England vs France, World Cup 2022 quarter-final showdown: Techniques, kinds, kind and participant stats | Soccer Information | NEWSRUX

England face France within the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday – however how do the groups’ techniques, kinds, gamers and kind evaluate forward of the blockbuster conflict?

World-stage pedigree and stakes

The winner of England vs France will progress to a semi-final match-up in opposition to Portugal or Morocco with the victor of these 4 groups occurring to face both Brazil, Argentina, Netherlands or Croatia within the World Cup closing on the Lusail Stadium on December 18.

France are the reigning world champions and, in trendy historical past, reached the quarter-finals stage in 2014, misplaced to Italy within the 2006 closing and beat Brazil to win the 1998 match on house soil.

England endured regression in successive World Cups after reaching the final eight on the 2006 match in Germany. After shedding to Germany within the final 16 4 years later, they suffered a humiliating group-stage exit at Brazil in 2014 underneath the stewardship of Roy Hodgson – who stepped apart when his contract expired following upset to Iceland within the spherical of 16 at Euro 2016.

Sam Allardyce took the reins however left the position after merely one recreation in cost following a newspaper sting – with Gareth Southgate taking the helm on a caretaker foundation however assuming the position on a everlasting foundation 4 video games later.

The previous England defender steered them to their first semi-final stage on the World Cup in 28 years however misplaced 2-1 to Croatia, earlier than guiding his aspect to the Euro 2020 closing – performed in 2021 because of the Covid-19 disaster – and shedding the penalty shootout 3-2 in opposition to Italy.

Which group is in higher kind?

England certified for the knockout levels with seven factors after beating Wales 3-0 of their closing group recreation, having drawn 0-0 with the USA and beating Iran 6-2 of their opener.

The Three Lions cruised previous Senegal within the spherical of 16 with a second-successive 3-0 victory after enduring a tough opening half-hour. In complete, Southgate’s aspect have scored 12 targets and conceded solely twice.

France assured their spot within the spherical of 16 after simply two group video games following a 4-1 win over Australia and a 2-1 win in opposition to Denmark. Subsequently, Didier Deschamps made 9 adjustments to his beginning XI for the ultimate group recreation however suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Tunisia.

The world champions comfortably beat Poland 3-1, due to Olivier Giroud and two targets from Kylian Mbappe. In complete, France have scored 9 targets and shipped 4 throughout their 4 video games.

Historic rivalry

On paper, England’s report in opposition to France is spectacular with 17 wins, 9 defeats and solely 5 attracts. Moreover, France have by no means overwhelmed their neighbours at a World Cup.

Nonetheless, that report is basically attributable to historic success, with the French regularly reigning supreme in current head-to-heads since 1992 – a 2-1 win at Euro 2004 and 4 friendlies. England’s most up-to-date success was a 2-0 pleasant win seven years in the past.

What is the type?

Southgate has shocked many by deploying – and sticking – with a 4-3-3 formation of their 4 video games on the match and is but to revert to his favoured three-at-the-back system – however that may change in opposition to the French.

Thus far, England have utilised their array of attacking skills with devastating impact, with all recognised forwards getting on the scoresheet – bar Callum Wilson.

Left-back Luke Shaw has usually pushed greater than his counterpart down the precise channel, supporting a cluster of shut exercise with the left winger and Jude Bellingham, whereas Jordan Henderson has patrolled the right-of-centre area successfully.

France have usually arrange in a 4-2-3-1 system, with Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni holding in midfield.

Olivier Giroud regularly drops deeper, together with his common touches according to Antoine Griezmann – who can be notably deeper than his common position.

The wingers push excessive and extensive, with Mbappe farthest ahead – forward of counterpart Ousmane Dembele.

Assaults analysed

Purpose sources

England have scored a tournament-topping 12 targets – degree with Portugal – whereas France rank third out of the remaining sides with 9 up to now.

Southgate’s aspect have been ruthless in entrance of aim, scoring their haul from simply 21 pictures on course and doubling their expected-goals ratio – whereas no different aspect has scored extra from open play.

France have netted practically half of their targets from crosses and scored a tournament-high three headed targets, boosted by Giroud’s aerial prowess, however England additionally pose appreciable risk from extensive passes – so anticipate exercise down the channels.

Either side are at polar ends of the spectrum when it comes to aim sources: eight England gamers have gotten on the scoresheet up to now, in contrast with simply three for France – underlying the breadth of expertise at Southgate’s disposal in attacking areas.

England have a tendency to fireplace from central areas contained in the opposition field, with the next frequency additionally struck from right-of-centre areas than the left – whereas pictures from vary have usually been fired from left-of-centre areas.

