47 | Phil Foden - 2023/24

[Phil1]

Thought he had a shocker tonight. He was bullied by the Serbs and gave the ball away far too often. He was however not the only one who had a poor game in an England shirt.

Bulldog blue doesn’t post about him winning every award and trophy with City but makes an appearance when he’s been fairly ineffective for England. Seems legit.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

The system doesn't suit him for England. The problem is that England don't really have any proper attacking plan other than "keep it tight at the back and let the attacking players do their thing." That means that players that take a man on like Saka, or previously Grealish and Sterling, look good in this system. I wouldn't be surprised to see Eze shine too. Whereas Foden excels in City's intricate passing around the edge of the box with his weight or pass, vision and intelligent movement. Being out on the left for a team that has none of those, and a full back who can't overlap, just doesn't work.

And all of that stems from the fact that Southgate doesn't trust two 100 million pound midfielders to run things without having their hands held. Every pundit going said they'd play Rice and Bellingham, with three players ahead of them. But no, Southgate has to get TAA into the team in a position that he has no record of playing successfully. Rice is one of the best DM in the Premier League, Bellingham is one of the best all round, box-to-box players this season (yes, I know he played up top for half a season), and Foden is the PL player of the year playing just behind the striker. Three of the best players in world football that could easily all be played in their natural positions.

Meanwhile, he's desperate to use Alexander-Arnold, yet too much of a pussy to play him instead of Walker. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't play him ahead of Walker, but it just sums up how cautious he is. One of the best attacking footballers in the world, but he will only play him if he can have another full back on as insurance.

 

[Craig]

Bulldog blue doesn’t post about him winning every award and trophy with City but makes an appearance when he’s been fairly ineffective for England. Seems legit.

What’s he said that’s wrong? We all know how great he is but tonight he was poor. I said before the game i think he’ll lose his place in the team by the knockout stage. That’s not Phil’s fault, he should be central and the left wing is probably the worst position he could be put in out of the 3/4 he could play.

 

[Phil1]

What’s he said that’s wrong? We all know how great he is but tonight he was poor. I said before the game i think he’ll lose his place in the team by the knockout stage. That’s not Phil’s fault, he should be central and the left wing is probably the worst position he could be put in out of the 3/4 he could play.

I’ll never stop defending the best player we have ever produced.

 

[chris85mcfc]

What’s he said that’s wrong? We all know how great he is but tonight he was poor. I said before the game i think he’ll lose his place in the team by the knockout stage. That’s not Phil’s fault, he should be central and the left wing is probably the worst position he could be put in out of the 3/4 he could play.

The game that Phil gets dropped for a 'Gordon' or a 'Palmer' is the night that the pilot starts the engine running

 

[McfcBibby]

Painful to watch him so isolated. You could see how frustrated he was all night. So many not on his wavelength

 

[Craig]

I’ll never stop defending the best player we have ever produced.

I agree that he’s the best we’ve produced and absolutely love him as a player. Just talking about the game tonight though. I expected him to struggle in this tournament because i knew that tool would play him out on the left. Hopefully he kicks on despite playing there but i don’t think it will happen. This should be his tournament on the international stage but he’ll probably not do a great deal and get slated.

Ironically the player England were crying out for tonight on the left, especially 2nd half. Is probably on a beach somewhere because the goon who’s in charge didn’t even think was good enough to make a 26 man squad.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Painful to watch him so isolated. You could see how frustrated he was all night. So many not on his wavelength

Especially the so-called manager.

 

[Craig]

The game that Phil gets dropped for a 'Gordon' or a 'Palmer' is the night that the pilot starts the engine running

That game will probably happen sooner than you think. He’d have got subbed tonight if negative bollocks had another less attacking option for the left side. Gordon will come on in a game last 20 and skin a fullback a couple of times. We’ll probably still get through and then play someone last 8 or in the semi’s and then get outclassed.

