Did Roy Hodgson really have any choice in going on the attack and naming five forwards in England’s European Championship squad? Hardly.
The case for the defence just does not stack up. The stock of English central defenders, that proud lineage of Billy Wright, Bobby Moore and Rio Ferdinand, is now virtually entirely bare.
Wayne Rooney could probably do a better job at the back than most of those who were left on the cutting room floor. Eric Dier, who will likely start the tournament in midfield, certainly would.
If last season’s Premier League table is taken as a guide, the more you rely on English centre backs, the worse you do. Leicester City won the league with a German and a Jamaican at their base.
Manchester United were the highest placed side with a first-choice English central defender, in Chris Smalling. They finished fifth in a season generally considered underwhelming at best.
Five of the teams who finished within the bottom six had at least one English centre back.
More from Euro 2016:
• Euro 2016 Shapers part I: Harry Kane, Tottenham's goal machine, gifted enough to fire England to glory
• Euro 2016 section: All things Euro 2016 including the latest news, interviews, group guides, and much more
• Euro 2016 watch: Anthony Martial, Dele Alli, Renato Sanches — 10 young players to keep an eye on in France
The two best performing sides with two regular England-qualified starters at the back were Chelsea in 10th and Everton in 11th. And arguably the best of those, John Terry, is unavailable anyway, seeing as he is officially retired.
The fact imported defenders predominate in the clubs at the top of the league goes against accepted wisdom.
The current trend inverts the idea that the best money is spent on goalscorers from overseas, when compared to the other end of the field.
Jamie Vardy’s goals fuelled Leicester’s extraordinary title charge. Tottenham Hotspur finished third on the back of Harry Kane’s stunning second Premier League season.
Liverpool’s curate’s egg of a campaign had one notable highlight to finish, as they reached the Europa League final. Daniel Sturridge was so injury-addled that his contribution to that effort was minimal, but he still scored eight times in two months at the end of the season.
All of which goes to show that manager Hodgson, far from suddenly being overwhelmed by a commitment to attacking verve, just had no other choice.
Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. With Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Dier around, there is still plenty of pragmatism to call on.
But the pep and brio players like Kane, Vardy, Dele Alli, and Marcus Rashford will bring to the overall ambience could have a telling impact.
England will have the youngest squad at the competition. As such, more players than usual will be unencumbered by past failings.
They might even play with flair. They might even look like they are enjoying it for once. Well, Sturridge probably won’t, but at least Alli and Dier might.
It is not exactly going to be like Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United “Entertainers”, or the “Famous Five” of Ossie Ardiles at Spurs.
But whatever circumstances have got them there, it might turn out that the best form of defence for England just might be to go on the attack.
pradley@thenational.ae
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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
More coverage from the Future Forum
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
