In defence of Foden - 'this is a tactical issue, not a player problem'

When England hit Serbia successful their first crippled astatine these Euros, I was a BBC pundit alongside Cesc Fabregas and we discussed Phil Foden, who had played retired connected nan left.

Cesc thought I was conscionable being biased erstwhile I defended Foden connected nan show, because he is simply a subordinate I emotion and I cognize him personally arsenic well.

I wasn’t being biased astatine all, though. I conscionable thought nan England squad that nighttime was not group up for him to flourish and, 4 games on, I still consciousness nan aforesaid way.

Like Harry Kane, location seems to beryllium a batch of disapproval of Foden connected societal media astatine nan moment, pinch group calling for them some to beryllium dropped for England’s semi-final against nan Netherlands.

I cognize they tin some play overmuch amended than they person done truthful acold successful Germany, but I would opportunity nan logic they person not been astatine their champion is simply a tactical rumor alternatively being down to nan players themselves.

As for dropping them? Absolutely nary chance.

Foden is still nan England subordinate who tin unfastened up a defence pinch a pass, aliases people a goal, if you springiness him nan correct role.

Kane is somewhat different successful that he needs to accommodate his crippled to nan measurement England are group up now, and nan players he has astir him, but again he is not personification we should beryllium leaving out.

The easiest measurement to explicate why Foden has not had nan aforesaid effect for England arsenic he has had for Manchester City is to look astatine wherever he is connected nan transportation erstwhile he receives nan ball.

In nan first 4 games, erstwhile he was connected nan left, England were truthful heavy that he had nary chance to show disconnected his skillset.

For City he is utilized to playing short and speedy passes connected nan separator of nan area and moving successful behind. You can’t conscionable springiness him nan shot and expect him to dribble past 4 aliases 5 group from adjacent nan halfway line, because that conscionable isn’t his game.

I would besides reason we did not usage him successful nan champion imaginable measurement against Switzerland, either.

Along pinch Jude Bellingham, Foden operated arsenic 1 of 2 number 10s successful that quarter-final, down Harry Kane.

I thought he started that crippled really brightly erstwhile nan squad were playing precocious up nan pitch, akin to what City do, but past England went backmost to aged habits and dropped 30 aliases 40 yards back.

So though Foden was successful a much cardinal position that suits him, nan squad were still not playing successful nan areas wherever he wants to get connected nan ball.

For immoderate people, that seems to beryllium Foden’s responsibility and I deliberation that’s unfair.

Part of Foden's problem is that, alongside him, Bellingham is doing what he does truthful good and he wants to beryllium nan main man successful this team.

The runs Bellingham makes sometimes are affirmative ones, but they are making it difficult for Foden to get connected nan ball. It was ever going to return clip for that knowing to develop, but alternatively it feels for illustration Foden is being judged already, aft only 1 crippled successful this caller role.

I americium not saying Foden is supra criticism, though. Far from it. England’s warm-up crippled against Iceland was nan cleanable opportunity for him to kickstart his world profession arsenic a number 10, and he did not play good astatine all.

When Kevin de Bruyne was injured astatine nan commencement of past season, I was saying really this was Foden’s chance to show he could play that domiciled for Manchester City and he did it.

He was not an extra, aliases filling in. He was nan main man successful 1 of nan best-performing teams successful nan Premier League, and I person been hopeless for him to do nan aforesaid for England.

He still can. Foden has taken instrumentality for not scoring aliases creating nan measurement we cognize he can, but let’s springiness him a crippled wherever he is getting connected nan shot successful and astir nan area, and past make our minds up.

If that happens against nan Dutch and Foden is quiet again past I’d judge that we request much from whoever plays successful that position, but correct now it is excessively harsh to judge him and, especially, time off him out.

We should besides retrieve nan personality of this team. If we had an attack-minded coach and Foden was not playing good then, again, I would understand nan calls to bring personification other in.

Gareth Southgate is not that benignant of coach, though. He has had occurrence by being protect and that is not going to alteration now.

Kane’s business is somewhat different because we cognize he wants to travel heavy and beryllium much progressive successful nan game. He is fantabulous connected nan shot and tin play passes for runners, but now we person Jude Bellingham doing that job.

Gary Lineker put it perfectly aft nan Switzerland crippled erstwhile he said that now Kane has to enactment high, but that’s not what he is utilized to doing for nine aliases country. It was ever going to beryllium reliable for him.

I deliberation he conscionable has to spot his team-mates because he doesn’t person to driblet anymore, but he tin still beryllium nan Kane that scores truthful galore goals.

It’s not conscionable Kane and Foden who are having to adapt, either. In galore ways nan full squad are still moving retired what they request to do but, contempt that, we are into different semi-final of a awesome tournament.

Hopefully we are not vanished yet, but what I want to spot much than thing against nan Netherlands is for america to beryllium braver erstwhile we make changes during nan game.

Although I would not driblet Kane aliases Foden I tin spot nan benefits of introducing players from nan chair earlier than we person been, to freshen up our attack.

Before nan tournament, I’d speak to group who were buzzing because we had a bigger, 26-man squad, and it meant we could bring other players to Germany who tin impact a game.

We person sewage those players who tin travel connected and effect matches, but we don’t usage them arsenic overmuch arsenic we should do - and they could move retired to beryllium nan quality against nan Dutch.

Micah Richards was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan successful Berlin.