1 day ago
The emergence of Murat Yakin's squad arsenic 1 of nan astonishment packages successful this tourney has been a move performed pinch emblematic Swiss understatement.
They are clear and precise, beautifully balanced pinch each parts moving together. They've fixed hosts Germany a fright and sent defending champions Italy packing.
Next up is England successful Dusseldorf and Switzerland move connected pinch confidence, if small fanfare.
Murat Yakin's Switzerland dishonesty successful hold for England successful nan quarter-finals of Euro 2024
Switzerland are beautifully balanced pinch each parts of nan squad moving together
Champion spine
The Swiss person winners. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer won nan Italian title pinch Inter Milan this year. Central defender Manuel Akanji won nan Premier League pinch Manchester City. Granit Xhaka did nan German double pinch Bayer Leverkusen. These are mature footballers.
They person acquisition successful unit moments and are fresh to return work and make decisions connected nan pitch. All accustomed to nan demands of modern coaching. When to property high, raise nan tempo, erstwhile to drop, sorb pressure, protect a lead and play connected nan counter-attack. Perfectly illustrated by nan 2 elements of nan triumph against Italy, dominating nan first hr and conceding possession for nan past half-hour.
Switzerland person winners successful their ranks, including Manchester City's Manuel Akanji
Solid base
Either broadside of Akanji are knowledgeable defenders Fabian Schar and Ricardo Rodriguez. They person much than 200 caps betwixt them. They tin beryllium prone to errors successful defence but are mobile, speedy to screen and tin of stepping into midfield pinch nan ball.
Rodriguez is simply a erstwhile afloat backmost who will occasionally outpouring retired connected nan overlap. Teams will look to target him successful nan air. Niclas Fullkrug was much successful for Germany successful that respect than Gianluca Scamacca was for Italy. Schar, arsenic Newcastle fans will know, is simply a threat from set-pieces.
Experienced defenders Fabian Schar and Ricardo Rodriguez are hugely important
Swiss Bolognese
Scattered done nan squad are 3 players from Bologna, nan tactical revelation of Serie A this season, coached successful a possession-led style by Thiago Motta and assembled by Giovanni Sartori, designer of nan Atalanta revolution.
The constituent present is Michel Aebischer, Remo Freuler and Dan Ndoye are perfectly comfortable pinch nan ball. They will judge it and move it confidently successful tight areas. They are fluid successful position of formation, ever adapting to a shifting game. This was evident successful nan first half against Italy. Against Germany, they were happy to concede nan ball, spot their defence and deed them connected nan break.
Fluid formations
With regular correct wing-back Silvan Widmer banned for nan crippled against Italy, Yakin moved Ndoye into that domiciled contempt nan truth he had excelled arsenic 1 of nan 2 attacking players deployed successful support of centre guardant Breel Embolo successful nan erstwhile crippled against Germany.
Ndoye's earthy gait and moving expertise was offset by Fabian Rieder, nominally nan right-sided attacker but much often recovered successful nan centre. Out of possession, Rieder's task was to disturb Italy's heavy playmaker Nicolo Fagioli. This opened nan correct flank for Ndoye to onslaught Matteo Darmian connected nan turnover. On nan left, speedy and nimble Ruben Vargas would clasp his position wide pinch Aebischer, a right-footed near wing-back pinch an oculus for a walk drifted inside, producing an overload successful midfield and threading passes done nan lines.
Dan Ndoye's versatility is an illustration of really Switzerland tin beryllium fluid successful their approach
Xhaka Can
Xhaka conducts nan bulk of this from cardinal midfield and is playing pinch ultimate confidence. Who tin blasted him? In a twelvemonth since leaving Arsenal, he has mislaid conscionable 2 games for nine and country. At Euro 2024, he has played each infinitesimal of Switzerland's 4 games and only mislaid nan shot once. It is arsenic if he has recovered football's cheat code. In fact, arsenic astatine Leverkusen, he is nan leader of a broadside that knows what it is trying to do and trusts nan system.
Former Arsenal subordinate Granit Xhaka is playing pinch utmost assurance successful midfield
United front
Switzerland's backroom unit produced a movie up of nan Italy crippled thanking nan players for nan emotions they had been capable to stock together. After nan victory, Yakin told his players to return nan tribute and nutrient a movie thanking nan unit for each they do. 'There's a awesome union,' said nan 49-year-old caput coach.
Goal threat
Embolo leads nan statement willingly. He is strong, beingness and useful difficult but cannot declare to beryllium objective successful beforehand of goal. The Swiss problem done improving years nether Vladimir Petkovic was ever turning nan organisation and manufacture into goals.
In this campaign, though, Yakin's squad person been better. They scored 22 successful 10 qualifiers pinch six by Burnley's Zeki Amdouni, and 7 successful 4 games successful this tournament, done 7 different players. That said, Scotland disappointment them successful a 1-1 draw, nan Swiss extremity a dream onslaught by Xherdan Shaqiri.
Breel Embolo leads nan statement willingly but he cannot declare to beryllium objective successful beforehand of goal
Luck connected their side?
'We achieved these results pinch blood, sweat and tears and not bully luck,' said Yakin aft beating Italy but he mightiness bespeak that nan gut-wrenching Fullkrug equaliser they conceded successful stoppage clip has kept Switzerland connected nan gentler broadside of nan draw, fuelling hopes they tin spell beyond nan past eight.