France have way more success in left-of-centre areas contained in the field, each when it comes to targets and accuracy – an space occupied by in-form Mbappe. Nonetheless, Giroud has additionally been medical centrally, in and across the six-yard field.

Deschamps’ aspect are additionally twice as prone to hearth from distance – however are but to attain from outdoors the opposition field from their 19 makes an attempt.

When it comes to the gamers, Mabppe leads the way in which within the race for the Golden Boot on 5 targets. Giroud sits two shy on three, degree with England duo Buyako Saka and Marcus Rashford – with the latter netting his tally from merely 132 minutes on the sphere.

Rashford and Mbappe have doubled their expected-goals determine however that ratio pales significantly in contrast with Saka, whose three targets come from an xG worth of simply 0.58.

Inventive sparks

Each groups have attacked extra down their respective left flanks – four-per-cent greater than the precise channel, to be exact.

Mbppe drives the swing for the French, however England are likely to rotate gamers and positions in that space – which may be influenced by Shaw’s extra superior type, when paired with Kyle Walker.

The graphic under reveals each go resulting in a shot on aim for each groups and emphasises the hazard France pose from crosses – but additionally passes from outdoors the field down the left channel.

England have primarily created possibilities from shorter exchanges, from passes simply outdoors the field into runners contained in the opposition’s penalty space.

Harry Kane has notched three assists from solely 5 possibilities created at this World Cup – surpassing his expected-assist tally fivefold. Phil Foden has additionally come to the fore and created targets with two of his 4 possibilities created.

Along with his aim risk, Mbappe additionally poses a inventive risk for England, teeing up team-mates for pictures on eight events and registering two assists – degree with Dembele and Theo Hernandez.

Nonetheless, Southgate is not going to overlook Griezmann, who, regardless of taking part in deeper and solely having one help to date, has created 15 possibilities and recorded 2.67 anticipated assists – greater than another participant from both group.

Speedsters collide

One of the crucial outstanding debates constructing as much as the quarter-final has been how England will address Mbappe’s pace.

Firstly, how do the groups fare, typically? Effectively, England have clocked 149 extra sprints and 330 extra high-speed runs than their rivals in Qatar.

Nonetheless, the controversy centres round either side’s major speedster: Walker and Mbappe, respectively. When it comes to prime pace registered by each gamers, the France winger has clocked 35.3km/h – one km/h sooner than Walker.

In reality, seven France gamers have surpassed Walker’s quickest burst up to now – however many would argue Walker has but to be totally examined or wanted to use the afterburners in Qatar.

Declan Rice tops the rankings for high-speed runs forward of Tchouameni and team-mates Stones and Bellingham, whereas the latter has registered 249 sprints – which is 50 greater than another participant.

The onerous yards

England have clocked 451km throughout their 4 video games, which is 12.4km greater than France.

Rice has lined probably the most floor, working greater than a marathon distance at 44.3km, forward of Tchouameni, Bellingham, Rabiot, Shaw and Stones – with the latter paid additionally rating prime for many distance lined at strolling pace amongst outfield gamers.

Progress on the ball

Critics have usually accused Southgate of being too defensive throughout his tenure as England supervisor – however the stats under reveal England are taking part in greater up the pitch than another group on the match.

Beginning distance calculates the typical start line the place passing sequences start, measured in metres from a group’s personal goal-line. Primarily based on this, England’s line of defense usually sits 47.3m up the pitch, which is 3m greater than another aspect.

England centre-backs Stones and Harry Maguire paved the way for distance lined with the ball at their ft, with the previous working 1,288m and the latter clocking 996m – whereas each additionally prime the chart for development upfield.

Extra notable are the attacking threats posed by France, with Mbappe and Dembele rating excessive on the checklist for carry distance and progress, with Tchouameni additionally penetrating from midfield.

Younger weapons and clever heads

England now rank because the youngest group on the World Cup with a mean beginning age of underneath 27, however France additionally rank because the third-youngest.

At simply 19-years-old, Bellingham is the one teenager to have clocked minutes, whereas Actual Madrid midfielder Camavinga solely turned 20 final month. Saka, William Saliba (each 21), Foden and Tchouameni (each 22) are the remaining under-22s.

On the different finish of the dimensions, France reserve goalkeeper Steve Mandanda earned a begin within the 1-0 defeat in opposition to Tunisia and is the eldest participant among the many sides at 38, adopted by Giroud and Hugo Lloris (each 36).

Passing analysed

Who will benefit from the lion’s share of possession? The stats recommend England would possibly dominate, narrowly – having loved 64.9 per cent of the ball to date – behind solely Argentina.

