82 | Rico Lewis - 2024/25

[ninjamonkey]

So we have a new whipping boy now (or when we get beat)

The first goal today originated down our left hand side (same as the wolves goal) and we were beaten in the transition….playing the role Pep asks of him, he was always going to struggle to get back into position.

I thought Rico grew into the game tonight and maybe it’s lack of movement that restricts his passing

Anyway some of the criticism of him is way over the top….reminds me of The treatment that Edghill received.

His role had nothing to do with his poor recovery against wolves and had nothing to do with his role In the goal tonight. He's on the halfway line as the deepest man when the ball goes out to the left tonight.

Rico was to blame for the wolves goal in not getting back quick enough, the initial jog back instead of a sprint cost us but there's no blaming Rico for their first goal at all. He does what he can, he's correct in his movement having 2 players to cover and appeared to be sprinting the full time, can't fault him for not being as quick as we'd like or used to with walker. The goal was a result of a poor press that's too slow and easily bypassed which exposes us.

 

[samuelyeboah]

i've had enough of this tactical experiment. it's fucking shite. keep him at right back.

 

[Akira]

He's excellent going forward and in the middle of the park and that's his main strengths and value, but I'm still not convinced with the defensive side of his game.

Walker pushes up alot too, but we don't look as vulnerable mainly due to his recovery pace. Rico doesn't have that.

If Rico is the first choice RB going forward, we need to get use to not having Walker's pace in transitions anymore, and find a way to cover for Rico during these moments.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

He’s better than Delph and even zinchenko on the ball in terms of linking up.

Unfortunately he is far from it defensively. Possibly the weakest defender we’ve had since the takeover.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

If we had paid money for him, people would be tearing him to shreds for the “defensive” side of his game. Hes playing right back and he spends most of his time, 20 yards out of position, jogging towards our own goal, 5 yards behind the opposition winger. No other defender gets the free pass he does and it’s because he came through the academy.

He can’t defend, he’s slow and weak. Hes decent enough on the ball but nothing remotely extraordinary. Theres no way what he does in the opposition half, covers his glaring weakness in our own.

Ignore the fact of all you said, the fact he didn’t once look over his shoulder last night having already conceded from a similar position recently was damning for me.

 

[Mike S]

Hmmmm...

Now he's getting a run of games I've not seen any improvement that I was actually hoping for.....

Perhaps it's because he's knackered because of the amount of games he's being asked to play due to little squad rotation because of all our injuries ?

For now I'll hope that's the case and that Rico kicks on sooner rather than later

 

[Stelea]

Get Akanji or Stones at RB. This was a great success 18 months ago, will make us stronger, quicker, add height at set pieces and more importantly release Rico into midfield

 

[oldius]

A top quality young player. Expectations of a world-class defender at 19 are ignorant; he is doing brilliantly. Show me a human being who makes no mistakes at 19 and I'll show you someone who does nothing.

 

[blue ranger]

He's in danger of becoming the new Alexander Arnold. Great with the ball in advanced positions but looks completely lost when he has to defend.

He has been atrocious defensively in the last few games. Saw him looking at Werner and just ignoring him. He did it for the goal.

 

[blue ranger]

Yep. It was obvious that we needed to strengthen at RB, Midfield and a back-up CF in the summer. Neither was addressed. Bizarre.

This is exactly where we needed to address unless we wanted to play the 4 CB’s again.