 

[Phil1]

I agree that he’s the best we’ve produced and absolutely love him as a player. Just talking about the game tonight though. I expected him to struggle in this tournament because i knew that tool would play him out on the left. Hopefully he kicks on despite playing there but i don’t think it will happen. This should be his tournament on the international stage but he’ll probably not do a great deal and get slated.

Ironically the player England were crying out for tonight on the left, especially 3nd half. Is probably on a beach somewhere because the goon who’s in charge didn’t even think was good enough to make a 26 man squad.

He wasn’t great, mate, but in the last 20 minutes I’ve read some proper poor takes on him. Inbetween my more aggressive posts I have made the points as to why he didn’t shine. Or ever will whilst Southgate is in charge sadly.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

I’ll never stop defending the best player we have ever produced.

You can defend a player but also keep an open mind to constructive criticism

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

The game that Phil gets dropped for a 'Gordon' or a 'Palmer' is the night that the pilot starts the engine running

Probably against Denmark then

 

[Bluemoonie92]

Wasn't great tonight but nobody passes forward to him when he is in the gaps. He has to go search for the ball which means he isn't in the positions he needs to be in to affect the game. Seems to lack the confidence he has in a city shirt. Sadly will be the scapegoat

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I agree that he’s the best we’ve produced and absolutely love him as a player. Just talking about the game tonight though. I expected him to struggle in this tournament because i knew that tool would play him out on the left. Hopefully he kicks on despite playing there but i don’t think it will happen. This should be his tournament on the international stage but he’ll probably not do a great deal and get slated.

He's basically this generation's Paul Scholes for England. The main creative force for the best club side in the country, but gets shoved out on the left to accommodate other players.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Wasn't great tonight but nobody passes forward to him when he is in the gaps. He has to go search for the ball which means he isn't in the positions he needs to be in to affect the game. Seems to lack the confidence he has in a city shirt. Sadly will be the scapegoat

That can't be right. I was told TAA was playing for his Pirlo-esque vision and range of passing. Surely he would have picked out his runs?

 

[Craig]

He wasn’t great, mate, but in the last 20 minutes I’ve read some proper poor takes on him. Inbetween my more aggressive posts I have made the points as to why he didn’t shine. Or ever will whilst Southgate is in charge sadly.

Yeah, i totally agree. Your last sentence is all that is wrong with Foden for England. It’s just infuriating because i’d love to see him shine for England but instead he’ll end up getting shit.

 

[Citizen in Pakistan]

What I find it amusing is how ordinary football fans like us know foden's best position and Southgate and his staff with all the analyst, assistance and time to prepare don't, if he's happy with 1-0 win against Serbs than god bless England but I wouldn't get my hopes high

 

[Craig]

He's basically this generation's Paul Scholes for England. The main creative force for the best club side in the country, but gets shoved out on the left to accommodate other players.

Spot on

 

[robbieh]

Don't know what game people were watching. Foden was not stuck to the left wing at all. He was allowed to roam. We were essentially playing with wingbacks.
It just wasn't his night.
And Bellingham isn't as shite as some make out.
Phil will have his moment.
When I saw the team sheet I thought he'd be subbed at 65 minutes. But in fact it was Saka.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Don't know what game people were watching. Foden was not stuck to the left wing at all. He was allowed to roam. We were essentially playing with wingbacks.

We really weren't. Neither full back ran beyond their winger at any point. And there's a huge difference between being a winger that's allowed to come inside, and starting in the 10 position. If you're in the 10 position, you can affect the game more because you've got more options to pass to. If you're a LW and you come inside, there's now no-one out on the left (especially if your full back is playing out of position) so you still have few options to pass to. There's also the issue that Southgate has simply not coached attacking play well. You could have Phil coming inside if Bellingham knew to go out wide when he did it to give space and passing options, but he rarely did that, because that takes coaching. Phil should still be better than he was tonight, but it's not accurate to claim that his starting position is irrelevant because he's allowed to come inside.