47 | Phil Foden - 2023/24

[footballmanager]

Pep holds Phil to a higher standard because he thinks Foden could genuinely get near Messi for both pure ability and ultimate impact on football.

I think Pep has to continue to treat Phil the way he has in order for Foden to have a chance at that — the same way Pep treated a young Messi.

If you are one of the best young players in the world, you are going to be treated like that, and I have no problems with it.

The sky is the limit for Phil. He could end up being the best English player in history.

And Pep certainly wants that to happen.

while i think theres a lot of hyperbole here, i do think that foden should be given more freedom to express his football, he is one of the few footballers than can do special things with the ball. In that sense pep has gone to a much more rigid style of football than the one he brought here initially and a lot different from his barcelona days. That happens mainly due to our failure or decision (not) to recruit attacking fullbacks. That means that we end up with inside wingers giving depth and recycling the ball to attack through the middle.

It has advantages and disavantages but i would like to see us play with wingers that can go to the byline and cross, old school style

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Just want to see him do it more often. Hopefully, he'll get a chance to now.

Gündoğan leaving, de Bruyne’s unfortunate injury, Paqueta being an idiot and pretty much nobody else of note being available for a transfer - despite seemingly all negatives - might be the best things to ever happen for Foden.

The biggest thing a player needs to improve and learn is a run of games. Training is one thing, playing a proper game is another and getting a sustained run in the team is what gets the rhythms and form going.

Foden has barely played in midfield in his open-age career, it’s a position he still needs to learn how to play (youth team football is very different to open age). He’s got a better chance now to develop in that position with the injury and transfer situation in that area of the pitch.

Last night was proper high quality for a 23 year old. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to think of a better attacking midfield/#10 performance from a 23 year old, certainly in the last 5 years.

You’re having to think of Iniesta, Kaka, Müller level players who were all excellent at 23 but quite a while ago now (most recent was Müller who was 23 ten years ago… a season in which he scored 26 goals from attacking mid/#10, something for Foden to aim for there!).

At 23 Lampard wasn’t putting in performances like that. Someone who scored an incredible 303 career goals from midfield (although probably deeper than Foden). At 23 Lampard had just signed for Chelsea, had scored 47 goals (Foden has 63) and had only been capped for England three times (Foden has 25).

Now it’s time for Philip Walter ‘Ronnie’ Foden. Let’s see where this run of games takes him… can’t wait!

 

[Akira]

Ran the show. Frightened the Newcastle defense everytime he gets the ball. Got an assist but could've gotten a lot more.

Superb Philip.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

The issue isn’t the unbelievable ability he has, more the consistency, which with the experience he has accumulated is why the murmurings about ‘time to step up’ and ‘it’s his year’ are doing the rounds…

Pep, even on Fridays press conference, alluded to Phil’s private life, and what he’s looking for is a player to sacrifice a small window during their career to fulfil potential, it’s what will separate the elite from the good…

He has an opportunity to be remembered far beyond those who have been bought into the club, for obvious reasons, however, the talent, as displayed last night, is levels above when firing, he is literally unplayable!

 

[Fuzzy80]

Foden takes it on the half turn

 

[Withnail]

Sublime performance from Foden last night, he simply ran the show. His talent is never in doubt and with Kdb's injury he has a real opportunity to gain Pep's trust as our main attacking midfielder. Sometimes when he plays out wide he can become a bit isolated, but last night he had a real impact on the game and let's hope he stays clear of injury.

 

[Benzino]

Gündoğan leaving, de Bruyne’s unfortunate injury, Paqueta being an idiot and pretty much nobody else of note being available for a transfer - despite seemingly all negatives - might be the best things to ever happen for Foden.

The biggest thing a player needs to improve and learn is a run of games. Training is one thing, playing a proper game is another and getting a sustained run in the team is what gets the rhythms and form going.

Foden has barely played in midfield in his open-age career, it’s a position he still needs to learn how to play (youth team football is very different to open age). He’s got a better chance now to develop in that position with the injury and transfer situation in that area of the pitch.

Last night was proper high quality for a 23 year old. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to think of a better attacking midfield/#10 performance from a 23 year old, certainly in the last 5 years.

You’re having to think of Iniesta, Kaka, Müller level players who were all excellent at 23 but quite a while ago now (most recent was Müller who was 23 ten years ago… a season in which he scored 26 goals from attacking mid/#10, something for Foden to aim for there!).

At 23 Lampard wasn’t putting in performances like that. Someone who scored an incredible 303 career goals from midfield (although probably deeper than Foden). At 23 Lampard had just signed for Chelsea, had scored 47 goals (Foden has 63) and had only been capped for England three times (Foden has 25).

Now it’s time for Philip Walter ‘Ronnie’ Foden. Let’s see where this run of games takes him… can’t wait!

Interesting you should mention some other top attacking midfielders there. Some of the best midfielders ever were not in the same place as Foden at that age.

Playing for the best team in the world. 5 league titles to his name, 4 league cups, 2 FA cups and a Champions league. 130 league appearances in 6 years with 35 league goals. A season where he was unfit for half it and still scored 11 goals. Absolutely incredible.

Rivaldo had only just got to Europe aged 23, he signed for Deportivo from Palmeras.

Ronaldinho was going into his second year at PSG. The previous season he had scored 9 goals in a poor French league, and that year he scored 8 goals. He was no way near world class.

Zidane was still at Bordeaux, he only scored 6 goals that year and the previous year scored 6 too. In fact, he never scored 11 league goals in a season, in his entire career.

Maradona was in his second year in Europe with Barcelona. The previous year, he scored 11 goals, that year, he scored 11 goals. He hadn’t won anything of note at that age.

You could literally keep rattling them off. Very few players are the finished article at 23. Foden is exactly at the development stage he should be at.

You only have to look at him on the ball, the way he glides with it and his intelligence. That’s a very special young man. If he kicks it up a few levels with a good run in midfield, as one of our most important players. He could become world class pretty quickly.

 

[Phil1]

while i think theres a lot of hyperbole here, i do think that foden should be given more freedom to express his football, he is one of the few footballers than can do special things with the ball. In that sense pep has gone to a much more rigid style of football than the one he brought here initially and a lot different from his barcelona days. That happens mainly due to our failure or decision (not) to recruit attacking fullbacks. That means that we end up with inside wingers giving depth and recycling the ball to attack through the middle.

It has advantages and disavantages but i would like to see us play with wingers that can go to the byline and cross, old school style

What you’d like to see and what the best manager in the world would like to see regarding what the wingers role is are completely different.
One has won 4 trophies in the last 12 months and one calls themselves football manager on the internet,
We don’t do ‘old school style’

 

[handsofstone]

We need these performances from Phil week-in-week-out from today, thats the level he has to reach and with the KDB injury and likelihood we don't bring in an attacker of similar quality this is the time to do it

22 starts in the league and 3 in the Champions league in 22/22

24 starts in the league and 8 starts in the Champions league in 21/22

Need sto be pushing 30 starts in the league (injuries aside) and all our Champions league games (well get to semis so 12 possible games)

 

[FatedBlue77]

Incredible game yesterday from Foden. Still needs to understand and gain a feel for the rhythm in games but that will come with consistent gametime CENTRALLY. Just keep playing him consistently and he will get better and better. But kudos to Phil he really put on a show.