Man_City_Loyal
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No not really, but its an example.
I'm sure we will see you with your Pep out banner at the next game.
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82 | Rico Lewis - 2025/26
- Thread starter BlueDejong
- Start date
No not really, but its an example.
I'm sure we will see you with your Pep out banner at the next game.
thegoatsthegoat
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Unlike a happy clapper talking shite. No banner, cheer them every week. I can voice an opinion on a city based forum; otherwise why is it here? My opinion is in game management seems non existent, it seems that we just repeat plan A and hope for different results. The performances and results suggest that may be the case. If you think differently because a high profile game 3 years ago we won then fill your boots.No not really, but its an example.
I'm sure we will see you with your Pep out banner at the next game.
We will see goal after goal like the Johnson one yesterday with him on the pitch.
He never gets across his man and stops the cross getting to the goalscorer.
This is true, but not always his fault. Yesterday's I wouldn't say is his fault, but I would say he could have done better. However I would say a number of other players could also have done better - something's already gone very wrong if the opposition can put over a controlled low cross from the position they did.
BlueMonkey79
Well-Known Member
Mate, yes he wasn't the only one to fuck up in that goal. But as soon as the ball broke to Richarlison, he was 15/20 yards further towards our own box than the eventual scorer Johnson.This is true, but not always his fault. Yesterday's I wouldn't say is his fault, but I would say he could have done better. However I would say a number of other players could also have done better - something's already gone very wrong if the opposition can put over a controlled low cross from the position they did.
Only until he saw Johnson ahead of him did he put a spurt on to stop the cross.
He should be absolutely gunning to get back from the second the ball broke.
You've got to be kidding me. How the fuck are we 0-2 down to a barely average Villa side at home with the title on the line needing a miracle to come back. If we don't pull that one out it would have been unforgivable, a total disaster.and what about the games we've won when behind? who was in control when we beat villa 3-2 for instance?
The reality is a competent RB cleans that up easily. Rico did at least 3 things wrong on that play. His ability to find his man or cut out the pass are extremely poor. there's no sugar coating it...This is true, but not always his fault. Yesterday's I wouldn't say is his fault, but I would say he could have done better. However I would say a number of other players could also have done better - something's already gone very wrong if the opposition can put over a controlled low cross from the position they did.
The reality is a competent RB cleans that up easily. Rico did at least 3 things wrong on that play. His ability to find his man or cut out the pass are extremely poor. there's no sugar coating it...
Some of the time he gets blamed in that situation when there's nothing he could do. This time I agree there was, but the fact that situation is happening so often suggests problems on the left side of our defence also.
He could have rescued us from a shit situation and failed, but others caused the shit situation, I just wish some people would realise that and not just pour all the blame on him.
I agree there are other defensive issues but having Rico playing at RB only makes things worse. If we're looking for solutions Rico at RB is not one of them.Some of the time he gets blamed in that situation when there's nothing he could do. This time I agree there was, but the fact that situation is happening so often suggests problems on the left side of our defence also.
He could have rescued us from a shit situation and failed, but others caused the shit situation, I just wish some people would realise that and not just pour all the blame on him.
Man_City_Loyal
Well-Known Member
You've got to be kidding me. How the fuck are we 0-2 down to a barely average Villa side at home with the title on the line needing a miracle to come back. If we don't pull that one out it would have been unforgivable, a total disaster.
may aswell get rid then.
Unlike a happy clapper talking shite. No banner, cheer them every week. I can voice an opinion on a city based forum; otherwise why is it here? My opinion is in game management seems non existent, it seems that we just repeat plan A and hope for different results. The performances and results suggest that may be the case. If you think differently because a high profile game 3 years ago we won then fill your boots.
Happy clapper? Me? No but I don't go on a forum crying about losing a game or two.
I referenced one game as it was on top of my mind, there many more and you know it.
You are more than happy to voice your opinion, doesn't mean you are correct in anything you've said about his game management.
But let's just get rid of him and get someone else in shall we?
Heck release all the players everyone is having a wobble about aswell
This is a fair assessment. My only gripe os I'll put his defensive fundamentals at 8/10 as opposed to 6/10. I think he is ridiculously clever tacticallyWhen it comes to assessing fullbacks, I analyze them in the following manner.
1- Physical profile. This includes their pace, strength, and size. Pace is important because opposition wingers are often the fastest players on the pitch. Also if your FB has pace they can cover ground better meaning they can hold width giving you more attacking options. If they don’t have pace, they’re limited to inverting into midfield or dropping into a back 3 in possession.
Rico doesn’t have the pace needed to defend against the fastest wingers and he doesn’t have the pace to hold width.
So if you don’t have the pace, well do you have the strength to hold off your wingers? Will you get bullied by the likes of Semenyo and Leao or will you hold your own? I think we know the answer here.
So he doesn’t have pace nor does he have the strength, does he have the size? Nope. He’s like 5’5. You can’t rely on him to defend headers in the back post at all. That being said, tbh you don’t need to be tall to be a great fullback. Lahm, Alves, and Carlos were all short. However, they compensated with their pace, attacking/technical profile or defensive profile.
