Elimination round inquiries: How do Belgium counter France's front three? Britain speed or Croatia ownership?

The World Cup has achieved the elimination round stage and it's an all-European issue, with France confronting Belgium on Tuesday, trailed by Croatia versus Britain the next day.

In front of the last four, here is one key inquiry that each group must answer.

France: Can Giroud tee up Griezmann and Mbappe?

France have achieved the elimination rounds by conquering conventional resistance in Argentina and Uruguay, yet regardless it feels like they have not so much clicked. Kylian Mbappe has created one shocking execution against Argentina - maybe the best individual show of the whole rivalry - while Antoine Griezmann has given definitive minutes without truly playing great. Do les Bleus have an additional rigging?

Mbappe and Griezmann are plainly their most hazardous assailants, however maybe the key man is Olivier Giroud. Playing forthright and, as ever, with his back to objective, he is basically a perpetual imitation and assister, instead of an objective scorer. His thump downs and flick-ons have taken a shot at, especially as a substitute against Australia, yet he has been less noteworthy in the past couple of diversions, in spite of the fact that he assisted Mbappe's second against Argentina after a stunning group move.

Against Belgium, Giroud will confront natural adversaries: Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld, Manchester City's Vincent Kompany and, potentially, his previous Arsenal colleague Thomas Vermaelen. Giroud can't overcome those protectors as far as speed, yet his colleagues can. Accordingly, his approach will be generally direct: Position himself before a protector, plan to prise them out of their cautious line and make space for Griezmann and Mbappe.

Kompany, whose situating was fairly dubious against Brazil, is especially inclined to getting engaged with physical encounters and deserting space in, which implies the Giroud versus Kompany conflict may be the amusement's critical individual fight.

Belgium: What framework does Martinez utilize?

Having utilized a 3-4-3 arrangement all through Belgium's initial four World Cup matches, Roberto Martinez shockingly changed to a midfield precious stone, or a 4-3-3 with Kevin De Bruyne as a false nine, for the 2-1 quarterfinal triumph over Brazil. The framework, however, was not an entire achievement: Belgium yielded a lot of possibilities, with the adaptable idea of their resistance some of the time being pulled separated.

Martinez faces an arrangement predicament in front of the elimination round, convoluted by his solitary appropriate wing-back, Thomas Meunier, being discounted through suspension. With assaulting choices like Nacer Chadli and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco the options, and the speed of France right-winger Kylian Mbappe to adapt against, a three-man barrier appears to be dangerous.

In this way, it's more probable that Martinez will play four at the back, with Jan Vertonghen as a traditional left-back. The supervisor can be all the more assaulting on the contrary side, with just the utilitarian, protection disapproved of Blaise Matuidi to stress over. Thusly, Chadli may be utilized at appropriate back, which would be his fourth position of the competition.

Marouane Fellaini began against Brazil and was entrusted with pushing wide to help Meunier. On Tuesday, he may be requested to accomplish something like the left, with a specific end goal to close down Mbappe. Axel Witsel will play in holding midfield and Mousa Dembele could come into the agree with Chadli, who played halfway versus Brazil, being utilized somewhere else.

That would leave De Bruyne to play in the front three once more, floating away from Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane in the focal position. Eden Hazard would be on the left while Romelu Lukaku may again play from the right, against Lucas Hernandez. With Martinez, be that as it may, you frequently need to expect the unforeseen.

Britain: Can they adapt to Croatia's ownership play?

Gareth Southgate has demonstrated little enthusiasm for veering off from his 3-3-2-2 arrangement, regardless of the risk of Jordan Henderson being overwhelm in the focal point of the pitch, with one special case. In the end organizes versus Colombia, England's supervisor summoned Eric Dier to help secure the protection, however the move matched with the group's poorest spell of the amusement. Things enhanced after Henderson came back to the holding part, so there's negligible compulsion to bother the framework by presenting Dier versus Croatia.

This is, by and by, another test. So far, England have generally maintained a strategic distance from rivals planning to beat them in midfield. Colombia were hampered by the nonattendance of James Rodriguez and rather pressed the lineup with holding midfielders, while Sweden, Tunisia and Panama played on the break and the Belgium coordinate was basically unessential as the two directors handled save sides.

Croatia, however, have gifted midfielders who will charge ownership; in their 2-2 draw with Russia, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic spread into wide positions, full-back zones. Supervisor Zlatko Dalic is probably going to reformat his side on Wednesday, choosing a 4-3-3 instead of a 4-4-2 in any case, on the off chance that anything, Modric and Rakitic will have more permit to play more extensive.

This will probably extend England's own particular midfield trio and, if Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard need to play more extensive, there's a risk that Henderson will be left presented to the development within Ante Rebic and Ivan Perisic. Britain won't be altogether miserable if Croatia overwhelm ownership, as they ought to have the capacity to play on the counterattack. Adapting to long spells of weight, however, will make things cheeky.

Croatia: Do they have enough speed?

Confronting England brings two noteworthy issues. The first is their irregular framework. The second is the sheer level of speed. Croatia ought to be sufficiently smart to adapt to the previous concern, yet the last issue may be unsolvable.

The main risk is Raheem Sterling, who twice sped in behind the restriction protection against Sweden before neglecting to complete, but once when he was in an offside position in any case. In any case, Croatia utilize a more forceful cautious line than Sweden and their safeguards may be overawed by England's pace.

This could be a specific issue if Sime Vrsaljko, who limped off versus Russia, is discounted through damage. The Atletico Madrid ideal back is, by a separation, Croatia's most portable protector and applied a noteworthy impact upon their play with his covering against the host country. Without him, it is likely that Domagoj Vida would change to ideal back and Vedran Corluka would come into the side at focus back, close by Dejan Lovren.

Corluka and Lovren are both exceptionally experienced, however would scarcely make the speediest focus back blending. Corluka's absence of pace was a worry the best piece of 10 years back; he is basically not open to turning and running. Lovren, in the interim, battled enormously against a Harry Kane-propelled Tottenham in Liverpool's 4-1 misfortune to Tottenham at Wembley last October and was dragged away after 30 minutes.

Croatia have additionally played 120 minutes in both the round of 16 and the quarterfinal, which means tiredness will be a noteworthy issue all through the side, not just at the back. With Kane, Sterling, Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli all undermining to keep running in behind and Henderson fit for lifting disregards the best, England's primary course to objective looks encouraging.