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You lucky French! ;)

June 14th, 2006 | By: Adrian Wagner | 11 Comments »

They escaped us again!

Barthez somehow prevailing over Gygax

Yeah, I know, the non-involved football fan probably didn’t enjoy France - Switzerland that much. But if you watched closely, then you’ll have to admit that both teams have an excellent understanding of covering the pitch and therewith preventing passes or being able to intercept it. This makes it very hard to create chances - and saves energy copared with playing with pressing. I believe that any team will have a very hard time scoring against either France or Switzerland. And while playing other style teams, both teams will be able to create more chances. What we saw yesterday was defensive European football par excellence.

As a Swiss, you have to be disappointed with the missed opportunities. If you play such a defensive strategy, you’ll have to score from the few chances you get. Frei and later especially Gygax have to score. Another negative point in the Swiss game were the many unecessary yellow cards (although: can somebody please explain to me why Degen was booked? That didn’t make much sense to me.) - and the attempted ‘hand of god’ by Frei (not because I oppose it on ethics, but because he actually destroyed a good scoring chance with it). Oh and then, our big fear came true: Zubi hasn’t straightened out his game for the WC.
On a positive note, I’d say that the defense was very good and if you can control (more or less) the likes of Zidane and Henry, you should fare well with almost anybody else.

Yes, our chances are well intact. Now we have to focus on the Togo game and actually support France against Korea. It’s all going with Kuhn’s Grand Master Plan.

Tags: France, Switzerland

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Comments

By Ryan | June 14th, 2006 at 5:30 am

I’m not sure you want to root for France. The best route for the Swiss to win the group is a tie in the Korea/France match and 2 wins by the Swiss.

It would be a shame to get 7 points but take 2nd to France on goal differential.

Posted from United States

By elAdi | June 14th, 2006 at 5:36 am

Ryan, yeah, that’s the other possibility. I was rather thinking of making sure a draw will be enough in the last game against Korea. But yeah, you’re definitely right about one thing: we should try to top the group, as Spain looms on the other end. They are our nemesis. We’ve never beaten them. EVER. All friendlies included.

Posted from Australia

By blerim | June 15th, 2006 at 12:31 pm

schweiz wird weltmeister sie haben eine gute trainer köbi kuhn

Posted from Switzerland

By cailler | June 15th, 2006 at 1:59 pm

frei sucks !!!
this guy is horrible on the field
put that guy on the bench and u’ll do better
i promise

Posted from Poland

By ced9 | June 15th, 2006 at 11:44 pm

how can you say alex frei sucks?? when the polish team hasnt even won a game and are now out of the competition! frei is probably better than any of the strikers sitting on that bench. funny enough a swiss man put the pols out ;o)

By elAdi | June 16th, 2006 at 3:09 am

Frei is a very strange player. He actually described it best himself:

I’m not strong, I’m not fast, but sometimes I score goals.

He’s a very determined player who works hard for every goal he scores (including spitting and using his hands, hehehe). He’s not fancy, nope - but he has got a good games/goal ratio. And don’t forget, he was top scorer of the French Ligue 1 three years ago and second two years ago (while being injured half the season!). He must have something going for him.

ced9. Yeah, I agree, we don’t have much choice up front - would have been good to have Vonlanthen AND Yakin at the Cup.

Posted from Australia

By fdkfjdf | June 16th, 2006 at 8:19 pm

djsdkjskdjsdksd

Posted from United States

By ced9 | June 17th, 2006 at 3:52 pm

you are right eladi he is definitely not big headed about himself, but to be the top scorer in the french league with people like pauleta who are goal machines, he is someone i would want on my team. there is no doubt that vonlanthen would support him well has he has the pace and yakin would provide that little bit of imagination in the midfield but we shall see 2 wins is what we need!

By hantadlri | June 18th, 2006 at 9:09 pm

esyggejofy jwivzzxea ccsztyrcc

Posted from Poland

By Alessandro | June 19th, 2006 at 11:21 am

Swiss crushes Togo & Korea.

France beats Togo

France & Swiss qualify

End of the story

By rawky | July 21st, 2006 at 1:54 pm

switzerland is even better than Poland. Poland dind’t even get into the top 16. I like Pascal best and Frei. wierd…I don’t see alot of swiss supporters in taiwan. i’l be lookin forward for switzerland to win the Euro 2008. GOGO switzerland!

Posted from Taiwan