10 | Rayan Cherki - 2025/26

[Colin Bells Boots]

No
But what I do have, is high standards for City players. He’s new to the league, that’s fine. He should have a sub role whilst settling in. I don’t think that’s controversial

Just the repetitive nature of your posts made me wonder.

And how many games has he played in the PL exactly ?

 

[Blue Hefner]

Just the repetitive nature of your posts made me wonder.

And how many games has he played in the PL exactly ?

It might be repetitive because the WiFi is shit so I wasn’t sure if the first one posted. And I was pissed so maybe overly harsh

But that is exactly *my* point. He hasn’t played any up until this time last week so give him a sub brief whilst he gets up to speed

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Cherki for me has several defects in his game as a starter against a top side, mostly on defense, but also on offense.

On the bright side: Cherki is excellent on the ball. And can make a killer pass or a one-two to unlock the defense.

At the same time - Cherki is arrogant - making the unnecessary risky flick way too often - his back-heel pass attempts illustrate this.

Moreover, Cherki is too ready to make an attempted long pass to one of our players making a run forward. At a guess, I think that this sort of pass works out at best 1 times in 4 with the outcome being that the pass leads to a turnover - and maybe 1 times in 8 - that it leads to a goal scoring opportunity. In other worlds, Cherki is going to chip the ball forward too often.

On defense - Cherki is a liability. Our defense relies on a high press - when the ball turns over, every player needs to press. Cherki eventually presses - one or two seconds too late (not the only player in our side guilty of this). Which means that our press is ineffective... and we're wide open once we turn the ball over.

 

[Blue Hefner]

Cherki for me has several reservations against him as a starter against a top side, mostly on defense.

Those reservations for me have played out.

On the bright side: Cherki is excellent on the ball. And can make a killer pass or a one-two to unlock the defense.

At the same time - Cherki is arrogant - making the unnecessary risky flick way too often.

Moreover, Cherki is too ready to make an attempted long pass to one of our players making a run forward. At a guess, I think that this sort of pass works out at best 1 times in 4 with the outcome being that the pass doesn't lead to a turnover - and maybe 1 times in 8 - that it leads to a goal scoring opportunity. In other worlds, Cherki is going to chip the ball forward too often.

Said similar yesterday. We’ve gone from a team that plays short quick passes with a killer pass to a team that takes one too many risks. Fine against Wolves but not against a decent outfit like Spurs

 

[KDBPLGOAT]

On another day if Haaland wasnt Playing like Hojlund, he gets a goal and an assist for sure. Will get better in time, he’s just too good at the football thingy

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I don’t need attention
Cherki should have a sub role whilst he gets used to the league. I don’t think that is particularly controversial

Trafford is a Championship keeper who is good at U21 level. You tell me, does Trafford’s CV match the job he has? He’s been over promoted, which is fine but don’t expect to be a serious challenger. He’s a cup keeper and we’ll take it from there

Not sure why you said Cherki is fat and can't run. A bizarre thing to say I think, unless you were implying he's fat because he eats too many Subway rolls, probably not.

Go back into the Trafford thread and read your comments again. You should feel a bit of a numpty writing such nonsense.

We bought Trafford for the future and he did nothing wrong against Wolves but he wasn't really tested. Yesterday he was tested and made a big mistake through naive inexperience. All keepers make costly mistakes including experienced top keepers, and Ederson has made plenty. Young James will hopefully learn from his mistakes and become a world class keeper for us. I'm certainly not giving up on him after 2 games!

 

[Sibierskii]

Don’t worry, don’t think Cherki will read it.

It was a high risk line up, which was unnecessary risk in my view. Cherki looks to me like he has only a substitute role at the moment - clearly not up to it yesterday

If Haaland could head it and pass it he’d have had a goal and an assist yesterday.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Said similar yesterday. We’ve gone from a team that plays short quick passes with a killer pass to a team that takes one too many risks. Fine against Wolves but not against a decent outfit like Spurs

Agree.

Moreover, and crucially... we're far too slow in whatever we do.

 

[blue wang]

Needs time to adjust, wasn't quick enough, wasn't fit enough and a tad wasteful.
Some positives, mostly looking forward, can slide in a nice through ball. Should have had an assist.

Probably won't see the best of him for a few months whilst he gets up to speed. Definitely a player there. Be patient.

He will learn the Flickr flaky stuff needs to be used more selectively as hd will be up against better quality.

 

[TFC]

Needs time, and he needs our patience. I have no doubt he'll be a star for us in years to come.

 

[Blue Hefner]

Needs time to adjust, wasn't quick enough, wasn't fit enough and a tad wasteful.
Some positives, mostly looking forward, can slide in a nice through ball. Should have had an assist.

