As the Tartan Army shuffled around screens in various German squares on Saturday afternoon the optimism Germany had shattered hours before took another dunt.
Because watching Switzerland 3-1 Hungary did not improve hopes of progression. There was anticipation that Marco Rossi’s Hungarian side could provide a tough task in Group A but Switzerland, weren’t they supposed to be a side on a downward curve with a disgruntled fanbase? Apparently not.
Manager Murat Yakin has faced criticism since the last World Cup and key members of the team synonymous with the perenially-qualified Swiss side, such as Xherdan Shaquiri, are past their peak. Much of the pre-tournament punditry focused on a lack of options in the front line given Breel Embolo’s injury issues over the last season. Fittingly his replacement, Kwadwo Duah, looked every bit at home as the Ludogrets forward opened the scoring before Embolo joined the action with a dinked finish himself from the bench.
Should we be that surprised at a nation who’ve made it out of the group stage on each of their last five attempts in major tournaments? While Scotland don’t need to win to keep their hopes of achieving that same feat for the first time this summer, they cannot afford to lose. The scoreline and manner of a 5-1 reverse in Munich means that even sneaking through in third place would be unlikely at best should the Swiss turn over Steve Clarke’s men as they did Hungary.
Refreshed with new names and revitalised by new ideas, a visibly pleased Yaskin was asked by Swiss media in his post-match press conference on Saturday if his side's win felt like “a victory by the coach”. The fact that colleague Rossi openly admitted “we expected Switzerland to be different” reveals what the question implies. This was three points built on the back of clever planning.
Switzerland’s set-up provided another interesting tactical template in a contrasting group. Hungary boss Rossi, for example, has spoken of playing in a more “relational” brand of football, telling national media before the tournament: “We are playing a kind of football that is less positional and more relational, and Dominik [Szoboszlai] is a player, together with others, who is free to go where he feels he can go… and this gives him more responsibility.”
The concept, without becoming too abstract, between positional and relational football is in the name. Does a manager decide the positions of the players (you are a winger who must remain wide whenever we have the ball regardless of cirumstance) or affords them freedom to play based on relationship (you are a winger who can remain wide or move towards the ball depending on how you see fit). Do you move to get on the ball or wait for the ball to reach you?
READ MORE: How Scotland can reignite Euro dream: Gilmour, a pressing plan and patience
We’ll cover Hungary’s unique approach in the lead-up to Sunday’s game. Not dissimilarly to two other managers in Group A, Clarke and Julian Nagelsmann, Rossi has built a system around players rather than shoehorning players into a system. Scotland saw first-hand the effectiveness of the German approach stationed around the strengths of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz in Munich, both afforded freedom to play the game as they see fit. Clarke's own set-up is weighted towards possessing two world-class left-backs and depth in midfield.
Swiss boss Yakin has been criticised in contrast for his attempts to be too methodical and fit players into his ideas. And yet tournament football is often dominated by organisation and structure as the opening game demonstrated.
Yakin pulled a rabbit out of the hat early on in Cologne with the configuration of his team in two ways. Dan Ndoye, a 23-year-old winger who thrived in Serie A with Bologna last season, started up top in line with Duah rather than at left-wing back in a 3-4-1-2 shape. Meanwhile, Michel Aebischer began the game from the left despite being a midfielder by trade before changing positions with Ruben Vargas, moving from attacking midfield to the left side, when play reached the opposition half. These planned rotations from the dugout confused the free-wheeling Hungarians who could never really press Switzerland as a result and gain control. The half-time break allowed time to recover and reset leading to an improved second-half showing but by that point, the Swiss were already two goals to the good and happy to protect a lead.
Much like the Scots against Germany, it was a world-class deep-lying midfielder afforded space and time to dictate the game that truly spelled danger. Granit Xhaka and centre-back Manuel Akanji have learned the ins and outs of possession football from Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Pep Guardiola. Shock horror, they’re quite good at it. And should Clarke’s side not recover their resolve before heading to Cologne they’ll again struggle to establish a foothold.
Yakin’s plan worked perfectly on Saturday. The rotations on the left side and the skill of Xhaka and Akanji in the build-up made it so difficult for Hungary to press or gain any control off the ball. Meanwhile, the presence of pace in the last line in Duah and Ndoye continually stretched the game and kept Hungary’s back five pinned. All of these themes worked together for the opening goal.
As Xhaka dictates play at the base of midfield and finds Akanji, look at the Swiss structure. They have Hungary pinned back and the width they’re playing with is stretching the defence to create central gaps.
Two things are important from here, the technical and tactical details. Ajanki doesn’t require a defensive midfielder to play the next pass for him, striding forward to find Remo Freuler through the lines with a perfectly weighted ball to his back foot. Look at the last line occupation the Swiss have from here, having stretched out Hungary side to side they can now break in behind at the perfect moment.
Watching the goal in real time depicts the details discussed. Clever tactical ploys afforded the Swiss ability to push Hungary back before stretching out the back five when accessing the final third to play in the gaps ahead and behind.
You can see the structure even clearer in the two frames below.
Scotland must remember what they’re good at to progress out of the group, starting with a result against the Swiss. That means competing in midfield and keeping the ball for a sufficient amount of time, allowing Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney to reach the attacking third.
Switzerland are a good side, better than most anticipated. With the ability to control possession, clever tactical details and real quality at the base of their team. But so are Scotland if they play like we know they can. The question is, which version will turn up?
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