Euro 2012: England vs. Switzerland - Match Preview: Can Capello Depend on Wayne Rooney Again?
Coach Fabio Capello has successfully launched England’s qualification campaign for the Euro 2012. The first match was played against Bulgaria, and England won the match convincingly by a 4-0 margin. Jermain Defoe scored three goals for England, and Wayne Rooney also looked in great form for England after a really long time.
Switzerland, on the other hand, would be playing in their first qualification fixture. They currently sit on the third position in their table, behind England and Montenegro, who have won their opening matches against Bulgaria and Wales, respectively.
This match would be very important for Capello, who is desperately looking for some results that can improve his status with the English press. Despite a convincing victory against Bulgaria, it was generally reported that Capello made changes to his side after the criticism thrown towards him. However, Capello and his close aides denied any influence by the critics, while they still remain wary of them.
The biggest problem faced by Capello would be the issues troubling Wayne Rooney off the field. It will be important for him to make sure that his player feels no pressure whatsoever, taking his mind out of the troubles and focusing solely on the match. Capello has already decided to play Rooney in the match, which means that he is working hard with his player. This also means that Rooney has assured his manager that he will be in top form. Therefore, Capello seems confident in his player, who would definitely be a key in deciding the match against Switzerland.
The Swiss would be led by Ottmar Hitzfeld, who also coached the team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. By comparison, Hitzfeld has proven himself to be a better coach than his counterpart, as he has won two Champions League titles against Capello’s one. Also, the Swiss coach won these titles with two different clubs, which makes him a better tactician and a better planner of the game. In addition, he seems to have been successful with the Swiss team, who have qualified in all their tournaments played under Hitzfeld. Unlike Capello, Hitzfeld probably has less quality players at his disposal, but the manager takes the best out of all his players. Capello, on the other hand, has often been blamed for messing things up at the tactical side of the game.
Switzerland played in the 2010 World Cup, but were unable to move past their group stages. However, they were the only team who won their match against Spain, who eventually became the World Champions. This success is greatly credited to Hitzfeld, who genuinely outdid his opponents on the basis of better planning. However, his team failed ultimately, because they really lacked quality to challenge the top teams.
The match between both teams would be played on Tuesday, and needless to say, it would be a real test for Capello. In order to pass this test, Capello would rely heavily on Wayne Rooney. The English forward has had a very rough patch since his injury towards the end of the previous season, with Manchester United. However, in the match against Bulgaria, Rooney seemed to regain his form. Although he did not come up with any goals, he was able to make some assists to Jermain Defoe, who eventually came up with a hat-trick. This time, he might be able to do a little better, and it is quite possible that he would score the winning goal for England.
The problems for England lie in their defence. In the absence of Rio Ferdinand and Michael Dawson, Gary Cahill would get another chance to strengthen his position in the English squad. The real threat would come from Eren Derdiyok and Gelson Fernandes, the two real attacking threats in the Swiss side. Though Cahill did well against Bulgaria, this would be the real test of his skills and qualities.
The match is very important for Capello, who has nothing on his mind right now except proving his critics wrong. His victory against Bulgaria did nothing to improve his standing in the press, but this victory would bring him far better results. However, Hitzfeld would be preparing hard for this match, and he would not make it easy for England to snatch a victory on his home-soil.
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