England vs Wales Strategic Breakdown: Bellamy's New Approach Explained
The Welsh national team have changed their style of football with Craig Bellamy.
When comparing Robert Page’s final 12 games as coach to Craig Bellamy's opening 12 leading Wales, one clear change is a tactical switch emphasizing ball control and controlling matches with the ball.
Under Robert Page: Aggressive Football
During Page's tenure, Wales' aggressive tactics focused on pressing aggressively without possession, mainly in wide areas, predominantly using a adaptable 3-4-3 setup for direct attacks.
Bellamy's New Direction
Bellamy has so far exclusively used a back four, pushing the team to maintain possession and construct offensive moves with greater patience.
Measurable Changes
This tactical shift has resulted in a significantly increased ball control, a more completed passes and a slight reduction in how often they turn the ball over high up the pitch.
Wales also boast a better xG statistics under Bellamy.
Key Consideration
Do Bellamy's strategies offer Wales a better opportunity of beating England?
The strategic changes under Bellamy represents a notable shift from Page's methods.
- Higher possession rates
- Slower, methodical attacks
- Reduced high turnovers
- Enhanced scoring probability
