Manchester City star Phil Foden has once again found himself being the topic of conversation after his latest England performance.
After starting England’s opening match of the 2024 European Championship against Serbia as a left-winger, figures in the media such as Gabby Agbonlahor have been calling for the 24-year-old to be deployed in a number 10 role.
Then in the recent 1-1 draw against Denmark, the City star started on the left again but found himself getting into more central areas throughout his time on the pitch.
With Foden yet to deliver a goal or assist for the Three Lions in this tournament, Jamie Carragher has now shared his thoughts on what should happen with the Englishman from now on.
Jamie Carragher addresses Phil Foden conundrum after latest England performance
Assessing England’s 1-1 draw against Denmark and sharing his thoughts on how the Three Lions could carry on throughout the tournament, Carragher had this to say in a recent column for The Telegraph about
He said: “Unfortunately, two of the best Premier League footballers – Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden – will have to be sacrificed now.
“The team’s set-up is not getting the best from them, or their team-mates.
“Nobody loves watching Foden more than me. But for England to come up with a system that works and complements everyone, he cannot operate in the starting XI with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane if they are all trying to occupy the same space and positions.”
Foden doesn’t need to change, just how Southgate uses him
Looking at Foden’s individual performance against Denmark, the six-time Premier League winner had four shots at goal, which is more than any other England player had on the day.
He also made four successful dribbles throughout the match, the joint-highest in the team.
Interestingly, according to SofaScore, the two players that Carragher mentioned as needing to be sacrificed in the England team, racked up the highest match ratings against Denmark, with Alexander-Arnold getting a rating of 7.4/10 and Foden earning himself a rating of 7.3/10.
Therefore, we feel that Foden shouldn’t be taken out of the team but rather Southgate should play him predominantly in a central role and surround him with the players that can help him flourish.