Pep Guardiola is reluctant to restrain the free-spirited attacking instincts of Phil Foden but believes the Manchester City player still has to work harder for the team by being less selfish.
Guardiola described Foden as a “bird”, a natural in the final third, but is looking for greater tactical understanding from the 23-year-old – particularly in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne. Foden has played in every City game this season since the Belgian was struck down with injury in their Premier League opener at Burnley, and has two goals.
Foden is set for an important role in the league showdown with Arsenal on Sunday although it remains to be seen whether that will be in central midfield, where he played and scored in the 3-1 midweek win over RB Leipzig. The England international has long been touted for a deeper role for both club and country but has largely been used out wide by his City manager.
“I think Phil has a free instinct as a footballer,” said Guardiola. “He’s not a player who thinks so much when he plays, he’s a bird – fly wherever you want. But there is a step he has to gain and some duties he must do for the team.
“Certain players, for example Rico Lewis, it happens immediately. When he moved inside [to midfield] I didn’t teach him anything, it came from his nature. But he doesn’t have a talent like Phil has in other aspects – that’s normal and that’s nice, footballers are not copy and paste, it’s how you connect them and that’s what makes my job so fascinating.
“Phil has played right, left, in the pockets; no problem. Could he play, in the end, as a holding midfielder? For that, he needs to understand the game as a whole, not just ‘me’. As he grows, he needs to add things to his game.”
Sunday marks the second time Guardiola will face an Arsenal side containing Declan Rice, who joined them for £105m in the summer despite significant interest from City, after their penalty shootout defeat to the Gunners in the Community Shield. Rice faces a City team shorn of their usual Mr Reliable in defensive midfield, the suspended Rodri.
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“Everybody knows we wanted him,” added Guardiola on Rice. “But in the end, Arsenal pushed more, maybe Mikel was more convincing than me. Normally when Manchester City pay this kind of fee it’s ‘crazy’, but with others it’s how smart they are. But I’m not going to judge other clubs. Arsenal’s recruitment is really good and Rice is an exceptional holding midfielder.”