Agree to disagree. Foden playing in a better team and thus being not in the top 3 of his team is not a reason why he’d be worse than Saka. Plus I would maybe say that Ødegaard, Rice and Saliba are Arsenal’s best/most important players.
Or Levi Colwill, who has played in that position a lot.
I’ve never seen someone go missing in big games such as Saka. Foden doesn’t have to be shoehorned anywhere. It’s about finding the balance with Bellingham in there as well. Agree to disagree on that.I love how suddenly this is a "what have you been smoking" type of opinion, just because Foden's had a better season than usualSaka has had two seasons at least on par with Foden's 23/24 campaign, is way more important for his club, way more important for his country, and he's a natural right winger as well. That's his best position. Foden has to be shoehorned into the 11 every time people try to make a case for him. The truth is he's not even part of their best 11, unless you go FIFPro World 11 style and just put the biggest names into the team, totally disregarding team balance, roles, and profiles .
Indeed.
I think Mainoo will be given the opportunity to start but Gallagher will be one of the first off the bench and there to step in if Mainoo struggles. I don't think Wharton will get any meaningful minutes, even if he makes the final cut.
He can play centrally and on the wing.
No, I mean Shaw at LW in attack and LB on defence. Shift between the ubiquitous 3-2-5/4-4-2 formations from attack to defence. Bellingham plays LM on defence, Foden next to Kane as the second striker. In attack you have Shaw LW, Bellingham and Foden behind Kane in the middle and Saka on the right
So you're saying Foden looks a better player and has also scored more goals and about the same assists as Saka, but Saka is definitely better? I don't see how you reach that conclusion, sorry.
He's done that at times for City, though admittedly as an extra LB, so...the alternatives aren't exactly straight forward either. Of all the LW options he's the only one I've seen putting serious defensive shifts against great teams...Are you suggesting Grealish at LB?
I'm not saying he's better at it than Foden, but arteta has played Saka as a 10 and he's actually quite good in that role. He's a very intelligent player and a great passer. If it was his full time position, i'm positive that he'd be great at it. He also played left back early in his career in some emergency situations and he excelled there too.
Again, he's demonstrated the exact opposite for City, which is why he's a mainstay of Pep's lineup in the difficult CL games this season and last
Saka had his best scoring season with 20 goals in all competitions, but 6 of them were penalties, so that's a factor.
Feels like he is giving him two weeks to prove fitness for the tournament, however a very risky situation being so threadbare at LB
Plus Mbappé expected to join the front three.
Bowen is the best off ball runner england have got with Jude and Watkins, and the only one who can play from the right. Far too useful to drop imo. If Shaw is fit, there is no need for both Branthwaite and Guehi. Pick one. If not, you drop him
Sorry, but what? One of the biggest and best traits of Saka is his consistency.
Sure, Foden is better centrally, but Saka is the better winger.I think I'd drop Eze since Foden, Palmer and Bellingham are all ahead of him as 10s and Mainoo and Gallagher can play there (Kane too if you're chasing a game and want to play Watkins up top).
Bellingham would've taken a deeper role that was Gundogan's. Not a #10/#9 at times like he has at Madrid. And he would've smashed it at City, just wouldn't have been scoring so many goals.
Regarding the bolded: as is Foden’s.Sorry, but what? One of the biggest and best traits of Saka is his consistency.
Big games
Foden has 4 G/A in games against the "traditional" top 6 this season, with 3 of them coming against an awful United side. They would've cruised through both of those games without him. Against Newcastle and Villa, 4 G/A, and a goal in the Bernabeu.
Saka contributed vs United at home, both Spurs games, both Chelsea games, and Liverpool at home. The only game where he wasn't really needed is Chelsea at home. Also scored vs Newcastle and Bayern.
Saka wins the big game debate easily this season.
Technically, Foden might be better, but that's usually heavily overstated as Foden's movement and playstyle just looks aesthetically better.
Regarding versatility, Saka is a right winger. Foden only plays a lot there, because there are better players centrally at both City and England.
Yeah, I would be tempted to go Germany 2014 and pick Branthwaite or Guehi at LB and have them sit off. Stones can step forward a bit, so like this I guess:
I think this is all meaningless. Foden is the better #10, Saka the better RW.
Is Ben Chillwell injured?
No, he's just been on the bench quite a bit for Chelsea recently.
No trophy this time either. There are no leaders in that team except maybe Kane and Maguire. Once again open central midfield where opposition will have freeway. And goalkeeper situation where you wonder how a country that loves football can't develop some bigger talent there. Lot of technical attacking players but that will not be that useful because lot of them will play and lot of them are liability in their defensive game.
Pickford has been excellent for England for a while now. If someone partners Rice with Bellingham ahead then no, there will not be an open midfield. Defence is a worry but hopefully we can pick a defence that performs.
.Do you think Bellingham and Rice will get overrun in midfield?
This is essentially what City do now Gvaridol when Kovacic plays and might get the best out of a Foden/Bellingham pair as 10.
This won't work - England do not have the time to prepare nor does southgate have the ability to prepare intricate passing players and possessional dominance in movement patterns.
Toney should go because feel he has that ice cold mentality in the big moments of tournaments. Think Bowen and Eze could both go if Shaw doesn't make it. I know they are completely different positions but just thinking in terms of numbers.
I don’t rate Rice and Bellingham have gone down in form after first one-two months. I guess Southgate could go with those two and inform Foden and thats is no central midfield that you win things with in my opinion. Team just looks inbalanced with lot of offensive players and almost all of them with very little defensive qualities.
Never been capped before and thought hhe'd go to the euros? Odd
