75 | Nico O'Reilly - 2024/25

[jaiguruKun]

What odds he'll be back on the bench against Villa?

I think those days are gone.
He's now one of the first names on the team sheet. Shame it's about 4 months too late.

 

[eastmanc]

I think those days are gone.
He's now one of the first names on the team sheet. Shame it's about 4 months too late.

Get Akanji in at right back. All of a sudden we look alot better defensively.

 

[oldius]

He looks like a confident young player. I felt he didn't know whether to attack the ball or to sit off, at times, today, but he kept going and grew into it really well. He looks a serious prospect.

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

Has shown he can more than mix it technically and physically at the top level.

A sign of the quality our academy has (and is) producing.

 

[Don Karleone]

 

[Withnail]

The lad has been a breath of fresh air, he is putting in a shift in every week and does n't look out place in the 1st team. His physicality and energy is exactly what this team needs.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

Watching the goal again and it’s fantastic movement from Nico.

Looking at Doku in the background, he’s flat-footed and not attacking either post. Grealish, Savinho and Bernie, all guilty of not getting in where it counts throughout the season. Frustrating that it takes a kid to do it and probably shows one of the reasons why the goals return from our wide men is so poor.

 

[Charlesfarsbar]

He’s quality on the ball but he’s not great defensively as a left back

He doesn’t attack the high ball and there were numerous times where he’s caught underneath it and winger has the chance to run at him, same last week with Palace

Better wingers will expose him

I’m hoping that Pep gives him a go in midfield before the end of the season

I don’t want him being tagged as a permanent left back like Zinchenko an Delph , he’s got miles more to his game than either of those two

 

[eastmanc]

He looks like a confident young player. I felt he didn't know whether to attack the ball or to sit off, at times, today, but he kept going and grew into it really well. He looks a serious prospect.

He looks really good especially as he's so out of position. He looks better with every game.

 

[Dax777]

He’s quality on the ball but he’s not great defensively as a left back

He doesn’t attack the high ball and there were numerous times where he’s caught underneath it and winger has the chance to run at him, same last week with Palace

Better wingers will expose him

I’m hoping that Pep gives him a go in midfield before the end of the season

I don’t want him being tagged as a permanent left back like Zinchenko an Delph , he’s got miles more to his game than either of those two

Beat left back in the league

 

[oldius]

Watching the goal again and it’s fantastic movement from Nico.

Looking at Doku in the background, he’s flat-footed and not attacking either post. Grealish, Savinho and Bernie, all guilty of not getting in where it counts throughout the season. Frustrating that it takes a kid to do it and probably shows one of the reasons why the goals return from our wide men is so poor.

Alternatively, it is really exciting that a kid does it, and it bodes well for the future.

 

[Jonas.shaffer]

I thought he played well. He's still getting caught on the ball much like Rodri did in his first season, but on the whole, he was moving the ball quickly.

 

[Sk@mcfc]

lads absolute quality and too good for left back
When he finally moves into centre I think he will be a legend he’s that good

 

[asahartford1]

Alternatively, it is really exciting that a kid does it, and it bodes well for the future.

Why try to see the glass half full, when you could use your imagination and see it half empty

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

Hes been a revelation at full back. Incredible to get in that position for the goal. Keep it up fella!

 

[madloaf]

Hes been a revelation at full back. Incredible to get in that position for the goal. Keep it up fella!

You can see he's a number 10. And you can't teach that knack for right place right time.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Proving every week that he should have played more this season.

They better have that contract ready for him, he's got a role to play here.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Had an underwhelming display up until he popped up with the goal i felt. Nunes gave it him on a plate with a great ball but I don't think anybody else makes that movement to even be there. Showed great goal scoring instincts.

Much work to be done on his defensive game still but he's a better long term prospect than Lewis for fullback because of his physical attributes. Got to learn to stop a cross mind, although that's a teamwide thing and not specific to him.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

Had an underwhelming display up until he popped up with the goal i felt.

I didn't i thought he was a shout for motm before the goal (along with gvardiol). Definitely a few not perfect defensive moments but nothing particularly to worry about. Composure on the ball, some of the passes he picked were intelligent and his strength to repel their players (which is vital in this team after watching us get steam rolled all season) looked like he had another very good game for me even before the goal.

I'm hoping someone does a compilation video of every touch he had in the game so we can have another look, but I thought he did a lot of good stuff, again

 

[ninjamonkey]

I didn't i thought he was a shout for motm before the goal (along with gvardiol). Definitely a few not perfect defensive moments but nothing particularly to worry about. Composure on the ball, some of the passes he picked were intelligent and his strength to repel their players (which is vital in this team after watching us get steam rolled all season) looked like he had another very good game for me even before the goal.

I'm hoping someone does a compilation video of every touch he had in the game so we can have another look, but I thought he did a lot of good stuff, again

I thought he was just fine, wasn't playing poorly but also wasn't doing anything to make a mark on the game either to warrant a motm shout. Especially when gvardiol was faultless and Nunes was excellent.

Played it safe with his passing, defensively he was playing it safe too, allowing Harrison to bring the ball in standing off him and making sure he didn't sell himself and get done over nicking the ball and making a challenge.

Thats all fine btw, that might come across as criticial but im not knocking it, its a sensible approach for a kid that isnt a fullback. But in the context of evaluating a performance, it was simply a fine, unremarkable display until the crucial goal.