Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens break down Man City’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa at the Etihad and single out the brilliance of Phil Foden, after the 23-year-old bagged a hat-trick.
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29 Comments
Lol
There is no “one main job” in modern football.
“A defender is bought to defend”?
So as long as he is great at defending, he can keep passing the ball to the opponent, and avoiding the ball when his teammates are passing to him?
Haaland is just a goal hanger. He is a massive liability in the build up.
So his team will have less and lower quality of possession, ball progression and chance creation, which will eventually reduce the total number of goals his team can score.
Three times against Arsenal this season. Haaland is invisible, and registered an extremely low xG.
If ManCity had played a tekky/creative false 9 instead, Arsenal would not be able to defend. Because ManCity’s tiki taka play would be so much more dangerous, it’s like they have 16 players on the pitch.
The purpose of football is to maximise the TOTAL number of goals your TEAM could score. It doesn’t matter if you score 50 goals a season if you are the reason your team is scoring less in total.
Build up play has become more important in the modern game.
Modern teams are more compact vertically. Which means the distance between their strikers and their defenders are closer. They defend with 11 players forming a block.
Therefore, you need 11 creative players to break down that block. That’s why modern defenders and goalkeepers are required to be so much more technical on the ball.
In the past, being a goal hanger isn’t that big of a trade off, because your team could still be able to create through a 4 men defence. But nowadays, you can’t afford to be one man down in the build up process because you are facing 11 defenders.
This is why modern football has become more “TOTAL”. A striker’s job is not just finishing, but also defending and creating. Otherwise your team would be in a numerical disadvantage in the defensive/build up phase.
The same applies to defenders and goalkeepers. Being “TOTAL” not only means you are not in a disadvantage in other phases, it allows more position swapping opportunities to break down those low blocks, hence more tactical flexibility. This is why serving the system has become so much more important in modern football.
Clearly their best team is
Haaland
Jack – Phil – KDB – Bilva
Rodri – Stones
Ake/Josko – Manu/Ruben – Kyle/Manu
Ortega(Yes. He is better than Ederson)
Fodens coronation to be the new center
The reality is Foden has been outperforming KDB in the 10 role this season. KDB came back with his hair on fire but has been poor for a while now.
With Paquetá arrival this summer, will give pep more assurance to start Foden in number 10 with Paquetá doing all off the ball work
Sooo deep
City have been so pedantic the last few games.
They were scintillating against Villa!
The difference?
Pep going back to his roots playing without a traditional striker and quick little players passing the ball in and around the box at pace.
But I fear he will just go back to that boring and slow game in the next match.
Why gabs on the TV he not good
This is why I think kane is the best striker in the world right now, he gives u everything
The difference between Foden and KDB is that KDB creates chances for others and scores while Foden mostly scores. His assists aren't as many as KDB. Foden should have been a replacement for David Silva or Gundogan but City will still need a player to replace KDB.
Kdb and Foden in the middle does not work because they tend to get in each other's way.
You would rather have KDB play more on the right, and the winger drift inside the box but that limits Kdb and he won't be effective.
FFS he was playing against a mix of Villa's second string and their youth team. Can we get a grip.
It is also certain players that Phil Foden plays well with. for example : Phil Foden didn’t play well with Haaland in that Newcastle in FA game or Sevilla game in the super Cup.
I think that is what happened.
If he play with Alvarez or Rico Lewis, he play well.
Kdb can easily play the winger
As a city fan
Its too much, foden is one of the best talents in world without doubt.
But aint no way, we gonna build team around him like debruyne.
Not even Haaland
Foden needs to step up like debruyne does in big moments in last so many years.
Madrid Psg bayern Atletico barca arsenal liverpool united chelsea
There aint a team againist kdb didnt showed up.
Calling him succesor of de bruyne is overexgratting of english media.
De bruyne is country miles best pl player even with one hamstring
What about jack grealish ?
I agree!❤
HE ALREADY SUCCEEDED DAVID SILVA!
(foden aka little messi)
Two people have no idea about football talk so much about it without knowing anything
Roy keane was right, halaand played like a league 2 player that game he said that game. Ahd absolutely correct halaand didn't contribute anything or made anything happen that game he was very very poor
You signed Erling Haaland to score goals! If you wanted a striker to drop deep, and link up with his teammates..? You should've signed Harry Kane! The coverage from a large section of the UK media is juvenile. When they say: "Haaland played bad". The truth is he simply wasn't involved. As is the case for most of Erling's supposed "bad games". He can make run after run tirelessly. But if he doesn't get service, he can't impact the game! It's on Pep, and Haaland's teammates to give him opportunities. Or sell him, and sign a striker who is better at passing…🤦♂️ No Thanks!🙄👌
No no no he isn’t! I have seen Foden against bigger teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs etc. The big teams he does not show up and he doesn’t let Haaland play better, now Haaland is not in form but KDB makes him play better! Foden got a lot to learn still, he’s being overhyped by English media for scoring a hattrick vs Lenglet
People forget Pep played David Silva with De Bruyne and Fernandinho. It is very possible
He need to grow his defensive skills and responsibility.
Never nor will he ever be closer to debruyne that's a young white guy getting promoted
KDB proved you wrong JULS.
Two goals. One off each foot, no less! And an assist. Play Kevin and Phil together, duh …
Playing every three days all players need rest.
Foden Paquega and Bruno Guimarez would be unplayable