Phil Foden has been really poor for Manchester City this season, so much so that it was a surprise to see him included in the England v Albania starting XI.
Manchester City star Phil Foden has been a joy to watch throughout the years, but it has to be said that he’s never really produced the goods for England.
The 24-year-old seems to have completely lost his mojo when playing for Man City and England.
He has been used in a variety of different positions by Pep Guardiola this season.
Phil Foden was deployed as a centre-forward for Manchester City during the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last month.
Perhaps he needs more stability if he is to ever rediscover his best form.
Thomas Tuchel selected Foden to deputise for the injured Bukayo Saka out on the right wing for the England v Albania clash at Wembley Stadium on Friday night.
Unfortunately for the City star though, he endured a really difficult night.
Rival fans react to Phil Foden’s performance for England v Albania
The City star wasn’t anywhere near his best at all for the Three Lions on Friday night.
He was hooked after 74 minutes by Tuchel following his ineffective display, and replaced by West Ham star Jarrod Bowen.
Foden’s performance was very much a case of ‘same old, same old’ for the Manchester City fans watching.
How did rival fans of Man City view his display though?
One Liverpool fan took to X and suggested that Foden is nowhere near good enough anymore, “Foden is diabolical, he’s been awful for an entire year. It isn’t form, it’s permanent.“
Meanwhile, a Walsall fan said, “Foden has about 4 good games for england should be no where near the squad.“
Whilst a Chelsea supporter made his point very simply, “Foden is cooked.“
A Southampton fan suggested that the Man City has regressed badly, “Sadly Foden didn’t play well. His loss of form at club level is evident and now at international level.“
Next up was a Newcastle fan who suggested that Foden’s inclusion in the England team is ‘pointless’, “Finally it’s been said… Pointless player. Offers nothing, just like Mount.“
Then a Liverpool fan labelled Foden as overrated, “Drop the geezer thats the solution. Foden this Foden that ever since he turned 19 he’s overrated.“
A Brighton supporter said, “Not just tonight, and that’s the point. Foden hasn’t performed well enough for England to be a guaranteed starter, and his form has dropped of for City this season too. So he’s not really warranting a place in the starting XI, and is a mile off dictating where he plays.“
A Tottenham fan simply said Foden is terrible, “Yep spot on. Foden was terrible and has never done it for England.“
Rio Ferdinand on who’s better, Phil Foden or Bukayo Saka
Foden has always been compared to Arsenal star Saka.
They are both left-footed, and similar ages.
However, which player is better out of the Man City and Arsenal forwards?
Rio Ferdinand gave an intriguing answer to that question:
“If we’re talking form, [Phil] Foden’s at the bottom because form this season but his last year is Premier League Player of the Year, just remember that. But in terms of form, he’s bottom, he’s third.”
“Saka’s never been a player that I’ve gone, dead, rubbish, not good enough. I just said at that time, he was below Foden. If you look at it now, he’s above Foden now because of the form and then where he is.”
Now the onus is very much on Phil Foden to prove that he has what it takes to produce the goods for England and Manchester City again on a consistent basis.
