WHY ENGLAND COULD TAKE THE HANDBRAKE OFF AT THE EUROS

Gareth Southgate has been labelled a cautious coach in recent major tournament near-misses - in Germany he might just be more adventurous, which brings risks but also potential reward

- Adam Clery

When it comes to England at the European Championship, some questions remain unanswered. But one thing we know is that Gareth Southgate is potentially casting aside the defensive solidity that has defined their approach in past tournaments and, well, going for it.

Against Brazil in March, there was little focus on restricting space at the back, as the whole team pushed forward to press high and harry the Selecao in the final third.

That, inevitably, left them open. As well as it being the reason they eventually lost the friendly 1-0, it spawned the well-spoken-about statistic that they conceded more chances that evening than in the entirety of either of the previous two tournaments. Yet you'd struggle to argue they weren't more aggressive off the ball than they've ever been.

Given what England have at their disposal, it makes a world of sense - the majority of the squad play in teams who prefer to attack on the front foot.

Despite what the old cliché may tell us, the best defence in football is, actually, usually just a really good defence. Ahead of this summer's trip to Germany, however, the Three Lions look like they've been predominantly filling their hand luggage with swords rather than shields.

01 THE SQUAD

It's expected to be a 4-2-3-1 setup for England, with Jude Bellingham afforded near-total freedom to interpret that No.10 role. Sometimes he'll drop to help orchestrate possession, but he'll probably play alongside Harry Kane or drift wide behind defenders on the left. Bukayo Saka, naturally, will stretch them on the right (illustrated right).