists Wales are not bothered by the World Cup suspension tightrope that five of their players will be walking against the Republic of Ireland.
  Davies joins talisman Gareth Bale, skipper Ashley Williams, Joe Allen and Joe Ledley in being one booking away from missing the trip to Serbia in June.
  The Tottenham defender has painful experience of what two yellow cards add up to, having missed the Euro 2016 semi-final defeat to Portugal last summer through suspension.
  But Davies says possible bans will be the last thing on the minds of the Wales players at what is sure to be a raucous Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday night.
  ⚽️ | The final training session before #IRLWAL. #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/gWObykkJw8
  — FA Wales (@FAWales) March 23, 2017
  "We haven't discussed that (the bookings). But I think everyone's aware what position they are in if yellow cards do come," Davies said.
  "You can't let a yellow card hang over you. If you think about it during the game then it will affect your performance on the field.
  "If you get yellow carded you deal with the consequences after. It's the next game that's the most important, and it's all about the team. If you have to take a yellow card in the game, then so be it."
  Wales are unbeaten in Group D but have ground to make up following successive draws against Austria, Georgia and Serbia.
  The Republic of Ireland are also unbeaten, but they have powered to the top of the section with three wins and a draw. They hold a two-point advantage over Serbia and are four points better off than Wales.
  And another Republic victory at the halfway stage of the group could almost end Wales' interest in claiming top spot.
  "We haven't said it's a 'must-win' ourselves," Davies said. "But we understand the importance of it because we can't drift any further away from the top of the table if we want to qualify.
  "All the players know how important this game is, but we've played in big games before. We have experience of these games of massive magnitude where we need to get a result."
  Davies returns after missing the November draw against Serbia through injury, and Wales are also delighted to call upon Bale and Aaron Ramsey after recent injury scares.
  Real Madrid forward Bale had ankle surgery at the start of December and midfielder Ramsey has featured for Arsenal lately after a calf problem.
  "It's pretty rare this campaign that everybody's been here," Davies said. "It's massive for us to have Gareth and Aaron, you saw in the summer how important they are. It gives us a spark as a team.
  "It's also nice to see there's some good young players coming through like Ben Woodburn and Harry Wilson. They've impressed the boys in training this week and everyone's confident ahead of what we know is a big game."