Wales vs England Strategic Analysis: Craig Bellamy's Fresh Style Unpacked

The Welsh team training with Craig Bellamy

The Welsh national team have altered their style of football with Bellamy.

Looking at the previous manager's final 12 games as coach to Craig Bellamy's first 12 games leading Wales, a noticeable shift has been a strategic change emphasizing possession and dominating games with the ball.

The Page Era: Aggressive Play

With Page in charge, Wales' intense style was based on applying high pressure off the ball, particularly in wide areas, predominantly using a fluid 3-4-3 formation for direct attacks.

Craig Bellamy's New Direction

Craig Bellamy has consistently employed a four-man defense, pushing the team to maintain possession and construct offensive moves more methodically.

Statistical Differences

This tactical shift has resulted in a much greater amount of possession, a higher tally of passes and a slight reduction in how frequently they lose possession in attacking areas.

Additionally, Wales displays a better xG statistics under Bellamy.

The Big Question

Will Bellamy's tactics give Wales a better opportunity of defeating England?

The new approach with the new coach demonstrates a notable shift from the old system.

  • More ball control
  • Slower, methodical attacks
  • Fewer losses in advanced areas
  • Enhanced scoring probability
Jessica Baker
Jessica Baker

Tech enthusiast and software engineer passionate about AI and open-source projects.