2- So we know Rico doesn’t have the physical profile. Let’s assess his attacking/technical profile.
Rico is good technically. He’s agile and he can control the ball well. Low centre of gravity means good press resistance. He has good fundamentals. However, he’s a jack of all trades who’s a master at nothing. I don’t see anything he does on the ball and think wow he’s elite at this one specific thing.
His passing range is poor. He doesn’t have a through ball in him. So you can’t compare him to Trent. He’s not a great dribbler so you can’t compare him to Ait Nouri.
3- Then if you look at his defensive profile, it’s like he’s already at a disadvantage due to his physical profile. But how are his defensive fundamentals? I actually think they’re okay. I don’t think they’re bad per se. I just think he tends to occupy really high spaces that his lack of physicality stands out more when running back. There’s a reason Nico O’Reilly who never played LB looked good there because he could compensate for his lack of defensive awareness with his elite physicality which Rico can’t.
So why does Pep persist on playing him? Well it’s because Rico’s movement is exceptional. That’s literally his only world class trait. The way he drops and opens spaces for others is very good. There’s a reason when City attacks that he often finds himself in positions you wish the attackers would be in. He’s ridiculously clever. It would be like if Thomas Muller played RB.
But then that begs the question.
Can a RB who is physically limited (small, slow, weak), technically good (not great) with okay defensive fundamentals (let’s say 6/10) scale up and become the starting RB for one of the best teams in the world?
My answer is no.
I was mimicking thd reasoning used.Seriously?
He is apparently the weakest, smallest and least physical fullback in the premier League. Yet the errors are almost always coming off the other side.I agree there are other defensive issues but having Rico playing at RB only makes things worse. If we're looking for solutions Rico at RB is not one of them.
You say Rico is not the solution at RB. Ok. Thats one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that the breakdown, almost always happens on the other side.
You might have a point that Rico isn't athletic enough to clean up other people's messes often... But the conclusion i tend to reach when i see such scenarios it to wonder: "What we can do to reduce those errors in the first place" Perhaps, you are acknowledging that and are on the second order safeguard of " well assuming the best expectations fail" I want a RB who can clean up the mess... But in reality, it'd be the dirst time we are getting such a fullback. Even in Kyle Walker's prime, whenever there was an unexpected breakdown on the left ( Kyle was often, almost always ball watching). This was one of his consistent brain farts, when the ball wasn't on his side he simply has one of the slowest diagnosis/Reaction times.
A breakdown on his own side, he was a beast and would chase the forward down.
I personally have outmost faith in Nunes and Rico. So i look forward to Nunes starting next week and giving Rico a 4est.
I wish I could have faith in Rico as an RB but I'd be lying to myself. The jury is still out on Nunes...He is apparently the weakest, smallest and least physical fullback in the premier League. Yet the errors are almost always coming off the other side.
You say Rico is not the solution at RB. Ok. Thats one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that the breakdown, almost always happens on the other side.
You might have a point that Rico isn't athletic enough to clean up other people's messes often... But the conclusion i tend to reach when i see such scenarios it to wonder: "What we can do to reduce those errors in the first place" Perhaps, you are acknowledging that and are on the second order safeguard of " well assuming the best expectations fail" I want a RB who can clean up the mess... But in reality, it'd be the dirst time we are getting such a fullback. Even in Kyle Walker's prime, whenever there was an unexpected breakdown on the left ( Kyle was often, almost always ball watching). This was one of his consistent brain farts, when the ball wasn't on his side he simply has one of the slowest diagnosis/Reaction times.
A breakdown on his own side, he was a beast and would chase the forward down.
I personally have outmost faith in Nunes and Rico. So i look forward to Nunes starting next week and giving Rico a 4est.
Lavinda Past
Well-Known Member
I wish I could have faith in Rico as an RB but I'd be lying to myself. The jury is still out on Nunes...
They're both more than capable defenders who wouldn't let City down against the great majority of PL teams.
Neither are 'specialists', and I don't think they'd claim to be, but they'd walk into most current PL teams.
Until such time as we sign an elite level specialist RB, I have no problem with either Rico or Matteus in that role. They're both high quality utility/squad players.
I respect your opinion a lot mate but find it mad that you think Rico is up to it. I know the easy retort to that is Pep must do. However, for me reminds me of so many utd brought through when they were at the top. The England cap or 3 quickly followed and then they got decent money off an Everton or Sunderland before they quickly lost their places at those sort of clubs. We just had our chance to do that with Forest.They're both more than capable defenders who wouldn't let City down against the great majority of PL teams.
Neither are 'specialists', and I don't think they'd claim to be, but they'd walk into most current PL teams.
Until such time as we sign an elite level specialist RB, I have no problem with either Rico or Matteus in that role. They're both high quality utility/squad players.
