Sometimes, I wonder if Foden's current problem is that English football, even at Pep's City, is bad at creating world-class trequartistas through coaching. That, to me, is his natural role.
Saka vs Foden vs Palmer
- Thread starter Walters_19_MuFc
- Start date
Agree with this tbh
Foden has mysteriously gone awol since the world cup. Something definitely has gone on there, could just be personal issues who the feck knows.
Uuuuuhhh....Foden is as good or better tactically and physically. It's technically where Saka clearly has the edge, specifically in terms of application
And Saka is far more of an attacking mid/10 than Foden, too. Foden is a wide forward
Odd. Physically Saka is another level for me. He uses his body better than almost any other player imo.
I'd have it the other way. Technically Foden might be better in terms of close control and power, but.. tbh Saka is catching up on that respect.
Saka's bigger and stronger, Foden's faster and quicker. Both use their physical qualities really well, but yeah i don't disagree with the last sentence
Not really, and Saka is more effective with his technique than Foden
Triffic
Both are fantastic but I’d give Saka the edge. Not much between them though.
Saka is a clear step ahead of Foden in my opinion. It's rare you see Shaw dealt with like that. He was terrified from minute one which tells me he has too much respect for Saka, probably from England training because not much happened in the game and he was already backing away.
I think the difference is Saka can skin you so easily. He's also becoming more and more productive with better decision making which is the key step young wide forwards have to take to go from decent to world class.
I would fancy as a fullback you would give yourself a chance of marking Foden out of the game. Clever player but Saka has physical abilities you can't easily reply to.
I think the difference is Saka can skin you so easily. He's also becoming more and more productive with better decision making which is the key step young wide forwards have to take to go from decent to world class.
I would fancy as a fullback you would give yourself a chance of marking Foden out of the game. Clever player but Saka has physical abilities you can't easily reply to.
Why are you including youth team goals?
Seems a bit odd
Also Foden is more of a midfielder! He would be awesome in ødegaard or Bruno's position.
Saka is nailed down for right wing for years to come. Notice how rarely he loses the ball.
He is quite exceptional! Man City is probably trying pursue him with a massive offer and telling him not to renew his contract but he seems like a loyal dude.
Only the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona can get him in a few years time.
Don‘t agree Saka is one of the strongest players in the league, he’s almost abnormally strong for his size, Foden doesn’t have the same upper body strength, pace wise they’re similar but would say Saka again is a bit quicker by a tad.
Tactically also I think Saka is ahead especially if we’re analysing them based on the positions theyve played the most games(wide forward), Saka has never played like he was a teen even when he broke through, his decision making is mature, he has a calm head and in terms of interpreting the wide forward position, he does it better than Foden.
I think the margins are close though, as you said in previous post Foden is very quick himself and pretty strong too, what’s the reason he hasn’t yet had a full season like Saka is about to have this season, Guardiola?
Why are you including youth team goals?
Seems a bit odd
Also Foden is more of a midfielder! He would be awesome in ødegaard or Bruno's position.
Saka is nailed down for right wing for years to come. Notice how rarely he loses the ball.
He is quite exceptional! Man City is probably trying pursue him with a massive offer and telling him not to renew his contract but he seems like a loyal dude.
Only the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona can get him in a few years time.
Oops I was too lazy to count the overalls and just jumped to the bottom of the page.
Foden is 54 g and 37 a in 196 games for City.
Saka is 31 g and 36 a in 157 games for Arsenal so the game remains pretty much the same.
For what its worth I think Saka has a better mentality than Phil. Saka never in trouble, doubt he has time for the billy big bollix stuff.
Was telling my dad the other day Foden should be careful. It looks like the early days of him being phased out at City. He had a great game against United but his progress has stalled since.
Saka has gone from strength to strength. I genuinely thought he was going to join City at some point to win something. Turns out he won't need it.
Saka has gone from strength to strength. I genuinely thought he was going to join City at some point to win something. Turns out he won't need it.
Both brilliant young players that excel in different positions.
Whilst I do enjoy a good old fashioned schlong measuring contest at the end of the day both players are great.
Whilst I do enjoy a good old fashioned schlong measuring contest at the end of the day both players are great.
Playing next to De Bruyne. Have another look at his 20/21 and 21/22 seasons...
Saka is becoming a beast. He is also very good defensively. Him and Rashford as it stands now should be nailed on for England.
Foden is a textbook example of a system player. Performs his role exceptionally well within Pep's system but suspect he would drop a level or two outside of strict role and instructions, as Sterling has done for Chelsea.
Saka is probably the more talented but I would like to measure his performance over 2-3 seasons from the season Arsenal are having. Vardy looked World Class in the fluke season where Leicester won the league and everything went right for him. Definitely in a purple patch of form at the minute but probably representing a level or two higher than his actual current ability. Same as Rashy.
Saka is probably the more talented but I would like to measure his performance over 2-3 seasons from the season Arsenal are having. Vardy looked World Class in the fluke season where Leicester won the league and everything went right for him. Definitely in a purple patch of form at the minute but probably representing a level or two higher than his actual current ability. Same as Rashy.
If I had to choose one I'd pick Saka every time
There’s just something about Foden which makes me think he’s more hype than substance. He’s a good player, but I don’t think he’ll ever kick on and reach the heights suggested.
I rate Foden higher as a natural talent than Saka. I don’t think this version of Foden is the real Foden. However, if I were a coach, I’d probably choose Saka over Foden. I feel like Saka could work in most setups. I think he could shine in a positional play team like Arsenal/City, he could shine in a counterattacking team like Ole’s at United. I have seen Saka shine in a very disjointed team like Emery’s. Foden to me would only work in a possession based team. I could not imagine a player like Foden shining in a Simeone team for example.
