10 | Rayan Cherki - 2025/26

There's a lot of factors that go into being a great player, such as mentality and consistency, things he will have time to prove but if you wanna talk about being gifted with a ball, he's about as good as it gets.

The best thing is he takes his opportunities and makes an impact as either a starter or sub. That's how you cement yourself as eventually bring one of the first names on the team sheet.
 
Platt Lane 59 said:
Think this lad is an exciting and unpredictable talent.
However he will try risky passes, so interceptions will happen.
Hopefully, Pep continues to give him the freedom to express himself...
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When KDB was in his prime his passing stats wernt always the best because he would always be trying to unlock the opponents defence. This lad is the same always probing and trying the outrageous. Long may it continue.
 
eastmanc said:
When KDB was in his prime his passing stats wernt always the best because he would always be trying to unlock the opponents defence. This lad is the same always probing and trying the outrageous. Long may it continue.
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Definitely.
We have a couple of players (especially Bernie) who seldom play a forward, yet alone a risky pass.
Cherki has the confidence to do this...
 
eastmanc said:
When KDB was in his prime his passing stats wernt always the best because he would always be trying to unlock the opponents defence. This lad is the same always probing and trying the outrageous. Long may it continue.
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Kev also had a game every so often where he couldn't pass water, for whatever reason.

I'm sure this lad will have those days where nothing comes off and he just loses the ball all game.

it's the nature of those kind of players. You've got to accept they're not steady away player that'll just give you a 7 out of 10 every week and that's about it. You'll take the odd stinker because they often produce magic.

I hope Cherki keeps the the same approach as he has now. Of course he can be refined but let him be what he is.

We've got a hell of a talent on our hands if all parties play it right.
 
Platt Lane 59 said:
Definitely.
We have a couple of players (especially Bernie) who seldom play a forward, yet alone a risky pass.
Cherki has the confidence to do this...
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The best teams are a blend of strengths.
Cherki sees things that others cannot, and he can deliver what others cannot.
Rodri sees risk that others cannot. He positions himself to mitigate that risk.

As long as our more defensively-minded players cover the risks of a turnover, Cherki represents the key to the lock, especially against packed defences. We have to accept that risk/reward scenario. He will also improve as he is still a young player, and inexperienced at the highest levels.
 
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
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BlueMoonAcrossThePond said:
Agree... except that the so many other sides could have offered for Cherki if they thought he was worth the buyout...
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The biggest reason we got Cherki for cheap is because he had a bit of a slump a couple of years ago. I remember Julien Laurens and Phillipe Auclair absolutely raving about him around covid when he was absolutely insane as a 16 year old, but he was obviously not the finished product, and then his stock kind of peaked and went down, teams came in for Paqueta, Guimares, Barcola instead and I think people thought he was going to be like Nabil Fekir who was always linked with top teams but no one ever pulled the trigger.

We've taken a gamble and it's paid off so far.
 
I do think in the past it was also the simple case of Lyon not wanting to let go of their 'jewel in the crown' & similar to Phil with City, he has a strong affiliation with the club since coming up through their youth academy.

I'm fairly sure we've probably picked up a few Lyon fans who follow Cherki & want to see him succeed & hold him in high esteem.

Financial matters meant Lyon eventually had to cash in & I reckon quite a few clubs must have tried to take advantage of this situation & put in even lower offers than our eventual price.

But the pull of working with Pep definitely played a large part in Cherki signing, as I think he mentioned it in his initial interviews & you'd be naive to think other clubs weren't clamoring to get his signature especially with media reports circulating of Slot flying down to France to meet Cherki in person.
 
blue_danube said:
Kev also had a game every so often where he couldn't pass water, for whatever reason.

I'm sure this lad will have those days where nothing comes off and he just loses the ball all game.

it's the nature of those kind of players. You've got to accept they're not steady away player that'll just give you a 7 out of 10 every week and that's about it. You'll take the odd stinker because they often produce magic.

I hope Cherki keeps the the same approach as he has now. Of course he can be refined but let him be what he is.

We've got a hell of a talent on our hands if all parties play it right.
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You're right there was times when Kev struggled to make a simple pass, you could tell if KBD was going to have a good match after two minutes of the game. All players have poor games but the good ones have more good ones than bad.
 
Platt Lane 59 said:
Definitely.
We have a couple of players (especially Bernie) who seldom play a forward, yet alone a risky pass.
Cherki has the confidence to do this...
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Bernie used to take more risks when he first came and now he's basically there to give us control, but you have to admit Bernardo has been a fantastic player for this club
 
eastmanc said:
You're right there was times when Kev struggled to make a simple pass, you could tell if KBD was going to have a good match after two minutes of the game. All players have poor games but the good ones have more good ones than bad.
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Kev was always shit until he was great. There was rarely a middle ground. He'd misplace pass after pass, and then suddenly he'd do something stunning and just be the best player on the pitch after that. It's almost like he needed calibrating during the game. Sometimes it was immediately, sometimes it took an hour. I think it's just how it is for high risk brilliant footballers.
 
twosips said:
Kev was always shit until he was great. There was rarely a middle ground. He'd misplace pass after pass, and then suddenly he'd do something stunning and just be the best player on the pitch after that. It's almost like he needed calibrating during the game. Sometimes it was immediately, sometimes it took an hour. I think it's just how it is for high risk brilliant footballers.
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True, what a player he was. Cherki on the other hand is a bit different from Kev in that Kev was always looking for that pass whereas Cherki likes to carry the ball more and beat his man taking opponents out of the game.
 
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twosips said:
Kev was always shit until he was great. There was rarely a middle ground. He'd misplace pass after pass, and then suddenly he'd do something stunning and just be the best player on the pitch after that. It's almost like he needed calibrating during the game. Sometimes it was immediately, sometimes it took an hour. I think it's just how it is for high risk brilliant footballers.
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Classic example of this was Madrid away in 2023. He spent the entire game giving the ball away, to the point where I joked "Go on Pep, would be a good idea to put De Bruyne on". 30 seconds later he whacked it into the Madrid goal from 25 yards.
 
Magic. Said it in the match thread but he just reminds me of Ali B. That back heel made me feel nostalgic.

Wonderfully composed finished too.
 
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