Euro 2012 qualifier preview: Switzerland v England
“Just when you think you’re out... they drag you back in.”
While the stereotypical comparisons between The Godfather and Fabio Capello are obvious, England’s Italian manager could have been forgiven for repeating Michael Corleone’s classic line when he picked up his Sunday newspapers.
The allegations surrounding Wayne Rooney’s private life are dominating this fixture, and Capello, who overcame the John Terry affair to emerge looking a stronger and better leader – until the World Cup at any rate – now has to deal with the fallout surrounding another of his star players.
It had looked so promising.
Rooney was involved in every one of England’s four goals as Bulgaria were brushed aside – albeit with a flattering scoreline – at Wembley on Friday night.
He may not have scored – and still hasn’t from open play for club and country since March, failing to hit the net for England for a year – but Rooney played his part as England made the ideal start to their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign. The post-World Cup hangover may not have completely subsided yet – who knows what would have happened had Joe Hart not saved well from Stanislav Angelov shortly after the hour mark – but the signs were good.
Now though, the Rooney allegations – and they are still just allegations – have threatened to cast a shadow over Capello’s continuing attempts to pick up the pieces following South Africa in the summer, but this game was always going to be a tough task for England anyway, even if the manager’s Sunday newspaper contained nothing more than his horoscope and the crossword.
Switzerland beat the world champions in the summer.
Spain were forced to become the first team to win the World Cup having lost their opening match at the finals after Gelson Fernandes struck the solitary goal in Durban. And while the victory didn’t provide the platform for Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side to build upon and qualify for the second round, they still only conceded one goal in South Africa, demonstrating that they are a solid side who might not be big on flair, but who will provide a stern test for whomever they come up against. However, they have been weakened by the news that highly-rated goalkeeper Diego Benaglio will miss this clash as he – somewhat ironically given what has dominated the pre-match build-up – is away on paternity leave.
The Swiss recovered from an embarrassing early loss to Luxembourg to qualify for the World Cup by finishing top of their group, and have demonstrated strong enough home form to make Capello sweat ahead of this, surely England’s toughest test of the group – aside perhaps from playing in front of a hostile Cardiff crowd next March.
That can wait, but while a draw for England at St Jakob Park in Basel wouldn’t be a bad result ahead of easier tasks ahead, perhaps a win is vital in the wake of the Rooney saga.
Such was the disappointment of the World Cup, people must be wary of heralding a 4-0 win over a poor Bulgaria as the dawning of a bright new era, and rightly so.
Jermain Defoe’s hat-trick may have provided the Wembley crowd with some Friday night entertainment, but his three goals –plus one for Adam Johnson – still provided only three points. It laid the foundations for what should be a successful qualifying campaign, but only that.
Michael Dawson misses out here with the knee injury he sustained against Bulgaria, and will be replaced by one of Gary Cahill, Matthew Upson and Joleon Lescott, with the Bolton man the apparent favourite. Johnson could come in for Theo Walcott, while Rooney will start.
The forward will be facing tough questions in the days and weeks to come, but it is the questions asked of Capello’s team tonight that are of the most importance – for now.
Fail to come up with the answers, and Capello and his players – all of them, not just one – could be back in the doghouse that they inhabited in the summer.
Prediction: Switzerland 1 England 1
Mark Jones
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