4-4-2 and no surprises from Switzerland
The Swiss 4-4-2
This is the fourth consecutive major international tournament the Swiss have been at, and yet they still seem something of an unknown quantity. Now managed by double Champions League winner Ottmar Hitzfeld, they won their qualification group and appear to have a talented, settled team.
They find themselves in a qualifying group containing Spain, Chile and Honduras, seeming almost out-of-place both in terms of language, as the only non-Spanish speakers (which is ironic considering Spanish is the one major Western European language the Swiss don’t speak) and in terms of style. Their group opponents all play relatively free-flowing, positive football, whereas the Swiss play a slightly more organised, disciplined game.
They are expected to start with a fairly standard 4-4-2 – which, what with the current European obsession with 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, and the apparent South American trend of three-man defences, seems like a bit of a novelty.
In truth, there is relatively little to say about the system. Hitzfeld is considered something of a master tactician, but if he is to impress this summer in that respect, it will be because of specific instructions before individual games, rather than a grand plan which automatically outfoxes opponents.
The personnel
The back four is what we have come to expect from four-man defences in modern football – the centre-backs stay rigidly in position, the full-backs attack. The right-back, Stephan Lichsteiner, is good on the ball and has bags of energy (he plays as a right-wing back in a 3-5-2 for Lazio), whilst the left-back Ludovic Magnin is generally more defensive, although Reto Ziegler got a run out in a recent friendly – he would offer more of an attacking threat from left-back.
In the midfield, Switzerland play with two relatively deep central midfielders, and leave the attacking to the wingers. In the centre will be two of Benjamin Huggel, Goklan Inler and Gelson Fernandes, with Fernandes favourite for a place on the bench. Huggel is a tall, strong, reliable central midfielder whilst Inler is slightly more all-action, but in general these two will knock passes out to the two wide players.
They are the left-footed Tranquilo Barnetta, and the right-footed Marco Padalino. They will probably start from their ‘correct’ sides and look to get crosses into the box for the strikers, but Barnetta has become accustomed to playing from the right-hand side for Bayer Leverkusen this season and a mid-game switch of the two could be on the cards.
Upfront, Alexander Frei remains the golden boy (no wonder, with a record of 40 goals in 73 internationals) and will be partnered by Eredivisie winner Blaise Nkufo, who plays a valuable Heskey-style role upfront. His place may come under threat from Eren Derdiyok, an equally tall but more mobile 21-year-old, who has impressed in his first season for Leverkusen where he combined well with Barnetta.
Diagonal balls are from defenders to the wingers who push high up the pitch is a frequent method of attack, but this direct route is combined with an ability to keep possession in the centre of the pitch when ahead.
The second game against Chile (which will see a fascinating Hitzfeld v Bielsa contest) will probably decide how far Switzerland go, but if they progress, they will meet a team from Group G, the toughest in the competition. It’s hard to see them progressing past the second round, or making a significant impact upon the tournament, but their formation and style will provide interesting contests against their group rivals.
4-4-2 and no surprises from Switzerland
2nd paragraph:
They find themselves in a qualifying group containing Spain, Switzerland[...]
Time for a fix
I often read here on ZM and i think a lot about this page,
but I have to say that you made some mistake in this article.
But for me it’s OK because the people don’t know the truth about my
national Team
But if you want, i can help you for correction.
(Sorry for my english)
Please enlighten us, I can’t remember the last time I saw the Swiss play but I hear great things about Tranquillo…
Players: Hitzfeld has already named his eleven for the opening match. L. Magnin had a very poor season with Stuttgart and the FC Zürich. He’s only in the squad because of the injury of Frankfurt’s skipper Christoph Spycher. The problems of Magnin are mainly in the defense what meaned that he normally doesn’t fly to South africa. The clear first choice for the left back is Reto Ziegler.
In midfield I can’t find a word about Valon Behrami which has well performed for West Ham if he wasn’t injured. He is preferred to Marco Padalino.
Wingers: Barnetta should be a key player for Switzerland, but in the last 2-3 years he never was on the level which he has shown for Leverkusen. His stronger foot is the right, and he normally plays as an inverted winger on the left flank. In the last Bundesliga season he played sometimes ond the right. (because the german creative player Toni Kroos has become the place on the left wing)
These two guys, especially Barnetta can give the team the creativity, they desperatly needed, because a big part of the goals came from set plays. But the last friendlies doesn’t provide for a good feeling. They wasn’t able to create a lot of chances.
Tactics: Hitzfeld talks in these weeks to go away from the standard 4-4-2. He wants to play in a 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 with Skipper Alex Frei clearly behind N’kufo.
In the friendly against Costa Rica it was clear to see. Barnetta started in the unusual role on the right side, and he was very poor. Padalino started well in that game whilst Behrami was slightly injured and rested on the bench.
Frei struggled in his new role witch see him to drop into midfield and make an impact on the build-up play. Sometimes he was behind the central midfielder because he wanted so many ball contacts as possible. He got bad critiques in the newspaper today, and he confirmed that he was dropping too deep in a TV-interview. With Hakan Yakin, there would be a classic #10 player in the squad which would be a better solution, but Hitzfeld wants him only as a substitute because his fitness isn’t good enough for this level.
Conclusion: So our top-class manager has still a lot to do.
Your manager has come out and named his starting XI for the first match? Why would he do that? Why give away such information? Even if its pretty straightforward who you’re going to play, whats the need to announce it now?
I’m glad you mentioned Behrami and Yakan, I think they’re decent players and had forgot about them.
