47 | Phil Foden - 2023/24

[Gabriel]

Good points. On the tracking back front though when you’ve just lost the ball and are completely in the shit against a quick winger i highly doubt Pep says don’t bother to stop the counter on half way and then after that just completely give up and save your energy Phil lad.

A more hardened midfielder might have wiped him out and taken the card. As I say, we don’t know the instructions, and I think we were all surprised by how easily he got away from Ake. Even for their second goal, Doku made no attempt to track back on Semedo either, so I’m presuming that the attacking players are under some form of instruction. That said, Foden has looked short of puff when chasing back in recent weeks. It’s a tough position to play, made tougher when there is less experience around, and we just don’t know his own physical condition. Given our current predicament, just because players are currently on the park does not mean they are fully fit, and that might be true of Foden. More generally, in his mind, he might very much want to play in the middle, but sometimes the body is not quite ready for it. I suspect that may yet be the case.

 

[M16 citeh]

Man needs to step up! This is his season

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Man needs to step up! This is his season

He's not done too bad this season. He is not a robot.He has more than played his part in taking us to the top of the league.
He created two goal scoing opportunities yesterday against a packed defence.He was outstanding last week against Forest.
Don't think it's about manning up. The team as a whole failed to produce the required cutting edge yet still deserved a point. Foden played his part in dominating posession, away from home in the premier league. Many players by all accounts were not at their best.
And the manager didn't do us any favours by not being on the touchline...

 

[JWCH-99]

I'm here again to talk about his piss poor tracking back. You cannot just give up. I'm sure those same people will jump on me for it

I don’t think there is anything else to take from the game yesterday apart from this about him. I get people saying he needs to do more and be our de bruyne and as much as we all hope he can be that player- de bruyne is a top 3 player in the world for the last 5 years so it’s a pretty high bar that he may never achieve. He is a fantastic player though and definitely will be a massive part of city for years to come.

But.. the big takeaway was how poor his tracking was. It’s something that has been alluded to by pep and Southgate regarding his suitability for the central position as ge doesn’t get through the defensive work well enough. For their first goal he could have got back at Neto after his part in the mistake but just stopped when ake was in trouble. Kovacic sprinted back as he jogged back. As someone else mentioned as well he got an earful from walker also in another scenario. Has to work harder.

 

[eastmanc]

Very inconsistent to be ever considered as a top player MOTM last week awful this week

Really

 

[Blueroses]

Man needs to step up! This is his season

Since Newcastle came and Sheffield United cameo he hasn’t been impactful. Alvarez is the one stepping the most in the absense of KDB and one profiting of this chance so far.

I have high hopes and want him to cement himself as undroppable but it’s not the Casey’s he struggles to be take hold of game and asserts his presence in way David Silva or KDB do. Early days but if he doesn’t take these chances more then it will make sense why he never got trusted to play this role.

 

[melrose40yarder]

He aint KDB like Phillips is no Rodri.

 

[TrentGrisham]

He was far and away our best player until he came off.

 

[Goater=Legend]

I criticised him against Wolves. But he was great tonight, so positive with the ball and always looking for it, great goal too.

 

[Craig]

I criticised him against Wolves. But he was great tonight, so positive with the ball and always looking for it, great goal too.

Yeah, class tonight