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Was that better? Maybe a little?
Gareth Southgate‘s system has been particularly hard to figure out in these early exchanges – whether it is still a four-man backline or three-man wall is anybody’s guess – but a lot of their play has remained uninspiring.
There have been some promising individual displays – Ezri Konsa, Kobbie Mainoo and Bukayo Saka in particular – and the latter two nearly linked up for an opener right at the death, only for Granit Xhaka to put in an amazing sliding block.
As far as Switzerland are concerned, their defensive shape has frustrated England for the most part, but while Yann Sommer is yet to face a shot on target, Murat Yakin‘s side are also yet to make Jordan Pickford work at the other end.
After last night’s goalless affair between Portugal and France, we would not be at all shocked to see another 120 minutes pass without a goal between these two cautious outfits. But who will come up trumps from 12 yards? The English, of course.
HALF-TIME PREDICTION: ENGLAND 0-0 SWITZERLAND (A.E.T, ENGLAND WIN ON PENALTIES)
Pitting their wits against the plucky team to deny them a repeat of the 2021 final, an under-performing England crop fight for the right to become Euro 2024 semi-finalists against Switzerland in Dusseldorf on Saturday evening.
The teams convene at the Merkur Spiel-Arena after Gareth Southgate’s charges survived an enormous scare against Slovakia, while Murat Yakin’s men were far more deserved victors against reigning champions Italy.
Match preview
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While a handful of England fans opted to throw their empty cups in the direction of Southgate after their tepid final Group C draw with Slovenia, others may have had their glasses half full with optimism that knockout football would re-light a fire within the Three Lions’ bellies.
As it turned out, mediocrity was still the theme for the Euro 2020 runners-up in their last-16 battle with Slovakia, who deservedly went ahead through Ivan Schranz‘s third goal of the tournament and repelled futile England attacks for over 90 minutes in Gelsenkirchen.
However, a moment of sheer magic from Jude Bellingham saw the 21-year-old leave Martin Dubravka stranded to the spot with a dazzling bicycle kick, before Harry Kane needed just 52 seconds of extra time to complete a heroic England turnaround, but one that still sparked familiar criticism once the euphoria had settled.
Not one England performance at Euro 2024 has seen the Three Lions run out convincing victors, and they have not won a game in 90 minutes since edging out Serbia on the opening matchweek, but the fact of the matter is that Southgate has now led his nation to four successive major tournament quarter-finals.
With seven victories in knockout matches at the World Cup and European Championships, Southgate’s septet of successes is the more than all other England men’s managers combined since 1966, but such statistics will offer little comfort if football does not come home again.
On a side note, Southgate will achieve a personal honour regardless of the outcome in Dusseldorf, as Saturday’s quarter-final will see the former defender take charge of his 100th game for England, a feat that only Sir Walter Winterbottom (139) and Sir Alf Ramsay (113) have managed previously for the men’s team.
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The Three Lions had already avenged their Euro 2020 heartbreak to Italy during qualifying, but they will not have the opportunity for an even sweeter slice of vengeance against the Azzurri in Dusseldorf, courtesy of Switzerland’s merited beating of the current holders.
After playing provider for Remo Freuler‘s deadlock-breaker, Ruben Vargas turned goalscorer in the first minute of the second half to ensure that a new European champion would be crowned in Berlin on July 14, while also making the Rossocrociati the first team to book their quarter-final spot.
With a statement win over Hungary and applaudable draw with Germany – who only equalised in second-half injury time – under their belts, Yakin’s men have taken on the role of dark horses and now have a second straight quarter-final to look forward to, but they have never been past this stage of any major tournament.
However, as well as England’s limp performances offering the Rossocrociati plenty of optimism, Yakin’s troops have now strung together an eight-game unbeaten streak in all tournaments and have lost just once in 18 since the 2022 World Cup; a 1-0 qualifying reverse to Romania.
Not since a 1981 World Cup qualifier have Switzerland come up trumps over England, though, as the Three Lions have won their last five against the Rossocrociati and are unbeaten in 13 – unlucky for some – and current boss Yakin was part of the Swiss side that went down 3-0 to England in the Euro 2004 group stage.
If the Rossocrociati boss can avenge that defeat two decades on, he will snap a record-breaking run for the Swiss, as no other European nation has played in as many as four major tournament quarter-finals without ever reaching the semis.
England European Championship form:
England form (all competitions):
Switzerland European Championship form:
Switzerland form (all competitions):
Team News
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Insult was added to injury for England centre-back Marc Guehi in the last-16 win over Slovakia, as in addition to hurting his shoulder while fruitlessly trying to stop Schranz from scoring, the Crystal Palace man picked up the yellow card that rules him out of this quarter-final.
With Guehi out of contention and England struggling for attacking inspiration with their 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 setup, Southgate is reportedly considering a change to a three-man defence for Saturday, where Ezri Konsa is the favourite to step in for his banned teammate.
Despite returning to full training before the knockouts began, Luke Shaw is yet to earn any minutes for England at the Euros and should not be thrown back into the first XI after almost five months out, so Kieran Trippier and Bukayo Saka may act as Southgate’s wing-backs.
There were fears that Jude Bellingham could have been banned for the weekend afer a crotch-grabbing celebration in the direction of the Slovakia bench, but he has only been handed a suspended ban and is therefore fine to line up from the off here.
England vs. Switzerland also means Declan Rice vs. Granit Xhaka as a current and former Arsenal midfielder collide, and the latter is thought to be winning his race to be fit for the weekend despite a brief scare over an adductor injury; scans showed that there was nothing seriously wrong with him.
Yakin is therefore expected to have a clean bill of health and faces the best kind of selection predicament on the right, where Silvan Widmer returns from a one-game suspension after Dan Ndoye excelled in his place in the win over Italy.
One solution for Yakin would be to move Ndoye into the front three at the expense of Fabian Rieder and recall Widmer to his usual right wing-back position, where a fascinating battle with Saka could materialise.
Yakin’s only fitness concern relates to attacker Noah Okafor, who is struggling with some discomfort but was never going to start anyway.
England possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Walker, Konsa, Stones; Trippier, Bellingham, Rice, Foden, Saka; Kane, Toney
Switzerland possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Schar, Rodriguez, Akanji; Widmer, Xhaka, Freuler, Aebischer; Ndoye, Vargas; Embolo
We say: England 1-2 Switzerland
Whether a potential formation change has the desired effect remains to be seen, but a slight tinker cannot immediately cure England’s lacklustre attacking play, and many will feel that the Three Lions do not even deserve to be in the quarter-finals in the first place.
In contrast, Switzerland more than merit their place in the last eight and have the defensive nous required to prevent another Bellingham-esque magic moment saving England’s bacon. After much umming and ahing, we have backed Yakin’s well-drilled side to crush England’s dreams and potentially close Southgate’s Three Lions chapter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
