Team Focus: Players to Pose a Threat to England in Switzerland
Most should be well aware of the threat that Switzerland carry to England on Monday and indeed the seemingly diminishing threat that the Three Lions seem to carry themselves. So here's a quick look at a handful of players that could hurt Hodgson's side.
Xherdan Shaqiri
Undoubtedly the poster boy of an impressive young side, Shaqiri is unmistakable in his appearance - as stocky as they come in European football - and will be recognisable to England fans having announced himself on the international scene with a stunning strike against them exactly 4 years and one day ago when the two sides met in qualifying for the 2012 tournament.
He's got bigger, bulkier and better since then, earning a move to Bayern from Basel two seasons ago and despite being on the fringes for the Bundesliga champions, when called upon the young playmaker has impressed. Over the previous two league seasons Shaqiri scored 10 goals and assisted a further 7 despite just 23 of his 42 appearances in that time coming from kick-off.
The 22-year-old pulled the strings for his country in Brazil this summer - making more key passes per game than any other player at the World Cup (4.3) - and his ability to play across the line in behind a centre-forward could cause real problems for an England side lacking in the holding midfield department.
Ricardo Rodriguez
Another reason why England will need to be particularly cautious is the threat that full-back Ricardo Rodriguez carries from left-back. Hodgson is likely to field an inexperienced right-back in the shape of either John Stones or Calum Chambers, though Phil Jones is also an option, and the Swiss are likely to look to that flank and forge an overlap for the Wolfsburg defender to exploit when possible, particularly if England play too narrow in the midfield.
Rodriguez provided 9 assists last season, with his ability over a set piece also contributing to an impressive goal tally (5) and his efforts at either end certainly shone through. The defender averaged 3 tackles per game from a defensive standpoint but has the quality to beat a man going the other way (2.6 dribbles per game) and an exceptional delivery from wide areas - completing more accurate crosses (72) than any other Bundesliga player last season. The fact that only Franck Ribery secured a higher rating from WhoScored in the German top-flight last season (8.01) speaks volumes.
Admir Mehmedi
Another player who's caught the eye in the Bundesliga, particularly since the turn of the year, is forward Admir Mehmedi, who tends to drop into an attacking midfield role for the national side. The 23-year-old came into his own after the winter break for Freiburg last season, earning a rating of 7.86 over 16 appearances from WhoScored.com following the turn of the year, netting 12 goals in total over the course of the 2013/14 campaign.
A strong player technically, who keeps the ball well in advanced areas, Mehmedi is particularly impressive when running at opponents, averaging 3.6 successful dribbles per game last season and attaining a strength of dribbling in WhoScored.com's player characteristics in turn. He may drift left to double up with Rodriguez on that side, so England may need to opt for a more defensive option on the right flank.
Josip Drmic
Having netted 17 Bundesliga goals in his first season in the division - with a league high of 11 coming after the winter break - Josip Drmic attracted widespread interest from across Europe. The striker opted to stay in Germany though, securing a deal with Bayer Leverkusen where he is likely to replace the ageing Stefan Kiessling given time.
Hit and miss at the World Cup, not able to showcase the clinical finishing he had shown all year with Nurnberg, Drmic did manage to put in one of the standout performances of the group stages - albeit against Honduras - where he combined superbly with Shaqiri, picking up assists for two of his teammate’s three goals. It's this combination play in attacking positions that will pose a test to England's defensive resolve, with all of the four mentioned here having come through the national team's youth set-up together.
Which Switzerland player do you think will pose the biggest threat to England? Let us know in the comments below
