Euro 2012: five things we learned from England's opener The fear that England would drop too deep and be starved of the ball was realised as France gradually took control of the first half, exploiting their opponents" desire to fall back and invite them on. It meant Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker played too close to the central defenders, isolating the players further forward. The heat also, inevitably, became a factor. England remedied matters in the second period but at a cost. Both Gerrard and - in particular - Parker ran themselves to a standstill. Can they maintain their effort throughout the competition? It will be tough especially if England are to progress. England's approach worked against more limited teams such as Norway and Belgium and, also, a better side such as France but it is a dangerous game to play at times. England manager Roy Hodgson had just 40 days (and nights, he said) to get his ideas across and form a side in his image. He succeeded. This was very clearly a Hodgson team - disciplined, with a very defined shape and players working hard to retain the formation. England's first responsibility was to try not to concede and they packed the central areas in front of Joe Hart's goal with Hodgson - typically - looking for swift counter-attacks down the flanks and, of course, demanding that his players try and capitalize from set-pieces as they did with Joleon Lescott's header from Steven Gerrard's fine free-kick. Hodgson is all about banks of four - defence, midfield and two strikers further forward and the key for him is to have hard-working wide players. No one could fault the England team's intent to execute this plan - whether it's good enough is another question. In a sense it was a bold gamble by Roy Hodgson to throw in the 18-year-old Arsenal winger for his first competitive start for England (making him the second youngest, after Wayne Rooney, to feature in this competition) but there was an early dividend with the way he caused alarm in the French defence by stealing possession from Adil Rami. He then collected the ball and ran beyond two French players only to delay his pass to Ashley Young. His impact was immediate and, for a while, he unsettled the French, although it was his misfortune that he was up against the excellent Mathieu Debuchy. Such were the extent of the problems he caused that Oxlade-Chamberlain was cautioned for a rash tackle. The teenager's influence waned but there was sufficient promise to not only justify Hodgson's selection but give real hope for the future. Centre-halves weren't a problem So much debate centred on the centre of that England defence with the decision not to pick Rio Ferdinand and the injury to Gary Cahill but John Terry - on the unfamiliar right of the centre for him - and Joleon Lescott provided a strong partnership who, at times, were tested to the full by France's attacking flair. There was also the boon of Lescott scoring his first international goal - and making a case for the claim that after his season with Manchester City then he is the form defender - while Terry impressively shrugged aside the attention and controversy that often surrounds him to produce an assured, disciplined display against the in-form Karim Benzema. Mathieu Debuchy should be snapped up The centre of the French defence might be a weakness, but there's nothing wrong with the right-back. Mathieu Debuchy has an 8m euro release clause in his club contract and there are plenty in the Premier League - not least Manchester United and Newcastle United - who have been watching him. The number of suitors might well have grown after this performance where, in the first-half in particular, he was a powerful attacking force causing England numerous problems. In saying that it appears unlikely that the French will be contenders come the end of the tournament if they persist with the - as predicted - weak partnership of Adil Rami and Philippe Mexes, whose lack of mobility always gave England a chance.