Pep Guardiola may have provided perfect solution for Phil Foden’s England woes

Pep Guardiola may have already provided the perfect solution to England’s glaring Phil Foden problem. The Manchester City manager previously highlighted a bold way of utilising the attacking-midfielder, with Foden coming under fire after his lacklustre display during England’s win over Serbia.

England claimed all three points in their Euro 2024 Group C opener on Sunday, winning 1-0 courtesy of Jude Bellingham’s 13th-minute header. Yet it was far from a vintage performance as Gareth Southgate’s side lost control in the second half and allowed Serbia to gain momentum, only securing a narrow win thanks to a strong defensive and goalkeeping performance.

There was plenty of post-match scrutiny as fans and pundits attempted to pinpoint where the Three Lions went wrong, with Foden’s performance – drifting in from the left flank – receiving strong criticism. The City talisman and Premier League Player of the Season was ineffective for large portions of the match and struggled to make an impact without an overlapping left-back, often having to share the same space as Harry Kane and Bellingham.

That led to calls for him to be benched for the Denmark match on Thursday, while others pointed the finger at Southgate for not deploying him in a central attacking midfield position. However, Guardiola, renowned for his tactical proficiency, revealed another way to utilise Foden back in 2023.

In spite of never having played Foden there throughout his career, Guardiola suggested that the midfielder could thrive in a deeper role. The 24-year-old netted 27 goals last season and is generally viewed as an attacker, either centrally or on the wings.

“When Phil plays as a right-winger, he can do it,” Guardiola said. “In the beginning when he played as a left-winger, he played well. In the middle he can play right, left, in the pockets – no problem.

“What I would like in the end is that he plays as a holding midfielder, or one of two holding midfielders. For that, he needs to understand the game as a whole, in everything, not just ‘me’.

“But at the same time, he has this instinct, natural, like the big talents, in the final third. I’m not going to stop him. I’m not going to step in and say, ‘Don’t do that!’ Because he’s unique.”

Discussing the prospect of Foden moving further back in midfield, he added: “Sometimes it is the step one has to gain as a football player, playing in that position which carries some duties for the team.”

The Catalan’s comments at the time sparked confusion, given Foden’s strengths in creating and scoring goals are more aligned with an attacking berth. But other technically gifted players such as Bernardo Silva, Xavi Hernandez, Santi Cazorla, Andres Iniesta, and even Luka Modric have flourished in deeper roles in the past, becoming pivotal to their teams’ build-up during the second phase of play.

It is worth noting that Guardiola’s insight may be more in relation to Foden’s future, once his pace declines and he has developed enough tactical knowledge to play deeper. Perhaps most tellingly, Foden himself admitted earlier last season that his preferred position is the No.10 role, which is currently filled by England’s Real Madrid golden boy Bellingham.

But Foden’s passing ability and press resistance could make him an ideal partner for Declan Rice in the double pivot, potentially solving two problems for Southgate – keeping one of his most gifted players on the pitch while addressing the midfield issue.

Southgate experimented by playingTrent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s right-back, in central midfield against Serbia. His interception was key in setting up the goal, but it was evident that he lacked the stamina and spatial awareness under pressure to become England’s answer to Toni Kroos, as some had hoped.

Foden’s experience in midfield could make him the perfect candidate for that role, although Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton and Conor Gallagher are currently above him in the pecking order. Meanwhile, other more natural choices for Southgate on the left wing include Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze.

Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning midfielder Cesc Fabregas argued during his punditry for the BBC that maximising Foden’s potential is not the manager’s responsibility, but hinges on the player’s own desire and mentality. Whether Southgate opts to bench him, deploy him in a different role, or if the Stockport man finally steps up on the international stage, England’s Foden conundrum needs a solution if they are to win the tournament in Germany.