47 | Phil Foden - 2023/24

Reposting from last year's thread. Hope that's alright.

It's now or never for Pep to stick to his word of Phil eventually playing centrally because he's not going to get that wing spot over Saka. I'm taking Phil ten times out of ten over Saka but the reality is Saka has taken his opportunities far more often with England. Although the fact that Southgate is willing to give TAA opportunities centrally over Phil is infuriating, to say the least. Phil did FAR more than TAA has these past two matches while collecting a MOTM versus an albeit equally awful team in Andorra playing centrally and for whatever reason was never given that opportunity again IIRC.

Pep has done FAR more good than bad for Foden's development but I have to say my biggest gripe has been not playing him as a midfielder at least sometimes which has now subsequently followed him into the national team.

 
TrentGrisham said:
Reposting from last year's thread. Hope that's alright.

It's now or never for Pep to stick to his word of Phil eventually playing centrally because he's not going to get that wing spot over Saka. I'm taking Phil ten times out of ten over Saka but the reality is Saka has taken his opportunities far more often with England. Although the fact that Southgate is willing to give TAA opportunities centrally over Phil is infuriating, to say the least. Phil did FAR more than TAA has these past two matches while collecting a MOTM versus an albeit equally awful team in Andorra playing centrally and for whatever reason was never given that opportunity again IIRC.

Pep has done FAR more good than bad for Foden's development but I have to say my biggest gripe has been not playing him as a midfielder at least sometimes which has now subsequently followed him into the national team.

Click to expand...

I'm quite certain Phil is playing in the middle next season, what with Kev being broken for a bit, and losing likely Gundogan and/or Bernie.

If Mahrez leaves as well (even if he stays, he's quite old now), that would leave just Grealish and Palmer as wingers if Phil is moved centrally, so I am assuming we will buy a high potential winger.

My vote is for Moussa Diaby.
 
Big season for Phil.

2020/21 was his breakout year where he really showed the world what he was capable of with some dazzling performances, in particular PSG at home. The only caveat to that season is that the matches were played in empty stadiums and while that doesn't render those performances meaningless, they were very unique settings.

2021/22 he was good and scored a few important goals but perhaps didn't make the leap forward that a lot of us were hoping for. However, I think a lot of that was down to playing as a false nine.

Last season he was a bit on the periphery despite producing decent numbers. He started the season well but after the World Cup he struggled to get a run in the team due to injury and the form of Grealish and Bernardo.

All the signs are pointing towards Phil being given a lot more opportunities to start in midfield next season which would be an exciting development for him as a player and in the evolution of the team, and it will be very interesting to see how he adapts to the new role. We know he has all the talent in the world it's just whether he has the other qualities that are harder to measure like spacial awareness, tempo, decision making and general in-game intelligence that are needed to play in the middle. You have to think he will have learnt an awful lot from training with the likes of David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva over the years.

Next season could be the start of a new phase in Foden's career and under Guardiola's tutelage, I have a feeling he is about to go to another level.
 
I recall a few short years ago listening to Danny parasite mills saying Phil had to move to another club to further his career. Well Danny that’s 5 Premier Leagues, 4 league cups, 2 fa cups and a champions league. And at the age of 18 he had already played more minutes for City than you did in your entire useless leaching City career. Still stealing a living though. ****
 
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