Phil Foden’s struggles raise concerns at Manchester City and England camp
Manchester City’s Phil Foden, once celebrated as the PFA Player of the Year for his instrumental role in securing the Premier League title with 19 goals and eight assists, is currently facing a challenging period marked by a significant dip in form.
From PFA Winner to Benched: What’s Happening with Phil Foden?
This downturn has not gone unnoticed, with both club and national team circles expressing concern over the 24-year-old’s recent performances.
During Euro 2024, Foden struggled to make a substantial impact for England, a trend that has unfortunately persisted into the current season.
Since Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea in January, Foden has neither scored nor provided an assist in the Premier League.
This decline has led to reduced playing time under Pep Guardiola, who benched him for two of City’s last three league matches and substituted him after 69 minutes in the game he did start against Nottingham Forest.
The concerns extend to the national team, where England manager Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged Foden’s recent struggles.
After an underwhelming display on the wing against Albania, Tuchel opted to start Jarrod Bowen over Foden for the subsequent match against Latvia.
Tuchel emphasized the need for more aggressive and direct play from his wingers, noting, “We hope for more impact in these positions. More dribbling and more aggressive runs towards the box.”
Teammates and staff have observed that Foden appears to have lost weight amid a personally challenging season. This physical change, coupled with his on-field struggles, has sparked discussions about his well-being and the underlying causes of his dip in form.
Some speculate that his frustration stems from his role during the Euros, where he was shifted to the left wing to accommodate Jude Bellingham centrally.
Foden himself has admitted that his “low mental state” during this period adversely affected his performances for Manchester City.
Despite these challenges, there remains a collective belief in Foden’s innate talent and potential for resurgence.
Tuchel has expressed support, stating, “Phil is just maybe not finding the momentum at the moment that he can have…
He comes from several weeks where he does not find the rhythm that he found last season.”
As Manchester City and England navigate their respective campaigns, all eyes will be on Foden to see if he can overcome this slump and rediscover the form that once made him one of the most exciting talents in football.