Phil Foden struggles for Manchester City minutes amid mysterious form slump
Phil Foden has been relegated to a peripheral role at Manchester City in recent weeks amid a severe drop in form and tactical shifts from manager Pep Guardiola.
The England international has started just four of his club’s past 12 matches across all competitions.
He remained an unused substitute on Wednesday during a crushing 3-0 Champions League defeat by Real Madrid.
In the Premier League, the 25-year-old has featured for a mere 182 minutes over the last six fixtures.
Guardiola has instead favoured January arrival Antoine Semenyo, summer signing Rayan Cherki and Brazilian winger Savinho.
The academy graduate has failed to find the net since mid-December, following a brief purple patch of six goals in five games.
Tactical shift leaves playmaker behind
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes a change in playing style is responsible for the reduced game time.
Rooney suggests the reigning champions are moving away from patient possession to adopt a more direct approach.
“They’ve gone a bit more dynamic with Semenyo and Cherki. It looks at times a little bit more physical, a bit more direct when they get the ball, running at defenders.”
The former England captain added that this physical transition may not suit the Stockport-born star.
Semenyo, acquired from Bournemouth for £64m, has played almost every league minute since his winter arrival.
Alongside Cherki and versatile youngster Nico O’Reilly, the new attacking contingent have contributed 17 goals since their sidelined colleague last scored.
Defensive lapses and hidden injuries
Frustrations appeared to boil over during a recent 2-2 league draw with Nottingham Forest at Etihad Stadium.
The reigning PFA Player of the Year was heavily criticised for failing to track Elliot Anderson before the visitors equalised.
Guardiola ruthlessly substituted the struggling attacker just 65 seconds after that costly defensive lapse.
However, former City midfielder Michael Brown suspects an underlying physical issue might be a contributing factor.
“We don’t always know everything. He could be carrying a knock or a particular injury that they have to protect and he can’t get to the level in training.”
Brown pondered how a vital squad member goes from playing every match to hardly seeing any minutes.
Falling short of spectacular standards
Statistical analysis highlights a sharp decline in goal involvements per 90 minutes compared to previous campaigns.
The six-time Premier League winner was instrumental during the historic Treble-winning season in 2022-23.
He followed that up with 19 goals and eight assists last term to secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive domestic crown.
Despite already claiming 17 major club honours, the decorated forward now faces a crucial battle to reclaim his starting spot.
With a World Cup looming on the horizon, regaining match fitness and form will be vital for his international prospects.
