No catching the Swiss napping
SWITZERLAND are determined to stay awake long enough to make Wayne Rooney wait for a record 50th England goal – but he could be in luck once the half- time tea is being brewed.
The players were woken at 6am on Sunday at their team hotel in Basle before fl ying out for the game at Wembley by drug testers insisting on taking samples from eight of the squad, to the fury of their manager Vladimir Petkovic.
Luckily, England’s opponents will not be overly fussed about the need to snatch something from Wembley as closing fixtures against San Marino and Estonia will offer a better opportunity to secure the two points they need to join Roy Hodgson’s side in securing qualification for the European Championship in France next summer.
But they do like to set their stall out, and in the previous seven qualifi ers Switzerland have played, they have only conceded one goal in the first half – right on the stroke of half- time in their last game against Slovenia. England fans may struggle to recognise most of the Swiss side, although midfi elders Val on Behrami and Gokhan Inler should be well known to Watford and Leicester fans.
Undoubtedly the star of the show for the visitors – and one man who could make things a little more uncomfortable for England – is Stoke’s new forward Xherdan Shaqiri.
Switzerland’s tails will be up, having come from 2- 0 down at home to Slovenia on Saturday to snatch the 3- 2 win that puts them on the brink of the finals, with Josip Drmic, who scored twice, and fellow substitute Valentin Stocker, whose goal sealed victory, both hoping to start.
Petkovic said: “We conceded two goals and have to learn from that. Sometimes we were chaotic and undisciplined but we had the mental strength to get back and we won the game.
“There’s room for improvement.
“We played well in attack but weren’t productive enough.
“We can’t make stupid mistakes like that.”