Euro 2016: Roy Hodgson must not wait till it’s too late to make substitutions against Wales if needed

ALL it would take is a little bit of forward thinking.

With the exception of one game, Roy Hodgson has never sent on a striker in tournament football before the 76th minute. It is a truly scary statistic.

They barely get time to warm up before the match is over.

OK, he was bold when he slung on Andy Carroll in place of Danny Welbeck against Italy at Euro 2012 after 60 minutes.

In the other seven matches under Hodgson, though, at two European Championships and one World Cup, he has left it late.

Too late, because England did not even get out of their group at the World Cup in Brazil two years ago.

The reality is that Reluctant Roy is a conservative at heart.

On Saturday, when England were crying out for a forward to help Harry Kane, Hodgson froze with fear.

It was there, in a 1-1 draw with Russia, that England’s head coach waited until the 77th- minute to make his first change.

He is reluctant to send for substitutes, convinced his first-choice picks will eventually come through.

It was the same story in Brazil. In the opening group game, a 2-1 defeat to Italy in Manaus, Hodgson made three changes and still failed to bring on a forward.

Against Uruguay a few days later, when England needed to avoid defeat, he eventually sent for Rickie Lambert with three minutes left.

After Luis Suarez had struck twice, it was too little, too late.

In the final group game, with England already out, Wayne Rooney was the first forward sub on 76 minutes.

The statistics are damning, proof Hodgson is reluctant to play on the front foot when it comes to the crunch.

England dazzled in Berlin last March, when the arrival of Jamie Vardy and Ross Barkley changed the course of a friendly with Germany.

Even then it took Hodgson 71 minutes to make an outfield change.

England thrilled with attacking intent that night. Sadly, those days are behind them.