47 | Phil Foden - 2024/25

[Blue2112]

Get rid of that effing bandage.

 

[borassic]

If we can get what was paid for Grealish, think it would be good.

Pahaha get to fuck

 

[Marlo]

Stank the place out again …. I don’t think I can ever remember a player for us who has dropped off to the levels he has?

How is he not getting a shot off with that fluke of a chance?

Showed one second of the player he should be when he decided to shoot early in the game, the shot itself was poor but the intent was decent. the rest of the game he was anonymous.

Never wants to do the running in behind despite being one of the youngest and fastest on the pitch. He constantly wants the ball to feet and then doesn't do anything with it when he gets it.

His teammates must be getting seriously pissed off with him dropping in 2 yards from them to pick the ball up from them only to then pass it backwards, the player on the ball could do that and by doing that he's removed one forward passing option for the midfielders.

If there's something wrong with him, be it physical, mental or something outside of football then just give him the time off to sort it as he doesn't deserve a spot in the side at the minute and he's offering nothing anyway.

Horrible thing to say but there is serious Dele Ali, Michael Johnson vibes, albeit Phil Foden has achieved more than the two of them combined.

As you said, if it is a injury that he is playing through, it needs to stop, end his season take him out of the firing line and get him right again.

 

[Lavinda Past]

I don't think either is the case. I just see a player who needs a fully performing team to fully function, and someone who at the moment is bereft of confidence. He had a poor Euros, not helped by Southgate, was injured at the beginning of the season and then came back into what's been a very ordinary Man City side. A summer without International football will do him the world of good.

Putting any blame on Southgate is a joke. Nothing to do with him.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Some absolutely despicable comments in this thread. Nobody on here has any insight on the current physical or psychological conditon of one of our greatest talents. I trust that the people at City do.

To perform at an elite level in any sport from such a young age takes more courage and determination than many of the poster on here could muster in 2 lifetimes. He's suffering a loss in form. It happens, for whatever reason. He'll come good or he won't, and the club will deal with it.

 

[Crooked_rain]

I don't think either is the case. I just see a player who needs a fully performing team to fully function, and someone who at the moment is bereft of confidence. He had a poor Euros, not helped by Southgate, was injured at the beginning of the season and then came back into what's been a very ordinary Man City side. A summer without International football will do him the world of good.

I agree

I said similar in the thread not long ago

Plus the fact he's only ever played senior club football under one man. I think he's been coached by Pep that much and that intensely that he doesn't know anything else , so if the system struggles,he can't break out of that struggle himself .

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

Having worked in management roles for over 20 years, I've learned how to spot someone whose heart isn't really in it, or who has a poor attitude.

Phil Foden falls into one or the other bracket imo. His problem definitely isn’t form.

he wouldnt be near the match squad if his attitude is poor.

 

[Luddite_Blue]

I thought Foden played as well as anyone yesterday and was particularly good for the first 20 minutes. Faded after the heavy challenge from Cashemiro but so did the team in the last 15 minutes of the first half and I always think wide players are reliant to an extent on the team getting the ball to them.

Staggering that Foden is being crucified on here for a split second decision to take a touch and control the ball before shooting - maybe he wanted to set himself before getting the shot off or misjudged it slightly and thought he'd be ahead of the defender in the area and so unable to be challenged. The 3 goals Liverpool conceded yesterday each involved bigger lapses than Foden showed in this instance.

MASSIVE irony that posters who seem to be folding like a pack of cards at only challenging for 5th place after winning 4 titles in a row for the first time in the history of English football seem to be questioning Foden's mentality when Foden's mental strength must be off the fucking scale to have achieved what he has. There are many reasons why no team has ever won 4 titles in a row before and a significant drop off was inevitable at some point and if a drop off season consists of "only" challenging for a Champions League place and being in a FA cup semi final then I think it's more posters on this thread, rather than Foden, who need to show more mental fortitude.

 

[Whether or not]

Not having that at all.

It’s about opinions, but Foden went to England last summer on top of the world, banging in goals for fun and having won every individual honour. He came back with his confidence on the floor and a scapegoat for the failure to win the tournament.

