Wales vs England Strategic Breakdown: Bellamy's New Approach Unpacked
The Welsh national team have changed their style of play with Craig Bellamy.
Looking at Robert Page’s final 12 games as coach to Craig Bellamy's opening 12 as Wales head coach, an obvious difference has been a strategic change emphasizing ball control and dominating games with the ball.
The Page Era: Aggressive Football
Under Page, The Welsh intense style focused on pressing aggressively off the ball, particularly in wide areas, predominantly using a adaptable 3-4-3 setup to attack directly.
Bellamy's New Direction
The new coach has consistently employed a defensive line of four, encouraging his players to hold the ball and build attacks more methodically.
Measurable Differences
This tactical shift has led to a much greater possession rate, a higher tally of passes and a slight reduction in how frequently they lose possession in attacking areas.
Wales also boast a improved expected goals metric under Bellamy.
The Big Question
Do Bellamy's strategies offer Wales a greater chance of beating England?
The new approach since the change signifies a clear move from Page's methods.
- Increased possession
- Deliberate offensive construction
- Reduced high turnovers
- Better xG numbers
