82 | Rico Lewis - 2024/25

[RayCTID]

Rico is definietly worth keeping but it is still difficult to work out where is his most comfortable position in City's current set up.

 

[vuoso1993]

I think the boy is class , stop questioning him . We have waiting for a youth graduates to make the team and he is more than handling his own . Who would you play instead in the hybrid role he has

 

[SebastianBlue]

I think the boy is class , stop questioning him . We have waiting for a youth graduates to make the team and he is more than handling his own . Who would you play instead in the hybrid role he has

This is a great question along with “who would we buy that would do it at a higher level in the PL and CL, and how much would they cost?”

 

[chesterbells]

I am not irked by criticism, I am annoyed by blues saying “he’s not good enough for us” or saying he isn’t a good player.

The number of blues in this and the match thread having a go at him is really disappointing. And I am fine being the lone voice defending him, if needed, as I was with Rodri when he was getting the “Plodri” nonsense.

It’s a subtle distinction between irked and annoyed for me, but ok. It’s probably best we agree to disagree, because it isn’t very productive to carry on, when positions have already been made clear over a number of posts.
See you on another thread bud!

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I am not irked by criticism, I am annoyed by blues saying “he’s not good enough for us” or saying he isn’t a good player.

The number of blues in this and the match thread having a go at him is really disappointing. And I am fine being the lone voice defending him, if needed, as I was with Rodri when he was getting the “Plodri” nonsense.

Errrr….!

Don’t you mean “Godri”!!! Been calling him that since he got his feet under him and understood the role.

One or two comments on the “at fault” question:

John Stones. He was ahead of the player when the break happened and there was ONLY ONE PLAYER who could have scored, but he never closed him down. Rather, he just ran back towards his own goal, without moving towards the danger.

Rico was behind the play when it developed and was never getting goal side. Additionally, the goal scorer was one of the two strikers, not a marauding left winger or midfielder.

Ederson is in No Man’s Land the entire time…neither here nor there! His position couldn’t close down the ball, because it was too good and curling away from him, but he’s marooned himself halfway and hung himself out to dry.

As one commentator said, “the ball went into an empty net!” Had Ederson stayed home, on his 3 yard line, he would not only have had more time to react, but also covered his goal more easily.

Lastly, we were three at the back (standard), but narrow. When the ball went wide on the break,

1) Gvardiol had to leave his man and come across to push the player down the line. Before he got there, the ball was released.

2) Dias was covering both a man and 95% of the cross options that Ederson couldn’t sweep up.

3) Stones, as the break occurs, is the last man by a yard or two, but us initially sucked towards Dias, as that’s where he SEES the danger, not realizing it was behind him the whole time.

Even when the ball comes over, he still hasn’t sussed the danger is right behind him, but when he does, HE definitely feels like it was Rico’s fault the lad was free…even though it was Stones’ own player in the back three set up we were playing.

4) Once again, this shows how vulnerable we are when pressing 7 or 8 players forward, when one of them gives the ball away. Pep knows this and tasks the defenders to be good enough ball players to deal with it.

The only problem with that equation is that every defender playing that game knows that to commit is death and to jockey is time and, hopefully, a lifeline.

In this instance, it didn’t work, and a brilliant pass in behind the retreating defenders paid dividends.

Now, if WE had scored that goal with KDB and Haaland, it’d be on the highlight reel as a “KDB Masterpass” and a brilliant first time finish. I think we need to acknowledge it was a near perfect fast break that was (almost) undefendable.

It is possible for teams to exploit our 1 on 1 back line roulette, and Wolves did it.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I feel Rico gets the same stuff Gundogan did before his false 9 ex points turned him into Mr Whippy.

Rico is one of our technically most gifted players, but doesn’t have that blood and guts approach that us English fans seem to demand when the chips are down.

He’s adapting his role this year, like the rest of the team, because of the loss of Rodri. Transitions are an issue whether we have Rico or Kyle at right back, so speed doesn’t seem to be the main issue.

Rico is really good at 1 v 1 defending, so if he can stand his winger up, he stops the attacks more often than not.

He obviously needs to improve his opposition box decision making. If he does that, we have a Lahm-esque prospect on our hands.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

He obviously needs to improve his opposition box decision making. If he does that, we have a Lahm-esque prospect on our hands.

Well said. His failure to shoot in the box had me screaming at the TV yesterday, but he’s been unlucky a few times recently not to score.

There’s not many players in world football who are told, when we lose the ball in a bad area, you’re a #2. When we lose the ball in midfield, when not fully committed forward, be a second #6. When we have the ball under control in the final third, and we have set up our attacking shell, you’re a #8.

