England: Phil Foden backed to 'rise to the occasion' at Euro 2024 after subdued start
Manchester City player Kyle Walker supports his teammate Phil Foden and believes that he will perform well in important matches during Euro 2024. Walker thinks that Foden should be evaluated based on his overall performance throughout the tournament, not just the first game.
Foden is expected to stay in his position on the left side of England's attacking trio during Thursday's upcoming match against Denmark in Frankfurt.
The top player in the Premier League was quiet with the ball during the Euro opener on Sunday, where Gareth Southgate's team secured a 1-0 victory over Serbia. Despite this, the manager praised his performance, saying he did a great job.
Walker explained that he believes it is not fair to judge a player based on just one game. He emphasized that it is the overall performance throughout a season or tournament that truly defines a player. With Phil's outstanding performance in the previous season, Walker doesn't think that one 90-minute game should be heavily criticized as he has been hearing.
Phil is an impressive individual with a successful career at Manchester City. He has achieved great success and won numerous trophies, although he had to wait for his opportunities.
This is just another challenge he must face when there's a lot of pressure on him, especially after such a successful season. It's times like these when top players need to step up and perform.
Foden will once more have right-footed Kieran Trippier backing him up at left-back. Luke Shaw trained separately on Wednesday and will not be able to play against Denmark due to his ongoing recovery from a hamstring injury.
Phil Foden and Kyle Walker are comrades who share the pitch for both England and Manchester City.
Southgate mentioned that Luke is developing as expected. He mentioned that they are aiming for the end of this week or early next week for him to fully recover. They are pleased with his progress and are confident that he will be able to help the team in the future.
Southgate admitted that Foden lacked the "equilibrium" and "energy" that Shaw typically brings as the only designated left-back in the team. However, he is confident that Trippier offers different attributes to fulfill the position.
The manager noted the support and motivation Shaw provides to his teammates on the field, especially those playing alongside him on that specific side of the pitch.
However, when speaking to the wingers who are on the same team as Trippier, they will tell you that his ability to communicate effectively is extremely beneficial to the rest of the players. Trippier possesses unique qualities that Luke lacks.
When discussing Foden's performance against the Serbs, Southgate mentioned: "I believe Phil did a fantastic job for us during the match on Sunday."
Other teammates may have caught the eye of the fans, but his dedication to the team, strategic defense, and smart gameplay stood out. In the final moments of the game, he skillfully kept possession of the ball when it mattered most.
He had an opportunity early in the game where with a slightly improved touch, he could have taken a shot on goal and changed the outcome significantly.
"He connected effectively with his teammates in the initial phase of the game. The match was full of complex tactical challenges, but Phil impressed us with his performance."
Denmark's goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, thinks that England is now an even stronger team than the one that defeated them in the semi-finals of Euro 2020 three years ago.
"I believe that England had an exceptional team when we played against them in 2021. They made it to the final of a major tournament," Schmeichel stated.
"When you consider the new players and the skills they've developed, they have improved as a team since we last faced them. We need to be at our best to defeat them."
