England vs Wales Strategic Analysis: Bellamy's New Approach Unpacked
Wales have changed their style of football under Bellamy.
When comparing Robert Page’s final 12 games in charge to Bellamy's opening 12 leading Wales, an obvious difference is a tactical switch prioritizing possession and controlling matches through possession.
The Page Era: High-Energy Play
During Page's tenure, Wales' aggressive tactics was based on pressing aggressively off the ball, especially in the wings, mostly employing a fluid 3-4-3 formation to push forward aggressively.
Bellamy's New Direction
Bellamy has consistently employed a back four, encouraging his players to get on the ball and construct offensive moves with greater patience.
Measurable Differences
The change in approach has led to a much greater amount of possession, a increased pass count and a slight reduction in how regularly they give the ball away in advanced positions.
The team also shows a improved expected goals metric with Bellamy.
Main Talking Point
Can Bellamy's approach give Wales a better opportunity of defeating England?
The tactical evolution under Bellamy signifies a notable shift away from Page's methods.
- Increased possession
- Deliberate offensive construction
- Less giveaways in attack
- Better xG numbers
