Phil - Scapegoats and witch hunts

Just drop Foden, at least he won't get the blame when England crashes out of the tournament.

Lets see how far the fans' "fuck him we don't need him" thinking gets England.
 
Gorton_Tubster said:
No not a wind up. And it does need people to meet me half way which will never happen I know, but media influence over team and squad selection is a thing. The media hate City. Foden failure sells. Simple as. No conspiracy,. just the way things go.
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Ok mate.
 
Fernster said:
I scratch my head when I read the headlines around Phil.
He was voted the Player of the Year by reporters yet they are quick to blame him if England don't smash a team.
The premier league, English trophies, European trophies and club world cup games all add up. Phil played 56 games last season (including England games), Jude played 45 in total and I'm sure this has an effect on players.
Phil is the best player in the Premier League last season because he played in a position where he can do his best damage. He didn't play out of position (like he did for England) so therefore people should wait until he plays in his natural position and then the comparisons can be made.
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Plus the vast majority of games played by Bellingham for Real Madrid are easy domestic matches in much less pressurised fixtures. In fact it is even easier for Real since Barca's collapse. Phil went to the last two games with City in the PL and the FA Cup as well as the CL. There is no comparison.
 
MeatnSpudsMCFC said:
Not sure about all this noise about him being played on the left. For most of our games, he DID play on the left.


I imagine it's more to do with the fact that international football is much more direct. I honestly don't think he'll thrive in an England setup regardless of where he plays. Don't think it's his fault, just unrealistic expectations. He's better in a team that is possession based.
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Not last season he didn't, until Kev's return.

Previous seasons he did play on the left, but there were question marks over his consistency. There were some of us even wondering if he'd ever live up to the potential. All that doubts were wiped away last season when he played in the middle in Kev's absence.

Phil will not play at his full ability on the left, his natural game just doesn't suit it. Southgate asking a dominantly left footed player to invert from the left and continue to do his playmaking is just awkward, not just for Foden, even Mahrez will struggle doing that. To add to that, Southgate supports him with another wrong-footed LB in Trippier, who's inclined to cut in, so there's no width on the left.

IMO if Foden is asked to drift into the middle and do his playmaking, at least he has to be on the right wing. Best of course he's played in the middle.
 
Gorton_Tubster said:
Hoddle left Gazza out and got crucified. Same with Beckham, media campaign to get him included Then he got us knocked out of the WC.

Rashford has been part of the England setup for years, Maguire too would have been there - You think they're both good enough over the last few years? They deserve it over other players in the PL who dont play for utd? Why are mid table utd having more to do with the england setup than say Brighton players? If you think that isnt media and pundit influence then you are nieve.

TAA in midfield has been a thing City did for years, lfc do it and its revolutionary, their fans, our pundits have been talking about it on and off since then. You not noticed that? Where do you think Southgate got the idea from ?

And to highlight it, why does someone like Miley not get into the squad above Mainoo? I mean their stats show he's been better but southgate took him? I can only think that its media influence.

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I am convinced the media has a great deal to do with selecting who goes, who even plays.
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Why do United have more players than Brighton in the squad? Probably because the English players at Brighton are Danny Welbeck, James Milner and Solly March.
 
I don't think there is any scapegoat with Phil.

He's been the best player in the Premier League last season and that brings high expectations. If you don't reach them expectations then quite rightly you will be criticised for it.

Yes there are reasons why he doesn't produce for England like he does for City (who does?) but he has to find a way no matter how many barriers are in his way.

It's part and parcel of being one of the best footballers in the world and he will find a way as he's just too good not to.
 
Im a huge fan of Foden. The more so as hes homegrown and at City all his life.

The fact that he was voted POTY gives expectations. And tbh Foden has so far not been able to live up to these expectations in an England shirt. Even in CL games he has not excelled like the domestic ones.

So part of the criticism he gets I understand. Thats the expectation part of it. And him being a City player doesnt help when its public opinion feeded by the media.

Foden can play central. But Bellingham taking everything away from pretty much everyone doesnt help. He can also play both wings but has done do in a City team. And that’s completely different to an England team. With Bellingham.

Than again I expect Foden to show more of himself and I doubt Southgate will drop him straight away. Tactical reasons are an easy hiding place. And Im not sure Southgate is able to find the right formula to play both Foden and Bellingham together. Playing TA in midfield to me shows he cant.
 
Gorton_Tubster said:
Hoddle left Gazza out and got crucified. Same with Beckham, media campaign to get him included Then he got us knocked out of the WC.

Rashford has been part of the England setup for years, Maguire too would have been there - You think they're both good enough over the last few years? They deserve it over other players in the PL who dont play for utd? Why are mid table utd having more to do with the england setup than say Brighton players? If you think that isnt media and pundit influence then you are nieve.

TAA in midfield has been a thing City did for years, lfc do it and its revolutionary, their fans, our pundits have been talking about it on and off since then. You not noticed that? Where do you think Southgate got the idea from ?
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Honestly, I don't want to keep doing this but it's too easy. Before Euro 96, the Sun headline about Paul Gascoigne was "Disgracefool". Venables stuck by him and he was possibly our player of the tournament. Hoddle left Gazza out and the headlines were about Gazza's reaction more than the decision.

Gazza.jpg

You might be able to find stories about how Hoddle should've taken him but from my recollection at the time, the papers were in agreement that his time was up. The papers printed pictures of him eating kebabs in the early hours of the morning with Chris Evans in 1997 and printed them a week before the squad was selected in June 1998 so that's hardly a media clamour for his inclusion.

