Euro 2016: Tony Adams tells England’s defenders to get in Gareth Bale’s face in Lens
Former Three Lions skipper insists Chris Smalling, Gary Cahill and Eric Dier must communicate to nullify Wales' main threat
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England have a young, inexperienced defence and they must now face the player who could light up this tournament.
As a result, I fear a tough afternoon is in store for Roy Hodgson’s defenders as they try to get to grips with Gareth Bale.
They have been pulled apart once in this tournament, already, when Russia scored in injury-time — and the game in Lens will be even more difficult.
Bale was man-of-the-match in the Champions League final and is capable of causing every team in France major problems.
He will look to exploit England’s weaknesses. Chris Smalling is a man-to-man marker, rather than a zonal defender — and he did not know whether to stay or go before Vasili Berezutski’s goal.
It should have been Smalling marking their central defender and not Danny Rose.
Smalling, Gary Cahill and Eric Dier need to communicate throughout the Welsh game.
My message to the three lads is to be aggressive with Bale. The first time he touches the ball, get right down his throat.
If he comes into their area — as I don’t think they will go man-for-man — they need to be proactive rather than reactive.
If Bale drops deep, Dier needs to make early contact even to the point of making a foul. The same applies to Cahill or Smalling, although ideally the foul would not be in the final third.
It is easier to destroy than create. Bale has to know he is in a game. I would advise Smalling and Cahill not to drop off as 85 per cent of goals happen around the box. Bale deserves respect but he has to earn it.
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Admittedly, it is incredibly difficult when you are playing against a world-class player. I know through experience what a complete nightmare this can be.
In only my seventh appearance for England in March 1988, we played Holland in a Wembley friendly and I ended up scoring at both ends in a 2-2 draw.
Marco van Basten was not playing that night but just three months later he tore me apart in the European Championships in Germany.
It is a game I will never forget. I was a 21-year-old English footballer, playing only my 13th international, featuring in a disorganised back four against the greatest footballer I would ever play against.
In a team featuring Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman, Holland ran riot in Dusseldorf. Van Basten scored a hat-trick and I had an absolute nightmare. I was thrown in at the deep end and it went really badly.
We were playing a very rigid formation under Bobby Robson.
Although Bryan Robson equalised, the defeat was still convincing. Each time a goal went in, I kept thinking ‘Oh God’. I was running around like a lunatic and could not cope against their class.
In the dressing room afterwards, I felt completely isolated from everyone, even though they were sitting next to me.
Bobby Robson told us we had one game against Russia to try and show some respect and play for pride.
So Peter Shilton, Bryan Robson and myself went to the bar. I got drunk. That is how I dealt with things at the time.
We lost to the eventual winners and in our final group game, we played the other eventual finalists, who were also extremely good. I got smashed and went to bed.
We lost 3-1 to Russia although I equalised. I went up to celebrate with the fans, waving my arms in delight but they were waving their fingers and saying some pretty bad stuff at me.
After returning from the tournament and landing at Luton Airport, I was walking to my car when two coachloads of angry fans spotted me.
Some of them got off the buses and chased me, shouting at me. I legged it and having never moved so quickly, got into my Fiat Uno before zooming off.
I had received my baptism of fire for England at the Euros.
I shared this experience with David Beckham in 1998 after he was red carded against Argentina.
After a disaster in Germany, I felt the country was blaming me, and ten years later, Beckham had the same. It is a lot for a young man to take.
A few years later, I was in the south of France and I bumped into Van Basten, who had retired. I said ‘You b*****d, you never gave me a chance of revenge!’
In 1996, though, we beat Holland 4-1 and I guess that was some sort of revenge. I needed it.
Hopefully, England’s back four will not suffer at the hands of an equally-gifted world-class player tomorrow afternoon.
I am not sure they are good enough to handle Bale and Aaron Ramsey though and while I see Hodgson’s team scoring, I also think they will concede.
That is why I think it will be 1-1 — again.
All of a sudden, England could have some major work to do in the final game against Slovakia.
