England vs Wales Tactical Breakdown: Bellamy's New Style Unpacked

The Welsh team in action under Craig Bellamy

The Welsh national team have changed their method of football under Craig Bellamy.

By comparing the previous manager's last dozen matches in charge with Craig Bellamy's first 12 games leading Wales, a noticeable shift has been a new approach prioritizing ball control and dominating games through possession.

The Page Era: Aggressive Football

During Page's tenure, The Welsh high-energy approach was based on pressing aggressively off the ball, especially in the flanks, mostly employing a adaptable 3-4-3 setup to push forward aggressively.

Bellamy's Fresh Approach

Bellamy has so far exclusively used a four-man defense, encouraging his players to maintain possession and construct offensive moves in a more prosaic manner.

Measurable Differences

This tactical shift has produced a far higher average possession rate, a more completed passes and a modest drop in how regularly they give the ball away in advanced positions.

The team also shows a improved expected goals metric since Bellamy took over.

The Big Question

Do Bellamy's strategies offer Wales a improved likelihood of beating England?

The strategic changes since the change demonstrates a notable shift from the previous regime.

  • More ball control
  • Deliberate offensive construction
  • Fewer losses in advanced areas
  • Better xG numbers
Lawrence Schmitt
Lawrence Schmitt

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