Manzambi and Aebischer are the winners of the tests

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The winners

They are easy to find: Johan Manzambi and Michel Aebischer, who were not always set in the qualifiers, were in the starting line-up in both tests. Manzambi was allowed to play in the center, the position he knows from his club. The 20-year-old showed that he has strong qualities with his physicality and his drive on goal. Against Jordan in particular, the SC Freiburg player was to be found all over the pitch.

Michel Aebischer played twice in the side, although he looked a little more assured against Jordan when he took on the more defensive role. The player from Serie A relegated Pisa can shine particularly when he moves from the outside into the middle and thus creates an overpayment situation. He is valuable as a preparer, but when it comes to setting the pace himself down the flanks, others seem more suitable.

Dan Ndoye is also among the winners, as he is better able to showcase his qualities in the national team than at club level. Ndoye seems a certainty to play at the World Cup. The only question is whether he will play the more defensive role, as he did against Jordan, or the more offensive one, as he did against Australia. In view of his goal rate, there is a lot to be said for the latter.

The losers

These include those who were slowed down by injuries. First and foremost Fabian Rieder, who was still the first choice for the position behind the forward line during qualifying and the tests in March. Now he missed the first test match due to a knock on his ankle and was substituted for the second. With Manzambi, he has a strong competitor in the center. However, if Yakin plays with three central defenders, Rieder could also be deployed as a full-back.

Ruben Vargas was also unable to make much of an impact. He was one of the more inconspicuous players against Jordan and missed the game against Australia with a knock. It would have been Noah Okafor's chance to force his way into a bigger role in the national team. However, he too was struggling with an injury picked up at the club and only made a brief appearance. Yakin is therefore likely to continue to rely on Vargas for the time being.

Breel Embolo's problems with his ESTA entry permit have meant that he has been delayed in arriving at the camp in San Diego and now has less time to settle in. Nevertheless, he need have no fear, his place in the center of the attack is undisputed.

The system question

In the last two tournaments, Yakin had decided on a system in advance, and he stuck to it for the most part. At the World Cup in Qatar it was a back four, at the European Championship in Germany he opted for three central defenders. Now, as in March, he has played once in a 3-4-3 and once in a 4-2-3-1. The national team coach also repeatedly emphasized how important variability is to him.

With the back three, the Swiss often look a little more unpredictable. This was particularly noticeable against Jordan on the right flank, where Denis Zakaria was also repeatedly involved up front. The main danger lies in losing order. As a result, the Jordanians, who were limited offensively, managed to take advantage of Swiss positional errors on several occasions.

With the back four in defense, the national team generally looks more stable, although the Australians also managed to overcome the Swiss with just one high pass. Nevertheless, it was the formation that Yakin relied on almost throughout the qualifiers. The team is correspondingly well-rehearsed. However, the attacking approach is often less dynamic. Against Australia, the players were at times accused of playing static football.

It remains to be seen whether Yakin will opt for a tournament system this time. The coach has hinted several times that he will adapt the system to the respective opponent.