England vs Wales Strategic Breakdown: Bellamy's Fresh Style Explained
Wales have altered their method of play with Bellamy.
Looking at Robert Page’s last dozen matches as coach with Craig Bellamy's first 12 games as Wales head coach, one clear change is a tactical switch emphasizing ball control and dominating games through possession.
The Page Era: High-Energy Play
Under Page, The Welsh aggressive tactics centered around pressing aggressively off the ball, especially in wide areas, predominantly using a fluid 3-4-3 formation to push forward aggressively.
Bellamy's New Direction
The new coach has only utilized a back four, pushing the team to get on the ball and build attacks with greater patience.
Measurable Shifts
The new strategy has resulted in a far higher average amount of possession, a higher tally of passes and a modest drop in how often they turn the ball over in attacking areas.
Additionally, Wales displays a higher expected goals tally under Bellamy.
The Big Question
Do Bellamy's strategies give Wales a greater chance of overcoming England?
The strategic changes under Bellamy represents a significant departure away from the previous regime.
- More ball control
- Deliberate offensive construction
- Less giveaways in attack
- Enhanced scoring probability
