ENGLAND needed something different against the USA. As the match meandered to a goalless draw, Gareth Southgate turned to his bench and introduced Jordan Henderson to little effect. That said a lot about the Three Lions manager’s conservative outlook, particularly as Phil Foden was left as an unused substitute.

Foden’s talent is undeniable. “We love Phil, he is a super player,” Southgate insisted after Friday’s 0-0 draw. “He was into the first game, we decided not to put him into the second. But he is going to play an important part in this tournament for us, there is no question about that. We haven’t got any issue with Phil.”

Even if Southgate has no problem with Foden, it appears he doesn’t know how to get the best out of the Manchester City midfielder. Even before the 2022 World Cup, there was discussion around Foden’s international form and how England have rarely seen the same player that is so instrumental for the Premier League champions.

Jamal Musiala shows what Foden could be for England. Musiala has been electrifying for Germany at the 2022 World Cup, giving Hansi Flick’s team a different dimension in the attacking third. Without the 19-year-old, Germany would be a more predictable team to play against. They’d be as predictable as England were against the USA.

A big part of the problem for Foden is that Southgate’s system lacks the tactical flexibility to accommodate him. Southgate has more than once mentioned that he sees Foden as something of a winger which restricts his role for the Three Lions. At club level, though, Foden is frequently deployed through the middle, even as a ‘False Nine’ on occasion.

Declan Rice has been used as the sole anchor in both games England have played at the 2022 World Cup so far which permits Southgate to play Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount in the same midfield unit. In theory, Bellingham’s forward runs help unsettle the opposition while Mount’s movement keeps things fluid.

The problem comes when opponents stop the ball from reaching Bellingham and Rice -the USA did this by blocking the central channel and forcing England to go wide. Mount is capable of drifting wide, but Southgate lacked a midfielder who could combine with Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling on the wings to get in behind. Foden could have been that figure.

With Harry Kane a fitness doubt for Tuesday’s final Group B game against Wales, Southgate could feasibly use Foden as a central attacker. The 22-year-old played this position for Manchester City for much of last season and could create space for the likes of Sterling and Marcus Rashford to exploit. Kane, however, is expected to start again even if he is carrying an ankle injury.

Southgate has such a deep squad that he is always likely to face criticism for one selection or another. For months, James Maddison was used as the stick to beat the England manager with as he was left out of the squad despite his sparkling form for Leicester City. Now Maddison is in the squad, Foden’s role – or lack thereof – has become a talking point.

There is still time for Foden to have an impact on England’s 2022 World Cup campaign. England have played two matches in which they were expected to be the protagonists – Foden’s technical ability and skill in tight spaces could be crucial for the Three Lions when they come up against a high-pressing opponent like Germany or Spain.

Despite this, there is a growing sense that Foden is on the same trajectory that has prevented many of England’s most technically talented players from thriving on the international stage over the years. Parallels have been drawn between Foden and Paul Scholes – the legendary Manchester United midfielder was a peripheral figure for England in his career. Southgate must ensure the Scholes comparisons go no further.