Friday 3 June 2016 07:18, UK
Roy Hodgson believes England have evolved into a more attack-minded side during his four-year stint as manager.
Hodgson selected just three specialist centre-backs and four full-backs in his 23-man squad for Euro 2016, while naming five strikers including 18-year-old Marcus Rashford.
It is a noticeable change from Hodgson's first tournament in charge of the national side, Euro 2012, where he selected eight defenders and two holding midfielders in his squad.
England will also have the youngest squad at this summer's tournament, in comparison to four years ago when the average age in the squad was 26.
"Looking back, the team [in 2012] was very different," said Hodgson. "A group of very experienced players, at club and international level, and a team with experienced defenders and holding midfielders.
"We were a bit short of attackers in that tournament. The last four years have seen a complete turnaround in that respect.
"Now we have a surfeit of attacking players, in midfield and up front, which is why I've chosen a squad that's tipped and balanced towards attacking rather than defending.
"We believe that we have so many players at the moment in midfield and in attack, who are really good players, good quality players.
"I didn't want to sacrifice them to sort of shore up with players who maybe might in some ways cover position slightly better but maybe don't have the qualities of the players I'd be leaving out."
While Hodgson admits his selection policy may have changed over the course of the last three tournaments, he still expects all his players to fulfil their defensive duties.
"We believe defending is very much a team job," he said. "We think it starts from the front and goes right the way through.
"It's a question of athleticism, mobility. We have to defend as a team, defending from the front rather than just relying on the back four and goalkeeper.
"You need mobility, legs, players who can run and like to run, players who are sometimes prepared to run extra miles and recover positions when they've gone forward and need to get back."
England face Portugal in their final warm-up match for the tournament at Wembley on Thursday evening.
The Three Lions then kick-off their campaign against Russia in Marseille on June 11, before facing Wales and Slovakia in their remaining Group B fixtures.
