2021/20 - Ones To Watch #FPLOTW
Player Profile No.2

Phil Foden - The "Stockport Iniesta"

Age: 20
Nationality: England
Team: Manchester City
Shirt No.: 47
Positions: CM/LM/RM
Preferred foot: Left
Strengths: Versatility, Ball Control, Dribbling, Passings.

Foden is a very special player especially in City's long list of world-class quality players. He's the only academy graduate managed to start in PL matches since almost 12 years of Sheikh Mansour's take over. Back in 2017 Pep made his first remarks of Foden;

“It’s a long time since I saw something like this. His performance was another level. He’s 17 years old, he’s a City player, he grew up in the academy, he loves the club, he’s a City fan and for us he’s a gift.”

Pt. 1 : Stats

1.1 Overview

FPL classification: Midfielder
2019/20 starting price: £5.5
2019/20 total points: 69 pts

2019/20 EPL stats:
App: 9(14)
Minutes: 888
Goal: 5
Assist: 2
Shoot/90min: 3.45
Key Passes/90min: 1.82

Cr: http://understat.com 

1.2 Heatmap

To read the Heatmaps better, we need to have a better understanding on the team's approach on the pitch. Pep's attacking philosophy often rely on the utilisation of Half-spaces on and off the ball.

The versatility of Foden is massive for Pep's style of play. He was deployed as LW, RW, LM, CM and also as an advanced midfielder. Now compare Pep's philosophy on half-spaces above with Foden's 2019/20 (left) & 2019/18 (right) heatmaps.

Cr: SofaScore

1.3 Player Comparison

I think it'll be more relevant to compare Foden with his predecessor at Man City, The master of half-space himself, David Silva.

Cr: http://whoscored.com  & http://understat.com 

It's not a secret now that Pep nurturing Foden as a natural replacement for D.Silva. Having been at the club since the age of 9, there'll be no surprise if his play style and positioning will replicate Silva's. Below is D.Silva's 20/19 heatmap (left) compared to Foden's (right).

Part 2; The Eye-Test

Here are Foden's style of play we will look at

Positioning
Intelligence - reading the space, openings, lines in between players.
Dribbling
Passing
Shooting

2.1 Foden's ability to read the game early. Starting from wide on the right, the moment City's attack changed the direction, he's already on the move.

2.2 Again. KDB's movement attracted a defender. Half space opening up. Foden already on his toes attacking the space even before KDB controlled the ball.

2.3 On counter attack. Always on his toes. And the ability to read the line of pass in between defenders.

2.4 Another display of Foden's intelligence in reading the line of pass to release a teammate.

2.5 Lethal left foot

2.6 Dribbling technique; He's also comfortable with ball on his feet, drifting from wide to the centre.

2.7 In the end of 2019/20 season Pep often deployed Foden on the left. Either LM or LW in City's 4-3-3. Reading the space well in behind the full-back.

2.8 And finally, this link-up play with KDB. Two intelligent players having a give and go to juxtapose defenders from their natural position.