Prediction: Switzerland vs England

September 7th 2010

Switzerland play host to England at the start of their Euro 2012 campaign and Otmar Hitzfeld’s side have got to show a very good performance if they are to get anything from this game. The Three Lions hammered Bulgaria at Wembley and the new found confidence will keep them in good stead before this mouthwatering tie.

After qualifying for the World Cup from the first place in their group, Switzerland failed to impress in South Africa despite the opening win over Spain and they deservedly returned home after the group stage. The lucky win over La Furia Roja couldn’t change the fact that the Swiss are still not capable of matching the best teams in the world and that Otmar Hitzfeld doesn’t have much to work with. Most of the players he’s got on his disposal come from domestic league and with that in mind, their sole qualification for the World Cup looks like a success. The experienced tactician that he is, Hitzfeld is set to deploy similar tactic to the one he used for the Spain game, with the Swiss looking to keep things tight at the back and waiting for their chance on the break through Frei and Derdiyok.

The Three Lions got off to a perfect start having beaten Bulgaria 4:0 at Wembley and that performance will certainly give them something to build on, while one of the big positives was getting the fans behind the team all over again. Jermain Defoe’s hat-trick hinted that maybe Capello has finally found a good striking partner for Rooney, with the Manchester United forward also on top of his game against Bulgaria. Rooney’s personal problems have, however, appeared in the worst possible time but he is still set to start in Switzerland with England fans obviously hoping off the field matters will not affect his performance in this very important clash. Michael Dawson’s injury created further problems for Capello but young Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka are expected to do the job nevertheless. The impressive win over Bulgaria has helped the players restore some of the lost confidence and another victory would set them back on the right track.

Conclusion

The Swiss failed to prove they were fit to play at the biggest stage and while Otmar Hitzfeld is clearly the strongest link in the squad, he cannot do much on his own. The resounding win over Bulgaria should have a positive effect on the players and Rooney’s personal problems should only strengthen the bind between them. All things considered, the Three Lions are more than capable of taking three points from Switzerland.

Verdict: Away win England (2)

Best Odds: 10/11

Bookmaker: Paddy Power