Phil Foden - What Is His Potential?

Just goes to show how good the likes of Giggs, Scholes and Beckham were, they did it for a decade+ at the very top and didn’t let standards drop, whilst this guy was being lauded as an all time English great without his longevity being tested.
 
Didn't rival fans genuinely believe that he is a more talented and better player than Rooney was? feck me football fans today don't know anything about anything it seems.
 
He’s a flashes and highlights player. If city were playing well, he’d be getting goals/assists. Hes not got it in him to drag them by the scruff of the neck and carry them.

Losing Rodri obviously a massive blow, but the decline in the rest of their midfield is something else.
 
JBG said:
Didn't rival fans genuinely believe that he is a more talented and better player than Rooney was? feck me football fans today don't know anything about anything it seems.
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Recency bias, combined with rival fans pretending that Fergie's United teams weren't even that good (as a coping mechanism because we ruined their childhood). Also players like Rooney being more modest, and not seeking aduration in the same way as this generation of footballers, has played a part in making people downplay Rooney's ability and hyping up the likes of Foden.
 
JBG said:
Didn't rival fans genuinely believe that he is a more talented and better player than Rooney was? feck me football fans today don't know anything about anything it seems.
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Or those offering that opinion either didn't see or forget how good a 16-year-old Rooney was.
 
JBG said:
Didn't rival fans genuinely believe that he is a more talented and better player than Rooney was? feck me football fans today don't know anything about anything it seems.
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No, I don't think even City fans ever thought that.
 
I really did think that he would star for England at the Euros. Seems he fell off the cliff just about that time.
 
Gabriel Djemba-Bebe said:
Recency bias, combined with rival fans pretending that Fergie's United teams weren't even that good (as a coping mechanism because we ruined their childhood). Also players like Rooney being more modest, and not seeking aduration in the same way as this generation of footballers, has played a part in making people downplay Rooney's ability and hyping up the likes of Foden.
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Exactly. Rooney was a genuinely fantastic player. He’s at least five times better than Foden.
 
Moriarty said:
Or those offering that opinion either didn't see or forget how good a 16-year-old Rooney was.
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More likely this. Teenage Rooney was an utter sensation, but lots of people in 2024 either forgot what an unreal talent he was or just flat out didn’t watch him.
 
I can’t help but think of Christopher Walken saying “Foo Fighters” whenever I hear his name.
 
thisisnottaken1 said:
The kid’s overrated.
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Not a kid but a 24 year old father of 3, due to permanently underaged visuals everyone treats him with kid gloves like he's a new young talent instead of a key player who can't afford to be peripheral and inconsistent.
 
He's taken his England form into his City career.

He's been absolutely fecking awful for England almost every single time he's been picked, but he was especially bad in the recent Euros. Maybe that's played a part in how shite he's been this season?

Added to the fact City in general are in crisis and he's just not that great anyway. When things are going well for City he's the icing on the cake, but he's never going to drag a struggling team to success.
 
redNATION said:
Just goes to show how good the likes of Giggs, Scholes and Beckham were, they did it for a decade+ at the very top and didn’t let standards drop, whilst this guy was being lauded as an all time English great without his longevity being tested.
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I'd hazard a guess Scholes, Giggs and Beckham if you really wanted to put it under scrutiny all had subpar periods in their career affected by fitness and injuries.

I agree that he isn't an all time great yet, not sure who says that? But let him have a full bad season before we question his longevity and compare him to retired players yeah
 
FeedTheGoat said:
I'd hazard a guess Scholes, Giggs and Beckham if you really wanted to put it under scrutiny all had subpar periods in their career affected by fitness and injuries.

I agree that he isn't an all time great yet, not sure who says that? But let him have a full bad season before we question his longevity and compare him to retired players yeah
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That pesky bronchitis has really derailed his season hasn't it? If it weren't for that little illness, he might've managed more than 0 goals and 1 assist in the league. Doubt it though.
 
Gabriel Djemba-Bebe said:
That pesky bronchitis has really derailed his season hasn't it? If it weren't for that little illness, he might've managed more than 0 goals and 1 assist in the league. Doubt it though.
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He had no pre-season, and has been in and out all season because of injuries and issues with fitness, also rumoured (not confirmed) to have had issues with his mental health for whatever reason, which shouldn't be taken lightly and I'm not sure you can use that against him in a question about longevity unless you for example value the sociopathic nature of Giggs in terms of not being affected by anything. Most players in history had dips in form, even if they were known as consistent performers after the fact.

He has been poor though, but the point is that there is enough mitigating factors at play to maybe stall a bit of the criticism.
 
Around the box, he can be dangerous as he turns and swivels and finds space better than most players. But he is limited - when he drops back in MF, he doesnt really have an impact. He is basically a different type of finisher.
 