Nonetheless, France have registered the next frequency of profitable passes within the closing third and England can even want to stay alert to frequent through-balls behind defensive traces.

You need to use the interactive desk under to discover the similarities and variations between the perimeters in finer element, however the standout factors stay how France are harmful from crosses and countering at pace, whereas England are comfortable to fireplace lengthy passes and have usually constructed from deeper areas.

These numbers translate into the graphic under, which reveals widespread passing combos between gamers for each groups.

Rice has held the fort in England’s central midfield, whereas Shaw has been a key distribution hub down the efficient left flank – with each centre-backs usually feeding the full-backs to push upfield. The ‘to me, to you’, brief exchanges between Maguire and Stones can be clearly visualised.

England can be seeking to nullify Tchouameni – who stands out as the important thing distribution engine within the French midfield.

The graphic under highlights how France have been busier within the closing third, clocking round 100 extra passes simply contained in the opposition half down each flanks and attaining way more exchanges contained in the penalty space.

To elaborate on the above, the desk under underlines Tchouameni’s significance to France – clocking 294 profitable passes up to now, whereas Shaw, Rice and Bellingham stay key parts to England’s passing community.

Southgate can even be seeking to block flighted balls into his penalty space and can look to nullify Griezmann, who has tried a chart-topping 36 passes into the opposition field – which is 11 greater than Mbappe.

Who presses hardest?

A key battleground on Saturday would be the press, however England have out-pressed their upcoming opponents in Qatar to date – profitable extra excessive turnovers, making use of extra pressed sequences and making extra defensive actions.

The chart under reveals what number of passes a group permits their opponent to make earlier than making a ‘defensive motion’ – so a decrease quantity represents a extra rigorous press.

Right here, England reign supreme once more – virtually matching the Netherlands by permitting opponents solely 10 passes earlier than intervening.

Conversely, France common at greater than 16 – solely Morocco have sat again and allowed opponents to play extra.

Smooth spots?

Whereas many England followers revelled within the 6-2 win over Iran, Southgate aired his discontent at conceding two targets from set-pieces. Nonetheless, his aspect have remained watertight ever since – preserving three successive clear sheets.

In distinction, France are but to maintain a clear sheet and have shipped twice as many targets – leaking one in every of their 4 video games to date.

The disparity disappears for anticipated targets in opposition to with each side registering round 3.5 conceded, primarily based on the standard of possibilities in opposition to them.

Because the graphic under reveals, England have restricted opponents to merely 4 pictures on course from contained in the field, whereas France have ceded seven – with two of these scored from the six-yard line.

When it comes to inventive sources, the maps under plot each go resulting in a shot in opposition to the groups and highlights how England are most weak from extra formidable lengthy passes fired from deep down the flanks.

In the meantime, nearly all of possibilities carved in opposition to the French have come from extensive areas, nearer to the byline.

The graphic under elaborates on these factors additional, revealing how England have tournament-topping ranges of solidity – aside from a band simply outdoors their field – an space the place nearly all of passes resulting in possibilities in opposition to them have come from.

France seem far much less strong, with central midfield showing as an space ripe to use, whereas additionally having a band of weak spot simply outdoors their penalty space – an space the place England may gain advantage from profitable excessive turnovers.

Earlier opponents in Qatar haven’t discovered an space of notable weak spot down the flanks up to now, with round 40 per cent of assaults in opposition to the groups coming down each flanks and 20 per cent by the center.

Who’s purple sizzling?

We do not really want numbers to ascertain the in-form participant among the many groups, however we’ll do it anyway.

Utilizing the Sky Sports activities Energy Rankings, which awards factors to gamers for 35 completely different match-day statistics, in line with beginning place, we are able to reveal the apparent: Mbappe is probably the most in-form participant.

With 5 targets from his 4 begins, the 23-year-old has notched 13,262 factors, which is 4,572 greater than runner-up Rashford – equating to 52 per cent higher.

Nonetheless, let’s not overlook Mbappe has performed greater than twice as many minutes as Rashford, which suggests the Manchester United ahead is hotter, per 90 minutes.

A number of England gamers dominate the upper rungs behind the main pair, together with Saka, Maguire and Bellingham.

Favourites to win?

Sky Wager have odds for an England win at 2/1, with a draw after extra-time at 9/4 and a France win at 7/5.

Stats Carry out have been working a reside match predictor and now place France as favourites to progress to the semi-finals at 55 per cent.

Who begins for England?

So, what would your England beginning XI appear to be to face France? Use our interactive selector to choose your group and formation under, screenshot your choices and share on Twitter @SkyFootball.