47 | Phil Foden - 2022/23

[Keeper!]

Clearly been a relationship breakdown between him and Pep.

Attitude or to much of it.?

Needs to get back to loving the game and working hard, maybe a case of believing he has already made it.

It's a problem with most of the young English players.

Hopefully just part of the learning process.

 

[Hart of the Matter]

Worrying.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Not a winger.

Neither is Grealish , we signed hmi from Villa as a creative midfield player , and Foden came through the youth system as a number ten , if Pep isnt sure where to play them he shunts them out on the left wing ,

 

[Craig]

Poor tonight got the ball and passed it back.

They’re the instructions. He’s been doing that all season. Obviously hard to defend him last night when his touch was unusually shite

 

[Craig]

Phil is not in great form at the moment but that will not last. One thing that stands out though is he needs to get back to having the hunger when things are not going so great personally. In all the games we've seen I can count on one hand (one with two fingers removed) the times he has lost possession and not busted a gut to get it back. It is quite interesting that a lot of the England players apart from John Stones & maybe Jack have come back from the WC is poor form. Don't know if it was all the emotional energy used up or being subject to Southgate's coaching ha!

Most of the England players aren’t that good anyway but the likes of Shaw, Stones, Rashford, Kane and Saka haven’t they’re all flying

 

[Craig]

Pep has got it right at the moment Grealish is more effective , we all know how good Phil can be but he isnt doing it at the moment , his play is so negative , he played against 40 year old Milner and didnt take him on once and now played 40 year old Azpilcuelta and took him on once and won a free kick after an hour.
He needs to wake up , he is playing for his place and hes doesnt deserve it right now.

You don’t think that’s down to Pep constantly saying don’t lose the ball?

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Hmmmm

Fame and fortune gone to his head?
"Was he ever all that?"
Tired after a few hrs in the World Cup?
The System?
Needs a consistent run in the team?
Just a blip?
Time he started taking responsibility for himself?

The Our Phil conundrum.

 

[eastmanc]

Neither is Grealish , we signed hmi from Villa as a creative midfield player , and Foden came through the youth system as a number ten , if Pep isnt sure where to play them he shunts them out on the left wing ,

I was having a bit of a go at Jack on Saturday for passing and running backwards but Phil seems to be doing the same is this something Pep wants them to do, I can't get my head around it.

 

[Lauz9888]

I was having a bit of a go at Jack on Saturday for passing and running backwards but Phil seems to be doing the same is this something Pep wants them to do, I can't get my head around it.

In Jack's post-match interview last night, he said that Pep's instruction to him and Mahrez before they came on was "be aggressive".

I don't think that's his standard instruction to his wingers lately, though. I think he more often expects them to be solid and secure in possession, be patient, make space, exploit any opportunities they see but not try to force them, with the expectation that the bulk of the team's creativity will generally come from cental areas in the space the wingers create.

Then he's always got the back-up plan of telling the wingers to be aggressive in situations like last night where our midfield was a bit off and we needed a goal.

So I struggle to criticise individual players for holding onto the ball or passing it backwards - they're all doing it a lot of the time and it seems to be tactical. If we disagree with the approach, it's one to take up with Pep.

 

[eastmanc]

In Jack's post-match interview last night, he said that Pep's instruction to him and Mahrez before they came on was "be aggressive".

I don't think that's his standard instruction to his wingers lately, though. I think he more often expects them to be solid and secure in possession, be patient, make space, exploit any opportunities they see but not try to force them, with the expectation that the bulk of the team's creativity will generally come from cental areas in the space the wingers create.

Then he's always got the back-up plan of telling the wingers to be aggressive in situations like last night where our midfield was a bit off and we needed a goal.

So I struggle to criticise individual players for holding onto the ball or passing it backwards - they're all doing it a lot of the time and it seems to be tactical. If we disagree with the approach, it's one to take up with Pep.

Fair comment.