82 | Rico Lewis - 2022/23 Performances

[Dax777]

If Pep plays him in our next game against United, then he is officially the first choice RB.

Taking out 2 Right backs and putting him in as replacement to right a wrong set-up, almost confirmed that for me.

I mean, he didn't need to take both out. He could have simply taking 1 out an inserted a CB so Rodri could fully play his position.

But he went a step beyond and withdrew both. That shocked me. I expect Kyle or Cancelo ( perhaps both, to start the cup game and Rico and young Gullit to resume as starters against United.


That said, there's an off chance Kyle starts just to match the speed of Whatyoumacallit.

 

[abu13]

Has become a breakout star that few saw coming.

 

[iTyler]

He's bad news for Trent in regards to England. Lewis is much more of a Southgate type player. As good a right foot as Trent has, he'll soon enough be behind James, Walker, Trippier and Lewis.

 

[skillman]

I love Lewis, it’s great having a local City fan thrive in the team at just 18. Perfect timing for him too really because Walker wasn’t playing poorly at all (seems to have been forgotten by a few) he was just injured

 

[blumoonrisen]

Not starting today.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

Not starting today.

Thanks for the update mate.

Probably a smart decision.

Both Walker and Cancelo need minutes, and Rico has more than shown we can trust him in the biggest games, so it’s not like we need to push him to prove himself in Cup games before we trust him in the PL.

Plus I’d hope Pep is starting either Gomez or Cancelo at LB, both of whom will play the inverted role Rico plays on the right - so we need Walker to slot in as the third CB in this formation, which isn’t Rico’s game.

 

[OntarioBlue]

He is clearly a great talent and it’s obvious Pep really rates him. My question is what is his position. He came in as a full back but in his last few games he has played in kind of of hybrid full back/right defensive midfielder role. I read somewhere this week that Pep described him as a midfielder.

 

[Lauz9888]

He's bad news for Trent in regards to England. Lewis is much more of a Southgate type player. As good a right foot as Trent has, he'll soon enough be behind James, Walker, Trippier and Lewis.

Walker and Tripper will be gone from the international scene in the next couple of years. Then if James can stay fit he's surely the number 1 choice. TAA will keep getting call-ups, I don't see Southgate starting him much but of course Southgate won't be around forever.

I think Rico will have to be patient waiting for his shot with England. The senior team is overflowing with right-backs and there's plenty of competition to even get a call-up (this has seen players who would be eligible for England choose to go down the route of playing for another country they're eligible for - Tariq Lamptey for example, a good young PL right-back who played for England through all the youth levels but has now declared for Ghana). And there's other young right backs coming through too - Livramento looked very promising before his injury.

Rico's a big talent but I don't see him anywhere near the England senior squad for a while yet. He needs some more experience under his belt, and will need to prove he can be a right-back in more than one system - this role Pep has him playing is quite niche and unlikely to be required of him at international level.

But that's fine. He's 18. He doesn't need the pressure of being England's great hope. I think his route is to prove himself internationally with the under 19s and then the under 21s, there's no need to fast-track him.

I don't see him being involved in euro 24 unless there's a few unfortunate injuries or earlier than expected retirements. But he'll be 22 for world cup 26 - still a young player, but hopefully one with 4 years of Premier League and Champions League experience.

 

[wolviedinho]

He is clearly a great talent and it’s obvious Pep really rates him. My question is what is his position. He came in as a full back but in his last few games he has played in kind of of hybrid full back/right defensive midfielder role. I read somewhere this week that Pep described him as a midfielder.

With Pep you never know!

He will play in probably 3/4 positions about like Phil. At his age he is going to get plenty of games with his versatility. Foden tho looks like he wants a central role now and maybe that’s why is not happy.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Ridiculous talent.