Thomas Tucheltalked about the roles he envisions for two returning England internationals.
Phil Foden has come through a season of struggles at Man City to click again as a key cog in the plans of Pep Guardiola. In midweek, he shone with two goals against Borussia Dortmund that featured his trademark finish, and the England manager wants to put him in a role that platforms this skill.
A central role has always been the calling of Jude Bellingham for club and country, even acting as a false nine for Real Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti. The midfielder has been out of the picture for the last two squads as Tuchel wanted him to recover rhythm post-shoulder surgery, but he now has a chance to remind everyone why he is set to be one of the first names on the plane for next summer.
"Where Phil played against Borussia Dortmund is where I see him the strongest. He is close to the opponent's box and a mix between a number nine and a 10. Phil scores and assists more from the 18-yard box, where he scored against Dortmund. He's in the pockets and assists.
"The main thing about him is that he gets a role in the central part of the pitch. I don't see him as a winger any more. He should have a central role that will bring out his strengths most. We've talked about this already with him.
"Jude comes back as a number 10. That's his best position. One of his key strengths is to score from this position. He has the ability to arrive and score goals that a nine would score, which is unusual.
“It might seem like easy goals, but to arrive in these positions is one of his outstanding qualities. We will try to find space for him in the number 10 position to arrive and score these goals."
