You could argue the team hasn't played well bar a few games,infact you can count on one hand how many great performances we've had for two years.He has done nothing wrong?? He’s not played well since Palace in December.
Don't regret it for a minute. He's often fired us up when we were drawing blanks and had he been on the form he has shown in previous seasons then we probably wouldn't have drawn v Forest 'n West Ham.That’s harsh! I don’t agree, many parts make a team. We cannot and should not rely on one player. We miss his dynamism that we have had before.
I think you will regret making this statement.
The next 18 months may well define his future but he is only contracted with us for another 15 months, then he is free to leave. Would we be happy to let him go on a free?Feel that the next 18 months are going to define his future, cant see any way he goes to the world cup which 2 years ago would have been unthinkable.
Of our attacking midfielders, wingers, Foden is the player i trust most to deliver. Except when Pep plays him on the left wing which I think does Foden no favours whatsoever.Don't regret it for a minute. He's often fired us up when we were drawing blanks and had he been on the form he has shown in previous seasons then we probably wouldn't have drawn v Forest 'n West Ham.
The next 18 months may well define his future but he is only contracted with us for another 15 months, then he is free to leave. Would we be happy to let him go on a free?
The next 18 months may well define his future but he is only contracted with us for another 15 months, then he is free to leave. Would we be happy to let him go on a free?
I don’t think the club want him to leave. Last summer at Club World Cup it was reported Phil said he had not heard from the club about extending his contract when reporters asked about him renewing.I honestly think that Phil Foden would take a pay cut rather than leave City. It would probably break him if he was told he had to leave the club.
Agree. I don't criticise him for the lack of form. I think had he been playing at the level he is capable of he would have been the catalyst to kick start not just the business end of the season but as an example to those others who are misfiring.Of our attacking midfielders, wingers, Foden is the player i trust most to deliver. Except when Pep plays him on the left wing which I think does Foden no favours whatsoever.
I think there needs to be some hard conversations with him in the summer to ask him what he wants for his career. We can’t let him run down his contract if he wants to leave. Hopefully he wants to stay and get back into top form.
And do what lolShould have started
Completely agree, however I would say he’s been completely mismanaged lately and others get a much easier ride than him by the manager.Interesting to hear in Kyle Walker’s recent interview with Neville that Pep asks his central midfielders to play the ball back quickly to a player behind them who’s facing forward, rather than allowing them to have a go on the half-turn.
That limits one of Phil Foden’s best strengths. If he’s restricted to doing that high up the pitch, and not deeper, then when we play him deeper like we have this year, we limit him severely.
I watched the full game back against Forest and genuinely think he played well. He created numerous chances - one early on that Semenyo should have done better with, a mazy dribble through the centre (that only he could pull off) midway through the first half that led to a chance for Haaland / Semenyo, and another chance for Haaland just before half time after Rodri played a first time pass to Phil in the pockets high up the pitch after regaining possession.
He also had a couple of long-range efforts that tested the keeper. But realistically, he’s just not high enough up the pitch to make the difference he normally does.
There was another moment where he made a great run (which he does so well and so consistently when he’s higher up the pitch) and Rayan Cherki found him from deep with a great pass. I can’t help but feel it should be Cherki deeper and Foden in behind Haaland to get the best out of both of them.
Foden is at his best when he’s high up the pitch, receiving the ball quickly in pockets of space. From there he has the room (and the safety of not being too deep in our own half) to do what he does best, turning on the half-turn and running at goal, or getting played in behind by quick passes from deep.
Rodri is too close to him in this game to find him reliably in the pockets, and the centre halves, Dias and Guehi, simply aren’t capable of those passes consistently. A fit John Stones would change this side massively, but I also think we’re just playing people in the wrong positions.
He’ll come back, lads. I genuinely don’t think it’s that he’s lost it, it’s that he’s being played out of position in a system that limits most of our players’ best strengths and he's got fuck all confidence.
Probably the player who could benefit most from a change of ideas, in my opinion.
I think you miss the point of my comment sir.Well, as Doku keeps skinning defenders and creating chances there’s no need for comment. It’s not his fault they aren’t being converted. Hence Doku will be our main hope of doing something on Tuesday and Foden will probably be on the bench.