Euro 2016: Desperation to impress could be England's undoing, warns Danny Higginbotham

England have the talent and pace to make an impression at Euro 2016, but defensive over-enthusiasm could let this inexperienced team down in France

Jamie Vardy with James Milner in training (Getty)

I am as excited as anyone by this England squad ahead of their opening game against Russia on Saturday evening. They have real talent and pace, especially going forward. They play an aggressive pressing game, which fans like to watch.

But if there is one thing that concerns me, one thing that I would warn them against, it is their over-eagerness to win the ball back. What we saw last Thursday night at Wembley against Portugal was an England side so keen to defend that they effectively neutered themselves in attack. I wrote in this column last week that Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy chased their full-backs so hard that they left themselves unable to get on the end of chances in the Portugal box.

That is still a concern, and even if England go back to 4-3-3 they must make sure that they maintain their structure without the ball, with Harry Kane staying central out of possession and the team dropping back into a 4-1-4-1.

Because there is another issue, which could be the undoing of England if they are not careful in France, if they let their enthusiasm go their heads, and that is the threat of the opposition counter-attack.

Regular readers will know that I believe we are increasingly living in the era of counter-attacking football. There is a trend away from possession football at both club and international football. That is why Spain dominated the world between 2008 and 2012 but came unstuck at the 2014 World Cup. That, in part, is why Leicester City won the Premier League this season.

Jamie Vardy became ineffective from an attacking point of view with his eagerness to defend against Portugal (Getty)

Pressing is not just important as a means of winning the ball back high up the pitch in a dangerous position. It is also the most effective way of quickly defending against an opposition counter-attack. Just look at what Tottenham Hotspur do when they lose the ball: they press high and hard in a block – not just as individuals – for three seconds.

That first press forces the opposition back, stops them from getting set, prevents them from launching a fast break with Spurs out of position. But then, if they have not won the ball back after three seconds, they have still seen off the threat of the counter. That is why pressing is the first line of defence.

Only then can they relax, retreat, breathe and re-establish their defensive structure in their own half. They settle back into their 4-5-1 and invite the opposition onto them. Atletico Madrid defend in a similar way, and it has brought them even more success over recent years. It is aggressive football but it is also measured, intelligent and immensely disciplined.

What these sides do not do is manically chase after the ball for six or seven seconds after losing it. Teams that do that will never be able to retain any defensive structure. They will lose their shape and be vulnerable to being picked off on the break. Against both Australia and Portugal I think we saw worrying signs of this aimless running which can actually have the opposite to the desired effect, making you more vulnerable to the counter, not less. There is such a thing as too much passion and too much running.

This is my fear about England. It is such a young squad, full of players who have not been to a major international tournament before. If they are too keen to impress Roy Hodgson, and to stake their claim to play against Wales, Slovakia and beyond they may be charging around the pitch, costing England their defensive structure. When we talk about defensive fragility people should remember it does not just mean the goalkeeper and the back four, it means how all eleven players defend as a unit.

Roy Hodgson watches over an England training session (Getty)

There is no doubt in my mind how Russia will approach this game. With Sergei Ignashevich and Vasily Berezutski at centre-back – combined age, 69 years old – they are not going to come out and play a high line. They are not going to chase England trying to win the ball back, or go toe-to-toe with a younger, quicker side. Very understandably, Leonid Slutsky will have his side sit deep, wait and play on the break. If England charge around trying to win the ball back off them, and lose their discipline, they will be playing into Russia’s hands.

Do not expect Wales or Slovakia to play any differently when England face them either. England are the biggest team in Group B, and in modern football that puts the onus on them to take the initiative and create their own chances.

I know England struggled to do that last week, but as I said at the time, that attacking bluntness was itself down to their defensive over-enthusiasm. England have more than enough quality in their side to score goals, whatever the personnel, whatever the system.

But I think that in this country we can be too worried about individuals. The big questions that Roy Hodgson has to answer before Saturday night concern tactics rather than selection. After recent performances I would imagine that some of the players are still slightly unsure about what is expected of them. They did not look comfortable playing in a diamond and now they are set to change again. Clearly the team needs more work.

This is why it is so important that the players follow their instructions tomorrow night in the Marseille cauldron and do not let the atmosphere get to them. The senior players – Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney – have to take responsibility and tell the youngsters what is expected of them. Gary Neville, of course, has seen it all before at the top level, and he will be vital voice.

Wayne Rooney talks with Jamie Vardy while representing England (Getty)

Having the youngest squad at Euro 2016 is a good thing, and it is very understandable that the whole country is excited about the team. But I just hope that the natural enthusiasm of some of these young players does not spill over into ill-discipline. They must not forget to relax, think and follow their instructions. Pressing is an absolutely vital part of the modern game. But you can have too much of a good thing, and if England spend too long chasing the ball they will pay for it.