33 | Nico O'Reilly - 2025/26

Xhavenjoe said:
Its funny how things change in a year.
Last season we were playing a cup match and Khusanov, on a yellow, was taken off at half time as Pep was worried his rashness might lead to a red.
O Reilly came in at LB, moving Gvardiol to CB where he remained for the rest of the season.
O Reilly completely transformed the game.
A year later and O Reilly is a recognised starter and Nunes and Khusanov have improved beyond what most of us would have thought possible.
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I was thinking pretty much the same thing, the other day. All three have had stand out seasons.
As for Nico, there's definitely a false nine in ther somewhere.
 
Started the ball rolling by winning the penalty , and was solid all game , gave the Dipper midfield nothing and for a young lad isnt bothered about mixing it , he wont be intimidated by more experienced players , he is no longer potential , he is now a game changer
 
The roaming unmarked LB.

He is our secret weapon to overload.

When we play 424, its a 6-defend, 4-attack system, slightly different from the usual 5-5.

But O Reilly is the one we use to overload, wide, centrally, wherever.

The fullbacks role at the top level is so much more important than some realize.

Its often the difference in results between top teams, how successfully their fullback goes between defending and attacking.

So I still stick by my stance, O Reilly can be the BEST LB in the world due to his overall ability on the pitch.

He still has to learn some thing defensively no doubt, he isn't perfect, but he is young.

While he can still be a TOP midfielder, I dont think he will be the best there.
 
He’s been excellent at left back, but I still think he’s even better for the team in midfield.
 
bluethai said:
He’s been excellent at left back, but I still think he’s even better for the team in midfield.
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When he plays at LB he spends half the game in midfield anyway. He scored 2 goals playing left back in the cup final.

When he's LB it allows us to get an extra body in midfield because he drops in so well.
 
When you've got a left back who is a 6ft 4 natural number 10, there is no dealing with it. You can't ask your right winger to track that, passing him on to a defender or holding midfielder is impossible as they've already got a man to cover, things just open up for him and unlike natural left backs who are not used to or comfortable in that situation, he knows what to do. He probably gets more chances goals and assists as a left back than he would from playing in midfield where he'll then have somebody more capable picking him up.
 
bluethai said:
He’s been excellent at left back, but I still think he’s even better for the team in midfield.
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For his international place needs to be playing at left back for club as midfield is just about sorted.
 
ninjamonkey said:
When you've got a left back who is a 6ft 4 natural number 10, there is no dealing with it. You can't ask your right winger to track that, passing him on to a defender or holding midfielder is impossible as they've already got a man to cover, things just open up for him and unlike natural left backs who are not used to or comfortable in that situation, he knows what to do. He probably gets more chances goals and assists as a left back than he would from playing in midfield where he'll then have somebody more capable picking him up.
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Definitely the key point there you said.

In midfield, he is more easily man marked, his technical small space ability has to be at the absolute top level like Doku, Cherki, or Bernie.

For his size, he is surprisingly good in small spaces, but he isnt as good as those guys.

But as a LB he has more space and freedom to express himself in overloads, its more ideal for him.
 
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