And I have seen him have many excellent games. I recall many posters calling for Kyle to be dropped last year because Rico had shown himself to be better, especially when moving into midfield. Sure, he has things to develop, but that is okay. Keep cheering him on.I would say in the 80 plus appearances that he’s made, that he’s had that opportunity to integrate. I don’t think that’s unduly swift to make comments that on watching those performances, he isn’t and hasn’t shown that he is a starting player in top 4 side.
Re the teenager comment, I wasn’t suggesting you’d made a mistake because you clearly knew he was 20 cos you mentioned it. I meant that it looked to me like shoe-horning yet another reference to his age.
Just to say too, of your broader point about young players, it’s admirable, and re the likes of Khusa, O’Reilly, Doku etc agreed. My point isn’t about young players, it’s about this young player.
Your last point about “support the players”, I’m genuinely not sure what that means. I never shout criticism to Rico or any other City player at the match (though plenty do!), and on Saturday I’ll be cheering him as loudly and as pleased as everyone else if he rifles one into the top corner. And if I ever met him in person I’d be nothing but polite and positive. But making critical comments on an online forum discussion is something completely different, and no one on here is obligated to be only praiseworthy.
Anyway, as ever, feel free to come back, but I think we’ve both spent long enough on this, and both know each others pov. I respect yours but don’t agree with it.
As such, have a good day pal :)
I think it’s his performances on the pitch - good, bad or indifferent- that matter, and nothing else at all.
Even looking at it through games played rather than age, your point still stands.When judging a young player, it can be useful to look at world-class superstars and where they were at that age - even some of our own legends. At 20, Kyle was loaned out to QPR. At 20, Vinnie left Anderlecht for Hamburg. At 20, David Silva was loaned out to Celta Vigo from Valencia. They were the first three I checked, and I am certain that more will example that players at 20 are nowhere near what they became, in most cases.
When judging a young player, it can be useful to look at world-class superstars and where they were at that age - even some of our own legends. At 20, Kyle was loaned out to QPR. At 20, Vinnie left Anderlecht for Hamburg. At 20, David Silva was loaned out to Celta Vigo from Valencia. They were the first three I checked, and I am certain that more will example that players at 20 are nowhere near what they became, in most cases.
Indeed. And those players, all world class, were almost unknown at the age of 20 but developed into top players recognised at the highest level of the game.KDB hadn't left Belgium yet, Salah was on trial at Basel, Van Dijk had made 1 professional appearance in his career, Modric was on loan in Bosnia because he wasn't good enough for the Croatian league yet, Rodri was playing in the Spanish 3rd tier etc etc.
Great post & the part in bold is 100% trueThe point is that young players are not the finished article, so judging them in the same way as you would judge a 30 year-old superstar is folly. Any player coming into the first team from the academy needs to have support and patience to allow them to develop. They need to have opportunity and gradually increasing minutes to hone their skills. The 'teenager' wasn't a mistake - have another read of my post - I was speaking of when he broke into the side.
As we have seen, and I had this argument on here many times, failing to integrate academy talent is an error. When I suggested that is what should happen, many people here were critical, pointing to the impact on results, and that it was not possible to win trophies that way. It was nonsense then, and nonsense now, but young players cannot be judged in the same way as experienced professionals. Rico Lewis is a serious talent. Khusanov, Reis, McAtee, Savinho, Doku, O'Reilly, and others, are at the beginning of their career, with some real development ahead of them. We have to allow that to happen, as we should with players like Mukasa, McAidoo, Gorman, Mfuni, and others whom we hope will get an opportunity. There are some posters here who are too swift to condemn, and then cannot give praise where it is due, or will say something inane like, 'now he has to keep it up'. It is that which I can't abide. Support the players until they leave or damage the club with their words. Supported people do better, both in sport and in life.
Yet Pep and his coaches think he does has something special about him, whether that potential will show through as he gets older or whether physically he doesn’t grow into it, or maybe he’ll fall between two stools,maybe he will develop into a very good player we don’t know.he has nothing special about him. As said before if he wasn’t a blue he would be laughed off every day in here.
Mahrez was playing in the reserves of a second division French side etcKDB hadn't left Belgium yet, Salah was on trial at Basel, Van Dijk had made 1 professional appearance in his career, Modric was on loan in Bosnia because he wasn't good enough for the Croatian league yet, Rodri was playing in the Spanish 3rd tier etc etc.
Looking into players beginnings brought some mad information to light.Mahrez was playing in the reserves of a second division French side etc
Why does he need to have something special? Its his versatility and work ethic that make him special. And he can only get better. Rico Lewis seems to be the least of City's problems right now.he has nothing special about him. As said before if he wasn’t a blue he would be laughed off every day in here.
KDB hadn't left Belgium yet, Salah was on trial at Basel, Van Dijk had made 1 professional appearance in his career, Modric was on loan in Bosnia because he wasn't good enough for the Croatian league yet, Rodri was playing in the Spanish 3rd tier etc etc.
Your take is unsurprising.All you are doing is making the point that he shouldn't be playing at a top side because if those players weren't playing top tier football at his age then Rico sure as hell shouldn't.
Your take is unsurprising.
You could have taken from the post that he is more talented than they were at the same age.
You could have taken from the posts that development is a process required of all young players.
Unfortunately, you sought to confirm your own bias, and that is a shame.
You do not learn do you.An opinion isn't bias, it's an opinion. You confirmed your own bias trying to confirm mine.
Again if you'd care to open those ears, if the players mentioned weren't good enough at Rico's age then he sure as hell isn't either.
Or are you putting him alongside the likes of Ronaldo, Rodri and KDB? If you are might I suggest you watch cricket as a sport and not the sport you have/haven't been watching.
You do not learn do you.
The facts are there about where Rodri and KDB were at 20.
Nobody will change your opinion though - it is writ large throughout this thread, and others.
It’s not obvious to me though. I’ve been making a judgement based on watching him. If he’s playing in our team and he gets outmuscled in a 50/50, or makes a pass that’s too safe when a better more productive one is on, or shanks a shot, or is too slow in a sprint, or lacks height in an aerial challenge, I honestly don’t think his age is relevant at all.