 

[goatfeeder100]

It’s about opinions, but Foden went to England last summer on top of the world, banging in goals for fun and having won every individual honour. He came back with his confidence on the floor and a scapegoat for the failure to win the tournament.

He wasn't the scapegoat at all that's over the top. He was questioned about his lack of effect on the games but he wasn't the only one. That euros was almost a year ago as well. He's had more than enough time to shake off the cobwebs of that tournament and get back to performing for City.

Had we as a team managed to carry on where we left off last season then he might have had an easier time in playing his way back into some kind of rhythm or form but the fact we as a collective have been a bit of a car crash this season, I think that's as much to do with Phils plight as anything else. It's not been a great environment for any one player to thrive in this season and Phil seems to have suffered that more than anyone. And it's highlighted more because of what he achieved only last season.

Blaming England and Southgate is just passing the buck away from how we've failed as a club this season.

In my opinion.

 

[De Souza]

If it is just fatigue or whatever he's suffering from this season, maybe he should be allowed to fuck off the CWC in the summer and have a proper break. We can't afford for this to carry on into next season. Not sure that would go down well with the other players though.

 

[Keeper!]

Get rid of that effing bandage.

He needs to get rid of the attitude.

The change in his personality is alarming, once would sweat blood in our shirt, now hiding all over the pich and the lack of effort is sad.

If he has issues, get him out of the firing line and get him the help/rest he needs.

 

[LTW]

Horrible thing to say but there is serious Dele Ali, Michael Johnson vibes, albeit Phil Foden has achieved more than the two of them combined.

As you said, if it is a injury that he is playing through, it needs to stop, end his season take him out of the firing line and get him right again.

Dele to be fair was far more important to an overachieving Spurs side than Foden has been for us in most of his ‘achievements’, while Michael Johnson had a superior football IQ than Foden, but wasn’t psychologically equipped to be an professional player unfortunately.

There are numerous elements to blame for Phil’s demise - Southgate isn’t one of them.

Firstly, Phil himself; he clearly sees himself as a tempo-setting central midfield player, despite having none of the attributes to be one - no decisive pass, no ability to operate in tight spaces and protect the ball, nor the footballing brain to see and dictate the game in the way that the elite players in his desired role do. All that, coupled with the body of a 9 year old boy, means his desperate David Silva act has given us David Bronze.

Secondly, Pep - he’s had him for 8 years now, and seems to have taken the few attributes that made him a stand out prospect - the capacity to carry the ball past people being the most prominent one, and been unable to make Phil himself understand his strengths and limitations. Foden’s best season came in 20/21, primarily from the left where he had the freedom, space and pace to beat players and actually looked like an elite footballer. What did we do? Buy Grealish to play there instead (another mercurial player Guardiola has since sabotaged)

Thirdly, whoever is doing strength and conditioning at the club and have the audacity to let Phil and Rico enter the pitch every week looking - and now playing - like mascots. If a bodybuilding regime was good enough for Ronaldo and Bale to elevate their performances to another level, it’s absolutely necessary for those two munchkins to bulk up to a level where they can somewhat compensate for their default physical shortcomings.

All of that, plus whoever hasn’t identified/remedied how awkward Phil is while passing the ball with his only foot - he’s Kolorov levels of rigid in the angles that he can kick the ball - and drilled him in using the outside of his left foot to broaden his range.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

I thought Foden played as well as anyone yesterday and was particularly good for the first 20 minutes. Faded after the heavy challenge from Cashemiro but so did the team in the last 15 minutes of the first half and I always think wide players are reliant to an extent on the team getting the ball to them.

Staggering that Foden is being crucified on here for a split second decision to take a touch and control the ball before shooting - maybe he wanted to set himself before getting the shot off or misjudged it slightly and thought he'd be ahead of the defender in the area and so unable to be challenged. The 3 goals Liverpool conceded yesterday each involved bigger lapses than Foden showed in this instance.

