Saka vs Foden vs Palmer

RedStarUnited said:
You can say you prefer or maybe think Foden is easier on the eye. But to say one is twice the player when the other is playing in a worse team and putting up better numbers is crazy, to me.
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To measure what 'twice the player' actually amounts to, is difficult to quantify. However from my own perspective at least, it isn't just about a matter of preference, stylistically or otherwise, it's simply that Foden is a better player than Saka.
 
Saka, for sure. He's a very intelligent player having his most productive season yet. Villa and Ashley Young couldn't cope with him at all yesterday.

Foden is obviously technically gifted but I can't remember the last time I saw him run a game like Saka did yesterday. Probably more difficult to do in a City team, granted, but still.
 
Foden is significantly better to my eye. Saka is a good player in a purple patch but Foden has more to his game in pretty much every area. In a few years I don't think it will be close.
 
Watched an England friendly not long ago with both starting, Saka looked very good but Foden looked untouchable. I begrudgingly vote Foden.
 
I wouldn't swap Saka for Foden.

But, Foden has more raw talent. Both have a fantastic footballing brain though, which seperates them from a lot of talents. Saka though I think has the right mentality to keep going, Foden seems to always have something in the background going on. We'll see if that impacts him longer term.

I think people underrate Saka a bit though, the guy has 15 goals/assists so far in the league, and even beyond numbers he always causes issues in games and creates chances. For a 20 year old that is insane tbh. And he's been doing that for the past 3 years, it's just he always missed that end product which he's finding a bit this year. If his finishing can go up a level, then he will be a very complete player.
 
padr81 said:
In fairness Mahrez is probably having his best season since Leicester won the title and Pep has a hard on for Grealish on the other wing. I don't think many rw's in the world would bench Mahrez right about now.
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Mahrez has been in the top 3 right wingers since Leicester won the league.

He will be for another 3 too. Hugely underrated. Both Saka and Foden are miles away from him.
 
(...) said:
It reminds me of the early debate between Arsenal fans to know who was the more talented between Reiss Nelson and Saka. Saka isn't flashy, he won't instantly grab your attention, but he's the most consistent young player I have seen. On his worst day he'll give you a 6/10 performance. His decision making was very good until this season (right now he seems too focused on end-product). He's starting to add goals now, and if he can combine his early decision making quality and his new found scoring ability, he'll be up there with the best.
Foden is the most gifted player, and I don't really think it should be a debate. But I'm ready to bet that Saka will reach the top too.
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That’s the first thing I thought about him too. For his age he’s outrageously consistent. Although this does make you wonder if he’s got the same scope for improvement as other very talented youngsters where consistency and decision-making is usually the last thing they add to their game. Ronaldo the obvious example. Foden is as flaky as you’d expect for his age but if he can produce week in, week out, he should become a much better player than Saka.
 
I know Foden has been showing us why he is the stockport Iniesta for a few season now. However, Saka has been Improving at an alarming rate to the point that he is now arguably amongst the top 5 wingers in the league.
Check this out: SAKA IS PHENOMENAL
 
Foden. I like Saka a lot, and I agree with the others in here who have mentioned his consistency. Usually when you get a young player in that position the performances can vary massively from good to bad, with a poor day being really noticeable with the dribbles not coming off and decision making impacting things, but he's usually at the least very solid. Very clever player and when you combine that with a really good work rate going both ways you have someone who doesn't look like a youngster on the pitch. That he's also becoming more productive at this age is a really good sign too (something I thought he might struggle with originally) and he's on a geat trajectory.

Foden is incredibly talented, and while he has the advantages of playing in a Guardiola side, that also comes with a massive amount of responsibility and accountability with both decision making and positioning. Has dazzling feet and I love the way he'll offer himself up in a crowd to receive the ball.

Always hard at this age to gauge these things going forward, but I'd pick Foden.
 
I dont know whether I’m jealous or bitter but I just don’t get it with Foden. He gets some great goals and is involved in some great play but he just seems to be a ball hog, always going for ridiculous passes and shots.
With Man City’s team however they can afford to have a player like him in there
 
I don't think you can have both on your wing. Not quick enough
 
Both are really good players. I do think having an attacking midfielder on the pitch would benefit them.
 
I personally would take Saka over Foden.

There is still something inside me that thinks Foden would be far less good if he didn't play for City.... But I'm well aware that might be nonsense.
 
Saka outperformed Foden in the France game, but Foden is clearly a midfielder. But what I would say is that the gap isn’t as big as people make out. There are things that Saka can do that Foden can’t and vice versa.
 
I don’t rate Saka at all whilst I believe Foden is being misused for England so it’s Foden for me.
 
Foden has barely ever had a good game for England and the fact that he was continually used ahead of Rashford was criminal, and spineless of Southgate clamouring to public pressure.
 
AFC NimbleThumb said:
I don’t rate Saka at all whilst I believe Foden is being misused for England so it’s Foden for me.
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Wait you don’t rate him at all, as in you think he’s bang average or you think he’s overrated as in he’s good but not as good people think he is? Because the second one is totally understandable but the first one is like, yikes.
 
Said Saka on first page, and still would pick Saka given the choice.
 
You can’t judge Foden on performances for England under Southgate to be fair. He’s playing him on the wing so he can play 3 deep midfielders when that is never the role to use him in.

Foden should be playing centrally behind Kane and with wide attackers either side of him.

