England vs Wales Tactical Breakdown: Bellamy's New Style Explained
The Welsh national team have changed their style of football with Craig Bellamy.
By comparing the previous manager's final 12 games in charge with Bellamy's first 12 games leading Wales, one clear change is a new approach prioritizing possession and dominating games with the ball.
Under Robert Page: High-Energy Football
With Page in charge, The Welsh aggressive tactics focused on applying high pressure off the ball, especially in wide areas, mostly employing a adaptable 3-4-3 setup to push forward aggressively.
Craig Bellamy's New Direction
Craig Bellamy has so far exclusively used a defensive line of four, encouraging his players to maintain possession and develop plays with greater patience.
Measurable Changes
This tactical shift has led to a significantly increased ball control, a increased pass count and a modest drop in how frequently they lose possession in advanced positions.
Wales also boast a improved expected goals metric under Bellamy.
Key Consideration
Can Bellamy's approach provide Wales a better opportunity of overcoming England?
The new approach under Bellamy represents a significant departure away from the old system.
- More ball control
- Deliberate offensive construction
- Reduced high turnovers
- Better xG numbers
