England 1 Switzerland 1: Euro 2024 tactical analysis

England will contest a European Championship semi final on foreign soil for the first time since 1968 after sneaking past a gritty Switzerland on penalties in Düsseldorf. Trent Alexander-Arnold struck the winning penalty to complete a perfect set of five from the spot for Gareth Southgate’s team, with Jordan Pickford’s save from Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji proving the difference between the sides.

It proved another great escape from England. Despite an improved display from their dismal showing against Slovakia in the last 16, they again struggled to create any meaningful chances. Breel Embolo put the Swiss in position to claim a famous win after 75 minutes, but the impressive Bukayo Saka hit a superb equaliser five minutes later. The Arsenal attacker subsequently purged the memories of his missed penalty against Italy in the Euro 2020 final shootout, joining Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Ivan Toney and Alexander-Arnold in sending England into a semi final against the Netherlands, who beat Turkey to complete the last four.

Below, our UEFA-licensed coaches highlight the key tactical points from a tense quarter-final clash…

How the managers saw it

“It’s the best we’ve played,” said Southgate afterwards. “We caused them a lot of problems with the ball. They’re a really good side. They’re hard to press, they’re hard to defend against, their movement’s good. To come from behind again, and show the character and the resilience that we did – and we talked to the players about that. Winning tournaments isn’t just about playing well. I thought we did play well today, but it’s not just about that. You’ve got to show all those other attributes as well.

“We’ve refined the [penalty] process a little bit, but it’s the players who have to show that calmness out there. There were so many stories: Cole taking the first at his age; Bukayo; we almost dismiss Jude because we now expect it; Ivan, knowing we brought him for that; and Trent, sticking with the task. He could easily have thought his tournament was done, but I kept talking to him, saying he is going to have his moment.”

Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin was quick to praise a devastated Akanji. “You give responsibility to your players, and you can’t be angry at them afterwards – players who played a fantastic tournament, especially Manu,” he said. “What can you say to him? Well, there’s not many words of solace. I said thank you to him for his performance, and also how he led the team, how he performed. This was really on the highest level.

“It hurts a lot when you make so many efforts, when you see the chances that we had. I’m very sad for the lads and also for the nation that after such a performance, we have to leave the tournament.”

Overloading one side in attack

England operated with a 3-4-2-1 shape in possession, with Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham both operating as number 10s behind Harry Kane. The pair switched sides, however, with Foden starting to the right and Bellingham to the left. Both thus looked to dribble inside on their stronger sides, to combine with the advancing Kobbie Mainoo or Kane. Kieran Trippier and Bukayo Saka held the width, but both naturally looked to come inside into Swiss traffic. England were limited in their wide attacks as a result, although Saka was by some distance the team’s best and most direct attacking threat. He consistently got beyond Switzerland left wing-back Michel Aebischer (below), as England looked to then overload this side of the pitch in support.

Switzerland also used a back three in possession, and also looked to create overloads on one side of their attack. Aebischer narrowed from wing-back to support left inside-channel combinations within the fluid front three of Breel Embolo, Ruben Vargas and Fabian Rieder (below). This created space for left-sided centre-back Ricardo Rodríguez to overlap and provide crosses, with Granit Xhaka dropping out to provide cover on this side. On the opposite flank, Dan Ndoye held the width.

The England press against the Switzerland build

With England pressing very high from the start, centre-forward Embolo looked to work away from John Stones and drop short towards the ball. In these situations, Remo Freuler made an opposite run to Xhaka from the double pivot, dragging Declan Rice away from the area in which Embolo received (below). Vargas made quick movements inside to draw Kyle Walker with him, creating room for Aebischer to advance. Subsequent switches from right to left proved effective in beating the England press, especially as their forwards went man for man on the Swiss back line.

When Stones chose to stay tight to Embolo and engage in duels, however, the Swiss struggled to progress. Rice and Mainoo offered zonal screening in front of Embolo, and back-pressed very well to regain possession. From here, they could release England’s front four higher and earlier, looking for instant penetrative runs between and in behind Switzerland’s expansive back three (below).

Changes shifting momentum

Switzerland head coach Yakin was the first to make changes, which instantly shifted the momentum in his team’s favour. Ndoye moved into one of the number 10 roles, alongside the newly arrived Steven Zuber (below), but they still looked to left-side overloads. Aebischer and Rodríguez rotated more on this flank, working better crosses, while right-sided centre-back Fabian Schär also started to creep higher. Ndoye’s movement became a real issue for England between the lines; it was from his cross that Embolo evaded Walker to put Switzerland ahead.

Southgate responded immediately. Substitute Cole Palmer and Foden played in the inside channels, with Bellingham pushed higher to support Kane. Rice became a single pivot, with Saka and Eberechi Eze now holding the width on the flanks. With Luke Shaw finally introduced to the action on the left of a back three, Stones was in effect England’s only recognised centre-back.

By contrast, the Swiss dropped into an immediate low block after taking the lead. This allowed Shaw in particular to advance out of the back line during sustained England possession (above), much as both Rodríguez and Schär had done for their opponents. It fell to a superb solo effort from Saka to level the match, however, and extra-time failed to separate the teams. Thankfully for England and Southgate, all five of their penalties were struck with a quality and confidence that has been missing from much of their play for much of the tournament. The Netherlands await in the last four.

To learn more from professional coaches at The Coaches’ Voice, visit CV Academy