75 | Nico O'Reilly - 2024/25

[Sir peace frog]

Awful in the 1st 30mins, left his side wide open. He has no positional sense as a defender. Very good going forward, though, and clearly a very talented footballer. Never a LB, though.

im sure he was doing as he was told, and i think the way we set up left him isolated, until pep tweaked it him and rico as all of our full backs have been all season exposed

 

[skillman]

When we went 2-0 down, Pep signalled to him to stop overlapping and instead to sit back and play passes/triangles. So he was just doing as he was told until Pep changed it.

Thought even then he was the bright spark (lovely Maradona at one point) and composed himself well after it.

Took his goal fantastically.

 

[Dax777]

Are people blaming just O Reilly for the goal?

Its definitely a team failure to concede that goal, and more on Gvardiol.

I think it was just very good football on Crystal Palaces part. Not really anyone is to blame. They moved it quickly. The way Wharton beat 2 CMs in the middle to release the ball was very good. And they moved it quickly and countered well.

 

[skillman]

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

Need to get him to sign that contract.

Did he ever play out wide for the youth team?

No but he said on the club's official podcast that he started off as an LB when in junior football.

Haven't seen him wide in our academy setup but he's played well as a 9 (maybe false 9) on occasion about 2-3 years ago. So he's versatile.

I hope he takes Gundo's 8 spot next season. He'd flourish there.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

First choice left back for me right now. Why on earth has he not played more this season?

 

[stan bowles]

Loved his involvement in the third goal...astute pull back to KDB who in turn sets up Kovacic for an excellent finish. He gets into any XI Pep selects on merit. Undroppable in my view.

 

[iTyler]

Looks like a player that will be effective wherever you play him on the pitch. He's a massive positive in an extremely disappointing season.

 

[bell_mcfc]

First choice left back for me right now. Why on earth has he not played more this season?

Well he’s not a left back and due to injuries and lack of options there got a chance at LB in cup games.

He took his chance.

Hopefully we see him in midfield next season and don’t think he can be our answer to LB long term.

 

[bell_mcfc]

From this day I was convinced he’d be a monster. Was concerned when he had that big injury but never an issue.

Think Pep playing him out of position shows huge faith

 

[ninjamonkey]

Very good overall but got to improvement his defensive duties rapidly, everything else in his game is good enough to play for us but that area is a weakness and we'll be targeted behind him until that part improves.

 

[TheBlueCat]

Very good overall but got to improvement his defensive duties rapidly, everything else in his game is good enough to play for us but that area is a weakness and we'll be targeted behind him until that part improves.

Well this is very old news.. We were targeted similarly when we had Delph playing there .. and Zinchenko.
IMO O’Reilly is a better player than either of those two. Certainly has a higher ceiling..

 

[warringtonblue]

Awful in the 1st 30mins, left his side wide open. He has no positional sense as a defender. Very good going forward, though, and clearly a very talented footballer. Never a LB, though.

The left side was wide open because he had no one in front of him. Their winger dropped deep forcing O'reilly to come out of the line and when that happened, another forward slipped in behind him. In that situation, whatever he did was wrong but its the lack of someone in front of him that caused it.

 

[Sir Joe Aguero]

Great player. Not a fullback.

 

[TonyM]

Great player. A fullback.

 

[mexico1970]

What a player he is, looks like we have discovered our next big player from the pack.

 

[silvasdreamyfringe]

What a player he is, looks like we have discovered our next big player from the pack.

Agreed has been a game changer for us in the cup this year, like legitimately won us games, big lad too which helps

 

[TFC]

So happy for this lad but would love to see him get minutes in midfield. Hopefully that’s the direction this is heading.

 

[MCFC1993]

Proving every week that he should have played more this season.

They better have that contract ready for him, he's got a role to play here.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Very good overall but got to improvement his defensive duties rapidly, everything else in his game is good enough to play for us but that area is a weakness and we'll be targeted behind him until that part improves.

Let's not forget he's not a proper left back, he's just filling in there for now. I think he'll develop into a top midfielder when he gets the chance to play in midfield.