#47 | Phil Foden - 2019/20 Performances

[itisrising]

This whole loan thing for Phil just goes to show that for as much as Pep has redefined football in the UK the old ways still bubble under the surface . Take a kid, loan him out to a lower league club, let has been or never made it donkeys kick him from post to post, it's character building you know! Have him taught by a manager who has done nothing in the game that's why he manages at that level, rack up 100 games in as short as time as possible because it's all about "game" time. I hate that phrase, why would a 100 games at lower level beat 50/70 appearances from sub mixed with some starts with a squad of world class players? I don't see it as a badge of honour to have racked up 200 starts before your 20 years old what have you really learnt from that ?

Tbh it's specific to different players. To some, loans are formative and to others it's unnecessary.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Only seems to be getting proper recognition at the moment if he scores or gets a couple of assists. I don't know, maybe it says more about the level of expectation when he's deemed invisible after failing to get on the scoresheet.

There were two things that stood out to me last night which really excited me. The first was his determination. Will Hughes absolutely flattened him in the first half with a fair but robust tackle and Phil just hopped straight back up and got on with it. There were other times when he got hacked and would just bounce off the floor, barely miss a stride and skip away with the ball still under his spell. It reminds me of Shaun Wright-Phillips at full flight or Jimmy Grimble dancing along a waterlogged pitch with boots flying in from all angles. He makes defenders look helpless when they can't even take him out properly.

The other thing was his ability to make space for himself. There was a moment in the second half (I think once Zinchenko had come on) and he was trying to make himself available on the inside left channel. Usually, we'll look for a wide player to make the run to the line, find him with a pass and he'll make a cut back for someone to have a shot. Instead, Phil makes that initial run for about 3 or 4 steps behind the the defender's back but makes sure the defender notices him bursting through. The defender sprints to cover the run but Phil's stopped already and he's now stood in acres of space. Simple.

There's the other stuff, the no look passes, the flicked passes around defenders with the outside of his foot a split second before they kick him, the touch, the goal threat, the backspin he puts on so many passes and so on and so on.

All those are about his ability with the ball at his feet but I think those other two things say more about him as a player. He's unbelievably graceful, incredibly astute and he's not one to be bullied. He gets me out of my seat every game.

 

[supercity88]

Only seems to be getting proper recognition at the moment if he scores or gets a couple of assists. I don't know, maybe it says more about the level of expectation when he's deemed invisible after failing to get on the scoresheet.

There were two things that stood out to me last night which really excited me. The first was his determination. Will Hughes absolutely flattened him in the first half with a fair but robust tackle and Phil just hopped straight back up and got on with it. There were other times when he got hacked and would just bounce off the floor, barely miss a stride and skip away with the ball still under his spell. It reminds me of Shaun Wright-Phillips at full flight or Jimmy Grimble dancing along a waterlogged pitch with boots flying in from all angles. He makes defenders look helpless when they can't even take him out properly.

The other thing was his ability to make space for himself. There was a moment in the second half (I think once Zinchenko had come on) and he was trying to make himself available on the inside left channel. Usually, we'll look for a wide player to make the run to the line, find him with a pass and he'll make a cut back for someone to have a shot. Instead, Phil makes that initial run for about 3 or 4 steps behind the the defender's back but makes sure the defender notices him bursting through. The defender sprints to cover the run but Phil's stopped already and he's now stood in acres of space. Simple.

There's the other stuff, the no look passes, the flicked passes around defenders with the outside of his foot a split second before they kick him, the touch, the goal threat, the backspin he puts on so many passes and so on and so on.

All those are about his ability with the ball at his feet but I think those other two things say more about him as a player. He's unbelievably graceful, incredibly astute and he's not one to be bullied. He gets me out of my seat every game.

Great post. He is a joy to watch. In fact, I tend to watch him for most of the game because he is just that good.

 

[Phil1]

The reason David Silva is my favourite player of all time is because he makes the game look so easy and it's fucking beautiful to watch.
Foden won't ever be like Dave in many respects, but he does have the traits that have made me love him for so long. He also has the potential to surpass everything Dave has on the pitch, and I don't say that lightly.
I'm proper excited to see what this boy can do over the next decade.

 

[sir baconface]

This whole loan thing for Phil just goes to show that for as much as Pep has redefined football in the UK the old ways still bubble under the surface . Take a kid, loan him out to a lower league club, let has been or never made it donkeys kick him from post to post, it's character building you know! Have him taught by a manager who has done nothing in the game that's why he manages at that level, rack up 100 games in as short as time as possible because it's all about "game" time. I hate that phrase, why would a 100 games at lower level beat 50/70 appearances from sub mixed with some starts with a squad of world class players? I don't see it as a badge of honour to have racked up 200 starts before your 20 years old what have you really learnt from that ?

Arguments too often gravitate to opposite ends of the spectrum, with nothing sensible in between. This is a good example.

Water under the bridge, thankfully. He’s now getting serious game time - thanks to the absence of a title race - and there’s no going back. We can ALL be happy.

 

[lazza]

Foden has his own style, for sure, but I think it's not hard to see some of the influence of David and KDB on his play. His pirouettes with the ball in close control to lose his man or his no-look reverse passes are peak Silva, while his threaded through-balls into space behind the defensive line and his non-stop eagerness to get the ball back seem very much like Kev. I also agree he has qualities of SWP, who was also hard to bring down. But Foden seems to be a master at wriggling out of tackles and fouls with the ball still at his feet and looks genuinely comfortable with both feet when in possession.

 

[Toffeedude]

Exciting player to watch. Time will tell how good he is, but he does look the part.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Only seems to be getting proper recognition at the moment if he scores or gets a couple of assists. I don't know, maybe it says more about the level of expectation when he's deemed invisible after failing to get on the scoresheet.

There were two things that stood out to me last night which really excited me. The first was his determination. Will Hughes absolutely flattened him in the first half with a fair but robust tackle and Phil just hopped straight back up and got on with it. There were other times when he got hacked and would just bounce off the floor, barely miss a stride and skip away with the ball still under his spell. It reminds me of Shaun Wright-Phillips at full flight or Jimmy Grimble dancing along a waterlogged pitch with boots flying in from all angles. He makes defenders look helpless when they can't even take him out properly.

The other thing was his ability to make space for himself. There was a moment in the second half (I think once Zinchenko had come on) and he was trying to make himself available on the inside left channel. Usually, we'll look for a wide player to make the run to the line, find him with a pass and he'll make a cut back for someone to have a shot. Instead, Phil makes that initial run for about 3 or 4 steps behind the the defender's back but makes sure the defender notices him bursting through. The defender sprints to cover the run but Phil's stopped already and he's now stood in acres of space. Simple.

There's the other stuff, the no look passes, the flicked passes around defenders with the outside of his foot a split second before they kick him, the touch, the goal threat, the backspin he puts on so many passes and so on and so on.

All those are about his ability with the ball at his feet but I think those other two things say more about him as a player. He's unbelievably graceful, incredibly astute and he's not one to be bullied. He gets me out of my seat every game.

Basically what i saw in the lad 4 years ago.and he s had to watch from the sidelines instead of parading these skills on a regular basis.great shame,imo.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Basically what i saw in the lad 4 years ago.and he s had to watch from the sidelines instead of parading these skills on a regular basis.great shame,imo.

Can't say I disagree but hopefully his time has finally come.

 

[01cravend]

Some lovely touches and play.