I don't think Foden asks enough qusetions in a match for an offensive player maybe due to Pep's system, but even when playing on the wings he just doens't pose as much threat as Bukayo. Thought he would have played that David Silva role well enough to some degree but according to Pep he only plays at high tempo and can't slow the game down. Needs to hold down a position and I don't think its on the wings. Even exculding this season I would have picked Bukayo. Love seeing young players smash it. Love it.
I prefer Saka and think he's the more impactful player - boy has everything in his locker
Saka started off as a LB in the senior side, and played well.
He then played as a LW and was excellent, albeit more of a provider than scorer. He is a wicked crosser of the ball in his left.
He's now moved to the RW and become a huge scoring threat in each game. It takes a little away from his ability to run behind and cross the ball, given he cuts back a lot more now. But this also allows for the players to potentially rotate during matches.
He's an extremely versatile player that can perform multiple roles to very high standards. For an attacking winger he is very sound defensively, which I would assume in part is due to him starting off in the XI as a fullback.
He then played as a LW and was excellent, albeit more of a provider than scorer. He is a wicked crosser of the ball in his left.
He's now moved to the RW and become a huge scoring threat in each game. It takes a little away from his ability to run behind and cross the ball, given he cuts back a lot more now. But this also allows for the players to potentially rotate during matches.
He's an extremely versatile player that can perform multiple roles to very high standards. For an attacking winger he is very sound defensively, which I would assume in part is due to him starting off in the XI as a fullback.
The other context I’d add is that Saka broke into the Arsenal team as a defender (much like Bale).
I think Saka shades it, but I am of course biased. Foden is a baller though.
This would be such an exciting team. And Bellingham, Saka and Foden can all put a shift in defensively. I dunno about Rashford, as I don’t watch him as much. He didn’t seem to help Shaw out much at the Emirates. That may have been him following instructions, though.
Those saying its Saka because Foden is in the wrong position are assuming that Foden will be as success in the position they feel he should be playing, because lets be honest, there's little evidence that tells us that Foden will be a success in the 10, 8, etc.
That being said, I can understand why people have concluded that he'd be better in the middle.
From an England fans point of view, I would like Southgate to use him in the same way Odegaard is used for Arsenal, in the right centre midfielder role. However, he will need to prove himself there (if/when he gets played there).
That being said, I can understand why people have concluded that he'd be better in the middle.
From an England fans point of view, I would like Southgate to use him in the same way Odegaard is used for Arsenal, in the right centre midfielder role. However, he will need to prove himself there (if/when he gets played there).
For me Saka edges it based on mentality. At least right now it looks like Phil gets sidetracks and is a bit of chav by times.
Phil has been poor whenever City used him in the middle or not nearly as good on the wing. Pep does he sees a future for him there but right now theres no real evidence he'll shine there at all as you said. I think he played well there for England once but it was vs San Marino if my memory isn't failing me. So far at City LW has been easily his strongest position. People see a perceived lack of pace (thats not true) so kinda take the lazy view of slow+good tekkers = no.10.
100% agree.
I actually liked what I saw when I watched him at false 9 last year.
He's better false 9 than as an 8 for sure. Theres time though where he lets the game pass him by unlike say Jesus. But in the games where he can get on the ball there he's very dangerous.
Rashford and Shaw have built up an excellent partnership down the left this season, arguably the best in the league at present. I think Englands failure to use Rashford properly at the World Cup ultimately cost them.
Two different players who can both play in the same team and compliment each other , luckily for England.
Both supremely talented but Saka wins It on personality. A lovely boy. And our local hero from this neighborhood in west London. School he went to say he was the perfect , straight A student .Always smiling, always respectful , never trouble. He still seems like that now, See when he met Beckham and went “sorry to interrupt, can I have a picture with you” he’s an absolute star. Said his biggest regret was not meeting wenger in person, they met at the west ham game and he got a big hug. He’s just so nice all the time he’s hard to dislike.
Foden on the other hand comes across as very arrogant and full of himself, then you see him around trouble on nights out a lot.
Foden on the other hand comes across as very arrogant and full of himself, then you see him around trouble on nights out a lot.
Yeh it's easy to forget that Saka started as a LB in his early days for Arsenal. IMO they're very similar in terms of potential/ceiling but I think where Saka has an obvious edge for me is his mental strength. It's not easy to break into the first team in a defensive position then progress to the wing (on the other side, no less) and develop into one of the premier forwards in the league. He also has had to overcome the drama/abuse after the Euros penalty miss and has just gotten better.
Agree, it's a testament to his character. Saka has essentially everything you want in a young star in terms of intangibles on and off the pitch.
I don't know who had the higher ceiling out of the two, and to be honest it doesn't matter - as both are excellent young players. You can't go wrong with either.
In an alternate universe it would have been Foden vs Saka vs MG
No doubt, they’ve both been exceptional.
It’s just that a hypothetical Rice / Foden / Bellingham midfield trio would require a lot of defensive help from the wingers and so I was wondering if Rashford tracks back enough for that. I’d certainly love to see that lineup. It would give Southgate cold sweats, though.
The fact that 4/5 of the goals on Sunday were scored not just by English players, but English academy graduates bodes really well for the future.
Saka is a lovely player.
We will look back at the fact England could have played Rashford - Kane - Saka and didn't more often as a major misstep.
Foden is okayish, I personally think City have the two most overhyped English players in him and Grealish. Not bad by any means but them selling Jesus for a third of the price they paid for Grealish was absolutely insane to me.
We will look back at the fact England could have played Rashford - Kane - Saka and didn't more often as a major misstep.
Foden is okayish, I personally think City have the two most overhyped English players in him and Grealish. Not bad by any means but them selling Jesus for a third of the price they paid for Grealish was absolutely insane to me.