Time will tell but i’d be very surprised if the lad is still a Premier League player in 5 years. I’d be absolutely amazed if he’s playing for a top 4 team
Did Lewis turn into Messi that we have to cover his weaknesses? What am i reading here? I am happy with Nunes but not with Lewis. He doesn’t have the quality at all for city. He has no favorable strengths and you can name more weaknesses within a second than even naming an outstanding skill of his within an minute.He is apparently the weakest, smallest and least physical fullback in the premier League. Yet the errors are almost always coming off the other side.
You say Rico is not the solution at RB. Ok. Thats one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that the breakdown, almost always happens on the other side.
You might have a point that Rico isn't athletic enough to clean up other people's messes often... But the conclusion i tend to reach when i see such scenarios it to wonder: "What we can do to reduce those errors in the first place" Perhaps, you are acknowledging that and are on the second order safeguard of " well assuming the best expectations fail" I want a RB who can clean up the mess... But in reality, it'd be the dirst time we are getting such a fullback. Even in Kyle Walker's prime, whenever there was an unexpected breakdown on the left ( Kyle was often, almost always ball watching). This was one of his consistent brain farts, when the ball wasn't on his side he simply has one of the slowest diagnosis/Reaction times.
A breakdown on his own side, he was a beast and would chase the forward down.
I personally have outmost faith in Nunes and Rico. So i look forward to Nunes starting next week and giving Rico a 4est.
If I said that Lewis would start for any PL club not named city ( inverted fullback) then i would be lying to myself.
No one else plays this system and the board should’ve taken the chance and sold him to forest. But we are about to extend him like we extended Dias.
simon23
Well-Known Member
It is Rico getting bullied time after time off the ball howeverHe is apparently the weakest, smallest and least physical fullback in the premier League. Yet the errors are almost always coming off the other side.
You say Rico is not the solution at RB. Ok. Thats one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that the breakdown, almost always happens on the other side.
You might have a point that Rico isn't athletic enough to clean up other people's messes often... But the conclusion i tend to reach when i see such scenarios it to wonder: "What we can do to reduce those errors in the first place" Perhaps, you are acknowledging that and are on the second order safeguard of " well assuming the best expectations fail" I want a RB who can clean up the mess... But in reality, it'd be the dirst time we are getting such a fullback. Even in Kyle Walker's prime, whenever there was an unexpected breakdown on the left ( Kyle was often, almost always ball watching). This was one of his consistent brain farts, when the ball wasn't on his side he simply has one of the slowest diagnosis/Reaction times.
A breakdown on his own side, he was a beast and would chase the forward down.
I personally have outmost faith in Nunes and Rico. So i look forward to Nunes starting next week and giving Rico a 4est.
it is Rico losing the ball on the edge of the opponents box leaving a huge chasm of space behind him for the opposition to attack into while he cannt make a recovery run
It is Rico that gives the ball away in the middle third with a poor pass
It is Rico who is poor at receiving the ball facing his own goal in his own half and again getting bullied off the ball
it is Rico getting beat repeatedly at the back post in the air (despite his best efforts)
It is Rico letting wide players run past him on the outside of him
and as the poster you are replying to said...it is his man that keeps scoring from crosses to the back post on the break away...yes that alludes to another problem (our midfield cant recover and our wide players are not helping out our fullbacks defensively) but its also Rico that is letting his man get infront of him tie and time again.
Yes he is a problem - not "the" problem but he is a significant part of it.
Ask yourself this...did we have those problems as regularly as we do now when Walker was playing in his prime? (Im not talking about the last 6-8 months of him playing with us)..Im not saying we didnt have them occasionally as walker's concentration was poor so he sometimes got beaten at the back post for instance....BUT it certainly wasnt as often and he solved more problems that he caused
Also ask yourself - would you play Rico against Vinicious Jnr in a CL semi final - fuck me Id rather play Nico OReilly than Rico Lewis against him or a player at that level - these are the levels we are talking about...its night and day between what we have had and what we now have....
Just watching the goals back and he just doesn't arse sprinting back until it's far too late.
Compare that to Brennan Johnson who immediately starts sprinting at full speed from just past the halfway line all the way up to the edge of our box, only slowing down as he gets ready to meet the cross and score.
Compare that to Brennan Johnson who immediately starts sprinting at full speed from just past the halfway line all the way up to the edge of our box, only slowing down as he gets ready to meet the cross and score.
thegoatsthegoat
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First goal is John stones and John stones onlyThe reality is a competent RB cleans that up easily. Rico did at least 3 things wrong on that play. His ability to find his man or cut out the pass are extremely poor. there's no sugar coating it...
Lavinda Past
Well-Known Member
I respect your opinion a lot mate but find it mad that you think Rico is up to it. I know the easy retort to that is Pep must do. However, for me reminds me of so many utd brought through when they were at the top. The England cap or 3 quickly followed and then they got decent money off an Everton or Sunderland before they quickly lost their places at those sort of clubs. We just had our chance to do that with Forest.
Time will tell but i’d be very surprised if the lad is still a Premier League player in 5 years. I’d be absolutely amazed if he’s playing for a top 4 team
Time, as they say, will tell mate!