Phil Foden needs to evaluate the risk versus reward when in possession as we saw against Arsenal | OneFootball

After Erling Haaland had equalised to make it 1-all in the 55th minute of Manchester City’s 5-1 defeat to Arsenal it did appear that the game had reached a critical juncture. Pep Guardiola’s side appeared to have the momentum against Mikel Arteta’s side. The scene appeared set for a grandstand finish to the game. But Manchester City’s momentum after Haaland’s equaliser was short-lived. Thomas Partey seized upon a cross-field pass from Phil Foden intended for Omar Marmoush in a dangerous area of the pitch two minutes later. His deflected strike would give Arsenal a 2-1 lead. With that, City’s momentum was gone, and they capitulated.

You can’t blame Phil Foden alone for Manchester City’s defeat at the Emirates. That is too simplistic and glosses over a host of issues that are evident in Pep Guardiola’s side. But the decision by Foden to attempt such a dangerous pass was questionable at best. Yes, Omar Marmoush was on, but it was too risky a ball to play. It was one of those passes that, if it comes off, it sets City away. If it doesn’t it hands the initiative back to their opponents as we saw last night.

More important than Foden’s decision was the timing of it. It occurred just after Haaland’s equaliser. Who knows if the game would’ve turned out differently if Thomas Partey hadn’t scored moments after Haaland’s goal. We’ll never know but you did get the sense that it was the time for City to dig in and be patient and continue to build pressure on Arsenal. But that’s not what occurred and the rest is history.

Speaking after his team’s defeat Pep Guardiola did make mention of Foden’s intercepted pass. He told the media when speaking about his team’s late collapse: “Of course, it’s a difficult game starting in this stadium, against that team in the first minutes. It’s happened many times this season. But after 10/15 minutes I think we took the game and played really, really, really, really good and we are in it after 1-1 and good momentum. We pass to make the transition with Omar [Marmoush] and a deflection and the third goal. But after that, we then continued to do what you have to do in terms defensively and [be a] little bit more patient. And when you’re playing that way, they can run, and of course, at 3-1, they are comfortable; it’s more difficult. I regret the last 15/20 minutes, the rest was a really good game for our side. It’s difficult to understand when you see the result, but this is my feeling. It’s happened all season, we are giving away too many things, we are aware this cannot happen, it happened.”

Phil Foden will learn the lesson from his error.

Going forward you do get the sense that Phil Foden will learn from his error. He wasn’t poor yesterday but at times he did appear guilty of trying to do too much. Foden did appear to be trying to the force the issue rather than letting the game come to him. But he is still learning his craft as a midfielder. Yes his error was costly at the Emirates, there’s no doubt of that fact. But it could be a lesson that helps Phil Foden learn what it takes to be a full-time midfielder. That isn’t much of a silver lining right now but in time perhaps it could be.