10 | Rayan Cherki - 2025/26

kippaxwarrior said:
You need to be called out on this about Cherki being lazy.

The last two games and particularly yesterday he was constantly tracking back when we didn't have the ball harassing the full backs and dropping into midfield to help out the midfield 3.

Look at the 2 assists for Haaland yesterday, he was in central midfield. You absolutely cannot be lazy in a Pep team and it seems you've been suckered in by certain sections of the press saying he's shit off the ball.

You had a nightmare telling everyone Donnarumma wasn't good enough, don't let the same thing happen to Cherki
Click to expand...
Several factors at play.

1. I call things as I see them based on research - I'm no guru;
2. If I'm wrong, I admit it.
3. Cherki in this game was played as right wing and allowed to drift into center - with excellent cover in case of mistakes in the form of Nunes.

Given the above... why did question the signings of Donnarumma and Cherki...

It's because Pep has valued ball control and careful passing above all else - including the keeper.
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I underestimated Pep - he's changed and is getting the best out of our side.
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Cherki lazy or not on defense... let's see. One game isn't proof - and for the record - I voted Cherki man of the match.
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Cherki is a supreme talent... obviously. But here's the thing - how on earth did we get him for so cheap?... it's because, in the past, Cherki has had issues on defense.
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Anyhow, I like Cherki very much at RW drifting into mid - with Nunes behind him in case defense is paramount.
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I voted Cherki MoTM against Bournemouth - because without him, we'd tie or lost the match.
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For what it's worth - I still do not rate Cherki on defense (I could change my mind)... but on offense - Cherki is second only to Haaland. If we can possibly play the trio of Haaland, Cherki and Foden against top sides without weakening our defensive structure too much - we're awesome - and will challenge Arsenal for the title.
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Once more... my man of the match was Cherki.
 
BlueMoonAcrossThePond said:
Several factors at play.

1. I call things as I see them based on research - I'm no guru;
2. If I'm wrong, I admit it.
3. Cherki in this game was played as right wing and allowed to drift into center - with excellent cover in case of mistakes in the form of Nunes.

Given the above... why did question the signings of Donnarumma and Cherki...

It's because Pep has valued ball control and careful passing above all else - including the keeper.
===
I underestimated Pep - he's changed and is getting the best out of our side.
===
Cherki lazy or not on defense... let's see. One game isn't proof - and for the record - I voted Cherki man of the match.
===
Cherki is a supreme talent... obviously. But here's the thing - how on earth did we get him for so cheap?... it's because, in the past, Cherki has had issues on defense.
===
Anyhow, I like Cherki very much at RW drifting into mid - with Nunes behind him in case defense is paramount.
===
I voted Cherki MoTM against Bournemouth - because without him, we'd tie or lost the match.
===
For what it's worth - I still do not rate Cherki on defense (I could change my mind)... but on offense - Cherki is second only to Haaland. If we can possibly play the trio of Haaland, Cherki and Foden against top sides without weakening our defensive structure too much - we're awesome - and will challenge Arsenal for the title.
===
Once more... my man of the match was Cherki.
Click to expand...

The reason we got Cherki so cheap is that Lyon are in dire financial trouble and haven't got a pot to piss in. We were the first ones in and Lyon though the price we offered was acceptable
 
kippaxwarrior said:
The reason we got Cherki so cheap is that Lyon are in dire financial trouble and haven't got a pot to piss in. We were the first ones in and Lyon though the price we offered was acceptable
Click to expand...
Agree... except that the so many other sides could have offered for Cherki if they thought he was worth the buyout...
 
kippaxwarrior said:
You need to be called out on this about Cherki being lazy.

The last two games and particularly yesterday he was constantly tracking back when we didn't have the ball harassing the full backs and dropping into midfield to help out the midfield 3.

Look at the 2 assists for Haaland yesterday, he was in central midfield. You absolutely cannot be lazy in a Pep team and it seems you've been suckered in by certain sections of the press saying he's shit off the ball.

You had a nightmare telling everyone Donnarumma wasn't good enough, don't let the same thing happen to Cherki
Click to expand...
Calm down please.

Why did I think that Donnarumma was going to be a disaster?

Why did I think that Cherki was prone to be lazy on defense?
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Here's the main thing - it's Pep. The best manager in world football - he's adapted his ball control above all else style and has changeS
kippaxwarrior said:
The reason we got Cherki so cheap is that Lyon are in dire financial trouble and haven't got a pot to piss in. We were the first ones in and Lyon though the price we offered was acceptable
Click to expand...
100% this... except that no other club thought to better our offer.
 
BlueMoonAcrossThePond said:
Cherki will never be a workhorse like Tevez was. He's lazy on defense - and that will probably always be the case.

Given that he's fantastically gifted on the ball - and lazy - how do we best make use of him? I'd love to see a Foden-Cherki one-two combination through the middle - because that's going to unlock virtually every low block.
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Do remind us who it was that sprinted the length of the pitch to put the Bournemouth goalkeeper under pressure at the start of the second half, dragging his teammates 40 yards up the park in the process?
 
BlueMoonAcrossThePond said:
Agree... except that the so many other sides could have offered for Cherki if they thought he was worth the buyout...
Click to expand...
I already explained at length in June why he didn't sign despite PSG's offer and after discussions with Luis Enrique and Luis Compos, why he didn't sign for Dortmund after Terzic was replaced by Sahin, and why he didn't sign for Liverpool despite his meeting with Slot in the south of France... I explained Cherki's contract, and Olympique Lyonnais' need for a quick sale to avoid relegation to the second division.
 
.db. said:
That first half was superb!

He came out for the second half looking a bit stiff after a sit down at half time and he wasn’t quite as good (Pep did his nut at him a few times for trying to nutmeg someone and losing the ball or trying little flicks and losing the ball when it was still only 2-1), but he’s not played a great deal and isn’t fully match fit yet.

Once he gets up to full match fitness and sharpness in body and mind, and he can put in a full game performance like that first half, Cherki could be the best player in this team.

He’s only 22 n’all (although he looks about 32!).

It looks like he and Haaland were made for each other the way they play… Cherki’s first instinct was often ‘where’s Erling?’.
Click to expand...
one of the few players since 2022 who played for this team and who didn't hesitate for a second to take advantage of Haaland's forward runs
 
kippaxwarrior said:
You need to be called out on this about Cherki being lazy.

The last two games and particularly yesterday he was constantly tracking back when we didn't have the ball harassing the full backs and dropping into midfield to help out the midfield 3.

Look at the 2 assists for Haaland yesterday, he was in central midfield. You absolutely cannot be lazy in a Pep team and it seems you've been suckered in by certain sections of the press saying he's shit off the ball.

You had a nightmare telling everyone Donnarumma wasn't good enough, don't let the same thing happen to Cherki
Click to expand...
The same guy? WTF, a WUM?
 
.db. said:
That first half was superb!

He came out for the second half looking a bit stiff after a sit down at half time and he wasn’t quite as good (Pep did his nut at him a few times for trying to nutmeg someone and losing the ball or trying little flicks and losing the ball when it was still only 2-1), but he’s not played a great deal and isn’t fully match fit yet.

Once he gets up to full match fitness and sharpness in body and mind, and he can put in a full game performance like that first half, Cherki could be the best player in this team.

He’s only 22 n’all (although he looks about 32!).

It looks like he and Haaland were made for each other the way they play… Cherki’s first instinct was often ‘where’s Erling?’.
Click to expand...
And he still managed to play a role in our 3rd goal in the second half...
 
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