Rashford has scored 13 and 21 goals in the seasons before two of the tournaments he's been to and then had a shit season in the World Cup season which was played mid-season but had scored 21 the season before. He was a young striker playing well and scoring goals. In our treble year he scored 30 goals. This season he only scored 8 and has been left out. I don't see how that is a display of him being picked regardless of his form.

Maguire should've been left out a couple of years ago because he was in shit form and not being played by United but the second half of this season, he's been playing again and not in poor form if not the best.

You then go on to ask why mid-table United (8th) have more players in the England squad than Brighton (11th).

Brighton's English players last season were Jason Steele (GK), Adam Webster (CB), Odeluga Offiah (CB), Ben Jackson (CB), James Milner (CM), Solly March (RW), Adam Lallana (AM), Jack Hinshelwood (CM), Benicio Baker-Boaitey (LW), Joshua Duffus (CF) and Danny Welbeck (CF). Which of these do you want in the England squad over Kobie Mainoo or Luke Shaw?

I left Lewis Dunk off the list deliberately because he IS in the England squad ahead of Harry Maguire.

City haven't been playing a defender as a midfielder. We started playing Cancelo at left back but moving into midfield when we have the ball and are on the front foot and then moved onto doing it with John Stones from the right hand side. We haven't started with Kyle Walker as a central midfielder unless I missed that match.

I can't stand Gareth Southgate. I disagree with his use of TAA in midfield. I want him to move Bellingham back to the 8 position and get Foden in the 10. I want the bastard sacked but to claim that he's deliberately making these decisions to pander to United, Liverpool and Arsenal fans is ridiculous and the more you defend your position, the more you come out with nonsense like your United / Brighton theory.
 
Mifred said:
Drop Phil , Walker and Stones and get them match fit for the big game……………Chelsea!!!
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Not all will agree with this but we have the rags at Wembley again the week before, to me we have to beat the fcukers.
 
eversince 76 said:
Im a huge fan of Foden. The more so as hes homegrown and at City all his life.

The fact that he was voted POTY gives expectations. And tbh Foden has so far not been able to live up to these expectations in an England shirt. Even in CL games he has not excelled like the domestic ones.

So part of the criticism he gets I understand. Thats the expectation part of it. And him being a City player doesnt help when its public opinion feeded by the media.

Foden can play central. But Bellingham taking everything away from pretty much everyone doesnt help. He can also play both wings but has done do in a City team. And that’s completely different to an England team. With Bellingham.

Than again I expect Foden to show more of himself and I doubt Southgate will drop him straight away. Tactical reasons are an easy hiding place. And Im not sure Southgate is able to find the right formula to play both Foden and Bellingham together. Playing TA in midfield to me shows he cant.
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Well why cant Southgate play a left winger on the left (Gordon?) with Kane and Saka alongside him.
Behind them have Phil and Bellingham with Rice as defensive midfield (yes the £105m Rice who obviously cannot be trusted to do a job that Fern and now Rodri manage quite well) then a back 4.
I guess this is a bit too adventurous against the mega football sides we will meet in the group stages
 
He was poor the other night. However, opposition fans use this as a means in which to have a dig at City and Pep.

LFC fans used to do the same with Scholes when he played for England. Then you had Lampard too.

It's a means of coping with the inadequacies of their favourite players and teams. It's all a bit weird. The mental gymnastics is far too high energy for me.
 
Gorton_Tubster said:
Phil sidelined is exactly what utd, lfc, ars fans and their media puntis want.
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Since I don't give a fuck about England it's what I'd like too - other than the hit to his confidence (although I think he'd bounce back pretty quick).
I'd like all of our squad sat on the various benches so we don't have a number of them injured/burn out come August.
 
Phil Foden has absolutely nothing to prove to anyone. He is arguably the best player in the best team in the country and has been voted player of the year for good reason. Just because Southgate is a clueless prick doesn’t make it Phil’s fault.

The article by McNulty for the BBC was nothing less than an outright attack in Phil. I was actually a bit surprised as I always thought McNulty understood the game but clearly not.
 
MeatnSpudsMCFC said:
Not sure about all this noise about him being played on the left. For most of our games, he DID play on the left.


I imagine it's more to do with the fact that international football is much more direct. I honestly don't think he'll thrive in an England setup regardless of where he plays. Don't think it's his fault, just unrealistic expectations. He's better in a team that is possession based.
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Can't do anything without the ball, needs to abandon the left and come central to get the ball exposing Trippier, so of course he's disciplined and stays on the left watching the game like the rest of us.
 
I hope he does get dropped cos he ain't gonna shine under that useless wanker who's pretending to be a manager.
He's getting dogs abuse for something that's not his fault.
That team is totally unbalanced.
It is loaded heavily on the right hand side and probably because he has to shoehorn Twunt in.
Saka and Twunt on that side leaves the team defensively weaker imo so the players pack that side of the pitch leaving the left side even more exposed.
When it should be the complete opposite.
You've got a right back playing left back and a central midfielder playing left wing.
Their the ones that need the support.
It's seems quite simple to me.
Drop Bellingham back slightly to play along side Rice and play Foden or Palmer just in front of the two.
Stick Gordon or Eze on the left.
What you lose from Bellingham in terms of attacking play you gain in having a balanced team.
This should've been done months ago but the waistcoat wanker has spent nearly a year trying to shoehorn Twunt into the team, he's also wasted games 'having a look' at players, when he should've been working on his best starting 11, the balance of the team and how to get them to play together.
I'm sick of hearing 'when Shaws fit'
Shaw hasn't played since February, he's still training on his own.
The joke of a manager has wasted 8 years in charge of England and to this day they still play the same shit boring football they did on day one.
Stay on the bench Phil, better still I'd come home cos it's quite clearly gonna be all your fault when the useless **** in charge fails again.
 
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