Euro 2016 qualifiers: England will bounce back, says Wilshere

Midfielder puts faith in youngsters to silence critics ahead of Swiss clash.

LONDON: England kick-off their 2016 European Championship qualifying campaign on Monday with a perilous away game against chief Group E rivals Switzerland.

The Three Lions returned to action after their dismal group-phase exit at the World Cup with a lacklustre 1-0 friendly win over Norway.

While midfielder Jack Wilshere accepts that recent performances have not lived up to the expectations, he believes that the young team has the potential for a positive display against Vladimir Petkovic’s Switzerland.

“Going over to Switzerland is a tough game, but we know if we put in the performance and get the result, the fans are going to come back on our side,” said the Arsenal midfielder.

“There were just a few individual errors and a few lapses in concentration [in the Norway game], but I have full faith on the team to bounce back.”

However, injuries to 14 senior players, coupled with the retirements of captain Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, means that coach Roy Hodgson’s resources are thin on the ground.

Switzerland on the other hand has had a better record than England, as it lost in the last 16 round of the World Cup to eventual finalists Argentina after a last-gasp extra-time goal by Angel di Maria, and is currently ranked ninth in the world, 11 places above England.

Injury-stricken Spain eye attacking options

Spain’s bid to improve on the disastrous defence of the World Cup gets under way in the modest surroundings of Levante against Macedonia on Monday.

A series of injuries to key players hampered coach Vicente del Bosque search to rejuvenate the side and compete for a third consecutive European Championship triumph.

Chelsea’s Diego Costa pulled out of the squad on Thursday after damaging his hamstring in the 1-0 friendly defeat by France on Wednesday, leaving Valencia’s Paco Alcacer as the only recognised striker in the squad.

The absence of the injured Andres Iniesta, added to the international retirements of midfield maestros, Xavi Hernandez and Xabi Alonso, significantly affects La Roja’s ability to play the tiki-taka style of football that brought them unprecedented success in three consecutive international tournaments.

However, Manchester City’s midfielder David Silva insists that that style should remain despite an overhaul in personal.

“There are a lot of new people and we need to link up all the new pieces,” said Silva. “There are many of us who are used to this [tiki-taka style] and I think we need to continue with it.”

Given the lack of attacking options, Fabregas is expected to return to the false number nine position he has played regularly over the past few years for Spain, despite starring in central midfield for new club Chelsea so far this season.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2014.

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