Phil Foden - What Is His Potential?

Adisa

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He is doing the right thing by staying at City.
This. If people look at it objectively, he is getting a lot of minutes. Compare his minutes to our similarly rated talent, at similar age and in the same position.
 

Rozay

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Who is saying he should have weekly starts ? Playing more often and having weekly starts are two different things altogether.
The point is how much more often do you want him to play? I don’t see anyone here agitating for Greenwood, Chong, Gomes, Garner etc to move clubs - and I suspect they have played less than Foden combined.
 

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The point is how much more often do you want him to play? I don’t see anyone here agitating for Greenwood, Chong, Gomes, Garner etc to move clubs - and I suspect they have played less than Foden combined.
Yeah, the hypocrisy is obvious. We've got an inferior squad, full of gaps in quality, and yet even our youth aren't getting the regular minutes that our fans are accusing theirs of not getting.
 

Bill Hartzia

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With ears like his and the Dumbo movie out, he has a future as an understudy if the football side doesn't work out...
 

padr81

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Hope so. Bit nervous with that team line-up, but let's see what he can do.
Its a huge risk that's for sure, pretty much a reserve forward line (albeit one that cost £150m). Hope its not Pep trying to be too clever.
 

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Didn't look out of place tonight, he might make it at the top level
 

Gentleman Jim

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City have 3 current midfield players whose playing time will reduce or maybe will leave in next 1/2 seasons (D Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan).
If he makes normal progress in the meantime there is a clear route to a starting role for him at the club by age 20/21.
 

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City have 3 current midfield players whose playing time will reduce or maybe will leave in next 1/2 seasons (D Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan).
If he makes normal progress in the meantime there is a clear route to a starting role for him at the club by age 20/21.
What about Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne? Those two, (with a long term Fernandinho replacement behind them) will surely make up the starting trio. Not for one minute suggesting that being first reserve for the number 8 position is a bad thing though. Certainly not at 20-21 years old.
 

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Answering the question. Huge like a lot of young players from England atm. Positive signs for England.
 

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Have, Englands midfield right now isnt good. A bunch of decent players but not cut out for the big International games. Players like Foden coming through can change that.
Well honestly in the past if we remember players like Scholes, Gerrard or Lampard we can't say they lacked talent. What actually surprises me so far is that Southgate looks a mildly moderate progressive guy as National Team manager. Something I didn't expect from him when he was managing the under 21's.

Sometimes more than good or great players at that level you need the right person in place. A bad manager or at least outdated one can feckup the job of an entire Federation, but this is a topic for another thread.
 

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Well honestly in the past if we remember players like Scholes, Gerrard or Lampard we can't say they lacked talent. What actually surprises me so far is that Southgate looks a mildly moderate progressive guy as National Team manager. Something I didn't expect from him when he was managing the under 21's.

Sometimes more than good or great players at that level you need the right person in place. A bad manager or at least outdated one can feckup the job of an entire Federation, but this is a topic for another thread.
Unpopular opinion but i think Steve Holland is making Southgate look better than he is, it's well known the World Cup shift to 3atb was his idea and i don't think it's a coincidence performances improved a lot once he left Chelsea and committed to England full time.
 

SportingCP96

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The truth is England seem to have a really talented generation of players coming thru.
 

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Unpopular opinion but i think Steve Holland is making Southgate look better than he is, it's well known the World Cup shift to 3atb was his idea and i don't think it's a coincidence performances improved a lot once he left Chelsea and committed to England full time.
Is he related with the Chelsea Youth Football sector? Anyway its clear England is playing at a great level.
 

Dancfc

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Is he related with the Chelsea Youth Football sector? Anyway its clear England is playing at a great level.
He joined us in the late 00's to manage our reserves then in 2011 he was promoted to assistant under AVB and was assistant to all our managers between him and Conte.
 

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He joined us in the late 00's to manage our reserves then in 2011 he was promoted to assistant under AVB and was assistant to all our managers between him and Conte.
Ok thanks for the insight. ;)
 

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What about Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne? Those two, (with a long term Fernandinho replacement behind them) will surely make up the starting trio. Not for one minute suggesting that being first reserve for the number 8 position is a bad thing though. Certainly not at 20-21 years old.
Well of course these two will likely still be on the scene but 3 players for 2 positions is hardly excessive with so many games to be played every season. Plus Bernardo being equally adept as a wide player gives the Coach the option to use all 3 of them at once.
 

Matt007a

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He couldn't have a better coach to learn from than Pep and he also couldn't have a better role model to follow than David Silva. He might not be getting quite as much playtime as we all would like but he will be learning more in training than he would at probably any other club in England.
 

