England vs Wales Tactical Breakdown: Craig Bellamy's New Approach Explained
The Welsh national team have altered their method of play under Bellamy.
By comparing the previous manager's last dozen matches in charge with Bellamy's first 12 games leading Wales, an obvious difference has been a new approach prioritizing possession and dominating games through possession.
The Page Era: High-Energy Play
During Page's tenure, Wales' aggressive tactics was based on applying high pressure off the ball, especially in the wings, mostly employing a adaptable 3-4-3 setup to attack directly.
Bellamy's New Direction
Bellamy has so far exclusively used a four-man defense, encouraging his players to maintain possession and build attacks more methodically.
Statistical Differences
This tactical shift has led to a significantly increased ball control, a increased pass count and a modest drop in how regularly they give the ball away in attacking areas.
The team also shows a better xG statistics with Bellamy.
Main Talking Point
Do Bellamy's strategies give Wales a improved likelihood of defeating England?
The new approach with the new coach demonstrates a clear move from Page's methods.
- Increased possession
- Slower, methodical attacks
- Reduced high turnovers
- Better xG numbers
