Phil Foden - 2017/18 performances

[bluemonkey71]

Good to see the senior players chatting with him and welcoming into the first team squad on the videos I've seen. Especially Sergio. The kid looks class for his age

 

[domalino]

Good to see the senior players chatting with him and welcoming into the first team squad on the videos I've seen. Especially Sergio. The kid looks class for his age

There was a video where he's talking to Jesus on the way to the training pitch and you can just hear Jesus go "17!?! Wow I can't believe it" Which I find hilarious coming from a 19 year old.

 

[jimharri]

Good to see the senior players chatting with him and welcoming into the first team squad on the videos I've seen. Especially Sergio. The kid looks class for his age

Sergio's hardly a kid any more!

 

[mccity]

Unless we've got a plan to really slowly wean him into the team over the next 3 years I am of the belief this kid is 100% in need of a loan at some point.

He's tiny. You look at all the small players in the league (specifically the English one) who are really good, they're either very fast (eg Sterling) or very tough (Tevez) or some combination. Even players like Silva had to adapt to the league for a while, just look at how much more aggressively he plays compared to when he first showed up (Aguero too).

When the youth team lost to Chelsea in the cup it was difficult at times. I said then that the main reason they had such an edge over City was that their players were definitely ahead in terms of physical development and when you combine that with their already good players it meant City were chasing shadows much of the time. Which sucked because City tried to play the more sophisticated football but Chelsea just breezed by regardless. Foden was a player who suffered greatly, because even though his talent was so clear, especially in the first leg, he struggled (so did the whole team but don't want to you to think he was alone there).

Point being, when you look at how teams like Chelsea, United Tottenham are set up, as well as almost all the teams below Everton, you see how physical it is going to be in the Premier league. Now if Foden's struggling against well developed 16-18 year olds at Chelsea, think what a fully grown team would do to him. Sure he'd have the protection of his teammates, but as we saw in preseason (Madrid/Tottenham) it's not enough. {I know he did well v United but that was outr first game, it really lacked in intensity like a proper game would}

He needs the exposure of playing against grown men if he's going to be ready. It's sad but it's indicative of the nature of the league in that sense. It's also sad because normally talented 17 year olds are missing that bit of nous or tactical acumen (like Sancho) when it comes to the step up. That's normally why young players get loaned out in the first place (excluding the ones who are just being 'farmed' somewhere obviously) But the only thing he's got against him is he's built like a 17 year old..

ps With Diaz, he's so fast and agile you'd think he'd get by a little better at least against the bigger players, enough to not need the loan. Like Sterling maybe

 

[joe123]

I see your point, but I'm hopeful we blood him in a similar way to how fabregas came through at arsenal. He was 16 (i think) and slight as anything. Remains to be seen whether he can hit those heights, but he looks to have all the attriutes. Don't think Fabregas had quite as many players to get past as Phil does, but hopefully he's a cup starter and gets a fair few league minutes. I'm sure that being surrounded by class players who he can develop an understanding with will be the best thing for his development. More confident about this kid getting a decent enough chance that at any time with any other youngster since i can remember (Micah/Ned days?) - the team looks strong enough all over to be able to blood someone gradually. In that respect a lot relies particularly on Sergio and Jesus to finish off the many chances I expect us to create, taking the pressure off and affording us the opportunity to play the lad when we're 3-0 up every game ;)

Watch us get beat by Brighton now i've said that.

 

[MarsLlama]

Give him a year here before we decide if we loan him out or not I reckon. Harry Winks and Tom Davies both broke into top 7 first teams without going on loan (I think) so it can be done. Can't wait for his first senior appearance, assist, goal... Would be lovely (though unlikely) if he played enough to be eligible for a winner's medal at the end of the season.

 

[cibaman]

Unless we've got a plan to really slowly wean him into the team over the next 3 years I am of the belief this kid is 100% in need of a loan at some point.

He's tiny. You look at all the small players in the league (specifically the English one) who are really good, they're either very fast (eg Sterling) or very tough (Tevez) or some combination. Even players like Silva had to adapt to the league for a while, just look at how much more aggressively he plays compared to when he first showed up (Aguero too).

When the youth team lost to Chelsea in the cup it was difficult at times. I said then that the main reason they had such an edge over City was that their players were definitely ahead in terms of physical development and when you combine that with their already good players it meant City were chasing shadows much of the time. Which sucked because City tried to play the more sophisticated football but Chelsea just breezed by regardless. Foden was a player who suffered greatly, because even though his talent was so clear, especially in the first leg, he struggled (so did the whole team but don't want to you to think he was alone there).

Point being, when you look at how teams like Chelsea, United Tottenham are set up, as well as almost all the teams below Everton, you see how physical it is going to be in the Premier league. Now if Foden's struggling against well developed 16-18 year olds at Chelsea, think what a fully grown team would do to him. Sure he'd have the protection of his teammates, but as we saw in preseason (Madrid/Tottenham) it's not enough. {I know he did well v United but that was outr first game, it really lacked in intensity like a proper game would}

He needs the exposure of playing against grown men if he's going to be ready. It's sad but it's indicative of the nature of the league in that sense. It's also sad because normally talented 17 year olds are missing that bit of nous or tactical acumen (like Sancho) when it comes to the step up. That's normally why young players get loaned out in the first place (excluding the ones who are just being 'farmed' somewhere obviously) But the only thing he's got against him is he's built like a 17 year old..

ps With Diaz, he's so fast and agile you'd think he'd get by a little better at least against the bigger players, enough to not need the loan. Like Sterling maybe

Foden's too young to be loaned out this season. He'll stay with the club playing a mix of junior and senior games. He might be loaned out in 12 month's time but it it could be that by then the club decide he's an exceptional talent capable of playing a significant number of games for the first team and needs to stay at the club. I agree that in a year's time he needs to be playing regular adult football.

 

[citizenyank76]

To say I am hoping he breaks through this season as is a consistent contributor is an understatment. In a couple of years maybe replacing Silva, or is that asking too much?

 

[TravisBickle]

The lad is class so no surprise really. I can't see him being loaned out tbh.
Hopefully Diaz gets the nod as well.

 

[Cobra]

The chances of it happening are slim, but it would be incredible if we had a midfield of Foden, Smith and Doyle in 3-4 years.