21 | Rayan Ait-Nouri - 2025/26

[WallyA]

Ait Nouri was definitely at fault for some of those goals. No doubt he needs to get better at these situations.

But I think Pep is at fault a bit for using him so poorly in this particuar game.

In playing Ait Nouri as an inverted fullback for 90% of the game, he forced Ait Nouri to be "the guy" to deal with transitions on that side.

And because the LCM on his side was Gundogan, who pushes really high up, he had to.

Personally, I much preferred how he was used in earlier games, where the LCM was deep, Ait Nouri wide, and Doku inverted.

This tasked him with more attacking responsibility, and the LCM to control possession from deep, and ultimately be somewhat responsible for transitions instead.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I mean, Gvardiol spent his fair share of time camped outside the opponents box when he played LB for an extended time.

I don’t think he’s as attack minded though and naturally wants to get back and defend.

You could also see when he attacked so far up it did leave us open

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Some of what has been said already in this thread is going to be pretty funny to look back on in a few years time. This guy is quality.

 

[oldius]

Some of what has been said already in this thread is going to be pretty funny to look back on in a few years time. This guy is quality.

He's superb.
All our defenders, no matter their quality, will be exposed if we play as aggressively as we did against Al Hilal.
It is just a matter of aligning the desire to be more direct with a bit more pragmatism and experience with colleagues. I think @WallyA makes some good points.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

He's superb.
All our defenders, no matter their quality, will be exposed if we play as aggressively as we did against Al Hilal.
It is just a matter of aligning the desire to be more direct with a bit more pragmatism and experience with colleagues. I think @WallyA makes some good points.

He's possibly superb in a very limited sense.

I think that he may be great at playing wide on offense, offering our right winger (Duku?) the opportunity to drift inwards, and thus making our right winger much more effective.

And he's great at attacking wide, able to dribble past defenders.
===
But that's it, as far as I can tell.

We trusted Ait-Nouri to defend but he failed spectacularly for Al-Hilal's first goal:


We trusted Ait-Nouri to be our deepest lying defender on a corner kick for us against Al-Hilal, and he failed... spectacularly. Because Ait-Nouri was caught ball-watching (I think I saw an even better close up video showing AIt-Nouri ball watching but replay the video below slowly and you get the point).


===
And so I agree with you - Ait-Nouri is indeed superb...

Superbly unqualified to start as our left back against any side that offers a threat... unless Pep comes up with some sort of work-around to compensate for a left back who is great on offensense, but who cannot read the game, lacks pace, and cannot be relied upon as the last man when we take corner kicks, and is short and not great at headers and thus if in the box on corners - won't contribute much.

 

[King Jay]

Made me laugh when some said he was good on defense when everyone and their grandma knew that he is a defensive liability.
Especially when playing LWB the whole time turning into an LB. It’s a similar case to Frimpong here.

 

[OntarioBlue]

I really like the look of this guy. Before the transfer window opened I was hoping we’d go in for Kirkez or Ait Nouri so I’m very happy we’ve landed one of them.

Now, if only we could get his right footed twin for the other side.

 

[WallyA]

I'm not too worried about his defensive side to be honest.

Think he'll improve and develeop more chemistry with his teammates.

I hope Pep lets him bomb wide though, and stop this purely inverting stuff.

 

[mattcity5]

The above talk about how he was poor on their breakaway goal.... He could have done better, but I wouldn't put it on him, I'd put it on Pep.

Our game v Villa towards the end of the season I was struck by how when we had a corner we left nobody back. Villa were the same tbh, so I thought when defending, as soon as it's taken someone should sprint for halfway hoping we'd clear it, because they'd be clean through.

It was almost this that happened against us. I don't see the worth in putting everyone that far up, including players like Bernardo in the box. Someone has to be back on halfway, it's just madness otherwise.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

The above talk about how he was poor on their breakaway goal.... He could have done better, but I wouldn't put it on him, I'd put it on Pep.

Our game v Villa towards the end of the season I was struck by how when we had a corner we left nobody back. Villa were the same tbh, so I thought when defending, as soon as it's taken someone should sprint for halfway hoping we'd clear it, because they'd be clean through.

It was almost this that happened against us. I don't see the worth in putting everyone that far up, including players like Bernardo in the box. Someone has to be back on halfway, it's just madness otherwise.

I don't follow you on this comment.

Clearly Ait-Nouri is the last man on defense when we take this corner - if you want to blame Pep for putting him there - OK. But FFS - it's not a too difficult position. Just don't let anyone beat you for pace - and if you're screwed - foul.

