Euro 2024: Why England must apply caution when they face Switzerland
At tournaments like Euro 2024 where the knockout stage bracket is predetermined, it is tempting to plot a team’s route to the final.
Despite their underwhelming displays to date, England fans have been doing just that, delighting in their team’s presence in the easier half of the draw. However, it would be a huge mistake for anyone to look any further ahead than Saturday’s showdown with Switzerland. This will be the sternest examination of England’s credentials so far this summer.
Optimistic Swiss voices were in the minority before the competition got under way. Switzerland were unconvincing in qualifying, finishing five points behind first-placed Romania after failing to win six of their 10 games. Murat Yakin arrived in Germany under pressure, with many predicting a group stage exit for his team.
Instead, Switzerland have been among the tournament’s leading performers to date. They started as they meant to go on, easing past a more fancied Hungary side in a 3-1 win on matchday one. Back-to-back 1-1 draws with Scotland and Germany followed, with Switzerland coming within minutes of beating the hosts in their final Group A outing.
Ironically, Niclas Fullkrug’s equaliser in second-half stoppage time probably helped the Swiss, who would have ended up on the same side of the draw as France, Portugal and Spain had they been triumphant against Germany.
Instead they were drawn to face Italy in the round of 16 and promptly made light work of the defending champions. The Azzurri were remarkably poor in their 2-0 loss, but that was in part due to Switzerland’s accomplished showing. The Swiss were superior in every department and dominated the game from the first whistle to the last.
In some ways they are the opposite of England. Switzerland’s main shortcoming is a lack of truly top-class individual talent at the top of the pitch. England, on the other hand, have so many game-changers in their ranks that they do not know what to do with half of them.
Yet across their four games to date, Switzerland have shown themselves to be a very well-coached team. Their collective is more than the sum of its parts. The same cannot be said for Gareth Southgate’s England right now.
Switzerland use a hybrid system. Without the ball they line up in a 3-4-3 or 5-4-1 formation depending on how deep the wide players and wing-backs are. When they have possession, this becomes a 4-2-3-1.
One key man is Michel Aebischer, who spent most of 2023/24 playing in midfield for Bologna. He starts at left wing-back for his country but drifts into central areas when his team have the ball. Ricardo Rodriguez then pushes out to left-back, with Silvan Widmer dropping in at right-back to complete the back four.
It is the type of thing we see more often at club level, where managers have the time to implement more sophisticated systems. It is to Yakin’s credit that Switzerland look so comfortable changing shape within games.
Their most important player overall is Granit Xhaka. The former Arsenal midfielder ran the game against Italy, who bafflingly failed to get anyone close to him time and time again.
Xhaka sets the tempo for Switzerland, whose style is best described as patient and considered. He had 101 touches against Italy last time out and completed 95.9% of his passes. England, who could be poised to switch to a 3-4-3 formation themselves, must ensure they do not give Xhaka the freedom to pick passes at will.
England have been disappointing up to now, but they are two wins away from a second consecutive European Championship final. Yet although Switzerland are unaccustomed to being in the latter stages of international tournaments, they have the quality to upset England this weekend.
