Foden has done more than Scholes, Shaw - key to unlocking generational talent

PHIL FODEN knows and England fans know, that there’s still another gear or two to come from him.

I can see why the comparison with Paul Scholes is made in terms of players who have not consistently reproduced their incredible club form when they represent their country.

I think you can make an argument that Foden has already had a more successful international career than Scholes.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved Scholes as a player and looked up to him when I was young.

His achievements with Manchester United were amazing and he was part of one of the greatest teams in history.

But Foden has already reached the final of a major tournament with England, with some nice moments along the way at Euro 2020, and he had a decent World Cup.

Scholes would probably admit it is a slightly better record than his.

In turn, Foden would himself accept there is another step for him to take.

That might be winning something with England.

Or if we don’t win something, I still think he can show us more.

The most difficult thing for Foden is that when he is at Man City, they play a positional game.

They are all so well drilled, they understand so well what their position requires and where everyone else is, that Foden could do it with his eyes shut.

Coming away with England, it’s a different style of play with different team-mates.

It is inevitable that two players who want to get on the ball so much, like Foden and Jude Bellingham, will get in each other’s way sometimes.

I’ve heard people say that maybe Jude was doing too much against ­Serbia — which potentially had an effect on Foden.

It’s not as mad as it might sound.

Bellingham dropped deep like a No 6 at times, he was a No 8 at other moments, sometimes further forward as a No 10, and, for his goal, heading it in like a No 9!

But I believe the opposite is true — that Bellingham’s ability to excel in all those roles should actually help Foden and England.

Why I love Bellingham, and why I think the whole country loves Bellingham, is the way he takes hold of games.

He probably sensed that’s what was needed. If he comes low, that leaves space in the No 10 position for Foden.

They didn’t combine against Serbia as much as you would like. But you could see that they were looking for each other.

That’s what happens when two players with a really high understanding of the game play together.

When Bellingham gets the ball, even if he is only lending it to Foden to get it back, or vice versa, they want to combine and make something happen.

We have to get them between the lines and receiving on the half turn, playing forward.

As I said before the tournament, I believe they can play in the same team, as two No 10s, with Declan Rice as the only holding player — especially in the group games.

Gareth Southgate almost certainly won’t do that and Foden will probably start on the left wing again against Denmark.

Going back to Scholes, he was never a left winger, his only position was in the middle, but he could not or did not play there for England because of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

Foden CAN play on the left. But ­circumstances at Euro 2024 are making it harder.

In order for him to cause the opposition full-back problems, he needs a left back behind him who is going to overlap.

But Kieran Trippier is right-footed. He’s not going to take on a player on the outside like Josko Gvardiol does for City, for instance.

The opposition know that and it changes how they press. Foden is marked all the time, especially against a back five like Serbia had.

Even if the wing-back or full-back doesn’t follow him, he’s going into another centre-back.

The set-up has worked for Gareth Southgate before but it functions so much better with a left-footed left-back.

Luke Shaw scored in the Euro 2020 final by getting round the outside. It gives you a different dimension in attack.

Even if our left-back doesn’t go around the outside, the opposing full-back is thinking about it and can end up over-covering by a foot or two feet. And that creates a crucial extra bit of space for Foden.

It will make such a difference if Shaw returns to fitness and is able to play.

But we don’t know if and when that will be, so Foden and England will have to get on with it.

And he will know himself that he wasn’t at his best against Serbia.

Giving the ball away will have annoyed him.

He’s used to completing probably 90 to 95 per cent of his passes in every game, including those decisive passes.

He is good at dribbling and combining but he can also make that final ball, or the one before the final ball.

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The weight and timing of the pass is usually perfect.

But Foden was not the only one to be below par, especially in the second half.

England ended up defending with a midfield five and even when we won the ball back, Serbia still had three men back there.

In those circumstances it probably would have been better to put Anthony Gordon or Eberechi Eze on as left winger.

Foden is not the  biggest or strongest. He’s not your typical winger, who is going to take someone on down the line, which is what we probably needed.

The Denmark game today should be a bit different.

Denmark will go into a block at some points of the game, but they will try to play out from the back and be more expansive.

That will suit Foden and England.

In the last two seasons, especially the one just gone, you’ve seen him step up in big moments for City and take responsibility. I am convinced he is trying to do that for England, too.

Foden and Scholes are different types of player from different eras.
Foden has plenty of time to make his mark in this ­tournament.

And at only 24, he could go on to become a true England legend.

He is a generational talent so it would be a shame if he didn’t.