”When he plays in this central role, he has an eye for goal. He proved it again. He is special because of his pace and his work ethic. We have the feeling when he attacks the last line that he is going to score. It’s not easy to find him and that’s why he’s so special in this position.”observes the Skyblues coach who has chosen in recent weeks to alternate between De Bruyne and Foden in this central role.
He is so special in this position.
This strategy works. The Belgian stacks up the assists (14) and the 23-year-old Englishman is having his best season finishing: 50% of his 22 goals were scored when he played in this position. However, he was only used in attacking midfield in 29% of matches. It happened during KDB's long absence in the first part of the season and it continues with the turning point established by Guardiola.
”I think Foden appreciates the greater responsibility given to him when Kevin is not playing. I think he feels like he must be as magical as Kevin,” observed Alan Shearer on Matchday Live, the Premier League show. “Phil is one of the greatest talents I have played withDe Bruyne even readily admits. He’s been incredible this season so he deserves it, and it keeps me on my toes to give me that little boost.”
Even if the Red Devil's stomach aches also forced this decision in Madrid, Guardiola tends to favor the choice of Foden in the center in the most important meetings. City's jewel has, conversely, been put to rest during the last two league outings against Crystal Palace and Luton Town, two weaker opponents on paper. Result: KDB and Foden have not played a single minute together in the last four matches. But is it possible to combine them by getting the best out of each?
”We would not have asked this question at the start of the season when De Bruyne's position was not subject to any discussion and Foden was systematically used on a winganalyzes Xavier Chen, Pickx Sports consultant who will comment on the semi-final return at the Etihad Stadium. But when we see Foden's current level in the center, it is clear that it would be a shame to put him on the right. On the other hand, I am of the opinion that, when you have two players of this quality, you have to put them in.”
It's possible that we play together.
This season, KDB never played with Foden when he was central. “But it's possible that we play togetherassures De Bruyne himself. When I started with David Silva, no one thought it would be possible but we managed it somehow. David was the oldest player and I was the youngest and the runner. Now it's going to be a bit the opposite. If I can do it with Julian (Alvarez), who is more of a striker, then I can also do it with Phil.”
The double 10
This is where the idea of the double No. 10 emerges: having the two players coexist in the center, leaving the right lane covered by a right back with an offensive vocation (Kyle Walker, who should be available for this match ), while counting on two midfielders (Rodri and Kovacic or Bernardo Silva) to manage the rest of the midfield. “Foden and De Bruyne have this intelligence to be able to work together, to swap, to leave room for the othercontinues Xavier Chen. It’s not impossible to see De Bruyne sometimes shift more to the right, where he can also be very good with his crosses.”
They have this intelligence to be able to work together.
It remains to be seen whether Guardiola will dare to try this bet in this quarter-final second leg, knowing that the two players do not have the best automatisms in this combination. “When Kevin is there, everything is different. He is one of the best players of our generation. It’s a big boost that he’s back”, he said in any case this Tuesday.
“I rather think that he will hesitate between two options: prefer Foden and leave De Bruyne on the bench, or put Foden on the right wing, with Jack Grealish on the leftbelieves Xavier Chen. A final option would be to see De Bruyne a notch lower, in place of Kovacic. But I don't think that's a solution against Real Madrid who will be more wait-and-see and against whom it will be more interesting to have De Bruyne in a more creative role. On paper, however, that could be the case, and that would not prevent him from moving higher, just behind Foden.”
