He actually played well today. For me one of three players who did (Foden, Saka, Mainoo).
Was he as brilliant as he regularly is for City? No.
But he also doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of team around him or a decent manager, and it was the first time playing in the setup on the tournament. It doesn’t help that many of the players around him play for themselves, not the team, which is completely different to what Phil is used to at club level, where performances like that would get you benched in a hurry.
And, once more, his teammates were largely either afraid to give him the ball in dangerous positions or, in the case of Bellingham, seemingly refused to do so for their own reasons. I lost count the number of times Phil was calling for the ball in space and was ignored. It happens with Rice, Saka, Mainoo, Bellingham, and Konsa. Only Stones, Walker, and Kane even tried. I spoke earlier in the thread about why I think that is (mostly because they haven’t played with him enough to be confident he is going to make something happen or recycle possession, rather than lose the ball, if they do). And I don’t think the way Bellingham plays in that same position helps (they have seen how bad playing a ball to him with his back to goal on the edge of the opposition box can go).
Beyond all that, he was one of the few players with any composure on the ball and was directing players as to what to do with the ball throughout the match. He was the one actually running the game, while Kane and Bellingham ambled around the box, and Rice hid away. Mainoo and Saka were the other ones consistently contributing.
I really don’t understand where the “Foden had a poor game” analysis is coming from, especially compared to his attacking partners.