Whats your hope for the Swiss? Is progressing out of the group a success? I imagine you’ll have a chance against Chile and Honduras (keep in mind Honduras only came in 3rd in the CONCACAF bc we scored a late late goal against Costa Rica)
That’s a good question. Actually, that’s one of quite many little things Hitzfeld has no clue how to handle. Over the past couple of years, it’s become pretty obvious he had never coached a national team before and Hitzfeld has made lots of little mistakes indeed. Actually, I’m convinced a very big part of the teams at this World Cup has better coaching. And, although you won’t find many people (in Switzerland) confirming that, the Swiss side was coached better in the past three tournaments.
Coaching an average national team is obviously very different from coaching a top club. And Hitzfeld has struggled to make the right adjustments. He trusts certain players too much just because they played a couple of good games a year ago. He’s unsure how to weight the recent form or (lack of) match practice of certain players. He can’t estimate players just from seeing them play for their clubs – he needs to work with them to get a good feeling about them, but you obviously come together only every other month and you can’t call up 10 new players every time. And so on. These things, together with the slight drop-off in terms of individual quality, are partly responsible for why this team has no identity at all. It’s an unstructured team with no chemistry.
And that probable switch to a 4-2-3-1 will make it even worse. The players will be even less comfortable in that formation and it doesn’t add to the solidity. And that after all was what made the Swiss team something special at the last World Cup. In case you don’t remember, they didn’t concede a single goal in that tournament, but lost in the round of the last 16 to Ukraine in a shootout. They had an identity back then, had effective and efficient guys up front, three experienced, defensively solid guys in the midfield, three experienced guys at the back, an experienced goalie and simply built a homogenous team.
This time around, they’re a heterogenous group with mostly less experienced guys who don’t understand exactly as well what would give them success. And Hitzfeld is part of the problem and I’d be hugely surprised indeed if they made it past the group stage. Chile are a much better team in my opinion.
Thanks for this.
this team sounds a bit like the usa.
“whilst the left-back Stephane Magnin is generally more defensive”
The correct name of the left-back is Ludovic Magnin and he has a good pace, technique and nice crosses. So, he isnt sooo much more defensive.
sorry for my english, too
Sorry, too many Stephanes! Thanks for the correction.
ZM webmaster, I know you have a high regard for Bielsa. How would you comment on his World Cup 2002 exit? Surely, it wasn’t much to do with team selection, but how could he have done better?
It will be interesting to see Switzerland this WC, but even more in the future, considering that they have been building some very interesting youth teams. I think that the integration of second generation youngsters, born of immigrants (mainly from Turkey, former Yugoslavia and Albania, I think) may give the national side a boost in the future.
By the way, swiss also do not speak one other major west european language: english (unless they learn it in school). On the other hand, they also do not speak portuguese, but portuguese is a big language because of the countries outside Europe. Just a curiosity.
Padalino in front of Behrami? Madness.
Official Languages in Switzerland:
German (63,7 %),
French (20,4 %),
Italian (6,5 %),
Romansh (0,5 %),
By the way, I think they have a good chance to progress the group stage. Even if they haven’t looked good the last times, they have some time now to build a team, and maybe a draw and a win against Chile and Hondras is enough.
Another nice preview of an interesting team.
I personally hope to see analysis of Italy team, but at the moment no one really knows what shape they are going to play. I guess after today’s friendly against Mexico and Saturday’s against the same Switzerland, we will be able to outline tendentions.
Can anyone familiar with the Swiss team shed some light on Xherdan Shaqiri?
Is he going to the WC, and is he in Hitzfelds plans? I hear he is very highly regarded as an attacking left-sided wing-back/winger. One to watch?
The other team in the group is Chile.
How about some kind of Benitez retrospective? I know it might not be your style, but he has offered a lot to the English game in the past 5 years.
HA!!!! – The only thing Benitez has offered the English game in the last five years is showing how NOT to win the Premier League…….He’s gone now, and I’m glad for Liverpool’s fan’s sake that they’ve finally gotten rid of him. People say that his stock his still high in Europe (which is probably quite true), so he should now go back to Europe, because his stock in England is akin to a stock-cube; a cheap imitation of the real thing…..(the real thing in this case being a good Football Manager)…….
“They find themselves in a qualifying group containing Spain, Switzerland and Honduras, seeming almost out-of-place both in terms of language,”
It should say Chile instead of Switzerland… =P
ZM –
First, thanks for the breakdowns. I’m relatively new to watching football, so your tactical analysis with the still pics and charts are very useful in helping me better understand the game.
Quick question — is there any chance of a USA breakdown? I know they’re not an overly exciting side — with Bradley, it seems like they mainly play long-ball and hope for the best against equal or superior sides — but I’d appreciate a more nuanced analysis.
Keith I think he’s planning a rundown on all the countries. The USA one should be interesting, Interested to see what ZM’s take on Clint Dempsey’s role will be- he’s been sporadically amazing for Fulham this season playing from the left in a free-ish role, but looked a bit more limited as a stand in centre forward.
As for Switzerland, Barnetta and Frei (and to a lesser extent Yakin) have come to the last few international tournaments with fairly good reputations, but other than Yakin’s three goals in Euro 2008, the biggest impact they’ve made was as the slightly more negative side in the most negative game I’ve ever seen, the 2006 second round match aginst the Ukraine. Bloody horrible game that.
barnetta is right-footed, isn’t he?
Your blog 4-4-2 and no surprises from Switzerland | Zonal Marking was interesting when I found last Wednesday by accident while searching for robot sweeper online. It’s funny what you could find on the internet sometimes. I’d have to agree on what you have to say, although it may seem like a wrong choice, but nontheless an interesting subject. Enough said, keep up the good work my friend!