Just because Pep might put him down on a teamsheet in the wide postion, in a fluid formation that is light years from anything Southgate could conceive, doesn’t make him a winger for the sort of conservative system England use.
 
Saka more consistent and finds a way to get the better of his fullback reliably via intelligence, ball control, a quick few yards and smarts. Reminds me of Ribery in that way.

Foden probably has more potential. Not sure what his best position will be. I'd guess the one Isco played when he replaced Bale at Madrid, where you have a wing forward on the left, a 9, Foden tucked in on the right playing as a 10 or RW whenever he feels like it, then a really attacking right back who overlaps and a midfield 3 with one guy who can attack and get forward like Modric did. Basically he's a much worse Messi but far more similar to him than most players are stylistically, which is good enough to be a top 2 or 3 right-sided attacker in the world at his peak.

The other path is as a 10 and in some ways, leaving City to go play as a 10 somewhere would be good for him if the goal for England is for him to become their Griezmann, with Bellingham as Pogba, a tackling DM/CM type with Rice as a bigger but slower Kante. But unlikely obviously. More likely is that Pep leaves for whatever reason and the new manager gives him De Bruyne's job in 2-3 years when De Bruyne is a sub or moves on.
 
Foden has to be a midfielder. Because as a LF he was nothing compared to the threat Saka offered on the right.

Saka is clearly a better dribbler and will give his opposite market more trouble.
 
I don’t see how anyone doesn’t rate Saka… kids quality. Foden to be fair to him gets used in positions and tactics not suited to him but Saka is a generational talent. He impacts international games under the utmost pressure consistently.
 
Saka much better yesterday. Foden is hard to judge until he cements a position. Talent wise he's great but he's not imposing or deadly enough to be a forward. Needs to transition into a midfielder
 
Why is Foden so highly rated? Even in these forums, every post is generally 'Saka is having a better season, Saka looks better, Saka has better end product but Foden is more talented and has more potential'.

Potential means nothing if you don't fulfill it, and Foden hasn't developed into the player many expected. He's a good player, don't get me wrong but I don't see him as top top winger. Mainly because I don't think that's his best position but I'm not sure where you could play him. Maybe as an 8 in a three would be his best position.

But he's just a modern day academy player, good in tight space and keeps the ball well but there's nothing to get you out of your seat. All a bit robotic.
 
Foden is excellent when supported by world class players like KDB and Bernardo Silva.

When he is expected to be the creator he fails miserably. He’s decent against weaker opposition but like last night, he fails to turn up in big games time after time.

Rashford has been dung for a while but he’s hit form and looked confident. He had to start this game before Foden.
 
Raees said:
I don’t see how anyone doesn’t rate Saka… kids quality. Foden to be fair to him gets used in positions and tactics not suited to him but Saka is a generational talent. He impacts international games under the utmost pressure consistently.
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Wow, if ever a phrase was overused.

Very good player mind.
 
Man City friendly media are criticizing Southgate for not seeing up the team to 'get the ball to Foden', which is incredibly pretentious. If Foden is going to be passive, then you cannot build a team around him. Saka forces himself on the match and makes an impact. This is a kid who is at the tip of the spear when it comes to the Arsenal resurgence. Foden emerged within a great City team, plays his role within Man City, but I dont ever see City building around him like they would KDB or Haaland.

I try to strip my bias out of this argument. Hard for me to stay partial. But I do think Saka is better than Foden. I also see Saka as more focused where as in Foden I can see a bit of Jack Grealish party antics wearing of on him.
 
RunTheTrap said:
How can you not rate Saka at all? Surely there’s some positives you can point out.
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WeePat said:
Wait you don’t rate him at all, as in you think he’s bang average or you think he’s overrated as in he’s good but not as good people think he is? Because the second one is totally understandable but the first one is like, yikes.
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The bolded part I suppose but I just don’t get it with him.

He works hard & is likeable. I don’t see a great pass, great dribbling, a great shot or anything particularly noteworthy. He won England PotY in the year their form took a nosedive. Looked good against Iran, got on the end of a move against Senegal & in fairness won the first penalty yesterday but you’d think this guy was Bale mark 2, I just don’t see it with him.
 
I get a Paul Scholes vibe when I watch Foden and think longer term he'll thrive in the same position. Saka is also an excellent player, that Arsenal are luck to have, there's very high ceilings for both players.

We've had dreadful luck over the past decade bring through young flair players like Morrison and Greenwood. I'd love to have either of fodder or Saka here.
 
diarm said:
You can’t judge Foden on performances for England under Southgate to be fair. He’s playing him on the wing so he can play 3 deep midfielders when that is never the role to use him in.

Foden should be playing centrally behind Kane and with wide attackers either side of him.

Just because Pep might put him down on a teamsheet in the wide postion, in a fluid formation that is light years from anything Southgate could conceive, doesn’t make him a winger for the sort of conservative system England use.
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It's this kind of misinformation that just tells me you don't watch England.

First of foremost, Foden plays on the wing for City, so that's not a positiion he's unfamiliar with. Secondly, how is Southgate playing 3 deep midfielders? Bellingham and Henderson constantly made runs in behind the forward or into wide areas. You only have to look at Henderson's goal against Senegal, where the Bellingham crossed the ball to Henderson, who finished it. This was a constant feature of our (England's) play.

As for Southgate playing him centrally, he doesn't play there for his club and so he's made it clear he won't play there for England. Having said that, if you watched England play, you'd have seen that Foden was given the licence to come inside, probably more so than Pep, who encourages his wingers to stay high and wide.
 
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