82 | Rico Lewis - 2023/24

[HoneyMonster89]

He's a little bit overrated, for me.

At least compared to some of the teenagers who have burst onto the scene across Europe over the past 4 years or so. The likes of Camavinga, Pedri, Bellingham, Musiala and Zaïre-Emery.

His height puts him at a disadvantage in the current climate, which is all about pressing, duels and physicality. Mainoo and Miley are at an advantage due to their extra height/frames.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

Was about to post the same thing regarding him being an anomaly, but didn't know how to word it without sounding harsh.

I'd go as far as saying, that he wouldn't be the right back for any team in the Premier league, and he certainly wouldn't be a central midfielder other than in a Pep team.

The issue is what happens if he doesn't make it at City, which I don't think he will.

Yeah it sounds like I am being overly critical of a young kid but he is playing for the best club side in the world and is now a full England international. With that in mind, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect more from him than 100% effort and a couple of decent passes per game.

I agree re him not getting games at other clubs and I would says it’s far from a given that whoever replaces Pep will be that taken by him. As for where he makes it…he’s had an unreal footballing education here in a great academy and now managed by IMO the greatest football coach of all time. He will certainly do ok for himself within the game but I don’t expect the trajectory/career many on here are seeing for him. If I’m honest, I feel like I’ve seen his level time and time again over the years, every season in the Taggart era, United had the “next big thing” and 3 years later they were playing for WBA or Sunderland.

 

[OntarioBlue]

I rate him much higher than most(apparently) seem to, but there's no denying he looked completely out of his depth tonight. Stones didn't look much better than him tbf...

Does anyone have a plausible explanation as to why he's seemingly trusted centrally more than Phil is...?

I’ll preface this with “Pep knows best“ because that’s a fact, but I really don’t understand some of his midfield selections this season.Akanji is not a midfielder and playing in that role just puts more pressure on the backline as he is constatly losing possession in dangerous areas. Stones is not a midfielder. He is a much better player with the play in front if him and is clearly not comfortable playing the Rodri role with involves constant direction changes and demands the ability to keep possession even when being swarmed by the opposition. Bernardo and Foden are midfielders yet always seem to be stuck on the wings where they have less influence on the game. I haven’t figured out exactly what Lewis’s best position is yet. He struggled last night because he couldn’t cope with the quick press and being surrounded by two or three Villa players every time he got the ball. Hopefully he and Pep will have a solution for the next time he plays.
Many of us on here have been saying this for ages. We need real cover for Rodri - not make do and mend. Without a real DM we are weaker and other teams have figured it out.

 

[Axel Freed]

Fuck me Rodri’s a special player.

When Rico plays alongside Rodri he looks to the manor born, a young man with real football intelligence and poise who could grace the PL and CL for the next decade. Without Rodri he looks like a fish out of water unable to even do the basics right.

His real level lies somewhere between the two.

 

[TrentGrisham]

I’ll preface this with “Pep knows best“ because that’s a fact, but I really don’t understand some of his midfield selections this season.Akanji is not a midfielder and playing in that role just puts more pressure on the backline as he is constatly losing possession in dangerous areas. Stones is not a midfielder. He is a much better player with the play in front if him and is clearly not comfortable playing the Rodri role with involves constant direction changes and demands the ability to keep possession even when being swarmed by the opposition. Bernardo and Foden are midfielders yet always seem to be stuck on the wings where they have less influence on the game. I haven’t figured out exactly what Lewis’s best position is yet. He struggled last night because he couldn’t cope with the quick press and being surrounded by two or three Villa players every time he got the ball. Hopefully he and Pep will have a solution for the next time he plays.
Many of us on here have been saying this for ages. We need real cover for Rodri - not make do and mend. Without a real DM we are weaker and other teams have figured it out.

Pep has arguably been just as poor as the players this season. He's been a day late and a dollar short with his in-game changes all season.

Agree with everything else you said except maybe the Stones bit. He's proven he can do a job in there(just look at his CL final performance), but having him and Akanji there is just too much. It's wildly unfair on them to expect them to do a consistent job in midfield at the highest level of football.

 

[freshie]

I rate him much higher than most(apparently) seem to, but there's no denying he looked completely out of his depth tonight. Stones didn't look much better than him tbf...

Does anyone have a plausible explanation as to why he's seemingly trusted centrally more than Phil is...?

No idea, but then again Pep trusts Alvarez centrally more than he does Phil. The mind boggles

 

[iTyler]

Unfortunately, putting Rico (still inexperienced and very lightweight) into central midfield, away to an in-form Aston Villa, was likely to end in tears.
John Stones has also not played a full game in a long time - so Rico had little "protection".
At the moment, Rico is best suited to a game where City will dominate possession and he can drift between the opposing defensive lines.
He has undoubted talent, but is not yet ready for a hustling-bustling midfield role.
Huddersfield at home in the FA Cup is a game where Rico could start in midfield and thrive.
As Kalvin and Kovatic also need game time, put Rico in with those two as his minders ?

Completely agree. And that's why nobody should blame him or pick faults in his performance. He was up against some very good midfielders and he also didn't pick himself to start. Villa's midfield was much better yesterday but I can guarantee you that Lewis is a much better player at his age than the likes of McGinn and Douglas Luiz were.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

No idea, but then again Pep trusts Alvarez centrally more than he does Phil. The mind boggles

No it makes perfect sense! Phil cannot play midfield for Pep in he way he wants and he knows this after 7 years of working with Phil!

Do not be surprised if we get midfielders instead of wingers in the transfer window and Phil is a winger!

 

[callumcity]

He had a bad game but so did everybody else, he wasn’t the worst, World Cup winner Alvarez and £80m Gvardiol were by far the worst.

He’s 19, just, a very promising young player who has excelled for us in previous games.

A turbulent match in which we had a centre half and a striker in midfield.

I would point the finger more towards the tactics and Pep than a youngster who has previously looked assured with a head on his shoulders beyond his years.

Talk of him not being good enough for other clubs in the league and not good enough in any position are outrageous. How can he look so good at left back for England (never a penalty) yet not be good enough for teams in the bottom 10.

 

[nellyonthewing]

When I see our line up and our bench I struggle to comprehend how "Is this a treble winning " Club?
We have squandered the impetus of domination by what is turning out to be a piss poor transfer window.
Opponents have sussed out our weaknesses in midfield and defence and are merrily tearing us apart.
The fear factor illusion we held has evaporated very quickly.