MASSIVE irony that posters who seem to be folding like a pack of cards at only challenging for 5th place after winning 4 titles in a row for the first time in the history of English football seem to be questioning Foden's mentality when Foden's mental strength must be off the fucking scale to have achieved what he has. There are many reasons why no team has ever won 4 titles in a row before and a significant drop off was inevitable at some point and if a drop off season consists of "only" challenging for a Champions League place and being in a FA cup semi final then I think it's more posters on this thread, rather than Foden, who need to show more mental fortitude.

spot on.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

He needs to get rid of the attitude.

The change in his personality is alarming, once would sweat blood in our shirt, now hiding all over the pich and the lack of effort is sad.

If he has issues, get him out of the firing line and get him the help/rest he needs.

his attitude?

He wouldnt be playing if the man who picks the team thought it was poor.

 

[butlerkb]

Phil Foden received all the accolades and the fan adoration that his outstanding season deserved last year.He has been around at least 6 seasons now and we all thought he would grow into that player who replaces Kev.So as he’s not a youngster anymore, as he has not proved capable of taking control of the game or being the major force Kev was, he has to accept the criticism, I mean he’s on an enormous salary and people like Bellingham have gone on to grow from up and coming youngster to being one of the best midfielders in the world. And I think it’s been said in another forum , David Silva had major personal problems thru his baby’s I’ll health yet put in stellar performances throughout.I think it’s expected, if you are on an enormous salary and people depend on you, to compartmentalise your problems at home so as not to affect your performances in the team, who rely on you.He needs to get his priorities right as he is not really deserving his place at the moment.
The game is full of players who let outside influences affect their game and eventually slide out of the game.

 

[Lavinda Past]

Dele to be fair was far more important to an overachieving Spurs side than Foden has been for us in most of his ‘achievements’, while Michael Johnson had a superior football IQ than Foden, but wasn’t psychologically equipped to be an professional player unfortunately.

There are numerous elements to blame for Phil’s demise - Southgate isn’t one of them.

Firstly, Phil himself; he clearly sees himself as a tempo-setting central midfield player, despite having none of the attributes to be one - no decisive pass, no ability to operate in tight spaces and protect the ball, nor the footballing brain to see and dictate the game in the way that the elite players in his desired role do. All that, coupled with the body of a 9 year old boy, means his desperate David Silva act has given us David Bronze.

Secondly, Pep - he’s had him for 8 years now, and seems to have taken the few attributes that made him a stand out prospect - the capacity to carry the ball past people being the most prominent one, and been unable to make Phil himself understand his strengths and limitations. Foden’s best season came in 20/21, primarily from the left where he had the freedom, space and pace to beat players and actually looked like an elite footballer. What did we do? Buy Grealish to play there instead (another mercurial player Guardiola has since sabotaged)

Thirdly, whoever is doing strength and conditioning at the club and have the audacity to let Phil and Rico enter the pitch every week looking - and now playing - like mascots. If a bodybuilding regime was good enough for Ronaldo and Bale to elevate their performances to another level, it’s absolutely necessary for those two munchkins to bulk up to a level where they can somewhat compensate for their default physical shortcomings.

All of that, plus whoever hasn’t identified/remedied how awkward Phil is while passing the ball with his only foot - he’s Kolorov levels of rigid in the angles that he can kick the ball - and drilled him in using the outside of his left foot to broaden his range.

Post of the week. So many nails hit squarely on the head.

The idea of Pep Guardiola 'developing' young players is, in my opinion, the greatest fallacy in modern football.

 

[Keeper!]

his attitude?

He wouldnt be playing if the man who picks the team thought it was poor.

Go and watch his highlights from previous seasons, it's like watching a different player.

The smile has gone, the swagger has gone, the desire has gone, the ability has gone.

As said if he has issues, help him, get him away from football, we will benefit long term but if this is not illness/off field issues then we have a huge problem.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

Go and watch his highlights from previous seasons, it's like watching a different player.

The smile has gone, the swagger has gone, the desire has gone, the ability has gone.

As said if he has issues, help him, get him away from football, we will benefit long term but if this is not illness/off field issues then we have a huge problem.

Yes he's been off the pace, but to say he has an attitude problem is another level.

Pep wouldn't play him if he had an attitude problem.

I agree he needs a big rest and refresh

 

[King Jay]

We are in trouble if he is the main man next season.