Raees

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Shame is that by staying at City, he won't break through quick enough to get into the England side. We're desperate for someone of his ilk to help control and create from central area of the pitch. Delle is too much of a lump as gifted as he is to enable the side to play fast and quick high tempo possession football.
 

charlie9882

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Shame is that by staying at City, he won't break through quick enough to get into the England side. We're desperate for someone of his ilk to help control and create from central area of the pitch. Delle is too much of a lump as gifted as he is to enable the side to play fast and quick high tempo possession football.
Considering CHO has got into the team despite having not started a league game (at the time) and had more or less the same minutes as Foden, Phil has every chance of getting into the senior side next season.

His game time has been increasing at a steady level and it looks like next season he'll take that next jump again, especially if Gundogan ends up leaving. He showed Pep last night he's a very capable option in midfield.
 

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Well of course these two will likely still be on the scene but 3 players for 2 positions is hardly excessive with so many games to be played every season. Plus Bernardo being equally adept as a wide player gives the Coach the option to use all 3 of them at once.
Indeed

Although he shares a name with David and is of small stature hence obvious comparisons, it would appear that Bernardo's future, certainly under Pep, is more likely as part of the front three (playing wide) than the middle three

Given that of our middle three, by and large we play with one more defensively minded midfielders and two more creative/further forward, Foden's future is alongside KDB in front of the DM, basically taking over from David as he plays fewer games due to age

Of course our set up tends to be very fluid and Foden could play further forward just as Bernardo can play further back, but in broad terms, that would appear to be the future.

Some of that depends on the future for Gundogan, on which there appears to be some uncertainty. If he does stay, it's difficult to predict medium term whether he will take on the DM role or be played in addition to a DM thus more directly challenging Foden - Pep has played Gundogan in all areas of midfield. But even then, it's not nearly as congested for top drawer quality as at the front where the six (aguero, jesus, sane, sterling, bernardo & mahrez) are challenging for 3 places
 

Red00012

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City have 3 current midfield players whose playing time will reduce or maybe will leave in next 1/2 seasons (D Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan).
If he makes normal progress in the meantime there is a clear route to a starting role for him at the club by age 20/21.
And Pep is certainly going to go into the transfer market and have these players replaced.
 

RochaRoja

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It could be a blessing for England if Foden is still a bit part player for City going into the Euros and doesn’t make the squad.

The typical story with young English talents of the last 20 years has been a rapid rise to prominence before burning out by their mid 20s.
 

RochaRoja

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Indeed

Although he shares a name with David and is of small stature hence obvious comparisons, it would appear that Bernardo's future, certainly under Pep, is more likely as part of the front three (playing wide) than the middle three
Weird because he was your best player in the first half of the season playing in the middle.
 

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Indeed

Although he shares a name with David and is of small stature hence obvious comparisons, it would appear that Bernardo's future, certainly under Pep, is more likely as part of the front three (playing wide) than the middle three

Given that of our middle three, by and large we play with one more defensively minded midfielders and two more creative/further forward, Foden's future is alongside KDB in front of the DM, basically taking over from David as he plays fewer games due to age

Of course our set up tends to be very fluid and Foden could play further forward just as Bernardo can play further back, but in broad terms, that would appear to be the future.

Some of that depends on the future for Gundogan, on which there appears to be some uncertainty. If he does stay, it's difficult to predict medium term whether he will take on the DM role or be played in addition to a DM thus more directly challenging Foden - Pep has played Gundogan in all areas of midfield. But even then, it's not nearly as congested for top drawer quality as at the front where the six (aguero, jesus, sane, sterling, bernardo & mahrez) are challenging for 3 places
Who's the talented kid you've got at DM, who can't get his work permit?

I remember Pep raving about him in terms of being Fernandinho's understudy.
 

jontheblue

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Weird because he was your best player in the first half of the season playing in the middle.
Yep, but Pep's actually gone on record more recently as saying words along the lines of 'sane & mahrez are great but sterling & bernardo are playing so well either side of the striker, they are currently number one choice in the position'

Bernardo is undoubtedly a better attacking player than David
 

jontheblue

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Who's the talented kid you've got at DM, who can't get his work permit?

I remember Pep raving about him in terms of being Fernandinho's understudy.
Douglas Luiz - brazilian, was due to come back from loan at girona but stayed after being denied a work permit
 

Thunderhead

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Douglas Luiz - brazilian, was due to come back from loan at girona but stayed after being denied a work permit
aye, think he must have been injured for a while as he didn't play most of Feb / March, I saw him twice, once against barca and he looked great, the other time against someone like Villareal and he looked bloody awful
 

Gentleman Jim

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And Pep is certainly going to go into the transfer market and have these players replaced.
He will if there’s nobody within the club that’s of the right quality and who is prepared to wait until the opening appears.
He won’t just buy for the sake of it (although I do believe that the Management screwed the Alexis/Mahrez/Sancho situation up).