82 | Rico Lewis - 2023/24

Status
Not open for further replies.
We only won one match out of 4 times when Rico started this season. Two of them without Rodri. But his PL win percentage in the last season also does not look too good.

I didnt notice it until today one pal said he would bet on draw/lose once he saw the lineup and he told me this stats.

I am not saying Rico is bad or anything. But the reason is quite plain to see. Physically he is not ready to be a regular starter in PL. CL group stage is okay. Playing as a sub is okay. It might be okay if Pep starts him and gives 60mins but playing the whole match it is just too much to ask. The opposition targeted him and it is easy to see him fading after 60 mins. It would be more sensible to start Nunes or Kova and give Rico 30 mins each game.
 
His inclusion in this team feels like a throwback to City of a bygone time.
Players would come through at youth level and sometimes skip the reserves and find themselves flung into the limelight.
We would always be equally pleased and excited to see this happen and initially, very supportive. Back then, we murdered several promising starters by overplaying them in tough circumstances.

Roll forward to 6 years ago. We had one of the best young prospects on the planet whose integration and growth into the team was widely criticised but ultimately proved to be a model example of how to nurture young talent.

And now we see the same managerial team dealing with this young boy in a polar opposite manner.

Both bewildering and concerning lack of leadership on and off the park at the moment I’m afraid.
 
Lewis is very talented no doubt, but our record with him in the team is very poor. People can check for themselves. Pep saw it after Spurs last season and he barely featured in the first XI during the run-in. Lewis has improved this season, but he isn't good good enough to start important games for the best team in the world, imo. We are going over the top with this academy stuff now.
 
alexmcity said:
Lewis is very talented no doubt, but our record with him in the team is very poor. People can check for themselves. Pep saw it after Spurs last season and he barely featured in the first XI during the run-in. Lewis has improved this season, but he isn't good good enough to start important games for the best team in the world, imo. We are going over the top with this academy stuff now.
Click to expand...
He was taken out of the side last season, and results picked up. Not the only reason of course. Having said that I thought he was the best player on the pitch yesterday.
 
He is being asked to play much too far forward, which negates his strengths and exacerbates the team's weaknesses.

Rodri is consequently left playing midfield basically alone, and Rico is lost in a position suited to a more experienced and skilful player like KDB/David Silva.

If he plays, it needs to be alongside Rodri, where he can help build attacks and impart his defensive nous.
 
Bluewonder said:
He is being asked to play much too far forward, which negates his strengths and exacerbates the team's weaknesses.

Rodri is consequently left playing midfield basically alone, and Rico is lost in a position suited to a more experienced and skilful player like KDB/David Silva.

If he plays, it needs to be alongside Rodri, where he can help build attacks and impart his defensive nous.
Click to expand...
This is why the Stones role, when he's fit, is so crucial - he's a solid base beside Rodri and even on occasions provides the cover for Rodri to push forward.

With respect, 19 year old Rico Lewis doesn't have the nous to do what 29 year old John Stones can do. Which is why, as you say, the formation needs to be tweaked to reflect what he can bring to the team.

I really do think there's a potentially very good player in Rico but right now there's a few things holding him back - his youth and inexperience, his physical stature and the fact no-one seems entirely sure what his natural or best position is.

That's for Pep to work out, and I wouldn't bet against Rico becoming more and more influential over the next season or two. But right now he does look more like one for the future than a nailed-on starter.
 
super_city_si said:
Think if he plays its should as a full back who bolsters midfield with possession or on the right. Weird to me that bernardo is right and lewis is in the 8, when bernardo had his best season ever playing there last time kev was out.
Click to expand...
This has been my thinking as well... If he occasionally gets done on counters at this point, who cares?

We're leaking goals as it is with Walker in there. We might as well play Rico there and reap the benefits of someone who's far more competent on the ball in both halves of the pitch.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
✖
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.