Phil - Scapegoats and witch hunts

[Cravenvirgin]

This England squad will never win anything with that muppet in charge. Too negative, plays Foden out of position where he has little opportunity to seriously influence the game. Fuck Southgate off, play Foden where he can do his best work and we might stand half a chance.

 

[unicorn]

Clueless pundits and fans lacking brain cells love a scapegoat and a witch-hunt. Against Serbia, Phil's role (doing a job on the left) didn't allow him to pull up any trees. I haven't seen the stats, but his pass completion accuracy seemed decent to me – being slaughtered though for the couple of passes that didn't work out. We all know that Pep coaches our players to pass to team-mates when they're being marked - and we've all seen Phil receive the ball with two top defenders on him, turn, get away and rifle one in. Our (City's) football is counterintuitive, and I don't expect England to play like us, but come on, it's not rocket science to give him the ball (when he's being marked or otherwise). Several times he was in good positions, but no-one gave him the ball – the golden boy especially.

I don't buy the 'he can't play in the same side as the golden boy’ thing. To me, Bellingham is a box-to-box player, whereas Phil does his best work in the last third. Phil's getting the Scholes experience - it has to be said that Scholes, like Phil is now, was the most naturally gifted English player of that generation but was shoved out to the left to make way for the longest running failed experiment in footy history. Phil’s being vilified for no other reason than he plays for us. Shearer, the striker (yes, he was world class) who couldn’t score for a year leading up to EURO 96, has been especially critical of Foden.

He's mature enough to shrug off the harsh criticism. TAA was clumsy more than once and nearly threw one in for Serbia – but no especially harsh criticism – fair enough – don’t destroy England’s players. Kane had his worst game in an England shirt (clumsy, slow, in the wrong parts of the pitch, barely any touches) – no harsh criticism – again fair enough. But Phil’s being singled out for a couple of slack passes. Phil loves playing for England – he’s won the Under 17 World Cup – player of the tournament. Personally, I hope Phil goes all maverick if selected ‘give me the fecking ball!!!!’ and shuts the mouths of these fans and pundits who don’t deserve a generational talent like him in their national side.

The argument for Pep to coach England in a parallel universe is for another discussion, but there is no way a Pep England would be allowed to take a backward step and drop deeper and deeper after going one nil up.

Superb analysis. Thanks for writing what I couldn't articulate.

 

[schfc6]

Not that I disagree with any post suggesting the ineptitude of Southgate, but I honestly think if they just leave Phil where he is, he’ll adapt and still make a good account of himself. Problem is, the aforementioned managerial abomination will likely give him an out 60 minutes more. Gordon or Eze will play half decent and that will be it. Rather than building towards the later stages.

Our only chance is due to a fair level of ineptitude amongst other nations.

 

[unicorn]

John Barnes was on TS this morning and when asked about Phil, he said that England won’t get the best out of him until they play him in his best position or to play more like City do.

No scapegoating like some on there, just said it how it was and that England won’t get the best out of players until they play to the teams strengths, which Southgate doesn’t allow.

John Barnes talks sense on a lot of topics.

 

[york away to this!]

Can't wait for the press to turn when Bellendingham gets sent off for being a bellend...

 

[deano ou812]

The media in general building up to England getting knocked out and using the foden conundrum as the stick to beat them with,if it wasn’t Phil it would have been Grealish if he was there,although still time for Walker or stones to be blamed..

 

[Franny 1234]

I would be happy if they don't play Phil in any position bring him home fresh for the upcoming season.
F-ck England Love City

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

What frustrates me is we have a core of players who have basically come of age or worked with Pep, Klopp and to a lesser extent Arteta, have all worked similar systems of dominating the ball and pressing high and having an extra man in midfield, but we have a manager who can't make the most of what those managers have done at club level.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

I think it sums up the state of the media (and is typical of the morons on social media) that England win and yet there still has to be a scapegoat, which seems to be Foden this time.

The first game of a tournament can be difficult, the most important thing is three points and something to build on.

So Foden didn't have an outstanding game. Bellingham aside, there weren't many stand out performers. As other posters have said, I'd still back Foden to perform out wide if given time. But I have a horrible feeling he'll be benched before he's given a chance to perform in that position. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Blue Pete]

The whole of the left side was wrong, both Foden and Trippier out of position. With an overlapping left back Foden would have looked ok. With a out and out left winger Trippier would have looked fine. The two together was the worst possible combination.

Southgate isn't the first England manager to try to play the best 11 players rather than the best players for the team. Think of the team with Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard three great players who all played similarly and should never have played together.

If that means Saka, Foden, Bellingham or Terence Trent Darby are dropped to the bench to create the correct balance then so be it.

Personally and for totally City reasons I want Foden on the bench. It'll mean he has a point to prove, he'll be more rested, and he won't be blamed when we crash out because Bellingcunt decides he wants all the glory and decides not to pass to anyone else.