FeedTheGoat said:
He had no pre-season, and has been in and out all season because of injuries and issues with fitness, also rumoured (not confirmed) to have had issues with his mental health for whatever reason, which shouldn't be taken lightly and I'm not sure you can use that against him in a question about longevity unless you for example value the sociopathic nature of Giggs in terms of not being affected by anything. Most players in history had dips in form, even if they were known as consistent performers after the fact.

He has been poor though, but the point is that there is enough mitigating factors at play to maybe stall a bit of the criticism.
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What injuries? According to his 24/25 injury history, he's missed a couple of weeks through illness and that's it.

Nice jibe at Giggs, by the way... crediting his ability and consistency to your own diagnosis of sociopathy. You also mentioned Beckham and Scholes in your previous post but I notice they are both absent in this subsequent post about the mental health of England stars. It might be worth remembering the horrific abuse that Beckham received from most of the nation off the back of the 98 World Cup. How do you think that affected his mental health? And how would you perceive his footballing career had he not kicked on an extra level in the 98/99 season and established himself as world class? I am by no means trying to engage in Mental Health Top Trumps here, however it might be wise to ease off with your psychological comparisons between United legends and someone like Phil Foden, who is clearly demonstrating that he is not talismanic footballer that you thought he was.
 
Gabriel Djemba-Bebe said:
What injuries? According to his 24/25 injury history, he's missed a couple of weeks through illness and that's it.

Nice jibe at Giggs, by the way... crediting his ability and consistency to your own diagnosis of sociopathy. You also mentioned Beckham and Scholes in your previous post but I notice they are both absent in this subsequent post about the mental health of England stars. It might be worth remembering the horrific abuse that Beckham received from most of the nation off the back of the 98 World Cup. How do you think that affected his mental health? And how would you perceive his footballing career had he not kicked on an extra level in the 98/99 season and established himself as world class? I am by no means trying to engage in Mental Health Top Trumps here, however it might be wise to ease off with your psychological comparisons between United legends and someone like Phil Foden, who is clearly demonstrating that he is not talismanic footballer that you thought he was.
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The point all along was that the comparision is over the top. Saying a 24 year old that has been a vital part of a team that has won 4 Premier League titles in a row and just coming off his best season statistically compares badly in terms of longevity to three genuine all-time greats that has already played out their careers because he has had a disapointing first half of the season is a bit of a weird take and very knee-jerk. If we take his trajectory from the last 7 years since he made his debut instead of a 6 month period with issues and apply that to the rest of his career I doubt anyone will remember that he sometimes had a poor run of form when discussing his career.

And no I didn't think labeling Ryan Giggs of all people a sociopath is a very controversial take at this point (and that would have absolutely helped him in dealing with external factors which some other players wouldn't have the same tools to deal with), but that isn't important. The point is that if you really scrutinise these players over their whole career you will most likely find them struggling over similiar periods of time as Foden has so far this season, even if the circumstances were different. This idea that every great player from the earlier generations delivered consistently all the time, while every player outside of Messi and Ronaldo is overrated because of inconsistency in the age of scrutiny and social media is nauseating. Even the likes of Salah and Van Dijk is only as good as their last game amongst most opposing fans nowadays. But the reality is that they are both real Premier League greats only tested by this illusion that retired players delivered at their peak level week in week out. And Salah even had a terrible 6 months last season himself. See how little that matters when we are going to summarise his whole career? Then why is it sensible to make statements about Fodens longevity in the middle of a slump, and then compare him to three of the greatest to ever do it, who all knows were great because their career has already been allowed to play out?
 
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lexisonfire said:
Not a kid but a 24 year old father of 3, due to permanently underaged visuals everyone treats him with kid gloves like he's a new young talent instead of a key player who can't afford to be peripheral and inconsistent.
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I call him a kid as he’s younger than me and his birth year starts with a 2.
 
SonOfFergie said:
So yesterday confirmed he is shit then. Was in the team and outside of one effort anonymous and not influencing anything.

I will write it again. I wouldn't have Foden at the club even on a free. It is not even a discussion. I wouldn't have him in the same way I want us to cut Rashford from the club and in the same way Garnacho is walking on thin ice. Attitude, personality, footballing IQ. You can change the attitude, but personality and understanding of the game it is what it is. Talking of football IQ Amad or for example Palmer are both levels above Foden, Rashford and Garnacho. Talking about attitude Antony and a prime example Maguire are showing there is a way back if you want to put the work in. Antony is at least showing he has a fight in him. Maguire came back from being dogshit and a footballing world meme and could be a first name on the team sheet in defense for Rubens revolution. Attitude, personality, workrate.
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To be fair, Foden is just as one-footed as Antony. Although his method of striking the ball is certainly better than Antony's tame left footed curlers. I can understand why you rate the attitude and work rate of Antony and Maguire over luxury players like Foden and Rashford.
 
thisisnottaken1 said:
I call him a kid as he’s younger than me and his birth year starts with a 2.
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He needs to be careful to avoid becoming City's Rashford or Lingard in that case. I can see Foden getting too comfortable like Rashford because he knows City want him around due to his status as a homegrown academy product who won the PL POTY award.
 
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