Oh yeah…the kid is a titch, in the best team in the world, and has just broken into the National Team, while he is still 19 years old!

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Errrr….!

Don’t you mean “Godri”!!! Been calling him that since he got his feet under him and understood the role.

One or two comments on the “at fault” question:

John Stones. He was ahead of the player when the break happened and there was ONLY ONE PLAYER who could have scored, but he never closed him down. Rather, he just ran back towards his own goal, without moving towards the danger.

Rico was behind the play when it developed and was never getting goal side. Additionally, the goal scorer was one of the two strikers, not a marauding left winger or midfielder.

Ederson is in No Man’s Land the entire time…neither here nor there! His position couldn’t close down the ball, because it was too good and curling away from him, but he’s marooned himself halfway and hung himself out to dry.

As one commentator said, “the ball went into an empty net!” Had Ederson stayed home, on his 3 yard line, he would not only have had more time to react, but also covered his goal more easily.

Lastly, we were three at the back (standard), but narrow. When the ball went wide on the break,

1) Gvardiol had to leave his man and come across to push the player down the line. Before he got there, the ball was released.

2) Dias was covering both a man and 95% of the cross options that Ederson couldn’t sweep up.

3) Stones, as the break occurs, is the last man by a yard or two, but us initially sucked towards Dias, as that’s where he SEES the danger, not realizing it was behind him the whole time.

Even when the ball comes over, he still hasn’t sussed the danger is right behind him, but when he does, HE definitely feels like it was Rico’s fault the lad was free…even though it was Stones’ own player in the back three set up we were playing.

4) Once again, this shows how vulnerable we are when pressing 7 or 8 players forward, when one of them gives the ball away. Pep knows this and tasks the defenders to be good enough ball players to deal with it.

The only problem with that equation is that every defender playing that game knows that to commit is death and to jockey is time and, hopefully, a lifeline.

In this instance, it didn’t work, and a brilliant pass in behind the retreating defenders paid dividends.

Now, if WE had scored that goal with KDB and Haaland, it’d be on the highlight reel as a “KDB Masterpass” and a brilliant first time finish. I think we need to acknowledge it was a near perfect fast break that was (almost) undefendable.

It is possible for teams to exploit our 1 on 1 back line roulette, and Wolves did it.

As you say, Wolves did their homework and executed their plan very effectively for their goal. We absolutely have to give them credit for that.

On thing about our defending of those kinds of situation, it's a risk based stratergy. We are relying on teams not being able to execute a killer pass into the final third and create those goal scoring opportunites, and 95% of the time it pays off. Occasionally, teams get lucky and get it absolutely spot on.

Should we sit back and defend deeper? No, because it's playing a high line that makes us such an effective attacking team.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

As you say, Wolves did their homework and executed their plan very effectively for their goal. We absolutely have to give them credit for that.

On thing about our defending of those kinds of situation, it's a risk based stratergy. We are relying on teams not being able to execute a killer pass into the final third and create those goal scoring opportunites, and 95% of the time it pays off. Occasionally, teams get lucky and get it absolutely spot on.

Should we sit back and defend deeper? No, because it's playing a high line that makes us such an effective attacking team.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Well said. His failure to shoot in the box had me screaming at the TV yesterday, but he’s been unlucky a few times recently not to score.

There’s not many players in world football who are told, when we lose the ball in a bad area, you’re a #2. When we lose the ball in midfield, when not fully committed forward, be a second #6. When we have the ball under control in the final third, and we have set up our attacking shell, you’re a #8.

Oh yeah…the kid is a titch, in the best team in the world, and has just broken into the National Team, while he is still 19 years old!

I always think back to his debut in Europe and he smacked on in high at the near post. He’s obviously got it in him, but seems to want to try the extra pass or has been watching Grealish in training and delays the shot until the defender is ready to block.

His height hasn’t been a major factor as of yet. How many times has he been beaten at the far post in conceding a goal?

Our system is almost symbiotic. When it works perfectly, like against Madrid at home, we are unplayable and every player‘s role is maximised,

When the system breaks down slightly, our players look disjointed. Whenever you saw Rodri being pulled all over the place, it wasn’t because he had suddenly lost all positional sense, it means the system is rocking.

It’s the same at the moment whilst we adapt to the loss of Rodri. It’s not just Rico that’s struggling occasionally. Gundogan is also adapting and “playing poorly” accord8ng to his thread.

We’ll get there and Rico will be a strong part of our squad for the foreseeable future.