Phil Foden is currently among the favourites to win PFA Player of the Season and part of the reason he’s in that conversation is because he’s been playing his favourite position – which is as a number 10.
Foden has enjoyed a wonderful campaign, and seriously stepped up in the absence of key players.
So far, he’s scored 18 goals and made 10 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions, and cemented himself as an absolutely key player for Pep Guardiola.
The 23-year-old has wowed in practically every game he has a player, dazzling fans with his technical ability. But Foden has also impressed with his work-rate once again.
This term, Foden has been able to operate as a ‘number 10’ much more often – and the star has been speaking about why he actually loves the role so much…
Man City star Phil Foden explains in detail why actually he loves playing as a number 10 so much
Foden recently sat down for an interview with the jewellery brand he’s partnered with, Cernucci.
The England international spoke about a variety of subjects and at one point he was asked about playing as a ‘number 10’, or a central attacking midfielder.
There is no doubt in Foden’s mind that that is his favourite position, and the £225,000-a-week man says it’s mostly because of the freedom it affords him.
He said: “100% (his favourite position). From a young age, I’ve always seen myself playing there. Obviously, it’s taken a bit of time because I had great players in front of him in that position.
“I just feel freedom. I can get on the ball, I can come short, get a few little passes, or I can receive behind the midfielder, I don’t know. I can just mix my play up, if you like.
“You’re always involved, you’ve always got to be alert, your man’s next to you. If you’re playing out wide, you get the ball and attack the full-back, whereas in the middle there’s a lot of different things going on, and I enjoy playing there for that reason.”
Number 10 role suits Foden perfectly
It is fascinating to hear Foden explaining why he loves that number 10 role and it is very clear why that is the case.
The number 10 role demands players to be very aware of the space around them and have the technical quality to thrive.
Foden is slippery, elusive, technically gifted and supremely intelligent, making him absolutely perfect for the role. And of course, that half-turn ability is one of the very best in the game today.
He is also very good on both wings. But this season has shown that Foden really does move to another level when he plays centrally.
