Wales vs England Tactical Breakdown: Craig Bellamy's Fresh Style Explained
Wales have altered their style of football under Craig Bellamy.
Looking at the previous manager's final 12 games as coach with Craig Bellamy's opening 12 as Wales head coach, a noticeable shift is a tactical switch to focus more on possession and dominating games through possession.
Under Robert Page: Aggressive Football
Under Page, Wales' aggressive tactics centered around pressing intensely off the ball, especially in the wings, predominantly using a fluid 3-4-3 formation to push forward aggressively.
Craig Bellamy's Different Style
Craig Bellamy has so far exclusively used a back four, urging the squad to maintain possession and develop plays with greater patience.
Statistical Shifts
This tactical shift has resulted in a significantly increased ball control, a higher tally of passes and a small decrease in how regularly they give the ball away in attacking areas.
Additionally, Wales displays a better xG statistics since Bellamy took over.
The Big Question
Will Bellamy's tactics give Wales a greater chance of beating England?
The tactical evolution since the change demonstrates a clear move away from the old system.
- More ball control
- More patient build-up
- Fewer losses in advanced areas
- Better xG numbers
