82 | Rico Lewis - 2024/25

[supercity88]

The tackle he dipped was inexcusable.

That's the concern. He came in as a kick up the arse for more senior players not showing the right mentality. Now he is guilty of the same. I won't slag the kid off when it comes to footballing ability, he is incredibly young and playing for a team with the highest possible standards. But he has to get stuck in.

 

[samuelyeboah]

Because the only time it happened against Liv, it was him who turned with the ball, run with it and made a very good through pass to Nunes. The last of our current players that should be blamed for this devastating slump.

I didn't blame him! I was confused as to why this tactical choice was made. Clearly foden is better suited as he is able to run with the ball after and create better chances, so why is it down to lewis who doesn't have anywhere near the same level of attacking creativity?

 

[SamBlue]

I didn't blame him! I was confused as to why this tactical choice was made. Clearly foden is better suited as he is able to run with the ball after and create better chances, so why is it down to lewis who doesn't have anywhere near the same level of attacking creativity?

Because Foden has been shit all season those games he has been available. I am not going into reasons why - only he knows and feels what is going with him - but the only reason he is in the first eleven because those on ever decreasing bench are even worse than him.
Last season he benefitted from Kev being out, this it doesn't matter, Kev or no Kev he's been turd.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Fairly anonymous on the right, offered nothing in or out of possession, moved central and became a massive liability.

The one thing that cannot be excused regardless of age, inexperience or anything else is a lack of effort and whilst he's first to sprint into an attacking position when we've got the ball, his desire to get back in when out of possession is frankly woeful.

He's constantly jogging back in, most of the time he's not even in camera shot for the TV watchers to even see it. There's plenty of players who rightly get bollocked for it in positions where it's less important and they'll find themselves out of the side if they don't quickly get it, and then there's Rico who is getting away with it week after week. Needs some tough love and to be dropped until he starts putting in the same effort into his defensive duties.

 

[bondsman]

But Palmer didn't want to and Chelsea made sure that wasn't the option.

Fine but that’s not what you said you said Pep didn’t want him

 

[Niall666]

Too light weight for me and he can't compensate for that in other areas too. As soon as he shit out of that challenge that was it. What kind of precedent does that set. Should be battling. At least go shoulder to shoulder !

 

[nellyonthewing]

The fact that he is playing in this side merely emphasises how much we have fucked up in future squad planning.

 

[Crooked_rain]

My feeling has always been the same on him.

I think he's done very well in the past, playing in some of the games he has and doing a job he's asked to in a Pep team, at such a young age. He's shown a good level of intelligence for a young player to do that.

But other than that, I'm failing to see any major qualities with the ball at his feet.

 

[sh249]

The Treble back four is the best defence we've ever had and all four of them are still at the club.

Agree and that should be the basis moving forward.
Obviously hard with stones being so injury-prone, but just use gvardiol as needed as his replacement. Akanji and Ake should be the fullbacks.

 

[Pubteam Lomas]

Said it before and will say it again. He hasn't really got a position.
If he's in midfield we're in a massive mess.

 

[Dawsenna]

Give nico oreilly his shirt there’s no way he could be any worse unless he was to flick the ball up and fire it straight into our net. At least nico has a bit of height and physicality about him rico is 5’5 at most and he’s not quick fit or tenacious so what on earth does he offer

 

[lancs blue]

Agree and that should be the basis moving forward.
Obviously hard with stones being so injury-prone, but just use gvardiol as needed as his replacement. Akanji and Ake should be the fullbacks.

On current form Akanji should be benched if we had a fit defence, he was especially poor yesterday.

 

[shemnel]

Lewis is decent enough but he looks a bit jaded and, for me, really needs a little time away from the XI, i think he's coming across a bit bewildered.

 

[sh249]

On current form Akanji should be benched if we had a fit defence, he was especially poor yesterday.

Ideally, agree 100%. But he’s just a lesser evil than Walker and Lewis at the moment

 

[pride in battle]

The tackle he dipped was inexcusable.

To be fair he didn't jump out of the tackle he knew the Liverpool player was going to blast it against him to win a throw in...but he should have just tried to win the ball.

 

[Mon Autre]

Hes shown plenty of potential for a young player but after the initial period of excitement, his shortcomings have become extremely clear. I don't think Pep is really helping things though as he's giving this kid way too much responsibility, way beyond his capabilities and in a team where the senior players are completely failing around him. It's doing nobody any favours.

 

[Oooh Curley Wurley]

Lewis should be proud of his achievement of making the first team.

However every game is showing he is not for this level of football

As I keep saying to my friend as we leave the games, whatever the question is Rico Lewis is not the answer.

Wish other young players from the academy are given the minutes Pep gives him, McAtee Wright etc

 

[.db.]

Seeing him jump out of that tackle after 10 minutes, when we were backs to the wall, is all I need to see thankyou, and just adds fuel to the fire.

Nothing footballer, and I'm bewildered as to what people actually see in him, he does nothing.

I'm still confused as to what position he played in the academy? That was his 80th game today, and I've seen absolutely nothing in the last 30 or 40 to suggest he's going to get any better, or that he's even improved.

Not his fault he's playing so often, but then you can't have your cake and eat it, as Palmer found out. Been given a huge opportunity in the last 18 months, and has been massively found out.

Someone was telling me recently that he thinks City will never produce a good defender through the Academy because, right from a young age, we have the ball all the time and don’t have to defend so don’t learn how to in game situations.

 

[franksinatra]

Someone was telling me recently that he thinks City will never produce a good defender through the Academy because, right from a young age, we have the ball all the time and don’t have to defend so don’t learn how to in game situations.

I understand your point, it’s perfectly logical, but you would think they would learn how to defend transitions and understand the requirements of playing a high line.

As for Lewis the jury is out for me. I have seen him play well but like all kids he needs a bit of time out of the firing line.

I think within the first minute the ball came to him and, instead of taking a touch, he ballooned it straight out of play. It was clear then he was not going to play with much composure or thought.

When he went centrally he lost all discipline and provided zero shield to the back four, jogging back from an offensive position, when the move had broken down.

The lad needs a break.

 

[.db.]

Just watched the highlights back, that shot Lewis had at 1-0 was absolutely terrible. Like he’d never kicked a football before. It wasn’t even a hard chance, he had time and space.