Pep Guardiola's quotes on Phil Foden's position have resurfaced after Gareth Southgate explained why he doesn't play the 23-year-old centrally.
Southgate caused a big stir in his press conference ahead of England's historic clash with Hampden Park, claiming that Foden primarily plays as a winger for Guardiola.
The England boss said: "He doesn't play centrally for his club, so presumably there's a reason for that."You'd have to speak with Pep, the best coach in the world, who plays him from wide.
"Obviously in the middle of the park everyone talks about them with the ball, but there's a lot of detail without the ball."Foden typically plays off the left flank or even from the right, while he's also played at left-back and even as a false nine on occasion during City's spell without a recognised striker before Erling Haaland.
Many have often said that the City academy graduate is best-suited to a central attacking role, but Foden's issue has been that Kevin De Bruyne, the best in the world at that role, is ahead of him.
He did come on for the Belgian in the very same position in the Champions League final win when De Bruyne went off injured and impressed.
De Bruyne's surgery on the recurring problem has opened up further opportunities and Foden shone in a 1-0 win over Newcastle on 19 August.
Guardiola has a host of options even with De Bruyne absent but has already been clear about what the two-time PFA Young Player of the Year award can do in the role.“He has something special in that position: the quality of the one-against-one, arriving in the box, the sense of goal," he said on Foden in August."With Gundogan leaving maybe he can play more in that position, we will see.”
Foden earned his 26th cap for England in the 1-1 draw with Ukraine but has admitted in the past that he hasn't quite transferred his club form onto the international stage.Prior to the World Cup in Qatar, he told SPORTbible: “I still feel my level could be much better in an England shirt. "Sometimes it’s not easy going with players you’ve not really played with before and in a different way.
“It’s something you’ve got to adapt to and live up to. I'm hoping that the next time I get the opportunity to play I can bring my club form in.
"It’s more understanding their game. It’s players that I haven't played with before and something that I'm not used to.
“I think it's sometimes hard to adapt to national football but I think I'm understanding it more and getting a connection with the players.
“I’m trying to stay positive and hopefully I can bring my best football.”
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