Manchester City became the second English team in history to complete the Treble last season, an extraordinary feat that was somewhat surpassed by Phil Foden.
Arguably the most gifted player ever to emerge from Manchester City’s academy and the definition of a generational talent, the man who was arguably the most gifted player ever to emerge from Manchester City’s academy has made little impact as his boyhood club beat all who dared to step into their path last season. people.
Remarkably, given all he has achieved in our country, some still criticize Guardiola for not getting the most out of Foden, insisting a young English magician needs to take center stage.
This season, with several big names in the Manchester City dressing room departing in the summer, Foden’s role in Guardiola’s team has jumped from a fringe figure to an indispensable leader, with only two players making the most appearances since the start of the new season. More.
Like the rest of the City squad, Foden suffered a serious decline in the second half of City’s 2-1 win over Brighton, but the damage was done in the first half at the Etihad Stadium.
Moreover, in such a dazzling first half, while the world was waiting for Foden to transform into the incarnation of David Silva, the 23-year-old gave a vague indication that Guardiola La continues to use him in a wide role, more evocative of Lionel Messi. Not as good as Silva.
When you’re born with a gravitational pull towards football, as the Argentinian is, Foden’s position on the pitch almost doesn’t matter.
Like Messi, Foden was well-supported elsewhere on the pitch on Saturday, giving him the freedom to wow fans with some of his labyrinthine displays against Brighton ‘s run to go head-to-head with the championship team. .
Manchester City’s Argentinian striker Julian Alvarez celebrates a goal
(AFP via Getty Images)
Julian Alvarez, another surprising regular starter this season, gave City an early lead with a lucky goal as they looked to avoid falling into three straight league defeats for the first time since 2016.
The impressive Jeremy Doku was outstanding in the opener, keeping Brighton in front from the start.
Much has been made of Roberto De Zerbi’s plans to further disrupt the team’s plans at the Etihad Stadium, but his side have not been given any time to complete their Mission, that’s the hunger in the team. Manchester City’s ranking is back to normal – winning the game at a canter.
One player keen to turn around his fortunes is Erling Haaland, who has failed to score in his first two games – very dry territory for the Norwegian goal machine.
His brilliant finish proved decisive and was a powerful response to his detractors, as he equalized with an arrow-like shot in the 19th minute.
Manchester City player Phil Foden runs with the ball
(Getty Images)
When the play revolves around him, Foden is busy picking out passes with the outside of his boot, flicking past defenders as if they weren’t there while bursting into the box at every given opportunity.
On top of that, Foden possesses a breathless desire in the first half that often goes unnoticed at City, which has allowed them to dominate the Premier League in recent years. No player in blue completed more sprints than Foden in the entire game, and in the Brighton penalty area, only Doku touched the ball more times than Foden.
Many of the recent defeats have proven difficult for City to change mentally, even with Rodri returning to the heart of midfield. After the break, Kaoru Santo was twice beaten by Stefan Orr in City’s goal. Tega blocked it before Ansu Fati scored and the visitors equalized with 17 minutes remaining.
There were some nerve-wracking moments for City in the final seconds, particularly after Manuel Akanji’s late red card, but the Championship side were determined to win and at least temporarily return to the top of the table.
If they are to stay there this season, Foden will, on early season evidence, play a bigger role in further glory.
As his second-half decline showed, consistency remains an issue. But what did he do in the first half? Apart from Messi, few have the ability to do this.