Wales vs England Tactical Analysis: Craig Bellamy's New Style Unpacked
The Welsh national team have altered their style of play with Craig Bellamy.
When comparing Robert Page’s last dozen matches in charge to Craig Bellamy's opening 12 as Wales head coach, one clear change is a strategic change to focus more on possession and dominating games through possession.
The Page Era: High-Energy Football
With Page in charge, Wales' high-energy approach was based on pressing aggressively without possession, mainly in the flanks, typically using a adaptable 3-4-3 setup for direct attacks.
Craig Bellamy's Fresh Approach
The new coach has consistently employed a defensive line of four, encouraging his players to hold the ball and construct offensive moves more methodically.
Statistical Differences
This tactical shift has produced a much greater amount of possession, a higher tally of passes and a slight reduction in how often they turn the ball over 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 better opportunity of defeating England?
The strategic changes since the change demonstrates a significant departure from Page's methods.
- Increased possession
- More patient build-up
- Reduced high turnovers
- Enhanced scoring probability