Probably won't see the best of him for a few months whilst he gets up to speed. Definitely a player there. Be patient.

He will learn the Flickr flaky stuff needs to be used more selectively as hd will be up against better quality.

100%. Bernado started off the bench during his first season but you could see he had something. Similar to Cherki, there’s something there but we need a slow and steady approach

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

Needs time, and he needs our patience. I have no doubt he'll be a star for us in years to come.

Plodri

 

[super_city_si]

Needs deploying way further up the pitch. Shouldn’t be coming deep for the ball.

Want him doing his stuff in the final 3rd not the first 3rd

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Needs deploying way further up the pitch. Shouldn’t be coming deep for the ball.

Want him doing his stuff in the final 3rd not the first 3rd

+1.

And FFS - we already carry Haaland on defensive pressure - we can't afford to carry another player as well.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

He was shite first half, think it was a bit of a culture shock for him wasn't used to having so little time on the ball and was causing problems for the team because he was getting too eager for the ball and dropping too deep to get it. Coming into areas where Spurs swarmed him to turn over possession.

Promising signs was once when he lost the ball I thought he was going to stay down feigning injury but he ran back really well and regained possession. I also thought he started the second half better and was starting to get on the ball and make things happen when for some reason he got replaced by Bernardo who looked like he had the strength pace and energy of a late stage AIDS patient and we completely lost all sort of attacking threat and limped to the final whistle.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

He was shite first half, think it was a bit of a culture shock for him wasn't used to having so little time on the ball and was causing problems for the team because he was getting too eager for the ball and dropping too deep to get it. Coming into areas where Spurs swarmed him to turn over possession.

Promising signs was once when he lost the ball I thought he was going to stay down feigning injury but he ran back really well and regained possession. I also thought he started the second half better and was starting to get on the ball and make things happen when for some reason he got replaced by Bernardo who looked like he had the strength pace and energy of a late stage AIDS patient and we completely lost all sort of attacking threat and limped to the final whistle.

He needs more playing time before he becomes truly effective .

Wrong move by Pep yesterday as Bernado added nothing when he come on imo.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

He needs more playing time before he becomes truly effective .

Wrong move by Pep yesterday as Bernado added nothing when he come on imo.

Needs integrating off the wings or the bench while he gets used to the League and his teammates. Was basically asked to be the creative fulcrum of a team he's never played in yesterday so it's not surprising he looked a bit lost at times. Really starting to lose faith in the manager, he just does things that make no sense to me whatsoever every single week.

 

[Blue Hefner]

Not sure why you said Cherki is fat and can't run. A bizarre thing to say I think, unless you were implying he's fat because he eats too many Subway rolls, probably not.

Go back into the Trafford thread and read your comments again. You should feel a bit of a numpty writing such nonsense.

We bought Trafford for the future and he did nothing wrong against Wolves but he wasn't really tested. Yesterday he was tested and made a big mistake through naive inexperience. All keepers make costly mistakes including experienced top keepers, and Ederson has made plenty. Young James will hopefully learn from his mistakes and become a world class keeper for us. I'm certainly not giving up on him after 2 games!

There’s a lot there, with due respect, I’m not reading it all

Cherki looked off the pace. Fat and slow is obviously, I thought, stretching the point to highlight he shouldn’t be a first teamer at this stage - clearly no athlete at this level is ‘fat’, less Kalvin Phillips maybe

As for Trafford, he’s shit. End of story as far as I’m concerned. You disagree, but let’s see where we are in 12 months. I expect he’ll be sold to a team in 10th or lower. But we’ll see

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Needs integrating off the wings or the bench while he gets used to the League and his teammates. Was basically asked to be the creative fulcrum of a team he's never played in yesterday so it's not surprising he looked a bit lost at times. Really starting to lose faith in the manager, he just does things that make no sense to me whatsoever every single week.

I suspect that Pep is trying to find the best way of integrating him into his system.


Yesterday was a collective fuck up once we had gone a goal behind and I hope that is just a teething issue which will get resolved quickly.

Too soon for me to give up on Pep .

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

I suspect that Pep is trying to find the best way of integrating him into his system.


Yesterday was a collective fuck up once we had gone a goal behind and I hope that is just a teething issue which will get resolved quickly.

Too soon for me to give up on Pep .

The concerning part was there was no reaction to the fuck up, we've always given goals away in that manner under Pep, it usually ends up with us penning the opposition in their box for the rest of the game and if we don't get a result it's usually because we have been desperately unlucky.

Over the past 12 months this hasn't happened. Yesterday Spurs were comfortable as fuck, Frank even made subs to rest players. This is a team that finished 17th last season and has had a disastrous transfer window. Alarm bells are ringing massively.