Ait-Nouri was caught ball-watching - and far too late attempted to close the attacker - who by that time was yards ahead of him and far faster.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

I mean, Gvardiol spent his fair share of time camped outside the opponents box when he played LB for an extended time.

Yes he did.

How well did that work out for us?

 

[mattcity5]

I don't follow you on this comment.

Clearly Ait-Nouri is the last man on defense when we take this corner - if you want to blame Pep for putting him there - OK. But FFS - it's not a too difficult position. Just don't let anyone beat you for pace - and if you're screwed - foul.

Ait-Nouri was caught ball-watching - and far too late attempted to close the attacker - who by that time was yards ahead of him and far faster.

My view only this, but unless you've got super fast defenders, then this is way too high a starting position for the last man when the corner is taken.



He was ball watching a bit - being kind I'd say he was expecting the best and had his attacking head on, when he should have been trying to sniff danger like a defender should. He did drop, but when the ball is being played into acres of space and you've zero chance of catching them offside, then you're in trouble from the start.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

My view only this, but unless you've got super fast defenders, then this is way too high a starting position for the last man when the corner is taken.

View attachment 161976

He was ball watching a bit - being kind I'd say he was expecting the best and had his attacking head on, when he should have been trying to sniff danger like a defender should. He did drop, but when the ball is being played into acres of space and you've zero chance of catching them offside, then you're in trouble from the start.

View attachment 161977

Agree - he's a bit too forward, given his lack of pace - but this is his own fault. He could have stationed himself further back. He's the last man - and needs to stop transitional moments if we lose the ball on the corner kick.

The replay I've shown for ball watching is poor - on the correct replay - it's obvious that Ait-Nouri is 100% focused on the ball for at maybe 3 seconds or so, meanwhile the attacker sprints past him - at which point he's not going to be able to defend.

 

[mattcity5]

Agree - he's a bit too forward, given his lack of pace - but this is his own fault. He could have stationed himself further back. He's the last man - and needs to stop transitional moments if we lose the ball on the corner kick.

The replay I've shown for ball watching is poor - on the correct replay - it's obvious that Ait-Nouri is 100% focused on the ball for at maybe 3 seconds or so, meanwhile the attacker sprints past him - at which point he's not going to be able to defend.

Agree he didn't cover himself in glory, I just don't understand why we set up like this. I don't think his starting point was an accident, but the gain is surely really minimal compared to the potential loss.

Seen us do this in other games last season, and teams do this against us too, so it seems in vogue at the moment, but I fear it will cost us again.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Agree he didn't cover himself in glory, I just don't understand why we set up like this. I don't think his starting point was an accident, but the gain is surely really minimal compared to the potential loss.

Seen us do this in other games last season, and teams do this against us too, so it seems in vogue at the moment, but I fear it will cost us again.

Cheers.

If you mean that we shouldn't have trusted him as last man - 100% agree. As a very new player in our squad, whose weaknesses might not be well understood - maybe our coaching staff made a mistake.

On the other hand - if you're the last man in a corner kick... a professional footballer... FFS - that's pretty much kindergarten stuff - don't ball watch - don't let your man beat you - foul if you must. And Ait-Nouri screwed it up.

 

[mattcity5]

Cheers.

If you mean that we shouldn't have trusted him as last man - 100% agree. As a very new player in our squad, whose weaknesses might not be well understood - maybe our coaching staff made a mistake.

On the other hand - if you're the last man in a corner kick... a professional footballer... FFS - that's pretty much kindergarten stuff - don't ball watch - don't let your man beat you - foul if you must. And Ait-Nouri screwed it up.

I might just be old-fashioned, but I think the last man should be on halfway to mop anything like this up. So much safer. I'm sure we don't lose much having 2 on the edge of the box instead of 3. Just keep someone back.

 

[shemnel]

Yes he did.

How well did that work out for us?

not sure it was player of the season Gvardiol's fault we were floppy as fuck in central midfield and centre half.

 

[mccity]

It's worth noting that he's new. It's going to take time before he has a strong understanding of precisely when to push up or not in either attacking or defending phases

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

It's worth noting that he's new. It's going to take time before he has a strong understanding of precisely when to push up or not in either attacking or defending phases

Shouldn't Pep or the coaches be responsible for instructing the players where they should be positioned ?

 

[mccity]

Shouldn't Pep or the coaches be responsible for instructing the players where they should be positioned ?

Yes. And I suspect it takes time before a player can fully learn what's expected of them