Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has spoken about why Phil Foden has struggled so much at this European Championship.
Richards said: “Foden’s problem is that he wants to be the focal point of the team, but he’s got Bellingham playing alongside him who’s been so good. Bellingham’s movement is sometimes positive, but it also makes it difficult for Foden to get on the ball. That understanding takes time to build, but it feels like Foden has been judged after just one game in a new role.”
“I’m not saying Foden can’t be criticised. The England warm-up game against Iceland was a great opportunity for him to show he can be a No. 10 for the national side, and he looked poor. When De Bruyne got injured at the start of last season, I said this was Foden’s chance to show he could fill that role at Manchester City, and he did. He is not a substitute or a filler. He is a key player in the best team in the Premier League, and I’ve always been eager for him to do the same thing for England.”
“Foden is being criticised now for not scoring goals or creating chances, but let’s give him one game where he gets the ball in and around the box before judging him. If Foden is mediocre again in the game against the Netherlands, then I’ll accept that we need to do better in that position, but it’s too early to judge him, especially to drop him from the starting XI.”
“We should also remember the identity of this team. If we had an attacking manager and Foden was underperforming, then I would understand the calls to change things. But Southgate isn’t that type of manager, he has found success by being defensive, and that’s not going to change now.”
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