Who England Should Drop Out of Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka

Despite being through to the last 16, England are yet to really get going at Euro 2024. The Three Lions won their group-stage opener against Serbia and subsequent draws against Denmark and Slovenia secured their status as Group C winners and set up a last-16 tie against favourable opponents in Slovakia.

Judging by what we have seen so far, though, England will not have it easy against any opponent, particularly if they don’t up their game. England have been defensively solid in Germany, but in midfield and in attack they have been well under par, failing to control matches and scoring just two goals.

Foden vs Saka Stats Comparison

City man has edged it so far

Two players who have come in for criticism for their form during the tournament are Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka. Foden has not looked anything like the player football fans are used to seeing turn it on for Manchester City week-in, week-out, while Saka has also struggled, having started the tournament brightly by setting up Jude Bellingham’s winning goal against Serbia.

Foden, unlike Saka, is being played out of position in this team. Gareth Southgate kept both players in the line-up in each of England’s three group games, but it is Saka who has been playing in his usual position on the right wing, while Foden has been shunted out to the left, a position in which he doesn’t often play for City.

Foden has played more minutes at the tournament so far, and has covered significantly more distance than Saka across England’s three matches. The City man has covered nearly 32km in England’s three games, while Saka has covered 24km.

Perhaps that is as a result of Foden tending to drift inside the pitch a lot more, while Saka is a more natural winger who hugs the touchline more. Considering Southgate suggested his players might not be in a good enough condition to press other teams effectively during the tournament, Foden’s industry going forward could be invaluable.

Saka is the only one of the two to have recorded a direct goal contribution, while Foden has attempted more shots and has had more shots on target. Saka failed to hit the target with any of his three shots in the group stage.

About the only area that Saka outperformed Foden in was dribbling. The Arsenal man carried out more dribbles, as well as more runs into key areas and more runs into the penalty area. Foden, meanwhile, outperformed Saka with his passing. With similar success rates, Foden attempted 174 passes to Saka’s 97, and he also played four times as many passes into the attacking third as well as several more passes into key areas.

Defensively, Foden has also proved to be more useful, recovering the ball seven times to Saka’s two, and also committing no fouls to Saka’s four. Saka has completed more clearances, but only marginally and with a lower clearance success rate than Foden.

Fans Keen for Change

Mainoo, Palmer and Gordon impressed vs Slovenia

There is appetite among England’s fans for Gareth Southgate to make changes to his midfield and attack after Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon each made a positive impact after coming off the bench against Slovenia. Mainoo looks set to start in midfield alongside Declan Rice, but it is unclear whether Southgate plans to introduce Palmer or Gordon to the starting line-up. Should he do so, that would likely see Saka or Foden drop out of the team.

Gordon would offer England a different dynamic on the wing, as, unlike Foden, Saka and Palmer, he likes to utilise his pace and run in behind, whereas the aforementioned three players are better with the ball at their feet. If Gordon comes in, he would likely do so on the left wing, and Southgate would then have to decide whether he keeps playing Saka on the right, or whether Foden moves over to the opposite flank and Saka drops to the bench.

After England drew with Slovenia, Ian Wright floated the idea of Saka playing at left-back. Kieran Trippier played there in each of England’s group games but has rarely looked assured during the tournament. Wright said: “With how naturally left-sided Saka is, can we put Saka at left back and Cole Palmer on the right-hand side?”

Wright’s former England teammate Paul Scholes mocked the idea on Instagram. He wrote: “Making me p*** these Arsenal legends trying to get Saka in at left-back because they’re afraid he’s going to be left out for Palmer.”